For Western Grebes, location and timing of the count appear to make a huge
difference, as birds adjust to winds, tides, and perhaps other factors such
a prey availability. I've been doing the area of the Skagit Bay CBC that
covers the north end of Camano Island and adjacent waters, from English Boom
to Rocky Point, for many years. Since 1992, the highest Western Grebe count
was 1059 in 2000, and the lowest was 9 in 2003. This year we had 341 birds,
while the average of the prior thirteen years was 374. The count is
typically held on the last weekend of December or the first weekend of
January, and the great bulk of the Western Grebes in our sector are found in
Saratoga Passage, the channel between Camano and Whidbey.

Something is definitely going on with White-winged Scoters in this small
sector of the Puget Sound system at this time of year. For the eleven years
1992-2002 the average count was 235 birds, with a high of 380 birds and only
one year below 100 birds. The last count with typical numbers was 2002-2003,
with 287 birds. The three following years showed counts of 50, 45, and 18
White-winged Scoters in this North Camano area -- the three lowest counts
since the beginning.

Hal Opperman
Medina, WA
Hal AT catharus DOT net

On 1/6/06 10:40 AM, "Steve Ellis" <sellis at coup.wednet.edu> wrote:

> Timing is a big part of the seabird numbers game. I too have seen 10,000
> Western Grebes around Whidbey but that's usually in November before the
> rafts break up into smaller groups. Many of those birds move out of the
> count circle. And, as I stated, we didn't get the big influx of Surf Scoters
> until a week after the count.
> I'm glad the White-winged Scoters are somewhere as they sure aren't here.