bradliljequist asked: "... if anyone here is aware of the status of rats on these islands, and their potential impact on nesting birds."

The US Fish & Wildlife Service administers Protection Island, and prepared the "Protection Island and San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan and San Juan Islands Wilderness Stewardship Plan" in 2010. There is detailed information on their management of the islands in the document:
https://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning/main/docs/WA/docsprotectionIs.htm

As far as rats:
"Approximately 93% of bird species or subspecies that have become extinct since the 1800s were found
on island habitats and 42% of those occurred due to predation by introduced mammals (Courchamp et
al. 2003). Rats are present on approximately 80% of the world's islands and are responsible for at least
50% of global extinctions and countless local extinctions (Dolan and Heneman, 2007). There is no
indication that rats are present on Refuge islands, however they could potentially colonize an island via
a shipwreck or by accessing the island via authorized vessels."

Hope this helps,
Jon. Anderson
OlyWA
https://jonsperegrination.blogspot.com/


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