Weekly Update for 8/9 – 8/15/2010
8/9 – 8/15/10 ›
PIT tag recovery at piscivorous waterbird colonies on the Columbia Plateau mostly completed, with the exception of PIT tag recoveries at the Badger Island American white pelican colony and Foundation Island double-crested cormorant colony which still had birds attending the colony this past week; this completes our weekly reporting of field research activities on the Columbia Plateau for 2010
Weekly Update for 8/2 – 8/8/2010
8/4 - 8/8/10 ›
PIT tag recovery carried out at Crescent Island Caspian tern and gull colonies
Weekly Update for 7/26 – 8/1/2010
7/28 – 8/1/10 ›
PIT tag recovery carried out at Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) Caspian tern colony, Twining Island (Banks Lake) Caspian tern colony, Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island in the Blalock Islands) Caspian tern colony, and Miller Rocks gull colony
7/28/10 ›
Commencement of PIT tag recovery at various piscivorous waterbird colonies on the Columbia Plateau
Weekly Update for 7/19 – 7/25/2010
7/23/10 ›
Regular monitoring of fish-eating waterbird colonies on the Columbia Plateau ended for the 2010 breeding season
7/22/10 ›
All remaining Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) have failed; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, presence of a mink on the island, and human disturbance
Weekly Update for 7/12 – 7/18/2010
7/12 – 7/18/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 1 nest at main colony and 7 nests at satellite colony, only one Caspian tern chick was observed on colony by week’s end; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, presence of a mink on the island, and human disturbance
Weekly Update for 7/5 – 7/11/2010
7/5 – 7/11/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 6 nests at main colony and 11 nests at satellite colony, down considerably from high counts of attended nests the previous week (9 on main colony and 31 on satellite colony); by the end of the week no chicks were on the main colony (2 chicks present on the main colony last week believed to have fledged) and 3 chicks remained on the satellite colony; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, presence of a mink on the island, and human disturbance (see below)
7/9/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns nesting in the Blalock Islands; due to rising water levels in John Day Pool and possibly other unknown causes, all Caspian terns nests on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island) have failed; two people observed on Sand Island during survey
7/8/10 ›
Double-crested cormorants (11) collected near the Foundation Island cormorant colony to determine diet composition
7/4 – 7/5/10 ›
Observation blind at the satellite colony on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) accessed by unauthorized visitors; the colony may have been disturbed during this visit perhaps contributing to significant decline in attended tern nests at the satellite colony this week as compared to the previous week
Weekly Update for 6/28 – 7/4/2010
6/28 – 7/4/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 9 nests at main colony and 31 nests at satellite colony, down from the high counts of attended nests the previous week (27 on main colony and 36 on satellite colony); by end of week only 2 and 7 chicks remained on the main colony and satellite colony, respectively; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, and the presence of a mink on the island
7/2/10 ›
Boat–based survey of Harper Island (Sprague Lake) Caspian tern and double-crested cormorant colonies; 4 Caspian terns and 59 double-crested cormorants counted on Harper Island, 35 active cormorant nests (with 34 cormorant chicks) and possibly 2 active tern nests (no chicks) observed
7/1/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns nesting in the Blalock Islands; due to rising water levels in John Day Pool, most Caspian terns nests on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island) have failed; 3 sitting Caspian terns observed during survey in an upland vegetated area
Weekly Update for 6/21 – 6/27/2010
6/21 – 6/27/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 27 nests at main colony and 36 nests at satellite colony, down from the high counts of attended nests the previous week (66 on main colony and 39 on satellite colony); by end of week only 2 and 8 chicks remained on the main colony and satellite colony, respectively; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, and the presence of a mink on the island
6/27/10 ›
One female mink was captured and removed from Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir)
6/27/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns nesting in the Blalock Islands; due to rising water levels in John Day Pool, most Caspian terns nests on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island) have failed; 6 sitting Caspian terns observed during survey in an upland vegetated area
6/25/10 ›
PIT tags sown at Crescent Island Caspian tern colony for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
6/25/10 ›
First Caspian tern fledgling observed at Crescent Island tern colony
6/25/10 ›
216 Caspian tern chicks captured and banded at Crescent Island tern colony; Ben Sandford (NOAA Fisheries) assisted with chick banding
Weekly Update for 6/14 – 6/20/2010
6/14 – 6/20/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 66 nests at main colony and 39 nests at satellite colony, down from the high counts of attended nests the previous week (137 on main colony and 57 on satellite colony); by end of week only 5 and 12 chicks remained on the main colony and satellite colony, respectively; poor nesting success at Goose Island likely caused by a combination of unseasonable cool and wet weather, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, and the presence of a mink on the island
6/19/10 ›
Conclusion of PIT-tagging efforts on steelhead smolts at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River; 7,366 steelhead PIT-tagged and scored for condition to investigate factors affecting avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the Upper Columbia River ESU
6/19/10 ›
Survey of Okanogan double-crested cormorant colony; 29 adult double-crested cormorants and 25 attended cormorant nests counted; a minimum of 22 large cormorant chicks observed
6/19/10 ›
Survey of Twining Island (Banks Lake) Caspian tern colony; 26 Caspian terns counted on Twining Island, 11 active Caspian tern nests and no tern chicks observed
6/17/10 ›
Aerial survey of mid-Columbia River and much of Columbia Plateau to check status of known Caspian tern, double-crested cormorant, American white pelican, and gull colonies; survey confirmed the results from a earlier boat-based survey (6/16) that the Caspian tern colony on the Blalock Islands had failed; the Badger Island American white pelican colony appeared to be much smaller than in previous years
6/16/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns nesting in the Blalock Islands; due to rising water levels in John Day Pool, all Caspian terns nests on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island) appeared to have failed this past week; only 12 roosting Caspian terns observed during survey of Blalock Islands
6/14/10 ›
Two double-crested cormorant nests on Crescent Island have been abandoned; this is the first record of double-crested cormorants attempting to nest on Crescent Island since intensive colony monitoring began in 2000
Weekly Update for 6/7 – 6/13/2010
6/7 – 6/13/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 137 nests at main colony and 57 nests at satellite colony, down considerably from the high counts of attended nests the previous week (232 on main colony and 58 on satellite colony); by end of week only 3 chicks remained on the main colony; this week’s decline in attended tern nests and number of tern chicks on main colony began on 2 June; nest failure likely caused by a combination of heavy rains, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, and the presences of a mink on the island
6/7 – 6/13/10 ›
579 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
6/11/10 ›
Wind advisory pole adjacent to the main Caspian tern colony on Goose Island taken down by Levi Meseberg (MarDon Resort staff); permission granted to remove pole by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department once it was discovered that a great horned owl was using the pole as a perch, causing significant night-time disturbances to the main tern colony
6/9/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; 134 Caspian terns counted on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), 69 of which appeared to be attending nests
6/8/10 ›
Boat–based survey of Harper Island (Sprague Lake) Caspian tern and double-crested cormorant colonies; no Caspian terns and 99 double-crested cormorants counted on Harper Island, 53 active cormorant nests and multiple large, downy chicks observed
6/8/10 ›
Ben Sandford with NOAA Fisheries visited the Crescent Island Caspian tern colony and the Foundation Island double-crested cormorant colony
Weekly Update for 5/31 – 6/6/2010
6/6/10 ›
First double-crested cormorant fledglings observed on Foundation Island cormorant colony
5/31 – 6/6/10 ›
High counts of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) were 232 nests at main colony and 58 nests at satellite colony, down considerably from the high counts of attended nests the previous week (308 on main colony and 58 on satellite colony); by end of week attended nests at main colony were down to 177 and attended nests in satellite colony down to 45; this week’s decline in attended nests began on 2 June, when a minimum of 21 dead Caspian tern chicks were counted on the main colony; nest failure was likely caused by a combination of heavy rains, nocturnal disturbances to the colony by a great horned owl, and the presences of a mink on the island
5/31 – 6/6/10 ›
897 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
6/4/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; 106 Caspian terns counted on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), 86 of which appeared to be attending nests
6/3/10 ›
Ben Sandford with NOAA Fisheries visited the Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) Caspian tern colony
Weekly Update for 5/24 – 5/30/2010
5/30/10 ›
Survey of Miller Rocks gull colony; areas of nesting ring-billed and California gulls mapped in order to estimate the number of nesting pairs of each species at the colony based on aerial photo census; colony consisted mostly of nesting California gulls
5/30/10 ›
Survey of Banks Lake Caspian tern and gull colonies; 28 Caspian terns, ca. 1,100 California gulls, and ca. 50 ring-billed gulls counted on Twining Island, 17 active Caspian tern nests, ca. 825 California gull nests, and ca. 38 ring-billed gull nests observed; ca. 430 California gulls, and ca. 1,500 ring-billed gulls counted on Goose islands, ca. 320 California gull nests and ca. 1,125 ring-billed gull nests counted
5/24 – 5/30/10 ›
High count of attended Caspian tern nests on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) main colony was 308 nests; high count of attended Caspian tern nests on east satellite colony on Goose Island was 58 nests
5/24 – 5/30/10 ›
940 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
5/28/10 ›
Scott Dunmire, Michael Francis, and Chris Pinney with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Walla Walla District visited the Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) tern colony
5/28/10 ›
First double-crested cormorant fledglings observed on North Potholes cormorant colony
5/27/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; 178 Caspian terns counted on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), 136 of which appeared to be attending nests; 26 Caspian terns counted on mostly submerged gravel bar off of Sand Island, 2 of which appeared to be attending nests; 34 Caspian terns loafing on Sand island (no tern nesting observed)
5/26/10 ›
Incipient satellite colony of Caspian terns on the cove beach at Crescent Island failed (i.e., no sitting Caspian terns and no tern eggs in old nest scrapes at the site); with permission from the USACE and USFWS, regular monitoring of the main tern colony resumed this week; 438 Caspian terns counted on the main colony at Crescent Island; at least 326 attended nests counted on-colony
5/24 – 5/25/10 ›
48 adult Caspian terns captured and banded with field-readable alphanumeric leg bands at the Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) tern colony
Weekly Update for 5/17 – 5/23/2010
5/23/10 ›
Aerial photo census to estimate numbers of piscivorous waterbirds (i.e., Caspian terns, gull spp., American white pelicans) at colonies on Miller Rocks, Crescent Island, and Badger Island in the mid-Columbia River, and Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; counts of aerial photos will allow us to more accurately estimate the number of nesting piscivorous waterbirds
5/23/10 ›
One attended Caspian tern nest observed at the incipient satellite colony on the cove beach at Crescent Island; the satellite colony has failed or nearly failed; with permission from the USACE and USFWS, the blind used to monitor the main Caspian tern colony on Crescent Island was accessed in order to spread PIT tags for detection efficiency studies and to count the number of active tern nests on the main colony; based on the status of the satellite tern colony, we have been granted permission by the USACE and USFWS to continue our regular monitoring of the main tern colony on Crescent Island
5/23/10 ›
First Caspian tern chicks observed on Crescent island tern colony; several nests contained three chicks each and a few chicks were about one week old, indicating that the first chick hatched no later than 16 May
5/17 – 5/23/10 ›
1,429 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
5/21/10 ›
Boat-based survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; Rock Island (site of Caspian tern colony the previous 4 years) was not occupied by nesting terns; 41 Caspian terns loafing on Sand island (no tern nesting observed); 139 Caspian terns counted on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), 27 of which appeared to be attending nests
5/20 – 5/21/10 ›
Aerial survey of mid-Columbia River and much of Columbia Plateau to check the status of known Caspian tern, double-crested cormorant, and gull colonies; checked sites of formerly active colonies of piscivorous waterbirds to determine occupancy; no new tern, cormorant, or gull colonies detected
5/20/10 ›
First Caspian tern chick observed on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) tern colony
4/19/10 ›
Survey of Harper Island (Sprague Lake) Caspian tern and double-crested cormorant colonies; five Caspian terns and 94 double-crested cormorants counted on Harper Island, two active Caspian tern nests and 57 active cormorant nests observed
Weekly Update for 5/10 – 5/16/2010
5/10 – 5/16/10 ›
1,138 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
5/10 – 5/16/10 ›
Two attended double-crested cormorant nests on Crescent Island; this is the first record of nesting by double-crested cormorants on Crescent Island since intensive colony monitoring began in 2000
5/10 – 5/16/10 ›
Eleven attended Caspian tern nests at a satellite colony on the upper beach in the cove on Crescent Island; this is the first record of Caspian terns nesting at Crescent Island in an area away from the main colony; the blind used to monitor the main tern colony at Crescent Island cannot be accessed without causing disturbance and possible nest failure for terns at the satellite colony; we have suspended monitoring at the main tern colony and are awaiting instructions from the USFWS and USACE on how to precede with colony monitoring at Crescent Island
5/12/10 ›
Survey of Miller Rocks gull colony; several thousand gulls (mostly California gulls) counted on the island; no nesting Caspian terns or double-crested cormorants observed
5/12/10 ›
Survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; Rock Island (site of Caspian tern colony the previous 4 years) was not occupied by nesting terns; ca. 95 Caspian terns on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), ca. 20 of which appeared to be attending nests amongst a larger gull colony (500-1,000 birds)
5/12/10 ›
Survey of Locke Island and nearby gravel bar (on mid-Columbia River in the Hanford Reach); loafing double-crested cormorants (22), American white pelicans (10), Caspian terns (6), and great egrets (9) observed; a coyote was also observed on the island
5/11/10 ›
Survey of Okanogan double-crested cormorant colony; 33 adult double-crested cormorants and 26 attended cormorant nests counted; cormorant chicks observed
5/11/10 ›
Survey of Twining Island (Banks Lake) Caspian tern colony; 29 Caspian terns counted, of which 18 terns appeared to be attending nests amongst a larger gull colony (ca. 750 birds)
Weekly Update for 5/3 – 5/9/2010
5/3 – 5/9/10 ›
1,040 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
5/3 – 5/9/10 ›
Double-crested cormorants initiated nesting on Crescent Island; a total of five attended nests discovered this week, although only one was apparently still active at the end of the week; this is the first record of nesting by double-crested cormorants on Crescent Island since intensive colony monitoring began in 2000
5/8/10 ›
First Caspian tern egg observed at satellite colony in the cove at Crescent Island; this is the first record of terns nesting at Crescent Island in an area away from the main colony
5/8/10 ›
First Caspian tern egg observed on east satellite colony on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir); 400 Caspian terns counted on main colony at Goose Island
5/7/10 ›
Caspian terns appeared to be initiating a satellite colony on the upper beach in the cove on Crescent Island; 9 terns were sitting in scrapes
5/6/10 ›
Survey of Caspian terns in the Blalock Islands; Rock Island (site of Caspian tern colony the previous 4 years) was not occupied by nesting terns; 53 Caspian terns loafing on Sand Island; 77 Caspian terns on Anvil Island (northwest of Sand Island), 7 of which appeared to be attending nests amongst a larger gull colony (500-1,000 birds)
5/4/10 ›
First Caspian terns (9) seen this year on a satellite nesting colony east of the main Caspian tern colony on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir
5/3/10 ›
Survey of piscivorous waterbirds at Cabin Island near Priest Rapids Dam; no birds observed nesting on Island
5/3/10 ›
Survey of piscivorous waterbirds at Eagle Lakes and Scootney Reservoir (near Othello, WA); 12 double-crested cormorants loafing on small island in northern-most of Eagle Lakes; 5 American white pelicans, 2 gull spp., and one double-crested cormorant loafing on islands in Scootney Reservoir; no nesting by fish-eating birds observed at either site
5/3/10 ›
47 American white pelicans observed foraging immediately downstream of diversion dam on the Yakima River near Horn Rapids Park
Weekly Update for 4/26 – 5/2/2010
4/26 – 5/2/10 ›
752 steelhead PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the endangered Upper Columbia population
4/26 – 5/2/10 ›
High winds in the Wallula Gap limited access to Crescent Island Caspian tern colony
4/30/10 ›
First double-crested cormorant chick (> 7 days old) observed on Foundation Island cormorant colony
4/30/10 ›
PIT tags sown at Foundation Island double-crested cormorant colony for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
4/29/10 ›
Survey of piscivorous waterbird colonies on the mid-Columbia River near Richland (WA); 24 gulls loafing on Nelson Island (coyote also observed on island); several thousand nesting gulls and 3 loafing double-crested cormorants on Island 20; 4 loafing gulls on Richland island; no birds observed on Island 18 or Johnson island
4/26/10 ›
Survey of piscivorous waterbird colonies in the Blalock Islands; Rock Island (site of Caspian tern colony the previous 4 years) has been abandoned by nesting terns; 53 loafing Caspian terns, 8 nesting great egrets, and 3 nesting great blue herons on Sand Island; 38 loafing Caspian terns on gravel bar just downstream from Blalock Island; Caspian terns (25) have initiated nesting amongst a larger colony of ring-billed gulls (>1,000 birds)
4/26/10 ›
Survey of Miller Rocks gull colony; several thousand gulls (mostly California gulls) counted on the island; no nesting Caspian terns or double-crested cormorants observed
4/26/10 ›
Survey of Three Mile Canyon Island gull colony; several thousand gulls counted on the island; no Caspian terns observed
Weekly Update for 4/19 – 4/25/2010
4/19 – 4/25/10 ›
333 steelhead were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the Upper Columbia population
4/24/10 ›
First Caspian tern eggs (2) observed on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) tern colony
4/23/10 ›
First Caspian tern eggs observed on Crescent Island tern colony; two nests contained two eggs each, indicating that egg-laying began no later than 21 April
4/22/10 ›
Crew visited Columbia Basin Hatchery to look at resident hatchery trout stocked in various lakes and reservoirs (including Potholes Reservoir) on the Columbia Plateau in order to distinguish resident trout from anadromous steelhead in the diet of Caspian terns nesting on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir)
4/19/10 ›
First Caspian terns (23) observed on Twining Island (Banks Lake) tern colony
4/19/10 ›
First visit to Harper Island in Sprague Lake; two Caspian terns and 36 double-crested cormorants observed on the Harper Island colonies
Weekly Update for 4/12 – 4/18/2010
4/18/10 ›
First double-crested cormorant chick observed on North Potholes Reservoir cormorant colony
4/13/10 ›
Commencement of steelhead smolt PIT-tagging at Rock Island Dam on Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead from the Upper Columbia population; 19 steelhead PIT-tagged during the week
4/12/10 ›
Double-crested cormorants (10) collected near the Foundation Island cormorant colony to determine diet composition
Weekly Update for 4/5 – 4/11/2010
4/11/10 ›
American white pelicans abandoned nesting attempt on Crescent Island, presumably to nest at larger pelican colony on nearby Badger Island
4/7/10 ›
First Caspian terns (2) observed on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) tern colony
Weekly Update for 3/29 – 4/4/2010
4/2/10 ›
First Caspian terns (9) observed on Crescent Island tern colony
3/31/10 ›
Egg-laying commenced at Foundation Island double-crested cormorant colony, evidenced by a freshly broken cormorant egg found under nesting trees
3/31/10 ›
Completed preparations for monitoring gull colony on Miller Rocks; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
3/31/10 ›
First Caspian terns observed on Rock Island; 2 terns loafing on shore; completed preparations for monitoring Caspian tern colony at Rock Island; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
3/30/10 ›
Completed preparations for monitoring Caspian tern colony on Twining Island in Banks Lake; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
Weekly Update FOR 3/22 - 3/28/2010
3/28/10 ›
Double-crested cormorants observed nesting at North Potholes Reservoir cormorant colony; 704 adults counted in nesting trees; egg-laying has commenced
3/27/10 ›
First American white pelicans observed on colony at Badger Island
3/27/10 ›
Completed construction of observation blind at Foundation Island double-crested cormorant colony; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
3/27/10 ›
Completed preparations for monitoring Caspian tern colony on Crescent Island; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study; 70-80 American white pelicans observed on Crescent Island or in the water nearby; 20 pelican nests with 1-2 eggs found in underbrush of Crescent Island, the first pelican nesting attempts on Crescent Island since 1997
3/26/10 ›
Completed preparations for monitoring Caspian tern colony on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study
3/24/10 ›
First Caspian terns sighted on Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir by project staff in 2010; < 5 terns loafing on shore
3/23/10 ›
First American white pelicans sighted on the mid-Columbia River by project staff in 2010; 20 pelicans loafing on mudflat near Badger Island; completed preparations for monitoring American white pelican colony on Badger Island; PIT tags sown for smolt PIT tag detection efficiency study; raccoon tracks seen on shore of Badger Island; water level in McNary Pool unusually low
3/23/10 ›
Survey of Crescent Island was conducted; no Caspian terns were observed on or near Crescent Island; > 50 American white pelicans were observed loafing on the beach and in the upland area adjacent to the beach
3/23/10 ›
First double-crested cormorants sighted at the Foundation Island colony; ~ 150 cormorants in trees
3/23/10 ›
First Caspian tern sighted on mid-Columbia River by project staff in 2010; 8 Caspian terns loafing on Badger Island
3/23/10 ›
First double-crested cormorants sighted on the mid-Columbia River by project staff in 2010; unlike Caspian terns, however, cormorants over-winter on mid-Columbia River and were present prior to this observation (project staff, personal communication)
3/23/10 ›
Seasonal field crew began working on the Columbia Plateau
