2015 Updates

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WEEKLY Update for 8/17 – 8/23/2015

8/23/15 ›

This completes our regular weekly reporting of field research activities in the Columbia Plateau region for 2015

8/17 – 8/23/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Goose Island and the surrounding islets were successful in preventing all but two breeding pairs of Caspian terns from nesting on the island in 2015

8/17 – 8/23/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool were successful in preventing all nesting by Caspian terns and gulls on the island in 2015

8/17 – 8/23/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns nested in 2015; high counts of 35 adult Caspian terns and 11 tern chicks were observed on the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high counts of 13 adult Caspian terns and 6 tern chicks were observed on an island in Lenore Lake

WEEKLY Update for 8/10 – 8/16/2015

8/10 – 8/16/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool were successful in preventing all nesting by Caspian terns and gulls on the island in 2015; monitoring of this site during the 2015 breeding season is completed

8/10 – 8/16/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns nested in 2015; high counts of 65 adult Caspian terns and 31 tern chicks were observed on the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high counts of 9 adult Caspian terns and 6 tern chicks were observed on an island in Lenore Lake

WEEKLY Update for 8/3 – 8/9/2015

8/3 – 8/9/15 ›

High count this week of 12 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir (4 August); on a subsequent visit to the island (7 August), no Caspian terns were observed on or near Goose Island; high counts during the week of ca. 100 nesting gulls on Goose Island (4 August); the low numbers of terns and gulls counted on or near Goose Island this week compared to previous weeks may be due to regular disturbances to the colony by peregrine falcons and recreational boaters; passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Goose Island and the surrounding islets were successful in preventing all but two breeding pairs of terns from nesting on the island in 2015; this will be the last weekly update for Goose Island during the 2015 field season

8/3 – 8/9/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool were successful in preventing all nesting by Caspian terns and gulls on the island in 2015

8/3 – 8/9/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns nested in 2015; high count of 52 adult Caspian terns, 1 attended and active tern nests, and 39 Caspian tern chicks were observed on the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high count of 15 adult Caspian terns, 1 attended and active tern nests, and 6 Caspian tern chicks were observed on an island in Lenore Lake

WEEKLY Update for 7/27 – 8/2/2015

7/27 – 8/2/15 ›

High count this week of 247 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this week; high counts during the week of ca. 250 nesting gulls on Goose Island; passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Goose Island and the surrounding islets were successful in preventing all but two breeding pairs of terns from nesting on the island in 2015

7/27 – 8/2/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool were successful in preventing all nesting by Caspian terns and gulls on the island in 2015

7/27 – 8/2/15 ›

WEEKLY Update for 7/20 – 7/26/2015

7/20 – 7/26/15 ›

High count this week of 260 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; the number of terns loafing on or near Goose Island has increased over the past several weeks, likely post-breeding birds staging at Goose Island prior to their southern migration to overwintering grounds; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this week; high counts during the week of ca. 2,100 nesting gulls (about 60% ring-billed gulls and the rest California gulls) on Goose Island

7/20 – 7/26/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool were successful in preventing all nesting by Caspian terns and gulls on the island in 2015

7/20 – 7/26/15 ›

7/22/15 ›

First Caspian tern chicks (4) observed on an island in Lenore Lake

WEEKLY Update for 7/13 – 7/19/2015

7/13 – 7/19/15 ›

High count this week of 365 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; the number of terns loafing on or near Goose Island has increased over the past several weeks, likely post-breeding birds staging at Goose Island prior to their southern migration to overwintering grounds; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this week; a total of 43 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 43 Caspian tern eggs, 17 eggs were collected under permit, 23 eggs were depredated by gulls, and three eggs in two separate nests located on the main island under the ropes, stakes, and flagging were hatched; of these three Caspian tern chicks, two successfully fledged; high counts during the week of ca. 3,200 nesting gulls (about 60% ring-billed gulls and the rest California gulls) on Goose Island

7/13 – 7/19/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; small numbers of Caspian terns and gulls were occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony site on Crescent Island; no adult Caspian terns or gulls have landed anywhere on Crescent Island for well over a month

7/13 – 7/19/15 ›

WEEKLY Update for 7/6 – 7/12/2015

7/6 – 7/12/15 ›

High count this week of 156 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this week; a total of 43 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 43 Caspian tern eggs, 17 eggs were collected under permit, 23 eggs were depredated by gulls, and three eggs in two separate nests located on the main island under the ropes, stakes, and flagging were hatched; of these three Caspian tern chicks, two successfully fledged; high counts during the week of ca. 4,800 nesting gulls (about 70% ring-billed gulls and the rest California gulls) on Goose Island

7/6 – 7/12/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; 25-35 gulls were observed rafting in the water near the island this week; small numbers of Caspian terns were occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony site on Crescent Island; no Caspian terns or gulls have landed anywhere on Crescent Island for over a month

7/6 – 7/12/15 ›

Caspian terns fitted with satellite telemetry tags at Potholes Reservoir and Crescent Island are providing data on their response to tern management on the Columbia Plateau; the majority of terns tagged at Crescent Island moved to the Blalock Islands and initiated nesting there, with a few moving to the Columbia River estuary and nesting there; some terns tagged at Potholes Reservoir have also moved to the Blalock Islands, but a majority sought opportunities at off-river sites in the Columbia Plateau region, including Banks Lake, Sprague Lake, and Potholes Reservoir; many tagged terns made forays to the Corps-constructed islands in interior Oregon and northeastern California, but did not remain at these locations long, possibly due to drought conditions at those sites; despite limited evidence of tagged terns establishing enduring nesting efforts outside the Columbia Plateau region, activity levels of these individuals within the Columbia Plateau region were somewhat reduced from that of terns nesting at Potholes Reservoir and Crescent Island in past years; therefore, some reduction in predation on Columbia Basin salmonids may have been accrued, particularly for Upper Columbia River stocks; post-breeding dispersal and migratory behavior have been observed in tagged terns, with significant concentrations of tagged terns in the Salish Sea region (Everett, WA, and Vancouver, BC), the outer Washington coast (Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay), and the Salton Sea near the California/Mexico border

7/7/15 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir

WEEKLY Update for 6/29 – 7/5/2015

6/29 – 7/5/15 ›

High count this week of 180 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this week; a total of 43 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 43 Caspian tern eggs, 17 eggs were collected under permit, 23 eggs were depredated by gulls, and three tern eggs were successfully incubated and hatched chicks from two separate tern nests located on the main island under the ropes, stakes, and flagging; high counts during the week of ca. 6,000 nesting gulls (about 70% ring-billed gulls and the rest California gulls) on Goose Island

6/29 – 7/5/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; 25-75 gulls were observed rafting in the water near the island this week; small numbers of Caspian terns were occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony site on Crescent Island; no Caspian terns or gulls have landed anywhere on Crescent Island for over a month

6/29 – 7/5/15 ›

6/30/15 ›

All active Caspian tern nests on Harper Island in Sprague Lake have failed and the Caspian tern colony no longer appears to be attended

WEEKLY Update for 6/22 – 6/28/2015

6/22 – 6/28/15 ›

High count this week of 102 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; no new Caspian tern eggs were discovered on Goose Island this past week; a total of 42 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 42 Caspian tern eggs, 17 eggs were collected under permit, 23 eggs were depredated by gulls, and two tern eggs were successfully incubated and hatched chicks; two breeding pairs of Caspian terns were attending active nests this week on Goose Island, both were under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site (one chick was confirmed in one nest and the nest contents in the other nest have not yet been confirmed; high counts during the week of ca. 8,400 gulls (about 70% ring-billed gulls) and at least 1,200 attended gull nests (most containing chicks) on Goose Island

6/22 – 6/28/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; no gulls were observed rafting in the water near the island this past week; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-4) were occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony site on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 12 weeks

6/22 – 6/28/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 560 Caspian terns and ca. 245 active Caspian tern nests (most with chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high count of 3 Caspian terns and 1 active Caspian tern nest were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; high count of 42 Caspian terns and 17 active Caspian tern nests were observed on an island in Lenore Lake; Caspian terns were observed loafing on the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers (1) near Priest Rapids Dam (8 individuals), (2) on Foundation Island (6 individuals), (3) on Finley Island (2 individuals), and (3) at various locations in the Hanford Reach (7 individuals); Caspian terns were also found loafing at North Potholes Reservoir (33 individuals) in the Columbia Plateau region off the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers

6/24 – 6/25/15 ›

Third and last aerial survey of the mid-Columbia River, lower Snake River, and much of Columbia Plateau region to check the status of known and incipient Caspian tern breeding colonies; Caspian tern nesting activity was observed on three different islands in the Blalock Islands complex, on Harper Island in Sprague Lake, on an unnamed island in Lake Lenore, and on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; no other new or active Caspian tern colonies were identified during the flight

6/24/15 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed this season in the Columbia Plateau region (on Middle Island in the Blalock Islands complex on the mid-Columbia River)

6/22/15 ›

First California gull fledgling observed on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir

WEEKLY Update for 6/15 – 6/21/2015

6/15 – 6/21/15 ›

High count this week of 105 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; one new Caspian tern egg was discovered this week on the south beach of Goose Island and was subsequently collected by researchers (under permit); a total of 42 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 42 Caspian tern eggs, 17 eggs were collected under permit, 23 eggs were depredated by gulls, and two tern eggs were successfully incubated and hatched chicks; two breeding pairs of Caspian terns were attending active nests this week on Goose Island, both were under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site (one chick was confirmed in one nest and the nest contents in the other nest have not yet been confirmed); band resighting data in 2015 suggest that some of the failed breeders from the abandoned Caspian tern colonies on Twinning Island in Banks Lake and on Harper Island in Sprague Lake have relocated to Goose Island; high counts during the week of ca. 8,600 gulls (about 70% ring-billed gulls) and at least 2,400 attended gull nests (most containing chicks) on Goose Island

6/15 – 6/21/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; small groups of gulls (50-70) are rafting in the water near the island; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-5) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony site on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 11 weeks

6/15 – 6/21/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 670 Caspian terns and ca. 350 active Caspian tern nests (most with chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high count of 10 Caspian terns and 3 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; however, all nesting attempts by Caspian terns on Harper Island had failed by the end of this week; high count of 28 Caspian terns and 12 active Caspian tern nests were observed on an island in Lenore Lake; Caspian terns were observed loafing on the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers (1) near Priest Rapids Dam (4 individuals), (2) on Foundation Island (12 individuals), and (3) at various locations in the Hanford Reach (8 individuals); Caspian terns were also found loafing at North Potholes Reservoir (21 individuals) and on Twinning Island in Banks Lake (3 individuals) in the Columbia Plateau region off the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers; previous nesting attempts by Caspian terns on Twinning Island in Banks Lake in 2015 have all failed, apparently due to a combination of avian and mammalian predation on the island

WEEKLY Update for 6/8 – 6/14/2015

6/8 – 6/14/15 ›

High count this week of 108 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 5 new Caspian tern eggs were discovered this week on Goose Island and all were subsequently depredated by gulls; in addition, 2 Caspian tern eggs that were discovered during the previous week were depredated by gulls this week; a total of 40 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 40 Caspian tern eggs, 15 were collected under permit, 23 were depredated by gulls, and two tern eggs were successfully incubated and hatched chicks; two breeding pairs of Caspian terns were attending active nests this week on Goose Island, both were under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site (one chick was confirmed in one nest and the nest contents in the other nest have not yet been confirmed); high counts during the week of ca. 8,400 gulls (about 68% ring-billed gulls) and at least 3,200 attended gull nests (most containing eggs or chicks) on Goose Island

6/8 – 6/14/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns or gulls on the island; gulls are no longer rafting in the water near the island; a sizable California gull colony (> 600 breeding pairs) has formed on nearby Badger Island this year for the first time; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-2) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 10 weeks

6/8 – 6/14/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 860 Caspian terns and ca. 410 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs or chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high counts of 13 Caspian terns and 9 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake early in the week; however, all nesting attempts by Caspian terns on Twinning Island had failed by the end of this week; high count of 17 Caspian terns and 5 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; Caspian terns were observed loafing on the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers (1) near Priest Rapids Dam (12 individuals), (2) on Finley Island (2 individuals), (3) at the Walla Walla River Delta (22 individuals), and (4) on the Snake River near the confluence with the Columbia River (3 individuals); Caspian terns were also found loafing at Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (13 individuals) and on an island in Lake Lenore (4 individuals) in the Columbia Plateau region off the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers

6/8 – 6/14/15 ›

116 steelhead smolts and 8 yearling Chinook salmon smolts were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations; in total, 7,069 steelhead smolts and 5,763 yearling Chinook salmon smolts were PIT-tagged and released at Rock Island Dam during the 2015 out-migration; this concludes our PIT-tagging of steelhead and yearling Chinook salmon at Rock Island Dam in 2015

WEEKLY Update for 6/1 – 6/7/2015

6/1 – 6/7/15 ›

High count this week of 51 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 13 new Caspian tern eggs were discovered this week on Goose Island, and all but two eggs were depredated by gulls; a total of 33 Caspian tern eggs are known to have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of the 33 Caspian tern eggs, 15 were collected under permit, 16 were depredated by gulls, and two eggs remain in active tern nests; three breeding pairs of Caspian terns were attending active nests this week, two were under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site (two chicks were confirmed in one nest and the nest contents in the other nest have not yet been confirmed) and the other active nest is on the southwest tip of the main island (nest contains two eggs); high counts during the week of ca. 8,940 gulls (about 72% ring-billed gulls) and ca. 4,060 attended gull nests (most containing eggs or chicks) on Goose Island

6/1 – 6/7/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns on the island; also, no gulls have attempted to nest on Crescent Island so far this season, and very few gulls are still rafting in the water near the island; a sizable California gull colony (> 600 breeding pairs) has formed on Badger Island this year for the first time; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-2) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 9 weeks

6/1 – 6/7/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 1,075 Caspian terns and ca. 485 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs or chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high counts of 92 Caspian terns and 18 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; high count of 17 Caspian terns and 7 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; Caspian terns were observed loafing (1) near Priest Rapids Dam (46 individuals), (2) at the Walla Walla River Delta (21 individuals), and (3) on Foundation Island (16 individuals) on the mid-Columbia River; Caspian terns were also found roosting loafing at Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (32 individuals) and on northern Potholes Reservoir (2 individuals) in the Columbia Plateau region off the Columbia River

6/1 – 6/7/15 ›

795 steelhead smolts and 159 yearling Chinook salmon smolts were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations

WEEKLY Update for 5/25 – 5/31/2015

5/25 – 5/31/15 ›

High count this week of 30 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir, mostly along the shoreline of the island below the high-water line, but also in an area not previously used by Caspian terns on steep terrain in the northwest corner of the main island; two new Caspian tern eggs were discovered this week on Goose Island, both were depredated by gulls; a total of 20 Caspian tern eggs have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of those Caspian tern eggs, 15 have been collected under permit and 5 have been depredated by gulls; two breeding pairs of Caspian terns continue to attend nests under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site on Goose Island this week (two chicks were confirmed in one nest on 1 June); high counts during the week of ca. 8,900 gulls (about 75% ring-billed gulls) and ca. 5,200 attended gull nests (most containing eggs or chicks) on Goose Island

5/25 – 5/31/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns on the island; also, no gulls have attempted to nest on Crescent Island so far this season, and very few gulls are still rafting in the water near the island; a sizable California gull colony (> 600 breeding pairs) has formed on Badger Island this year for the first time, presumably due to gulls abandoning the colony on Crescent Island; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-2) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 8 weeks

5/25 – 5/31/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 1,200 Caspian terns and ca. 480 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs or chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high count of ca. 110 Caspian terns and 24 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; high count of 17 Caspian terns and 6 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; up to 34 loafing Caspian terns and one active Caspian tern nest were observed in Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia National Wildlife Refuge; Caspian terns were observed loafing near Rock Island Dam (5) and near Priest Rapids Dam (13) on the mid-Columbia River, and at Lenore Lake (10) and on northern Potholes Reservoir (2) in the Columbia Plateau region off the Columbia River

5/25 – 5/31/15 ›

1,415 steelhead smolts and 464 yearling Chinook salmon smolts were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations

WEEKLY Update for 5/18 – 5/24/2015

5/18 – 5/24/15 ›

High count this week of 22 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir, mostly along the shoreline of the island below the high-water line; no Caspian tern eggs were collected on Goose Island this week; a total of 18 Caspian tern eggs have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of those Caspian tern eggs, 15 eggs have been collected under permit and 3 have been depredated by gulls; two breeding pairs of Caspian terns continue to attend nests under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old Caspian tern colony site on Goose Island this week; both these Caspian tern nests may contain eggs, but the presence of eggs have not been visually confirmed high counts during the week of ca. 9,300 gulls (about 75% ring-billed gulls) and ca. 5,200 attended gull nests (most containing eggs or chicks) on Goose Island

5/18 – 5/24/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing any nesting by Caspian terns on the island; very few gulls are now rafting in the water near the island, presumably due to many of these gulls moving to Badger Island to attempt to nest there; a sizable California gull colony has formed on Badger Island this year for the first time; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-2) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 7 weeks; vegetation (primarily Atriplex rosea and Kochia scoparia) continues to grow and cover much of the bare ground that was previously (pre-2015) occupied by nesting Caspian terns and California gulls on Crescent Island

5/18 – 5/24/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; high count of ca. 1,260 Caspian terns and ca. 650 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs, a few with chicks) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex in John Day Pool; high count of ca. 80 Caspian terns and 19 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; high count of 8 Caspian terns and 4 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; up to 33 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia National Wildlife Refuge; numbers of adult Caspian terns and active Caspian tern nests counted at all three known active Caspian tern colonies in the Columbia Plateau region (i.e., Blalock Island complex, Twinning Island, and Harper Island) declined by week’s end, perhaps due to increment weather and high winds at the Blalock Islands over the weekend and unknown causes at the other two sites

5/18 – 5/24/15 ›

2,026 steelhead smolts and 699 yearling Chinook salmon smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations

5/18 – 5/24/15 ›

Response of Caspian terns satellite-tagged at Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island to loss of habitat at each of these sites continued to be distinctly different during the week; Caspian terns tagged at Potholes Reservoir have visited a large number of colonies, mostly in the Columbia Plateau region, while Caspian terns tagged at Crescent Island continued to visit and center their activity primarily on the Blalock Islands colony; in total, over 80% of all terns satellite-tagged at Goose and Crescent islands remain in the Columbia Plateau region; a small number of satellite-tagged Caspian terns have visited colony sites outside the Columbia Plateau region, including sites in the Columbia River estuary (i.e., East Sand Island), the Corps-constructed tern island at Tule Lake NWR, several historical colony sites in the Salish Sea region, and two colony sites in southeast Alaska

5/20/15›

Aerial photo census to estimate numbers of piscivorous colonial waterbirds (i.e., Caspian terns, California gulls, ring-billed gulls, American white pelicans) nesting at colonies on Miller Rocks, Blalock Islands, Crescent Island, Badger Island, and Island 20 on the lower Columbia River, Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir, and Twinning and Goose islands in Banks Lake; counts of aerial photography later in the season will allow us to more accurately estimate the number of nesting piscivorous waterbirds and the area of nesting habitat used at each of these colonies

WEEKLY Update for 5/11 – 5/17/2015

5/11 – 5/17/15 ›

High count this week of 35 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 2 Caspian tern eggs laid on Goose Island this week; one tern egg was collected under permit and the other was depredated by a gull before it could be collected; a total of 18 Caspian tern eggs have been laid on or near Goose Island so far this season; of those Caspian tern eggs,15 eggs have been collected under permit and 3 have been depredated by gulls; for the first time , two Caspian terns were observed in incubation posture under the passive dissuasion (ropes, stakes, and flagging) on or near the old colony site this week; high counts during the week of ca. 8,400 gulls (about 75% ring-billed gulls) and ca. 4,300 attended gull nests (most containing eggs) on Goose Island; first gull chicks (two California gull chicks and one ring-billed gull chick) observed on Goose Island on 17 May; water levels in Potholes Reservoir were up this past week, inundating some Caspian tern loafing areas around the perimeter of Goose Island reducing the available roosting areas.

5/11 – 5/17/15 ›

Passive and active nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island tern colony in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing nesting and loafing by both Caspian terns and gulls; very few (0-5) gulls are now rafting in the water near the island, presumably due to many of these gulls moving to Badger Island to attempt to nest there; a sizable California gull colony has formed on Badger Island for the first time this year; small numbers of Caspian terns (1-2) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 6 weeks; vegetation continues to grow and cover some of the bare ground that was previously (pre-2015) occupied by nesting Caspian terns and California gulls on Crescent Island

5/11 – 5/17/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; a total of ca. 1,220 Caspian terns was counted in the Blalock Islands (John Day Pool), and a total of ca. 600 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands, 3 low-lying gravel islands in the Blalock Islands complex; ca. 100 Caspian terns and 34 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; up to 56 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia National Wildlife Refuge; 52 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; 13 Caspian terns and 4 apparently active Caspian tern nests were observed on Harper Island in Sprague Lake; ca. 60 and ca. 20 Caspian terns were observed loafing near Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams, respectively

5/11 – 5/17/15 ›

1,165 yearling Chinook salmon smolts and 1,293 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations

5/17/15 ›

First Caspian tern chick observed this season in the Columbia Plateau region; 1 chick observed on Middle Island in the Blalock Islands complex on the mid-Columbia River

5/15 – 5/16/15 ›

Second aerial survey of the mid-Columbia River, lower Snake River, and much of Columbia Plateau region to check the status of known and incipient Caspian tern breeding colonies; on the mid-Columbia River over 1,000 Caspian terns were observed nesting on three different islands in the Blalock Islands complex; on the Columbia Plateau off the Columbia River Caspian terns were observed nesting on Twinning Island in Banks Lake (131 adults, some nesting) and on Harper Island in Sprague Lake (15 adults, 3 attended nests); no other new or active Caspian tern colonies were identified during the flight

WEEKLY Update for 5/4 – 5/10/2015

5/4 – 5/10/15 ›

High count this week of 28 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 6 Caspian tern eggs laid on Goose Island this week, all near the water’s edge (4 eggs were collected under permit and 2 eggs were depredated by gulls before they could be collected); none of the Caspian tern eggs laid on Goose Island this week were in well-defined nest scrapes or in habitat considered suitable for Caspian tern nesting (all were laid amidst vegetation or on bare rock); high counts during the week of ca. 10,210 gulls (about 75% ring-billed gulls) and ca. 4,440 attended gull nests (most containing eggs) on Goose Island

5/4 – 5/10/15 ›

Passive and active nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island tern colony in McNary Pool have been successful so far this breeding season in preventing nesting and loafing by both Caspian terns and gulls; a noticeable reduction in the numbers of gulls rafting in the water near the island was observed this week (about 200 compared to about 750 the previous week), presumably due to many of these gulls moving to Badger Island to attempt to nest there; small numbers of Caspian terns (less than 5) are occasionally seen flying over the former tern colony area on Crescent Island, but no Caspian terns have landed anywhere on Crescent Island in the last 5 weeks

5/4 – 5/10/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys continued this week at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from nesting colonies on Goose Island (Potholes Reservoir) and Crescent Island (McNary Pool) might attempt to nest; a total of ca. 1,190 Caspian terns were counted in the Blalock Islands (John Day Pool), and ca. 510 active Caspian tern nests (nests with eggs) were observed on Long, Middle, and Southern islands in the Blalock Islands complex; 62 Caspian terns and 17 active Caspian tern nests (most with eggs) were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; 42 Caspian terns and 2 apparent Caspian tern nests (presence of tern eggs could not be confirmed) were observed in Marsh Unit 1 in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge; 33 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; 13 Caspian terns observed loafing on the Finley Islands (in McNary Pool near Foundation Island); 12 Caspian terns were observed loafing on a small island at the northern end of Potholes Reservoir, but no nesting attempts have so far been observed

5/4 – 5/10/15 ›

1,459 yearling Chinook salmon smolts and 556 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia populations

5/5/15 ›

First Caspian tern eggs observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake

WEEKLY Update for 4/27 – 5/3/2015

4/27 – 5/3/15 ›

High count during the week of 51 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 8 Caspian tern eggs laid on Goose Island this week, all near the water’s edge (all eggs were collected under permit); none of the Caspian tern eggs laid this week were in well-defined nest scrapes or in habitat considered suitable for Caspian tern nesting (all were in vegetation or on bare rock); high count during the week of ca. 8,950 gulls (about 75% ring-billed) and ca. 2,860 attended gull nests (many with eggs) on Goose Island; additional Caspian tern passive nest dissuasion materials were installed on East Rocks

4/27 – 5/3/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on the Crescent Island tern colony in McNary Pool have so far been successful in preventing nesting and loafing by both Caspian terns and gulls this breeding season; there was a noticeable reduction in the number of gulls rafting in the water immediately surrounding island this week (750) compared to the previous week (about 1,700), possibly due to gulls attempting to use Badger Island; small numbers of Caspian terns (less than 10) were occasionally seen flying over the former colony site on Crescent island, but have not landed anywhere on the island in the last 4 weeks

4/27 – 5/3/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys of sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from colonies on Goose and Crescent islands might attempt to nest; ca. 1,080 Caspian terns were observed on the Blalock Islands, and ca. 380 active Caspian tern nests (many with eggs) were observed on Long Island, Middle Island, and Southern Island in the Blalock Islands complex; 79 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in the Columbia Basin Refuge; 44 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; 30 Caspian terns and 3 active Caspian tern nests were observed on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; 10 Caspian terns were observed loafing on a small island at the northern end of Potholes Reservoir; 9 Caspian terns were observed loafing on an unnamed island on the lower Snake River near the confluence with the Columbia River; Caspian terns were not observed on the Finley Islands on the mid-Columbia River near Foundation Island this week, where a Caspian tern egg was laid earlier this season

4/27 – 5/3/14 ›

Most of the Caspian terns that were satellite-tagged on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir and on Crescent Island in McNary Pool during 2014 and 2015 remained in the Columbia Plateau region this week, with a large number of satellite-tagged terns visiting and becoming resident at the large Caspian tern colony forming in the Blalock Islands complex; a small number of satellite-tagged Caspian terns have visited colony sites outside the Columbia Plateau region, including sites in the Columbia River estuary (i.e., East Sand Island and Rice Island), Corps-constructed tern islands located outside the Columbia Basin (i.e., Malheur Lake, Summer Lake, Tule Lake, and Sheepy Lake), and the Port of Bellingham on Washington’s north coast; two Caspian terns captured and satellite-tagged on Crescent Island on 2 April are apparently pair-bonded and were observed attending a nest at the Caspian tern colony at East Sand Island on 1 May

4/27 – 5/3/15 ›

1,001 yearling Chinook salmon smolts and 674 steelhead smolts were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia River populations

WEEKLY Update for 4/20 – 4/26/2015

4/20 – 4/26/15 ›

High count during the week of 214 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; 3 Caspian tern eggs laid on or near Goose island this week, one each on Northwest Rocks, on the southern tip of Goose Island, and on East Rocks (all eggs were collected under permit); none of the Caspian tern eggs laid this week were in well-defined nest scrapes or in habitat considered suitable for Caspian tern nesting (all were laid in vegetation or on bare rock); high count during the week of ca. 7,400 gulls (about 75% ring-billed) and ca. 2,000 attended gull nests (many with eggs) on Goose Island; to avoid disturbance to actively nesting gulls active hazing of Caspian terns and gulls by walking through the colony was discontinued last week; active hazing of terns will be limited to boat-based hazing and targeted use of a green laser during crepuscular time periods; additional passive nest dissuasion materials installed near water’s edge on the main island

4/20 – 4/26/15 ›

Passive and active Caspian tern nest dissuasion measures deployed on the Crescent Island tern colony in McNary Pool have so far been successful in preventing nesting and loafing by both Caspian terns and gulls so far this breeding season; gulls are rafting in large numbers (ca. 1,700) in the water immediately surrounding the island; small numbers of Caspian terns (less than 10) are occasionally seen flying over the former colony site on Crescent island, but have not landed anywhere on the island in the last 3 weeks

4/20 – 4/26/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys of sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from colonies on Goose and Crescent islands might attempt to nest; ca. 790 Caspian terns were seen in the Blalock Islands and ca. 135 active tern nests (many with eggs) were observed on Long Island, Middle Island, and Southern Island in the Blalock Islands complex; 63 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; 57 Caspian terns observed loafing on the Finley Islands (on the mid-Columbia River near Foundation Island); 31 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in Columbia Basin Refuge; 26 Caspian terns, some engaged in pre-nesting behaviors, were observed on a small island at the northern end of Potholes Reservoir; 19 Caspian terns were observed loafing on Cabin Island and flying near Priest Rapids Dam on the mid-Columbia River; 16 Caspian terns were observed loafing on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; 5 Caspian terns were observed loafing on the upstream and downstream tips of Foundation Island

4/20 – 4/26/15 ›

626 yearling Chinook salmon smolts and 152 steelhead smolts were PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia River populations

4/23 – 4/24/15 ›

First aerial survey of the mid-Columbia River, lower Snake River, and much of Columbia Plateau region to check the status of known and incipient Caspian tern breeding colonies; on the mid-Columbia River large numbers of Caspian terns (500-600), some nesting, were observed; no other new or active Caspian tern colonies were identified during the flight

4/21/15 ›

First Caspian tern egg laid on or near Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir (Northwest Rocks); egg collected under permit

4/21/15 ›

Completed satellite-tagging of Caspian terns on Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir; satellite tagging of terns dissuaded from nesting on Goose Island will provide information on where terns relocate, both inside and outside the Columbia Plateau region; in total, 18 and 28 Caspian terns were satellite-tagged at Goose Island in 2015 and 2014, respectively, with 41 of these tags (all 18 from 2015 and 23 from 2014) collecting and transmitting location data; trapping materials (i.e., compressed air net launcher) removed from island

WEEKLY Update for 4/13 – 4/19/2015

4/13 – 4/19/15 ›

High count during the week of ca. 6,300 gulls (about 75% ring-billed), ca. 1,450 attended gull nests, and 52 gull nests with eggs on Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir; Caspian terns regularly seen loafing on small rocky islets surrounding Goose Island; high count during the week of terns on or near Goose Island was 56; to avoid disturbance and incidental take of gull eggs on Goose Island, active hazing of terns and gulls by colony walkthroughs has been discontinued; active hazing of terns will be limited to boat-based hazing and targeted use of a green laser during crepuscular time periods

4/13 – 4/19/15 ›

Passive and active nest dissuasion measures deployed on Crescent Island tern colony in mid-Columbia River have been successful in preventing nesting and loafing by both terns and gulls so far this breeding season; gulls rafting in large numbers (ca. 1,700) in the water immediately surrounding island; small numbers of terns (less than 10) occasionally seen flying over former colony area on Crescent island, but have not landed anywhere on the island in the last 2 weeks; successfully tested kite shaped like a raptor to actively dissuade gulls and terns from landing on Crescent Island; freshly cut Russian olive used in open areas of Crescent Island as a nesting deterrent is being eaten/removed from the island by resident beavers

4/13 – 4/19/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys of sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from Goose and Crescent islands might attempt to nest; 364 Caspian terns, 12 active tern nests, and 3 tern eggs were observed on Sand Island, Long Island, Middle Island, and Southern Island in the Blalock Island Complex; 82 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the Walla Walla River Delta; 76 Caspian terns and one active nest with an egg were observed on Finley Island (on the mid-Columbia River near Foundation Island); 29 terns were observed loafing on the upstream and downstream tips of Foundation Island; 21 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in the Columbia Basin Refuge; 12 Caspian terns were observed loafing on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; 9 Caspian terns were observed loafing on a small island in the northern end of Potholes Reservoir; two terns were observed loafing on Goat Island in Moses Lake

4/13 – 4/19/15 ›

183 yearling Chinook salmon smolts and 42 steelhead smolts PIT-tagged at Rock Island Dam on the mid-Columbia River this week to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the Upper Columbia River populations

4/19/15 ›

First Caspian tern eggs observed in the Blalock Islands in John Day Pool; 364 Caspian terns, 12 active Caspian tern nests, and 3 Caspian tern eggs counted

4/18/15 ›

First Caspian tern egg observed in Columbia Plateau region; egg laid on unnamed island (dubbed “Finley Island”) near Foundation Island in McNary Pool on the mid-Columbia River; Caspian tern nesting had not been documented at this site prior to this year; egg was later lost for unknown reasons

4/14/15 ›

First California gull egg observed on Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir; active hazing of nesting birds on Goose Island will be restricted to areas without gull nests containing eggs to avoid gull egg loss due to disturbance

Update for 2/12 – 4/12/2015

4/6 – 4/12/15 ›

High count during the week of ca. 6,000 gulls (about 75% ring-billed gulls), ca. 1,300 attended gull nests, but no gull nests with eggs on Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir; Caspian terns regularly seen loafing on the small rocky islets surrounding Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; high count of 56 Caspian terns on or near Goose Island during the week; active hazing at dusk continues to be effective, causing gulls to leave the island until just before dawn the next day; field crew members continue to spend nights on the island

4/6 – 4/12/15 ›

Passive and active nest dissuasion measures deployed on the Crescent Island Caspian tern colony in the mid-Columbia River have been successful so far in preventing nesting and loafing by both Caspian terns and gulls this breeding season; gulls are rafting in large numbers (ca. 1,700) in the water immediately surrounding the island; small numbers of Caspian terns (less than 10) occasionally seen flying over the former colony site on Crescent island, but have not landed anywhere on the island this week

4/6 – 4/12/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys of sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from colonies on Goose and Crescent islands might attempt to nest; ca. 45 Caspian terns were observed engaged in pre-nesting behaviors on Sand Island, Long Island, and Middle Island in the Blalock Islands complex; ca. 275 Caspian terns were observed loafing at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; 62 Caspian terns were observed loafing on the Finley Islands (in McNary Pool near Foundation Island); 42 Caspian terns were observed loafing in Marsh Unit 1 in the Columbia Basin Refuge; 34 Caspian terns were observed loafing on the upstream and downstream tips of Foundation Island; 15 Caspian terns were observed loafing on Borgans Island on the mid-Columbia River; three Caspian terns were observed loafing on a small island at the northern end of Potholes Reservoir; one Caspian tern was observed loafing on Twinning Island in Banks Lake; one Caspian tern was observed loafing on Badger Island in McNary Pool

4/12/15 ›

Commencement of Chinook and steelhead smolt PIT-tagging at Rock Island Dam on mid-Columbia River to investigate avian predation on juvenile steelhead and Chinook salmon from the threatened Upper Columbia River populations

4/11/15 ›

Pre-nesting behaviors by Caspian terns observed on small rocky islets (East Rocks) just offshore of Goose Island, Potholes Reservoir

4/2/15 ›

Completed satellite-tagging of Caspian terns on Crescent Island in McNary Pool; satellite-tracking of Caspian terns dissuaded from nesting on Crescent Island will provide information on where displaced Caspian terns relocate, both inside and outside the Columbia Plateau region; a total of 28 Caspian terns were satellite-tagged, with all 28 tags collecting and transmitting location data; all trapping materials (i.e., compressed air net launcher) were removed from island

3/30 – 4/5/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys of sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from colonies on Goose and Crescent islands might attempt to nest; ca. 30 Caspian terns were observed engaged in pre-nesting behaviors on Sand Island in the Blalock Islands complex; 7-9 Caspian terns were observed loafing on a small island at the northern end of Potholes Reservoir; no other Caspian terns were observed during these surveys

3/25/15 ›

Initiated use of a kite that was made to look like a raptor to actively dissuade gulls and Caspian terns from attempting to nest on Goose Island in Pothole Reservoir and the surrounding rocky islets just offshore; initial use of kite was highly successful at causing gulls to flush from the island and not return for up to 3 hours

3/23 – 3/24/15 ›

Ground- and boat-based surveys initiated at sites in the Columbia Plateau region where Caspian terns displaced from colonies on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir and on Crescent Island in McNary Pool might attempt to nest; 10 Caspian terns were observed loafing on Sand Island in the Blalock Islands complex, John Day Pool; no other Caspian terns were observed during these first surveys

3/23/15 ›

First Caspian terns (1-16) observed on small rocky islets (East Rocks) just offshore of Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir

3/20/15 ›

Boat anchored in the cove at Crescent Island in McNary Pool; the boat is for field crew to stay in overnight (overnight camping is not permitted on Refuge islands) allowing the crew to conduct late evening and early morning active hazing of Caspian terns and gulls attempting to nest on the island

3/19/15 ›

Camp for field crew set up on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; overnight stay on Goose Island by project personnel required to conduct late evening and early morning hazing of Caspian terns and gulls attempting to nest on or near the island

3/18/15 ›

First Caspian tern sighted at Potholes Reservoir by project staff in 2015; one Caspian tern seen flying near Goose Island

3/16/15 ›

Gulls becoming habituated to active human hazing activities on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir, with most gulls returning to the island within a minute following flushing

3/15/15 ›

Completed measurement and assessment of willow stems planted on Crescent Island in 2014; willows were planted in test plots to evaluate survival of planted cuttings from different locales and the effectiveness of different planting techniques

3/14/15 ›

Installation of Caspian tern passive nest dissuasion materials (i.e., silt fencing, stakes, rope, flagging, and woody debris) and an observation blind on Crescent Island were completed

3/12/15 ›

Site visit to Crescent Island in McNary Pool; field crew was accompanied by representatives of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Walla Walla District and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; placement of Caspian tern nest dissuasion materials, island access, and active dissuasion activities were discussed

3/12/15 ›

Completed installation of new passive nest dissuasion materials (i.e., pier blocks, stakes, rope, and flagging) and an observation blind and tunnel on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir and the surrounding rocky islets; total area covered, including the area covered with passive nest dissuasion materials in 2014 (2.4 acres), estimated at 3.5 acres, or nearly all of the exposed upland habitat on Goose Island and Northwest Rocks

3/9/15 ›

First Caspian tern sighted on the mid-Columbia River by project staff in 2015; tern seen flying near Crescent Island

3/9/15 ›

Nearly 4,000 gulls observed loafing in areas within and around the Caspian tern passive nest dissuasion materials installed on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir; gull pre-nesting behaviors observed but no gull nests observed on Goose Island

3/2/15 ›

Commenced daily active hazing of piscivorous colonial waterbirds attempting to nest on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir and on Crescent Island in McNary Pool

2/25/15 ›

Additional Caspian tern nest dissuasion materials and supplies delivered to Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir from the mainland using a Huey helicopter

2/16 – 2/20/15 ›

Repaired existing Caspian tern passive nest dissuasion materials on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir

2/12/15 ›

Project personnel began field work in Columbia Plateau region; crew met with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Walla Walla District and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to discuss setup of Caspian tern passive nest dissuasion materials on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir and on Crescent Island in McNary Pool