Hi All: Several asked about Washington White Pelican status. Miller Sands in the CR estuary is .25 mi S of the WA/OR border so it is an Oregon colony. According to Bird Research NW, the only known White Pelican nesting colony in Washington State is at Badger Island in mid-Columbia River (2 mi upriver from Wallula or at River Mile 318). The number of pelicans counted on-colony increased from about 900 to 1,800 individuals during 2004-2009. Badger Island is about 15 acres in size and part of the McNary NWR. The island is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is co-managed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Pelicans were first recorded as nesting in 1997 when about 20 pairs bred. WDFW has them listed as endangered, while they are not listed federally. Details on fish consumption are on the Bird Research NW site in the 2004-2009 report , which I'm reading through.
I thought there were efforts to get pelicans to nest north of Potholes back in the 1990's with decoys and site management. Anyone know if this is true? Such an effort is not mentioned in Birds of Washington.
Gary Shugart, Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma & Vashon IslandContributing specimens to Washington's Biological Archive