Subject: [Tweeters] Alcids in Washington
Date: Mon Jul 13 15:00:18 PDT 2020
From: Mike Wagenbach - wagen at uw.edu

Thanks for the details survey results, Bob! I did not realize Common
Murres were so seasonal in the inland waters. I'll have to remember to get
out there in late September or October to enjoy seeing them in larger
numbers.

Is there any similar influx of Puffins at any time, or are they always
uncommon? I've seen them along the south side of Lopez, but I think
probably only twice in all the times I've been down there.


On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 12:00 PM B Boekelheide <bboek at olympus.net> wrote:


> Hello Mike, Gary, and Tweeters,

>

> I can add a few alcid tidbits from the southeastern Strait of Juan de

> Fuca. Since 2016, we have done a monthly boat survey in the Protection

> Island Aquatic Reserve, covering a 25 mi transect route each time. On our

> May, June, and July surveys this year, we have had the highest densities of

> Rhino Auklets for the last 4 years within the PI Aquatic Reserve. We are

> also seeing lots of local feeding flocks of Rhinos and gulls in the Strait

> for this time year, both within the aquatic reserve and to the north and

> west of Dungeness Spit. My guess is the auklets are finding food closer to

> their Protection Island nesting colony this year, so they're not flying as

> far to feed and you are seeing fewer of them to the north. In past years,

> particularly in 2019, we observed much lower auklet densities within the

> Aquatic Reserve in June and July, and Rhinos appeared to be flying further

> north in the Strait in the direction of Smith Island and Rosario Strait,

> and more into Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound to get food.

>

> On our July survey last Friday, the highest concentration of Rhinos was

> around the edges of Dallas Bank north of Protection Island, where their

> densities were over 200 birds per sq km. Many of the birds were just

> loafing at the surface, looking fat and sassy. Others actively participated

> in the feeding flocks. What are they eating? Forage fish of some sort. I've

> heard rumors that there are good numbers of immature herring this year, but

> I really have no idea.

>

> This is the low time of year for murres in the Strait. This year we

> counted very few murres during our June and July surveys. In early summer

> murres are at nesting colonies off the west coast and those left in the

> eastern Strait are likely young pre-breeders. Typically the highest

> densities of murres in the eastern Strait occur between August and

> November, when they migrate into the Strait from their nesting colonies and

> become the most abundant bird in the PI Aquatic Reserve. On our past

> surveys in September and October, sometimes over half the birds in the

> aquatic reserve were murres, including fathers with chicks. So I suspect

> the murres will be here soon, unless they, too, find more food somewhere

> else.

>

> Like Gary says, Marbled Murrelets are local. Their highest densities in

> the PI Aquatic Reserve are from Jan thru Mar. This time of year they are

> more abundant on saltwater further west, like between Port Angeles and

> Clallam Bay, likely birds that nest in old-growth forests in Olympic

> National Park.

>

> Thanks!

> Bob Boekelheide

> Dungeness

>

>

> *From: *Gary Bletsch <garybletsch at yahoo.com>

> *Subject: **Re: [Tweeters] Alcids in Washington; pelican*

> *Date: *July 12, 2020 at 7:29:35 AM PDT

>

> Dear Mike and Tweeters,

>

> Mike Wagenbach raises an interesting question about alcid numbers.

> Three days ago, I made my first visit since January to Washington Park in

> Anacortes. There at Green Point, I saw at least 60 Rhinoceros Auklets, plus

> one Common Murre, 15 Pigeon Guillemots, and 10 Marbled Murrelets.

>

> I just checked my summertime records for the last few years; the above

> totals appear typical, matching up with alcid numbers that I have observed

> at Washington Park over the last ten summers. On some July visits during

> that span, I have missed the Common Murre entirely, so seeing just one is

> about normal--at least, normal in the context of the low numbers we have

> these days.

>

> Still, older birders I talk to in Washington all say that the numbers of

> alcids and other fish-eating seabirds are far lower today, compared to two

> or three generations ago.

>

> Marbled Murrelets are a special case. At least in Skagit, they are very

> local. At Rosario Head, I miss them more often than not. That goes for most

> other Skagit sea watch places. Green Point at Washington Park is by far the

> most reliable public site in Skagit that I know for this species. Over the

> last 30 years, in July and early August, I have seen the Marbled Murrelet

> 48 times at Green Point, 5 times at Samish Island Public Beach, and only 4

> times at Rosario Head. There are presumably other good spots, perhaps on

> Guemes Island or Cypress Island, but those would require a ferry or boat.

>

> Yours truly, Gary Bletsch

>

> On Saturday, July 11, 2020, 08:43:37 PM PDT, Mike Wagenbach <wagen at uw.edu>

> wrote:

>

>

> I've sea kayaked in Rosario Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca almost

> every year since 1999. This summer, I've gone out from Washington Park in

> Anacortes three times: once as far as Swirl Island and back, once to

> Iceberg Point and back, and once all the way around Lopez Island (on

> July 7).

>

> I've not seen a single Marbled Murrelet this year, and fewer Rhino Auklets

> that I seem to remember on average. RAs are there, just not in impressive

> numbers. OTOH, Pigeon Guillemots seem quite abundant.

>

> Are there any trends in alcid numbers or is this just random variation? I

> saw a good number of Murrelets last year, I thought.

>

> On July 7, a couple of other uncommon observations: a Peregrine Falcon

> stooped down from the cliff on the south side of Castle Island at a Pigeon

> Guillemot, without success, and as I came back across Rosario Strait from

> Lopez Pass in the evening, I saw a single Brown Pelican.

>

>

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