Photos by Shannon Boldt.
Due to our diligent and dedicated volunteers and adherence to protocol, we are one of the few citizen-science based monitoring efforts being used by the State of Washington and academic community to inform their marine bird population assessments and population modeling studies.
At the highest level, our data informs the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife in its assessment of Pigeon Guillemot abundance as part of its reporting on Puget Sound Vital Signs to the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP). In 2007, the PSP was formed as a state entity tasked with the recovery of Puget Sound. The PSP uses identified “Vital Signs” as indicators to measure different aspects of Puget Sound ecosystem health. Pigeon Guillemots were chosen as one of four marine bird Vital Sign indicators because they breed, feed, and live in the region year round, and as such, their population trends and reproductive success reflect changes occurring within the Sound's marine ecosystem.
WDFW uses our abundance data to complement their aerial surveys when calculating and reporting trends of vital sign indicators to the Puget Sound Partnership. This is huge, and we are very proud of our ability to contribute to the PSP's assessment of Puget Sound health.
To see the most recent Vital Sign Indicator Report of marine bird populations, including Pigeon Guillemots, visit here: https://www.pugetsoundinfo.wa.gov/Indicator/Detail/3/VitalSigns.
At the highest level, our data informs the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife in its assessment of Pigeon Guillemot abundance as part of its reporting on Puget Sound Vital Signs to the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP). In 2007, the PSP was formed as a state entity tasked with the recovery of Puget Sound. The PSP uses identified “Vital Signs” as indicators to measure different aspects of Puget Sound ecosystem health. Pigeon Guillemots were chosen as one of four marine bird Vital Sign indicators because they breed, feed, and live in the region year round, and as such, their population trends and reproductive success reflect changes occurring within the Sound's marine ecosystem.
WDFW uses our abundance data to complement their aerial surveys when calculating and reporting trends of vital sign indicators to the Puget Sound Partnership. This is huge, and we are very proud of our ability to contribute to the PSP's assessment of Puget Sound health.
To see the most recent Vital Sign Indicator Report of marine bird populations, including Pigeon Guillemots, visit here: https://www.pugetsoundinfo.wa.gov/Indicator/Detail/3/VitalSigns.
More recently, our data has been instrumental in studies conducted within Dr. Sarah Converse's Quantitative Conservation Lab at the University of Washington. Graduate students, such as Amanda Warlick, use our data to help develop sophisticated models that not only predict population trends of species, but also look to find links to species demographics, such as survival year to year and reproductive success. Our observations of population counts, prey delivery types, and disturbances are important factors that feed into the model, the outputs of which, have potential to show trends associated with the impacts of prey availability linked to environmental changes (e.g. Sea Surface Temperature, upwelling, and winds).
In the past findings from our work have been published in a regional journal and informed other academic publications related to spatial foraging patterns, prey, and abundance. Publications to date are listed below, but we expect more to come soon from Sarah Converse and Amanda Warlick—stay tuned!
In the past findings from our work have been published in a regional journal and informed other academic publications related to spatial foraging patterns, prey, and abundance. Publications to date are listed below, but we expect more to come soon from Sarah Converse and Amanda Warlick—stay tuned!
Related Publications:
Bishop, E., Rosling, G., Kind, P., & Wood, F. (2016). Pigeon Guillemots on Whidbey Island, Washington: A Six-Year Monitoring Study. Northwestern Naturalist, 97(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1898/nwn15-31.1
Buckner, E. (2020). Spatial foraging patterns in Puget Sound pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba): An investigation using stable isotopes and community science (pp. 1–26) [Thesis].
Buckner, E., Chittaro, P., Wood, F., & Klinger, T. (2022). Identifying dietary referencing in breeding pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) using different methods. Northwestern Naturalist, 103(1). https://doi.org/10.1898/1051-1733-103.1.42
Stocks, D. A. (2021). Pigeon Guillemot abundance and prey counts in the Puget Sound (pp. 1–47) [Master’s Thesis]. http://collections.evergreen.edu/files/original/da3a5790d3872e608c270aeb5638624b8d479e6c.pdf
Bishop, E., Rosling, G., Kind, P., & Wood, F. (2016). Pigeon Guillemots on Whidbey Island, Washington: A Six-Year Monitoring Study. Northwestern Naturalist, 97(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1898/nwn15-31.1
Buckner, E. (2020). Spatial foraging patterns in Puget Sound pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba): An investigation using stable isotopes and community science (pp. 1–26) [Thesis].
Buckner, E., Chittaro, P., Wood, F., & Klinger, T. (2022). Identifying dietary referencing in breeding pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) using different methods. Northwestern Naturalist, 103(1). https://doi.org/10.1898/1051-1733-103.1.42
Stocks, D. A. (2021). Pigeon Guillemot abundance and prey counts in the Puget Sound (pp. 1–47) [Master’s Thesis]. http://collections.evergreen.edu/files/original/da3a5790d3872e608c270aeb5638624b8d479e6c.pdf