Steve Ellis,

~ On what premise do you suggest the cessation of hunting on whitewing
scoters ? Can you provide factual data that suggests that legal waterfowl
hunting in the state of Washington is the causing their apparent lack of
numbers on Whidbey Island ? The overall whitewing population estimates for
the west coast surpassed the surf scoters, and though showing a decline in
overall numbers-- According to recent USFW/ SDJV studies the whitewings were
not showing as dramatic a decline as the western surf scoter populations,
and neither species decline had ANYTHING to do with regulated waterfowl
hunting in this state.

Capt. Dave Drewry
Port Townsend, WA


----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Ellis" <sellis at coup.wednet.edu>
To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 9:58 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Re Seabird Numbers


> The Whidbey count set a record for Western Grebes finding well over 3,000
> individuals. Surf Scoter numbers were way down as they apparently "short
> stopped" up north. By the end of December several hundred more had drifted
> south to Penn Cove. White-winged Scoters are still falling off rapidly and
> ALL hunting of them should cease immediately. Harlequin and Long-tailed
> Ducks are doing well.
> It's harder to get a handle on the alcids. We didn't have a single Common
> Murre this year after a few years where the population seemed to be
> bumping
> up a bit. Pigeon Guillemots had a disastrous breeding year on Whidbey.
> This
> summer I was only able to locate 2 juveniles- 1 in Penn Cove and the
> other
> off of Ft. Ebey St. Park. Most Rhino Auklets winter out of binocular
> range
> of Whidbey and the Ancient Murrelets prefer to be on the Port Townsend
> side
> of the water. We only had a handful of Marbled Murrlets after a couple of
> good years.
> Steve Ellis
> Coupeville, Wa
> sellis at coup.wednet.edu
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