Week 13: 08/27/2023 - 09/02/2023
Hello all,
It doesn’t seem possible, but here we are, coming to the end of our 2023 PIGU breeding season. This will be my last weekly update, although a handful of sites still have another week or two to officially wrap things up. Each of you played a critical part in making this season successful, from supporting and guiding your surveyors, to wrangling the data—I appreciate and thank you for all of your hard work!
This project we’ve taken on, to monitor our precious Pigeon Guillemots, is important, and I hope you have enjoyed participating in this heartfelt collaboration as much as I have!
Each week I could feel our group growing stronger and more in tune with the survey, just as our birds were falling into their own rhythm of activity. And now, as the activity (and the excitement that goes with it) fades, we can already begin to look forward to the next season with anticipation and know it will be even better!
I really only have a few reminders this week.
-Data entry and QA/QC is due September 15th. This will give Dave a chance to prepare his end of season analyses ahead of our event. I know everyone has been working on cranking this out in time and I have a good feeling about data this year!
-Our End of Season Celebration will be held on Wednesday, September 27th, at 7:00pm via Zoom. Please send me 2-3 slides and be thinking of highlights or stories you would like to share with the entire group.
-If you were able to field test Maria Ruth’s PIGU Vocalization flash cards this season, and you have any feedback for her, please email Maria directly @ mariaruthbooks@comcast.net.
Now for this week’s featured fun. I was fortunate to have a conversation with our upcoming guest speaker, Maria Ruth, at an event this last weekend. I discovered that she and her survey team at Edgewater Beach, in South Sound, have been up to some pretty cool explorations of PIGU. She indulged my excitement by sharing some content they created while observing their colony.
This first one is a short video clip, recorded by Maria, of two PIGU parents making back to back prey deliveries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1tw4t_Id6U
This second piece is an audio recording of chicks calling from the burrow before, during, and after a double fish delivery, recorded by surveyor, Rachel Hudson. Rachel actually constructed her own parabolic recording device, which she has used to record various PIGU vocalizations. What is so awesome about this recording, is that you can hear the wing beats of the parents as they fly into the burrow. You can also hear the chicks continue to “chatter” following the delivery. I hope you enjoy!
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/602746371
Here’s to a great week! As always, let me know if you have any questions or if I can be of assistance!
Shannon
It doesn’t seem possible, but here we are, coming to the end of our 2023 PIGU breeding season. This will be my last weekly update, although a handful of sites still have another week or two to officially wrap things up. Each of you played a critical part in making this season successful, from supporting and guiding your surveyors, to wrangling the data—I appreciate and thank you for all of your hard work!
This project we’ve taken on, to monitor our precious Pigeon Guillemots, is important, and I hope you have enjoyed participating in this heartfelt collaboration as much as I have!
Each week I could feel our group growing stronger and more in tune with the survey, just as our birds were falling into their own rhythm of activity. And now, as the activity (and the excitement that goes with it) fades, we can already begin to look forward to the next season with anticipation and know it will be even better!
I really only have a few reminders this week.
-Data entry and QA/QC is due September 15th. This will give Dave a chance to prepare his end of season analyses ahead of our event. I know everyone has been working on cranking this out in time and I have a good feeling about data this year!
-Our End of Season Celebration will be held on Wednesday, September 27th, at 7:00pm via Zoom. Please send me 2-3 slides and be thinking of highlights or stories you would like to share with the entire group.
-If you were able to field test Maria Ruth’s PIGU Vocalization flash cards this season, and you have any feedback for her, please email Maria directly @ mariaruthbooks@comcast.net.
Now for this week’s featured fun. I was fortunate to have a conversation with our upcoming guest speaker, Maria Ruth, at an event this last weekend. I discovered that she and her survey team at Edgewater Beach, in South Sound, have been up to some pretty cool explorations of PIGU. She indulged my excitement by sharing some content they created while observing their colony.
This first one is a short video clip, recorded by Maria, of two PIGU parents making back to back prey deliveries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1tw4t_Id6U
This second piece is an audio recording of chicks calling from the burrow before, during, and after a double fish delivery, recorded by surveyor, Rachel Hudson. Rachel actually constructed her own parabolic recording device, which she has used to record various PIGU vocalizations. What is so awesome about this recording, is that you can hear the wing beats of the parents as they fly into the burrow. You can also hear the chicks continue to “chatter” following the delivery. I hope you enjoy!
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/602746371
Here’s to a great week! As always, let me know if you have any questions or if I can be of assistance!
Shannon
Week 12: 08/20/2023 - 08/26/2023
We had a smoky start to week 12 yesterday, but thankfully, conditions seem to be improving. I hope no one was too heavily impacted by the poor air quality.
This week, as more and more colonies begin to slow down or cease activity, surveyors may see a greater number of birds transitioning into non-breeding plumage. This comes in varying stages. One might notice that some PIGU are just starting to turn a lighter shade of brown, some are “speckly", others are wearing “sooty” shades of white and gray, and a few may already be covered in mostly white plumage, with black accents. This is a period of time when deciphering between the juveniles and the adults can be tricky!
We had a smoky start to week 12 yesterday, but thankfully, conditions seem to be improving. I hope no one was too heavily impacted by the poor air quality.
This week, as more and more colonies begin to slow down or cease activity, surveyors may see a greater number of birds transitioning into non-breeding plumage. This comes in varying stages. One might notice that some PIGU are just starting to turn a lighter shade of brown, some are “speckly", others are wearing “sooty” shades of white and gray, and a few may already be covered in mostly white plumage, with black accents. This is a period of time when deciphering between the juveniles and the adults can be tricky!
Once chicks have fledged and provisioning stops, a dramatic drop in observed PIGU abundance and activity occurs at the colony. It’s interesting how birds can be socializing and flying at the bluff one week, and then completely gone the next, but it happens. Even so, it’s possible to miss one or two birds that have stayed behind to feed a late chick. So, as I’ve stressed before, make sure surveying continues through two weeks of no activity. Thank you for sticking it out, even when the morning’s events are not quite as entertaining as they were in previous weeks!
I am happy to say that I finally made the trek up to Whidbey Island last Friday to see where this all started and meet the amazing and dedicated team there! I was given the warmest welcome by all and introduced to two very different colonies—one at a very active ferry terminal and the other at a beautiful, long stretching community beach bluff. If you haven’t visited Whidbey before (or lately), I strongly encourage you to do so—it is a magical place! I was especially enchanted by the PIGU breeding and nesting at the Keystone ferry (Coupeville). Here you will see PIGU that have adapted to humanity and chosen to nest in all kinds of man-made structures!
Here are some pics from my visit
I am happy to say that I finally made the trek up to Whidbey Island last Friday to see where this all started and meet the amazing and dedicated team there! I was given the warmest welcome by all and introduced to two very different colonies—one at a very active ferry terminal and the other at a beautiful, long stretching community beach bluff. If you haven’t visited Whidbey before (or lately), I strongly encourage you to do so—it is a magical place! I was especially enchanted by the PIGU breeding and nesting at the Keystone ferry (Coupeville). Here you will see PIGU that have adapted to humanity and chosen to nest in all kinds of man-made structures!
Here are some pics from my visit
Save the Date! Our End of Season Celebration will be held via Zoom on September 27th, 2023 from 7:00-8:30pm. Make sure to put this on your calendar and pass it along to all of your surveyors and volunteers. I will be sending out an agenda and Zoom link as we get closer to the date.
That's all for now! Have a fabulous week!
Shannon
Shannon
Week 10: 08/06/2023 - 08/12/2023
We've made it to week 10! This week brought with it some cooler, wetter weather, and I don't know about you, but I'm in heaven. It's always nice to have a little fresh air and respite from the sun.
I’m curious to know if there are any colonies closing down this week? I imagine some are very close! I’m always amazed when we get to this point in the season, how quickly it flies by. It really does feel like we just began!
PIGU Breeding in the Strangest of Places
I’ll start off by sharing some photos that I promised at our last SSGN meeting. Following our presentation by Claire Molina about the impacts of human disturbance on “pre-delivery pause” (thank you Claire, for the new term!), we were sharing our wonder at some of the places PIGU will choose to breed and rear chicks within high traffic areas. That discussion brought these photos to mind. Bets alerted us to PIGU feeding chicks at the Keystone Jetty and dolphin, and Lac went out later to capture these. I just love the one of the PG strutting across the dock with a sculpin! This is determination!
We've made it to week 10! This week brought with it some cooler, wetter weather, and I don't know about you, but I'm in heaven. It's always nice to have a little fresh air and respite from the sun.
I’m curious to know if there are any colonies closing down this week? I imagine some are very close! I’m always amazed when we get to this point in the season, how quickly it flies by. It really does feel like we just began!
PIGU Breeding in the Strangest of Places
I’ll start off by sharing some photos that I promised at our last SSGN meeting. Following our presentation by Claire Molina about the impacts of human disturbance on “pre-delivery pause” (thank you Claire, for the new term!), we were sharing our wonder at some of the places PIGU will choose to breed and rear chicks within high traffic areas. That discussion brought these photos to mind. Bets alerted us to PIGU feeding chicks at the Keystone Jetty and dolphin, and Lac went out later to capture these. I just love the one of the PG strutting across the dock with a sculpin! This is determination!
Time of Day vs. Tide Level
Another hot topic of recent weeks is the discussion surrounding the correlation of PIGU abundance and activity with tide levels. I have received several questions recently from surveyors who observed that there are noticeably more PIGU present at their colonies on high tides than low tides, and they are not wrong.
We discussed this topic at our SSGN meeting as well, and everyone wants to know:
So, I did some digging and I have answers!
Firstly, yes, scientific evidence supports a correlation between the tide level and PIGU presence at the colony. It also supports the theory that guillemots are present in greater numbers from the first morning light until around 8:30-9:00am. Whether one is stronger than the other is site dependent, however, and seems to relate to the extent of the tidal range. At sites with greater tidal fluctuation, the tide height was the greatest predictor of abundance, while at sites with a lower range of fluctuation, time after sunrise was the only significant factor. Vermeer et al. (1993) recommended taking standardized population counts only during the high tide and only during the morning. If we were to follow this guidance, however, we would miss entire weeks’ worth of breeding data.
Secondly, I asked Frances if she could answer the question about our rule to survey according to time of day. The answer stems from guidance we received from WDFW while establishing our protocol. They were firm in specifying that we complete our surveys before 9:00am, as is standard in their own protocols. This is critical, as doing so ensures that our data can be compared to WDFW seabird survey data.
She also reminded me that the goal of our study is not to aim for ever higher numbers of PIGU or burrow visits, but rather to be consistent in how we are observing and measuring survey components. Though we may have weeks with lower activity, as long as we survey every week, we should capture a good snapshot of what is going on and encompass an entire breeding cycle. This enables us to collect and compare data from year to year and through all of the different tide levels.
This is all great information, and I hope it answers many of the questions floating around out there. I love that this community is so curious and always asking questions! I suspect there is a high correlation between our inquiring minds and our participation in this survey! :D So, keep sending the questions along, and we will continue to ponder and put the puzzle pieces together, when we can.
Here are two great references if you’d like to read further into the studies related to this topic. Unfortunately, copyright law does not allow me to share the full PDF directly.
Drent, R. H. (1965). Breeding biology of the pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba. Brill.
Vermeer, K., Morgan, K. H., & Smith, G. E. J. (1993a). Colony Attendance of Pigeon Guillemots as Related to Tide Height and Time of Day. Colonial Waterbirds, 16(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.2307/1521550
More Photos!
And now, I’ll leave you with some more fabulous chick/juvenile PIGU photos, taken last season by Hillary Smith. These are too fun not to share!
Another hot topic of recent weeks is the discussion surrounding the correlation of PIGU abundance and activity with tide levels. I have received several questions recently from surveyors who observed that there are noticeably more PIGU present at their colonies on high tides than low tides, and they are not wrong.
We discussed this topic at our SSGN meeting as well, and everyone wants to know:
- Is the correlation to tide level stronger than time of day?
- Have we considered surveying at the high tides instead of between sunrise and 9:00am?
So, I did some digging and I have answers!
Firstly, yes, scientific evidence supports a correlation between the tide level and PIGU presence at the colony. It also supports the theory that guillemots are present in greater numbers from the first morning light until around 8:30-9:00am. Whether one is stronger than the other is site dependent, however, and seems to relate to the extent of the tidal range. At sites with greater tidal fluctuation, the tide height was the greatest predictor of abundance, while at sites with a lower range of fluctuation, time after sunrise was the only significant factor. Vermeer et al. (1993) recommended taking standardized population counts only during the high tide and only during the morning. If we were to follow this guidance, however, we would miss entire weeks’ worth of breeding data.
Secondly, I asked Frances if she could answer the question about our rule to survey according to time of day. The answer stems from guidance we received from WDFW while establishing our protocol. They were firm in specifying that we complete our surveys before 9:00am, as is standard in their own protocols. This is critical, as doing so ensures that our data can be compared to WDFW seabird survey data.
She also reminded me that the goal of our study is not to aim for ever higher numbers of PIGU or burrow visits, but rather to be consistent in how we are observing and measuring survey components. Though we may have weeks with lower activity, as long as we survey every week, we should capture a good snapshot of what is going on and encompass an entire breeding cycle. This enables us to collect and compare data from year to year and through all of the different tide levels.
This is all great information, and I hope it answers many of the questions floating around out there. I love that this community is so curious and always asking questions! I suspect there is a high correlation between our inquiring minds and our participation in this survey! :D So, keep sending the questions along, and we will continue to ponder and put the puzzle pieces together, when we can.
Here are two great references if you’d like to read further into the studies related to this topic. Unfortunately, copyright law does not allow me to share the full PDF directly.
Drent, R. H. (1965). Breeding biology of the pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba. Brill.
Vermeer, K., Morgan, K. H., & Smith, G. E. J. (1993a). Colony Attendance of Pigeon Guillemots as Related to Tide Height and Time of Day. Colonial Waterbirds, 16(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.2307/1521550
More Photos!
And now, I’ll leave you with some more fabulous chick/juvenile PIGU photos, taken last season by Hillary Smith. These are too fun not to share!
Take care, all, and have a great week!
Week 9: 07/30/2023 - 08/05/2023
Hello SSGN Team!
It’s a beautiful Monday here in Week 9. Our breeding season is winding down, with many colonies seeing changes in activity level. This brings to mind a few important topics to consider as we survey our way to the end of our breeding season.
Fledglings
We have had a few fledgling sightings this last week, so let’s talk about how to differentiate these new guys from the adults. Fledgling and juvenile ID can be tricky, especially when adults begin to molt into non-breeding plumage and take on a mottled appearance, so here are some things to look for:
· Dark forehead, eye line, lore (area between the eye and beak), and crown. This makes the upper portion of the head appear more defined and darker than adults molting into non-breeding plumage.
· White or “sooty” chin and throat
· Mantle of bird (back) and proximal portion of wings are darker and underparts lighter or white.
· Lack of defined, white wing patch, instead appearing more barred with brown or mottled.
· Dark feathers appear more brown than black
· Feet that are dark gray vs. bright red/orange
Other things to consider:
· At this time of year, most PIGU are still in breeding plumage, so if you see a bird matching the description above, there is a high probability it is a fledgling.
· Fledglings are usually spotted floating around on their own rather than socializing within their colony.
· Fledglings are generally flightless for the first few weeks out of the nest. Meaning, they shouldn’t fly away or fly very
far.
· Adults retain their white wing bar year round, even while molting.
Thank you to Lee and Govinda for their input on fledgling ID and the Cornell, Birds of the World entry on Pigeon Guillemot plumage.
Here are some fledgling photos to help with your identification:
Hello SSGN Team!
It’s a beautiful Monday here in Week 9. Our breeding season is winding down, with many colonies seeing changes in activity level. This brings to mind a few important topics to consider as we survey our way to the end of our breeding season.
Fledglings
We have had a few fledgling sightings this last week, so let’s talk about how to differentiate these new guys from the adults. Fledgling and juvenile ID can be tricky, especially when adults begin to molt into non-breeding plumage and take on a mottled appearance, so here are some things to look for:
· Dark forehead, eye line, lore (area between the eye and beak), and crown. This makes the upper portion of the head appear more defined and darker than adults molting into non-breeding plumage.
· White or “sooty” chin and throat
· Mantle of bird (back) and proximal portion of wings are darker and underparts lighter or white.
· Lack of defined, white wing patch, instead appearing more barred with brown or mottled.
· Dark feathers appear more brown than black
· Feet that are dark gray vs. bright red/orange
Other things to consider:
· At this time of year, most PIGU are still in breeding plumage, so if you see a bird matching the description above, there is a high probability it is a fledgling.
· Fledglings are usually spotted floating around on their own rather than socializing within their colony.
· Fledglings are generally flightless for the first few weeks out of the nest. Meaning, they shouldn’t fly away or fly very
far.
· Adults retain their white wing bar year round, even while molting.
Thank you to Lee and Govinda for their input on fledgling ID and the Cornell, Birds of the World entry on Pigeon Guillemot plumage.
Here are some fledgling photos to help with your identification:
** Edit: After receiving some thoughtful correspondence from Lee and having additional thoughts of my own on Fledgling ID, I should put in a disclaimer regarding our ability to identify fledglings with certainty. The plumage description above came from an effort to summarize in simple terms the Cornell Birds of the World PIGU entry on plumage and from our own observations of birds we *think* to be fledglings. I say best effort because I am not an ornithologist or expert. The photos I shared are also of birds assumed to be fledglings because of the timing of when they were seen and the differences observed in size and coloration. Without actually seeing the birds fledge it is not possible to say they are such with 100% certainty. So please take these descriptions as loose guides and not absolutes.
Another difficulty with identification is in having the ability to discriminate between fledglings and juveniles. At this time, we do not have a definitive way to differentiate between the two. PIGU plumage through the fledgling, juvenile, and adult molting stages is complicated, and we do not have concrete descriptions to help us distinguish the subtle differences between them at this time.
I would like to add a link to a video on our website taken by Govinda Holtby. This is the only actual photo documentation SSGN has of a fledgling leaving its burrow. This may be the most helpful footage that we have in identifying fledglings.
https://vimeo.com/232748265
PIGU Activity
Many folks are reporting interesting changes in PIGU behavior, such as increased ledge sitting and repeated flights to the bluff, without fish deliveries. I like to call this circus behavior. We aren’t exactly sure what this means, but it seems to follow 4-5 weeks of prey deliveries and comes shortly prior to a sudden fall in activity. There is some speculation that this activity is meant to coax chicks to fledge, but again, this is our own musing. Have any of you witnessed this seemingly bizarre behavior?
Some have also witnessed continued sparring, courting, and water game behavior. I was asked if it might be possible for them to copulate this late in the season, which I did not think likely. On Friday, however, one of our boat captains observed two PIGU mating on a buoy! Whether or not that will result in a successful reproduction cycle is unclear, but it proves that some things are still a mystery!
Closing a Colony Down for the Season
With week 9 here, some colonies will be entering the last two weeks of the breeding survey. Our protocol states that we must observe each colony for a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks, at which point, we may close a colony if we have not recorded activity for two weeks prior to week 10. If we have not had two weeks with no activity by week 10, then we continue to survey until we do. Surveyors should consult their coordinators to confirm that it is okay to close a colony.
Activity includes:
· Burrow visits and ledge sitting
· Birds holding fish on the water, even without delivery
· Birds still associating with, congregating, and socializing at the colony
Exceptions can be made, at the discretion of regional coordinators, if there has been no activity and no or very few birds recorded at a colony all season. We don’t want to make surveyors feel as if they are stuck at a site with no hope for activity. If you are unsure if a colony fits into this category, feel free to reach out, and we can help you make that decision.
Another difficulty with identification is in having the ability to discriminate between fledglings and juveniles. At this time, we do not have a definitive way to differentiate between the two. PIGU plumage through the fledgling, juvenile, and adult molting stages is complicated, and we do not have concrete descriptions to help us distinguish the subtle differences between them at this time.
I would like to add a link to a video on our website taken by Govinda Holtby. This is the only actual photo documentation SSGN has of a fledgling leaving its burrow. This may be the most helpful footage that we have in identifying fledglings.
https://vimeo.com/232748265
PIGU Activity
Many folks are reporting interesting changes in PIGU behavior, such as increased ledge sitting and repeated flights to the bluff, without fish deliveries. I like to call this circus behavior. We aren’t exactly sure what this means, but it seems to follow 4-5 weeks of prey deliveries and comes shortly prior to a sudden fall in activity. There is some speculation that this activity is meant to coax chicks to fledge, but again, this is our own musing. Have any of you witnessed this seemingly bizarre behavior?
Some have also witnessed continued sparring, courting, and water game behavior. I was asked if it might be possible for them to copulate this late in the season, which I did not think likely. On Friday, however, one of our boat captains observed two PIGU mating on a buoy! Whether or not that will result in a successful reproduction cycle is unclear, but it proves that some things are still a mystery!
Closing a Colony Down for the Season
With week 9 here, some colonies will be entering the last two weeks of the breeding survey. Our protocol states that we must observe each colony for a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks, at which point, we may close a colony if we have not recorded activity for two weeks prior to week 10. If we have not had two weeks with no activity by week 10, then we continue to survey until we do. Surveyors should consult their coordinators to confirm that it is okay to close a colony.
Activity includes:
· Burrow visits and ledge sitting
· Birds holding fish on the water, even without delivery
· Birds still associating with, congregating, and socializing at the colony
Exceptions can be made, at the discretion of regional coordinators, if there has been no activity and no or very few birds recorded at a colony all season. We don’t want to make surveyors feel as if they are stuck at a site with no hope for activity. If you are unsure if a colony fits into this category, feel free to reach out, and we can help you make that decision.
Week 8: 07/23/2023 - 07/29/2023
Happy Week 8!
Excuse the gap in weekly updates, I've just returned home from two weeks in Japan, and am playing catch up. Here's what's in "PIGU News" this week...
Fledglings sighted!
There was some exciting news out of Whidbey this last weekend. Jann Ledbetter, who surveys the Lake Hancock colony, reported seeing a fledgling on the water! She also passed along that there have been other sightings as well. Woohoo! Has anyone else seen fledglings floating around out there with the currents? Let me know if you have, and if you manage to capture a photo, please send that along too!
Avian Flu
By now, you have all seen news of the Avian Flu outbreak among the Caspian Tern breeding colony on Rat Island. A big thank you to Brenda Johnson of East Jefferson for keeping us up to date on the situation there. Although the guidance she sent out to her team pertains specifically to Jefferson County, it is a good reminder that we should all know what to do if we see dead or sick birds on the beach. The important thing is not to touch the birds or allow dogs near them, as avian flu is highly infectious between species. Make sure to report dead birds to WDFW so they can track sightings and assess the cause of death, if necessary. So far, I haven’t heard of any other seabird outbreaks, and hopefully that will remain the case.
Mary Bond gave us the WDFW link to report dead birds at our June SSGN meeting, but here it is again:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/report-observations
The direct link to the online reporting form is here:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1550804e5fd743668049e06d5ad8836a
PIGU Activity
It’s hard to believe that next week some colonies will already be heading into their two week season closure period! I checked our data to date, and we have a fair number of burrows that have now seen 4-5 weeks of prey deliveries, which means we should have a chance to see more fledglings soon—although they do tend to be elusive.
We also still have a wide range of burrow activity spanning over 1, 2, or 3 weeks of provisioning, so for many colonies, there is still some steam yet in the season. Kudos to those of you who have encouraged your volunteers to keep surveying even if their colonies have been slow or they have seen gaps in prey deliveries--this advice is right on. Every year we document burrows that become active late in the season or weeks in which we don’t catch activity during the survey window. Whether it is a late start, a second clutch, or nervous parents, we’re not sure, but we do know that we don’t want to miss a chance to document a full breeding cycle.
Thank you for keeping the momentum going!
And now for a few recent photos from our photogs across the regions…
Happy Week 8!
Excuse the gap in weekly updates, I've just returned home from two weeks in Japan, and am playing catch up. Here's what's in "PIGU News" this week...
Fledglings sighted!
There was some exciting news out of Whidbey this last weekend. Jann Ledbetter, who surveys the Lake Hancock colony, reported seeing a fledgling on the water! She also passed along that there have been other sightings as well. Woohoo! Has anyone else seen fledglings floating around out there with the currents? Let me know if you have, and if you manage to capture a photo, please send that along too!
Avian Flu
By now, you have all seen news of the Avian Flu outbreak among the Caspian Tern breeding colony on Rat Island. A big thank you to Brenda Johnson of East Jefferson for keeping us up to date on the situation there. Although the guidance she sent out to her team pertains specifically to Jefferson County, it is a good reminder that we should all know what to do if we see dead or sick birds on the beach. The important thing is not to touch the birds or allow dogs near them, as avian flu is highly infectious between species. Make sure to report dead birds to WDFW so they can track sightings and assess the cause of death, if necessary. So far, I haven’t heard of any other seabird outbreaks, and hopefully that will remain the case.
Mary Bond gave us the WDFW link to report dead birds at our June SSGN meeting, but here it is again:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/report-observations
The direct link to the online reporting form is here:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1550804e5fd743668049e06d5ad8836a
PIGU Activity
It’s hard to believe that next week some colonies will already be heading into their two week season closure period! I checked our data to date, and we have a fair number of burrows that have now seen 4-5 weeks of prey deliveries, which means we should have a chance to see more fledglings soon—although they do tend to be elusive.
We also still have a wide range of burrow activity spanning over 1, 2, or 3 weeks of provisioning, so for many colonies, there is still some steam yet in the season. Kudos to those of you who have encouraged your volunteers to keep surveying even if their colonies have been slow or they have seen gaps in prey deliveries--this advice is right on. Every year we document burrows that become active late in the season or weeks in which we don’t catch activity during the survey window. Whether it is a late start, a second clutch, or nervous parents, we’re not sure, but we do know that we don’t want to miss a chance to document a full breeding cycle.
Thank you for keeping the momentum going!
And now for a few recent photos from our photogs across the regions…
Week 5: 07/02/2023 - 07/08/2023
I can’t believe we are in week 5 already—how is that possible? I actually had to go back and check my past updates to make sure I was counting correctly. It’s crazy to think we are halfway to our 10 week minimum survey duration. Time flies when you're having fun!
This week was a bit quiet as far as stories and photos go. Everyone seems to be busy settling in and we also had several regional leads on vacation.
By now, it looks like we are seeing fish deliveries across most of the regions. If you haven’t seen any yet, do not fret, it is possible for chicks to continue hatching over the next several weeks, and even into August.
Speaking of prey, what’s for breakfast at your colonies? This last week, I saw both greenish brown (crescent?) and bright red (penpoint?) gunnels, sculpin, Pacific snake prickleback, and even a shrimp! These are becoming a trend at Lyle Point, on Anderson Island. We seem to have one PIGU there with a taste for shrimp cocktail! Here are some photos I took of prey in the last week. One shot was pretty heavily backlit, but I thought the way the red gunnel lit up in the sun was a cool effect.
I can’t believe we are in week 5 already—how is that possible? I actually had to go back and check my past updates to make sure I was counting correctly. It’s crazy to think we are halfway to our 10 week minimum survey duration. Time flies when you're having fun!
This week was a bit quiet as far as stories and photos go. Everyone seems to be busy settling in and we also had several regional leads on vacation.
By now, it looks like we are seeing fish deliveries across most of the regions. If you haven’t seen any yet, do not fret, it is possible for chicks to continue hatching over the next several weeks, and even into August.
Speaking of prey, what’s for breakfast at your colonies? This last week, I saw both greenish brown (crescent?) and bright red (penpoint?) gunnels, sculpin, Pacific snake prickleback, and even a shrimp! These are becoming a trend at Lyle Point, on Anderson Island. We seem to have one PIGU there with a taste for shrimp cocktail! Here are some photos I took of prey in the last week. One shot was pretty heavily backlit, but I thought the way the red gunnel lit up in the sun was a cool effect.
On Whidbey Island, Lac Pope is at it again, this time catching PIGUs feeding sculpin at a burrow in the Keystone Ferry Dock counterweight.
In case you missed it, the Guillemot Appreciation Day was a hit. I received these photos of the beautiful spread that Michelle and Govinda put out! Are there any leftover cookies?? Those look amazing!
Reminders: Data. As always, try to get your data input to Survey123 within a week of your completed survey. I know things come up and life happens, so it's not always going to be possible, but getting data in early will save many headaches later and help us identify and correct any problems before they become major deals. If I can help with any barriers you're experiencing, please let me know.
That’s all for now. I hope everyone is enjoying this sunny, holiday weekend. Stay cool this week and happy surveying!
~Shannon
That’s all for now. I hope everyone is enjoying this sunny, holiday weekend. Stay cool this week and happy surveying!
~Shannon
Week 4: 06/25/2023 - 07/01/2023
It's week 4...how is everyone doing? I've heard stories of more fish deliveries occurring in Jefferson County, Camano, and Whidbey and increasing activity throughout the network. I was nosing around survey data and I think Hood Canal takes the cake for most burrow visits in a survey, with 44 visits across 14 burrows!! Wowza, that's incredible! I'm not sure how Nancy and Karin do it--their heads must have been spinning!
As folks are settling into the groove of entering data, we've had some questions rolling in, and I think we've been able to successfully navigate and resolve everyone's concerns. Hopefully, we're past most of the speed bumps and on to smooth sailing. I'm optimistic! That being said, if you or your surveyors come across anything that makes you go, "hmm"...please don't hesitate to reach out. As we all know, this can happen even to the most veteran surveyors as the season progresses and unique situations crop up.
Speaking of data, it's rolling in! We do have some gaps, so I will be reaching out to a few of you just to make sure there aren't any issues or barriers to entering data and also to check whether there are some colonies that aren't being monitored this season. I'm aware of a few special circumstances, so thank you to those who are keeping me in the loop!
New this week--I've published a page on our website called "How is Our Data Used". This is a frequently asked question, so I hope this helps answer your ponderings on that subject. Our updated colony map is also live under the "How Can I Get Involved" tab, "Where We Survey". I will be in touch with everyone this week and will send out your individual region colony maps. I have also completed a rough draft SSGN flyer. I hope to have this finalized soon, pending edits, so that I can get it out to you. Also, last week I was able to get our Facebook page up and running--woohoo! If you haven't already, consider following our page for more photos, fun stories, and updates. I still don't have access to our Instagram account, but when I do, I will sync these two together. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/SalishSeaGuillemotNetwork
On that note, some of you may have seen the photos I posted from Lac Pope of a PIGU sitting on eggs in the old Keystone pier winch gear, but in case you haven't, check these out! Where there's a will, there's a way! I am really wishing I lived on Whidbey right now!! I would love to keep eyes on these chicks when they hatch. :D
It's week 4...how is everyone doing? I've heard stories of more fish deliveries occurring in Jefferson County, Camano, and Whidbey and increasing activity throughout the network. I was nosing around survey data and I think Hood Canal takes the cake for most burrow visits in a survey, with 44 visits across 14 burrows!! Wowza, that's incredible! I'm not sure how Nancy and Karin do it--their heads must have been spinning!
As folks are settling into the groove of entering data, we've had some questions rolling in, and I think we've been able to successfully navigate and resolve everyone's concerns. Hopefully, we're past most of the speed bumps and on to smooth sailing. I'm optimistic! That being said, if you or your surveyors come across anything that makes you go, "hmm"...please don't hesitate to reach out. As we all know, this can happen even to the most veteran surveyors as the season progresses and unique situations crop up.
Speaking of data, it's rolling in! We do have some gaps, so I will be reaching out to a few of you just to make sure there aren't any issues or barriers to entering data and also to check whether there are some colonies that aren't being monitored this season. I'm aware of a few special circumstances, so thank you to those who are keeping me in the loop!
New this week--I've published a page on our website called "How is Our Data Used". This is a frequently asked question, so I hope this helps answer your ponderings on that subject. Our updated colony map is also live under the "How Can I Get Involved" tab, "Where We Survey". I will be in touch with everyone this week and will send out your individual region colony maps. I have also completed a rough draft SSGN flyer. I hope to have this finalized soon, pending edits, so that I can get it out to you. Also, last week I was able to get our Facebook page up and running--woohoo! If you haven't already, consider following our page for more photos, fun stories, and updates. I still don't have access to our Instagram account, but when I do, I will sync these two together. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/SalishSeaGuillemotNetwork
On that note, some of you may have seen the photos I posted from Lac Pope of a PIGU sitting on eggs in the old Keystone pier winch gear, but in case you haven't, check these out! Where there's a will, there's a way! I am really wishing I lived on Whidbey right now!! I would love to keep eyes on these chicks when they hatch. :D
I hope you all have a fabulous week, both on and off the beach!
-Shannon
-Shannon
Week 3: 06/18/2023 - 06/24/2023
Happy Week 3 PIGU Team!
I finally managed to sync the Weekly Update with the first day of the survey week! It only took me two weeks to remember that we start on Sunday and not Monday!
Down here in the South Sound we've noticed that some colonies are starting off in a bit of a lull. We have a lot of birds on site and social activity on the water, but our burrow activity has slowed. Are you experiencing that where you are? We know that Mary Bonds up in Jefferson County is already seeing fish deliveries, but I’m not sure if that’s the norm?
I have a theory (and it's just my theory ) that while the PGs are getting ready in the early season—courting, apartment shopping/staking, settling territorial disputes, copulating, etc., there is a flurry of activity, both on the water, and on the bluff. Then, once the majority of nesting and incubating begins, there is a several week lull in activity. I know some worry that this lull signals a quiet season to come, but I wouldn’t bet on that yet! We may just have birds in the burrows, quietly tending eggs. Once the chicks hatch, we should see an uptick in burrow activity as they dutifully feed their little ones. Does anyone else have a theory for this observation of decreased activity?
Before I get to the fun stuff, I just want to remind everyone about data:
-I have begun tracking data entry. This is to give me an idea where everyone is at with our data entry goals and also to identify any issues I see early, so that I can help you get those corrected before they become more difficult to solve. I’m your biggest fan, so don’t see this as me being critical so much as me helping to support your success and trying to prevent extra work later. Our goal is to have our data as complete and as clean as possible at the end so that we can use it! For all of the dedication and effort put in by surveyors and team leads, this would be the ultimate reward for us all to realize.
And now, I have something so incredibly awesome to share with you! Hillary Smith sent me these amazing sketches made by Dale Dell’Ario, who drew them while in a Jefferson Land Trust Natural History course they were both attending. I just can’t get over how beautiful they are!! Dale has been gracious enough to give permission for me to share his sketches, but please don’t share them outside of this group. If you have an interest, I can probably pass along contact information through Hillary, so that you can get in touch.
Happy Week 3 PIGU Team!
I finally managed to sync the Weekly Update with the first day of the survey week! It only took me two weeks to remember that we start on Sunday and not Monday!
Down here in the South Sound we've noticed that some colonies are starting off in a bit of a lull. We have a lot of birds on site and social activity on the water, but our burrow activity has slowed. Are you experiencing that where you are? We know that Mary Bonds up in Jefferson County is already seeing fish deliveries, but I’m not sure if that’s the norm?
I have a theory (and it's just my theory ) that while the PGs are getting ready in the early season—courting, apartment shopping/staking, settling territorial disputes, copulating, etc., there is a flurry of activity, both on the water, and on the bluff. Then, once the majority of nesting and incubating begins, there is a several week lull in activity. I know some worry that this lull signals a quiet season to come, but I wouldn’t bet on that yet! We may just have birds in the burrows, quietly tending eggs. Once the chicks hatch, we should see an uptick in burrow activity as they dutifully feed their little ones. Does anyone else have a theory for this observation of decreased activity?
Before I get to the fun stuff, I just want to remind everyone about data:
-I have begun tracking data entry. This is to give me an idea where everyone is at with our data entry goals and also to identify any issues I see early, so that I can help you get those corrected before they become more difficult to solve. I’m your biggest fan, so don’t see this as me being critical so much as me helping to support your success and trying to prevent extra work later. Our goal is to have our data as complete and as clean as possible at the end so that we can use it! For all of the dedication and effort put in by surveyors and team leads, this would be the ultimate reward for us all to realize.
And now, I have something so incredibly awesome to share with you! Hillary Smith sent me these amazing sketches made by Dale Dell’Ario, who drew them while in a Jefferson Land Trust Natural History course they were both attending. I just can’t get over how beautiful they are!! Dale has been gracious enough to give permission for me to share his sketches, but please don’t share them outside of this group. If you have an interest, I can probably pass along contact information through Hillary, so that you can get in touch.
Also, look who floated into my colony yesterday right as we finished our survey! Has anyone else seen birds in non-breeding plumage during the summer? Interestingly, this is the third year I have seen birds wearing white at this location during the breeding season, but it is definitely not typical.
One final thing I would like to share—I finished a more detailed map of SSGN Colony Locations. I have copied individual region maps from this one, so that you each will have your own separate map, and I just need to finish up labeling those for use. This one is an interactive Google map, so you can play around with it. For each region, I’ve updated the regional contact information. You can see your info by clicking on the shaded area or clicking on your survey area in the legend. This is basically building on the map that Brendan had made, except I created a new layer for each region with the colony sites also marked. I used the GPS coordinates from Survey123 to populate this. Please check your regions and contact info. and let me know if you’d like me to make any changes to the colony locations or contact information. Thanks!
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1F21XhoWfBBVG7xe2i__O33N6rnAgpnw&usp=share_link
I hope you all have a great week out on the beaches! Stay dry and have fun!!
-Shannon
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1F21XhoWfBBVG7xe2i__O33N6rnAgpnw&usp=share_link
I hope you all have a great week out on the beaches! Stay dry and have fun!!
-Shannon
Week 2: 06/11/2023 - 06/17/2023
Happy Week 2 everyone!
We have fish!! Exciting news out of Discovery Bay in Jefferson County—Mary Bond emailed me to report that she had two gunnel deliveries during her survey yesterday morning. Day 1 of Week 2! I believe these could be our first recorded prey deliveries of the season. Woohoo! Has anyone else seen fish yet? It is interesting that some PGs are still copulating this week, while others already have chicks in their burrows—and still others might be feeding into early September. That’s quite a spread!
One thing I left out of my SSGN June monthly meeting recap was the link I promised to the State’s Puget Sound Indicators, Abundance of Marine Bird Population page. The Pigeon Guillemot is one of four Puget Sound seabirds which have been identified as Vital Sign Indicators to the health of Puget Sound. Population data from aerial surveys, in addition to breeding survey data from the Salish Sea Guillemot Network, help inform reporting to the state by Scott Pearson of WDFW on PIGU population trends. It’s a testament to our standardized survey methods and the long-term commitment of our extraordinarily dedicated volunteer base, that our citizen science program has earned the attention and trust of the state in using our data! You can read more about the Pigeon guillemot as a Vital Sign Indicator and follow Scott's Pearson's trend reporting here: https://www.pugetsoundinfo.wa.gov/Indicator/Detail/3
I will keep the update short this week, since I already covered most of the week’s happenings in the SSGN meeting recap. But I’ll leave you with some beautiful photos of PGs being PGs taken by Hillary Smith at her Indian Island Colony last week. Which reminds me...help me identify your photogs! I would love to reach out to them and start collecting photos and albums that we might share internally, or perhaps on social media and outreach material (with attribution, of course!).
Happy Week 2 everyone!
We have fish!! Exciting news out of Discovery Bay in Jefferson County—Mary Bond emailed me to report that she had two gunnel deliveries during her survey yesterday morning. Day 1 of Week 2! I believe these could be our first recorded prey deliveries of the season. Woohoo! Has anyone else seen fish yet? It is interesting that some PGs are still copulating this week, while others already have chicks in their burrows—and still others might be feeding into early September. That’s quite a spread!
One thing I left out of my SSGN June monthly meeting recap was the link I promised to the State’s Puget Sound Indicators, Abundance of Marine Bird Population page. The Pigeon Guillemot is one of four Puget Sound seabirds which have been identified as Vital Sign Indicators to the health of Puget Sound. Population data from aerial surveys, in addition to breeding survey data from the Salish Sea Guillemot Network, help inform reporting to the state by Scott Pearson of WDFW on PIGU population trends. It’s a testament to our standardized survey methods and the long-term commitment of our extraordinarily dedicated volunteer base, that our citizen science program has earned the attention and trust of the state in using our data! You can read more about the Pigeon guillemot as a Vital Sign Indicator and follow Scott's Pearson's trend reporting here: https://www.pugetsoundinfo.wa.gov/Indicator/Detail/3
I will keep the update short this week, since I already covered most of the week’s happenings in the SSGN meeting recap. But I’ll leave you with some beautiful photos of PGs being PGs taken by Hillary Smith at her Indian Island Colony last week. Which reminds me...help me identify your photogs! I would love to reach out to them and start collecting photos and albums that we might share internally, or perhaps on social media and outreach material (with attribution, of course!).
I hope you all have fun and eventful surveys this week and enjoy your time out on the beach, connecting with nature! I can't wait to hear more stories!!
Take care!
-Shannon
Take care!
-Shannon
Week 1: 06/04/2023 - 06/10/2023
It’s week 1 and I hope everyone is feeling ready and excited for this new season! How many of you were out surveying yesterday already?
I want to thank you all for helping get me up to speed over the last month. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you through Zooms, emails, the phone, and even in person! Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. I feel fortunate to work with such an amazing and dedicated group! I was very happy to be able to do site visits at both Jefferson and Clallam counties last month and I was reminded of the sheer beauty of this state and the preciousness of our PIGUs and the marine environment. It really drove home the reasons we do what we do. I hope to get out to visit the rest of you in the very near future!
Week by week, as we go through the season, I hope you will share any fun stories or pictures you get from your surveyors. I would love to share these across the regions, so we can all stay connected and get a peek into what’s happening across the Sound. If you have any photogs in your group, please also let me know! I would love to reach out to them and get a collection of photo albums going. Please also continue to send any questions or concerns my way! I'm here to help in any way I can.
I’ve heard several stories over the last few weeks of PIGU activity ramping up at the colonies--synchronized flying, billing, water games, touch and gos, and burrow visits! Many have also spotted copulating on the beach—including me! Our little birds are definitely not shy and at least we know we should be seeing prey deliveries sometime in the next month!
Here are some pics I took while up in Clallam County. Something new for me was seeing PIGUs riding the waves. Things are just a bit calmer down here on our southern shores! These extreme PGs of Dungeness Spit have adapted to dealing with rollers and crashing surf. What fun to watch! Thank you Ed and Dan for sharing them with me.
It’s week 1 and I hope everyone is feeling ready and excited for this new season! How many of you were out surveying yesterday already?
I want to thank you all for helping get me up to speed over the last month. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you through Zooms, emails, the phone, and even in person! Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. I feel fortunate to work with such an amazing and dedicated group! I was very happy to be able to do site visits at both Jefferson and Clallam counties last month and I was reminded of the sheer beauty of this state and the preciousness of our PIGUs and the marine environment. It really drove home the reasons we do what we do. I hope to get out to visit the rest of you in the very near future!
Week by week, as we go through the season, I hope you will share any fun stories or pictures you get from your surveyors. I would love to share these across the regions, so we can all stay connected and get a peek into what’s happening across the Sound. If you have any photogs in your group, please also let me know! I would love to reach out to them and get a collection of photo albums going. Please also continue to send any questions or concerns my way! I'm here to help in any way I can.
I’ve heard several stories over the last few weeks of PIGU activity ramping up at the colonies--synchronized flying, billing, water games, touch and gos, and burrow visits! Many have also spotted copulating on the beach—including me! Our little birds are definitely not shy and at least we know we should be seeing prey deliveries sometime in the next month!
Here are some pics I took while up in Clallam County. Something new for me was seeing PIGUs riding the waves. Things are just a bit calmer down here on our southern shores! These extreme PGs of Dungeness Spit have adapted to dealing with rollers and crashing surf. What fun to watch! Thank you Ed and Dan for sharing them with me.
And here is a sweet pic of PIGUs billing, shared by Hillary Smith of Jefferson County East. Love is definitely in the air!
We had an interesting event happen on Indian Island in Jefferson County last week that highlights the need for public awareness at beaches where PIGUs are nesting. Hillary came to check on her colony and found this elaborate fort built right in front of the burrows where the PIGUs are nesting. Luckily, the county is going to dismantle the fort, thanks to Brenda alerting them right away to the issue. Brenda will be in talks with the county to install permanent signage to help educate the public about the guillemots and the bluff. Way to go, Brenda!
I hope you all have a fabulous week out on the beach!! I can't wait to hear how it goes. Happy surveying!!
-Shannon
-Shannon