Pacific Seabird Group BULLETIN Volume 12 Number 2 PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP BULLETIN Volume 12 1985 Number 2 The Editor's Page 39 The Chair's Page 41 Pacific Seabird Group News 42 Regional Reports 43 Alaska 43 British Columbia 45 Washington 46 Oregon 47 Northern California. 48 Mexico 50 Hawaii. .50 Northeast 52 Conservation Section 54 Washington Report 58 Committee on Seabirds and Fisheries . 61 New Publications 63 Treasurer's Report .68 Bulletin Board .69 New Members 71. THE EDITOR'S PAGE it is with some trepidation that I write my first Editor's Page. Joe Strauch has done an impressive job preparing Bulletins and set a hard act to follow. I hope to keep up the level of quality that Joe established. In preparing this first issue, 1 have been impressed with the enthu- siasm and dedication of all the contributors. I hope everyone in the Pacific Seabird Group will keep me informed of research, publication, and news items. After all, the Bulletin has been estab- lished primarily as a means of communication among us, and the Bulletin is the result of all our contributions. There is a move afoot to increase communication with researchers in other parts of the world, especially Latin America. I hope that this will develop, and that future issues will include more about seabird research and news throughout the Pacific and in other areas. I look forward to working with all of you. Malcolm C. Coulter 39 THE CHAIR'S PAGE A consistent theme of many past PSG Chairperson letters has been: "PSG is not going to the dogs.” I've only heard that it is from one person so far! Then what if I said: "Yeah, it sure is." So I won't Actually this is more of a report: everybody on the Executive Council has been busy. First, the following persons have all agreed to serve in these new or renewed PSG functions: 1. Seabird/Fisheries Interactions Committee: Alec MacCall, Chairperson; Bob Boekelheide, Vivian Mendenhall, and Dan Anderson. 2. PSG Historian (has it been that long?}: George Divoky. 3. PSG Representative to the ICBP, to replace Bill Drury: Ralph Schreiber. Starting as soon as possible. I'd like to solicit and invite discussion on the following proposal (first suggested by R. W. Schreiber): to elect the Chairperson, Chairperson-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer for two-year terms. Only one problem seems to arise: the Chairperson-Elect (also Pro- gram Chairperson) would have to do two programs instead of one. 1 would suggest that for one of those two years, a volunteer program organizer could be found. I will bring this up at the Executive Council meeting in San Francisco. Any other matters members wish to be discussed at that meeting should be relayed to me or any other member of the Executive Council before November. I've been to La Paz and the President of UABCS (Univ. Autonoma de Baja California Sur) has offered his university to us. Juan Guzman has been appointed Chairperson of the local com- mittee on arrangements. Some very big advantages include: 1 . it's a perfect time for both resident and migratory seabirds, climate will be ideal; 2. the area is diverse and rich (whales, pinnipeds, mangroves, corals, etc.); 3. many hotels of varying prices are available and very cheap, or free housing will be made available to students; 4. field trips will be low cost or free; 5. audiovisual materials, auditoriums, etc. are large and adequate, multilingual facilities are available (all free); 6. hopefully, there will be a lot of Latin American interest in this meeting,and we may get a substantial turnout from nonmembers if we start "advertising:: now. 7. cheap transportation will be available for travel from San Diego to La Paz. Laura Leschner and I are even thinking about leading a tour down the Baja California peninsula prior to the meeting. See you in San Francisco. Daniel W. Anderson 41 PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP NEWS 7985 Mn, A mj „ », P, cilie Cro „ p „„ ^ o«o : ^ "!!! h '“ « December i„ s,„ Free- District which is located at 750 Kearnv Street qan f • meet at the Holiday Inn-Financial This is at the corner of Washing^^ CA 94108

'* COnduCtin 9 a stud V of the effects Conservation more aides' L^relatt ra T*"* ^ ^ ° f ° ne or field studies are directly appld to LXd coLe™ C ° aSta ' Waterfowl - S °™ of the removing foxes from Big Koniuji Island and Bob dI d ,a r ■ f a T P '“' Ed Bailey (USFWS ) » are monitoring seabird mortality in the Janan b || D y J U u A Falrbanks ) and Rich Rowlett (INIMFS) populations of seabirds on ^ka pJor ^ ^ (USFWS) is ™"itoring is studying ,h, ^ ‘ ^ ,UA other SZ’^JS&^2£fr ™ »*»s » fisheries experimental capelin fishery in Togiak Bav Dartirniari ! nteractlons - The y are also monitoring the but ripe females. 9 V ' partlcularl V ln elation to the practice of discarding all Reporting prepaJtio^rTdX^ stages of re P° rt writing and manuscript writing phase include: Dee Boersma (UW Seattlef^h ' n0t r " ent,oned above ' who are in the reproductive b.hayior, end *• dW. Petrels; Eric Hoberg (OSU Corvallis) »,h„ 9 „ ,° ects of 0,1 ln gestion on Fork-tailed Storm biogeography of alcids and a qenus of host snpr'f- & 9 study on the coevolution and historical Who is completing an M S thesis on the T ^ ^ L '° yd (UA Fairbanks >- Cape Peirce and the Pribilof Islands in the early 198oT ^ ° rmanCe ° f mUrres and Awakes at 44 Catalog Maps Art Sowls (USFWS, Anchorage) is computerizing the data base for the Seabird Colony Catalog, making continuous updating possible. He is also developing an archiving plan for popula- tion plot data and photographs. George Divoky (UA Fairbanks/NOAA) is completing drafts of distribution and abundance maps for 25 seabird species as part of the "Gulf of Alaska and West Coast Living Marine Resources Mapping Project" being conducted by NOAA. BRITISH COLUMBIA, GARY KAISER Research involving seabirds continues in a variety of projects along the British Columbia coast. Kees Vermeer (Canadian Wildlife Service) is completing our investigation of the Mew Gull breeding areas in coastal lakes and is preparing to look at the biology of the rapidly expanding urban colonies of Glaucous-winged Gulls. Ian Jones (University of Toronto) has completed the fieldwork for his study of song in Ancient Murrelet. He was able to work on the same colonies where Tony Gaston (CWS) is looking at elements of population dynamics and colony structure. One of the objectives of that project is to improve the effectiveness of long-term monitoring techniques. Doug Bertram (Simon Fraser University) is expanding a pilot project on growth in young Rhinoceros Auklets to a more detailed analysis of energetics and physiological ecology. Lastly, Jean-Pierre Savard (CWS) is initiating a long-delayed study of molting seaducks. There are also some important inventory projects underway. The first is the seabird colony inventory carried out by Moira Lemon and Michael Rodway (CWS). It is a detailed appraisal of each colony and is intended to provide a comprehensive update of the material collected by the B.C. Provincial Museum in 1976. It also includes the establishment of permanent monitoring plots on the major alcid colonies. The application of sound statistical design to this type of project greatly increases the time required for its completion. The survey of thirty or so Ancient Murrelet and Cassin's Auklet colonies on the east coast of Moresiy Island consumed three field seasons. The Vancouver Island colonies, which are mostly surface nesting species, were surveyed in 1980 and 1981, but the northern mainland coast remains largely unexplored. Cursory surveys in 1926, 1948, and 1977 did not locate any major alcid colonies along that coast, but the complete absence of seabirds from the area would be surprising. The second major inventory project is the compilation of Volume 1 of the British Columbia Atlas of Ornithology. That document will be a summary of thousands of published and casual observations collected over the past century. It will be the only available summary of seasonal distribution of loons, grebes, and seaducks and should help identify major gaps in our knowledge. There is some urgency to ail of this work. The moratorium on offshore petroleum explora- tion will be lifted within the next couple of years, and it is vital for conservation efforts that the baseline data and management proposals be as well organized and as well supported as possible. Current recommendations center on the most obvious data gaps: a. complete the seabird colony inventory along the mainland coast from Prince Rupert and Cape Caution; b. identify seasonal movements and concentrations of molting and migrant alcids, scoters, loons, and grebes; and 45 WASHINGTON, STEVEN M. SPEICH Walla Walla College, College Place o. rs's d : mpor, - m ,o m »™' "“"»«< * « winged Guidon Protection 9 Island. 631 Str6SS ^ ener9V r6lated t0 normal '"cubation in Glaucous- University of California , Berkeley Western Washington University, Bellingham and the Hanford He^relat" B 'f Her ° nS fr ° m Puget Sound impacts on reproductive success Rpcpamh ■ u • atmg eve,s °f contamination to potential Richland, Washington ReS6arCh ' S bem9 conducted * the Battelle Laboratories in University of Washington , Seattle Glaucous-winged Gulls P^SoCXten” nt ' nUinfl ^ StUdV ° f life history Regies of biology of Lel^CLCCwCCCeCXo^PerT 11 ^ 1 -f^' 68 COntinues t0 study the breeding year she will return to Punta Tombo Argentina to coCt IS '? nd ' Washin 3 ton - ™s coming Penguins. ' 9 tlna t0 continue a long-term study of Magellanic Battelle Laboratories, Richland other CarCCb7rin7C7C n Wa h sCCgton. * e " Vir ° nmental polluta "ts in Great Blue Herons and Seattle Aquarium G. Ballew continues his captive breeding program of alcids. 46 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U. Wilson (Willapa National Wildlife Refuse) is continuing his studies of (1 ) behavioral natural history of the Rhinoceros Auklet on Protection Island, using artificial burrows; (2) distri- bution and abundance of seabirds along the outer coast of Washington, especially in light of the ongoing "El Nino" phenomenon; (3) Black Brant wintering at Willapa Bay; and (4) effects of human disturbance on Caspian Terns on East Sand Island in the mouth of the Columbia River. C. Henny (Pacific Northwest Field Station of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center) is evaluating the possible uptake of several heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and other industrial pollutants by wintering Surf Scoters in Puget Sound. Nesting Double-crested Cormorants immediately north of Puget Sound are being studied to determine pollutant burdens. S. Thompsan (Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge) is, (1) continuing the surveys of nesting seabirds in the San Juan Islands NW R; (2) continuing the survey of nesting seabirds on Protection Island (soon to be a National Wildlife Refuge); and (3) collaborating with C. Henny in a study of environmental contaminants in Surf Scoters wintering in Puget Sound; and of breeding Double- crested Cormorants. Washington Department of Game S. Jeffries is continuing to supervise the effects of U.S. Navy practice bombing of Sea Lion Rocks on nearby nesting marine birds and marine mammals. Sea Lion Rock is on the boundary of a National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness area. Independent Researchers T. Wahl is continuing efforts begun in 1971, collecting data on seabirds over the continental shelf off Washington through censuses from charter vessels and research vessels. S. Speich and T. Wahl are waiting for the completed Catalog of Washington Seabird Colonies to be published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. D. Paulson and J. Erckmann are continuing their work on a guide to field identification of birds of the Northwest J. Erckmann is illustrating the volumes. The first volume covers shore- birds. S Speich continues to survey seabird colonies in Washington and to search for historical records of marine birds in Washington. OREGON, PALMER C. SEKORA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Daniel L. Boone continues to monitor the breeding activities of tufted puffins on Goat Island. The USFWS is establishing a marine bird biologist position at the Newport Marine Science Center. This position will be responsible for marine bird studies and monitoring along the Oregon coast. 47 University of Oregon Daniel H. Varoujean (of OEMB) and William Pearcv (of Oreaon State iini„e.-„:,- i s? ~ =5 = si=s sss HE This ” 0re, ° n Daniel H. Varoujean (of OIMB) has completed flats. The study was funded by the Oregon Department a study on bird use of the Coos Bay tide of Fish and Wildlife Nongame Program. Other sun., r “ auc,v * ^ ^ ««• ^ NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, THOMAS E. HARVEY News of the Ocean As the 1985 breeding season progresses, it is clear that El Nino is no longer exerting an In orirh" re9 '°" and , m ° re " normal " oceanic conditions exist. Several strong upweNing EunhaMsiiri aVe ° CCUrred . at ^ e Farallor >s, as evidenced by changes in sea surface temperatures. Euphausuds and juvende rockfish appear to be readily available near the islands this spring. At present, most Farallon birds are laying early and synchronously. University of California Santa Cruz ce , . , K - B ^' 9 f' 10 cooperation with PRBO, is conducting an MMS feeding ecology study of a ir s w ic ree in the Gulf of the Farallons and identifying major feeding areas through observation, collection, and satellite data. 9 UC Davis birds in thp d rT 'V°" tinuing studies the pelagic distribution and abundance of marine of Brown p»r California and monitoring post-El Nino effects. Banding and color-marking apprecirted P ^ 9U * C ° ntmues and any reports of sightings or recoveries are greatly 48 Point Reyes Bird Observatory A. Farallon Islands. PRBO continues to monitor breeding seabirds and is conducting projects on the annual cycle and molt of the Cassin's Auklet (H. Carter), effects of sub-lethal doses of oil on breeding patterns of Cassin's Auklets (in cooperation with M. Fry and D. Grau of UC Davis), population biology of the Western Gull (T. McElroy Penniman and J. Penniman), age- and sex-related recruitment in the Western Gull (L. Spear). A book summarizing research to date on the breeding ecology of Farallon seabirds should be completed in the near future. B. Coastal Estuaries. G. Page and L. Stenzel are investigating site fidelity of wintering Dunlin on Bolinas Lagoon. D. McCrimmon and H. Pratt are studying the distribution and abundance of foraging wading birds on Bolinas Lagoon and will ultimately focus on bioenergetics, G. Page is continuing work on the distribution, abundance, dispersal patterns and breeding biology of Snowy Plovers throughout California, but concentrating in Monterey Bay with F. Bidstrup, J. and R. Warriner. Censusing of Black Rail populations in San Francisco Bay with J. Evans will also continue. C. Mono Lake. D. Shufrod and G. Page continue studying the breeding success and population size of California Gulls at Mono Lake. D. Antarctica and the Tropics. D. Ainley is studying the pelagic ecology of marine birds in relation to oceanographic patterns through the Marine Ice Edge Zone project in the South Atlantic Ocean and studies in the Tropical Pacific Ocean. He is also compiling information on 20 years of South Polar Skua population dynamics studies at Ross island. W. and S. Trivelpiece, G. Geupel and J. Kjelmyr are studying the breeding and feeding ecology of Pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands, USFWS/Humboldt State University P. Springer, recently retired from the Service, continues to study population, distribution, and ecology of the Aleutian Canada Goose under a Calif. Dept, of Fish and Game contract with Humboldt State Univ. The population has increased from 790 in 1975 to 4,200 in 1984, due primarily to goose-hunting closures on wintering grounds and staging areas. Another wintering area was discovered near El Sobrante on the northeast side of San Francisco Bay in 1982. USFWS/Pacific Coast Fieid Station H. Ohlendorf is continuing studies of selenium and other contaminants associated with agricultural wastewater in the San Joaquin Valley. The primary study areas are Kesterson Reservoir (where selenium is considered responsible for severe impacts on reproduction of aquatic birds) and the Volta Wildlife Area (a control site with good water quality). Another study underway (in cooperation with R. Lowe, T. Harvey, and P. Kelly) concerns the levels of selenium, heavy metals, and organochlorines in Surf Scoters wintering on San Francisco Bay. 49 USFWS/S.F. Bay NWR Bay and investigating the ^V5. n CtaS^'RaH. b,rd ^ ° f P ° ndS in S ’ F ' Hubbs Sea World J. Jehl is continuing his investigations of waterbird use of Mono Lake. MEXICO, ENRIQUETA VELARDE B.h»,oS >W«- Auto'noma d, Mfcico. nia. Feeding ecology of the elegant te^inS Z , Hee [ man ' s 9U " in lsla Baja Califor- Heermann's gulls chicks Analysis of the diet fiT m P3 ct °f predation of Yellow-footed gull on the area of lsla Rasa and 'sla Pan ida bTLuJ" , 9 °" SMs a " d fishi " 9 bats in islands of the Gulf of California in '• Ja . Callforma * Long-term conservation project of the Conservancy International. conjunction with the Mexican government and The Nature HAWAII, STEWART I. FEFER Main Hawaiian Islands A. B. srfHS Wildlife Service (FWS) has been attpmnf t0 blfd a ' r Str ‘ ke ha2arcis - The Fish and Point NWR. USFWS, P.O. Bn. 87, Mau.a, K.”i Si™ M ° ri,,,v ' Kil *““ Si r S’"'"* “» ««""> Con*™*, o, thadina 0„ dona £ foT S,H„ ^ 7 32 50 where fallout has been severe. The results of the shading program will be evaluated to determine if future shading efforts in other areas of Kauai are required. Alan Holt, Nature Conservancy, Honolulu, HI. C. Monitoring status of dark-rumped petrels in Haleakala National Park. Resource Management, Haleakala National Park, Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768. D. Monitoring status of Newell's Townsend's shearwater colonies on Kauai. Alan Holt, Nature Conservancy, Honolulu, HI. E. Monitoring status of wedge-tailed shearwaters on Kauai. Dan Moriarty, Stewart Fefer, USFWS, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850. F. Monitoring status of Laysan albatross on Kauai. Dan Moriarty, Stewart Fefer, USFWS, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI. G. The sequence of events during pipping of eggs of the red-footed booby at Ulupau Crater, Oahu, and Kilauea Point, Kauai, will be studied. The pipping process in boobies has not been described. The water loss from the pipped eggs will also be measured. In many other species, a disproportionate amount of water is lost from pipped eggs. G. Causey Whittow, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hi. H. Monitoring blood parameters of a captive Laysan albatross population. Blood of Laysan albatross at Sea Life Park will be monitored to determine presence/absence of blood para- sites and to establish comparative data on parameters for comparison with wild populations. Sea Life Park, Waimanalo, HI. Islands Offshore of Main Hawaiian Isiands includes Kauia) A. Seabird oil toxicity study, wedge-tailed shearwaters, Manana Island, Oahu. To determine the effects of crude oil exposure on breeding success of wedge-tailed shearwaters. D. M. Fry and C. R. Grau, Depr. of Avian Sciences, UC Davis. B. Inventory of breeding populations of selected offshore islands of Maui and Lanai. Cameron Kepler, Maui Field Station, USFWS, 248 Kaweo PI., Kula, Maui, HI 96790. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands A. Survey and inventory of seabirds on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. S. I. Fefer, D. Hu, USFWS, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850. B. Monitoring seabird populations in the NWHI. Baseline information on breeding parameters, food habits, disease, and pollutant levels. Breeding parameters measured include reproductive success, egg size, and chick growth. During 1985, emphasis on Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals, and Laysan Isalnd. S. I. Fefer, D. Hu, T. Ohashi, L. Martin, Ann Dierks, Sheila Doyle, Bill Meunch, USFWS, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850. C. Study of incidence of avian pox, lead poisoning, and other mortality factors on Midway Islands and other NWHI. USFWS, Honolulu HI; National Wildlife Health Laboratory, Madison Wl. 51 , M mc.pmrW '» ^ « »" »"«n„„„ b, mine survival, mortality of aqe-classes of l pvJI », part of a 'ong-term study to deter- banded in large numbers on Midway Islands since the 1950's bv sel^? albatTOSS have been an ideal place to collect these data Ralnh ",nJ nr u l V *' sc,ent,sts ' Midway is County Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd'., Los Angeles cTwoOT™ ^ Other Pacific Locations A ' uX^as eradication of cats on Jarvis during 1982/ commence in 1985. Stew.rt F.fer, USFWS, Honolulu ! Hi”"' " d *" n “”’ Pr05r,m “ I “ «* chick „o„h a = - NORTHEAST REGIONAL REPORT, RON NAVEEN that are in process and, in some 0336^0^6 ver'ge of crm^It'orn'^' 6 ' 316 ' 1 reS6arCh and prOJ ' ects efforts to reestablish Least TernT in° southern^^b 0 ^ 8 Audubon Societ y is continuing its continuing work on establishing and mSain ngt'laniic md Nati ° na ' Audubon^™ cooperative arrangement between the Colleae If i . ? ff ' nS 3 009 the coast -' and - through a Service, activities relating to breeding Rose S Com! h^ C ^ the U ' S ' Fish and Wildlife are continuing. 9 H ° S6ate ' Comrnon ' and Arctic Terns on Petit Manan Island In maritime Canada, the following research is underway: A. Surveys and Breeding Success of Larus Gulls and Terns on Sable Island (A. R. Lock); B- Migratory Movements and Molt of Immature Arctic Terns (A. R. Lock and H. Bllkpoe,,; east Newfound^ EtSefry "and XJ. 0 "' ^ (D. N .WLh^nTlT R* B^khea n d^ mPatnCallV Breedin9 Alcids - Gannet Island, Labrador Witless Bay, Newfoundland^). n" Nett^shipJ^ Common Murres and Atlantic Puffins in 52 F. Distribution and Abundance of Leach's Storm-Petrel and Atlantic Puffin at Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland (D. N. Nettleship and A. Macfarlane); G. Abundance and recent changes of Northern Gannet Populations in North America (D. N. Nettleship and G. Chapdelaine); H. Inter- and Intraspecific Variation in Occupancy Rates of Leach's Storm-Petrel and Atlantic Puffin in Atlantic Canada (D. N. Nettleship); I. Patterns of Growth of Nestling Atlantic Puffin Reared in Captivity on Different Natural Diets (D. N. Nettleship and A. W. Diamond); J. Transplant of Newfoundland Atlantic Puffin Young to eastern Egg Rock and Seal Island, ME (D. N. Nettleship and S. Kress); K. Status and Recent Changes of High Arctic Colonially Breeding Seabirds