Bryan,

The Western Grebe decline has been well-documented via the extensive survey flights of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring
Program (a program the accomplishes basic data collection to monitor trends in Puget Sound's wildlife community). I consider
this program to be public money very well spent but that's not why I'm writing this. I wish that you could point to the
more private wintering places where all of these grebes are going. It's great the Lake Washington contingent has increased but,
alas, we need to find many thousands more to call off the emergency.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005, J & B Adamowski LaComa wrote:

> Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 20:09:45 -0800
> From: J & B Adamowski LaComa <jennandbryan at msn.com>
> To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Western Grebe Populations
>
> Recently I have read many stories on The decline of the Western Grebe populations in the Northwest, especially here on this
> site. Is this a documented decline? This (as are many of our local birds) is one of my favorites and am quite concerned
> over recent claims of vanishing pairs or flocks. This is troubling, however there is a population that I have observed for
> nearly 5 years now that is growing fairly well. I know when Fall is turning towards Winter when these guys flock to the
> mid-span of the 520 bridge. Usually they congregate to the North unless a cool, stiff breeze forces them to the leeward side.
> Usually the group numbers 10 or so but this year I have seen as many as 30 a day here. Perhaps the numbers are not dwindling
> as drastically as people think but rather they are just seeking out different, more private wintering grounds?
>
> Bryan LaComa
> Shoreline, Wa.
> jennandbryan at msn.com
>