Hello Tweeters,

The Caspian Tern thread refuses to die.

All this Caspian Tern chatter inspired me to walk Dungeness Spit
yesterday morning (6/12/09) to check out the tern colony, which lies
about 4 miles out on the south edge of the spit. Lots of incubating
terns right now, and lots of courtship feeding of what looked like
herring, surfperch, and long, lean fish like pricklebacks. Small
tern feeding flocks occurred close to the colony and throughout
Dungeness Bay.

By peeking over from the accessible north side of the spit, I counted
580 birds sitting on apparent nests, and about 81 additional birds
standing at nests or nearby. There are likely many more nests over
the hump on the south side of the colony where I couldn't see them.
From their activities I'd estimate at least 700 to 750 pairs in the
colony. Let's say upwards of 1500 birds total associated with the
colony.

Also one beautiful Arctic Tern circled around the colony while I was
there, but it landed out of sight on the southeast side. Up to two
Arctic Tern pairs have nested in this colony in past years, seen by
researchers from Oregon State who have monitored the colony for the
USFWS.

Bald Eagles flew over the colony two times during the hour I watched,
putting up every bird. When the terns re-landed it looked like a few
pairs protected small chicks, whereas the rest settled down as if
still on eggs.

Other birds of interest along the way: one Whimbrel on the beach
about mile 3.5, two Red-throated Loons in alternate plumage about
mile 2, two Pigeon Guillemots acting like a breeding pair posturing
on driftwood just east of the tern colony, and two Black
Oystercatcher pairs on the inside.

FYI -- Caspian Terns first started nesting on Dungeness Spit early in
this decade, about 2002. The colony numbered a few hundred by 2004.
It's not certain where the birds came from -- perhaps Everett,
perhaps from Commencement Bay in Tacoma, or perhaps further south.
Spring arrival dates for CATE at Dungeness Bay during the past few
years have been as early as March 30 and as late as April 7, so it
seems safe to say they typically arrive on the north Olympic
Peninsula in late March and early April.

Bob Boekelheide
Sequim
bboek at olympus.net




Just to wrap up the Caspian Tern discussion, we certainly need to be
on out toes for next year as their supposed local breeding season
happens really fast. Towards the end of May, my own sightings of
terns with fish declined rapidly. I do not believe I have seen a
Caspian Tern around the Magnolia peninsula in the month of June.Does
anyone else have significant Caspian sightings?? DH

--
David Hutchinson, Owner
Flora & Fauna: Nature Books
Discovery Gardens: Native Plants
3212 W.Government Way
Seattle,WA.98199
http://www.ffbooks.net/
206-623-4727

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