2014 Updates

WEEKLY Update FOR 8/4 – 8/10/2014

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

This completes our regular weekly reporting of field research activities in interior Oregon and northeastern California for 2014

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

High counts during the week of 372 adult Caspian terns, 91 attended Caspian tern nests, and 80 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; high counts of 9 California gulls and 22 ring-billed gulls also on island; two Caspian terns with symptoms consistent with avian botulism were observed at or near the colony this past week; one of these birds was euthanized and sent to the OSU Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for testing; necropsy results are inconclusive so far; despite the severe, ongoing drought and associated water allocation problems in the Upper Klamath Basin, the Refuge has managed to retain enough water in Sump 1B to prevent the tern island from being land-bridged

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

High counts during the week of 213 adult Caspian terns, 20 attended Caspian tern nests, and 17 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; numbers of attended Caspian tern nests and Caspian tern chicks on the tern island are beginning to decline; the small size of the Caspian tern colony on the Malheur Lake new tern island, and its low nesting success, compared to the previous two years is likely caused by the on-going severe drought in the region, which has caused lake levels to fall and forage fish stocks to plummet

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

High counts during the week of 15 adult Caspian terns and 6 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 91 adult ring-billed gulls (72 chicks) and 124 adult California gulls (17 chicks) also present on island; chick fledging is well underway for gulls and terns nesting on East Link tern island

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; documented presence of terrestrial predators (raccoon and mink) in previous weeks is likely responsible for the absence of any nesting by colonial waterbirds on this island

8/4 – 8/10/14 ›

No visits to the Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon this week; disturbance and predation by terrestrial predators and lack of forage fish resources caused total nesting failure of all colonial waterbirds on Crump Lake tern island this season; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going severe drought in the Warner Valley

8/7/14 ›

Dropping water levels in Sheepy Lake due to the on-going severe drought and associated water allocation problems have made it extremely difficult and unsafe to access Sheepy Lake tern island in Lower Klamath NWR in recent weeks; this past week the tern island was observed from a distance (about one quarter mile) and a minimum of 70 adult Caspian terns and 17 fledgling Caspian terns were counted on or near the island

WEEKLY Update FOR 7/28 – 8/3/2014

7/28 – 8/3/14 ›

Dropping water levels in Sheepy Lake due to the on-going severe drought and associated water allocation problems have made it extremely difficult and unsafe to access Sheepy Lake tern island in Lower Klamath NWR; the tern island was not accessed this week and no data were collected from the observation blind on Sheepy Lake tern island this week

7/28 – 8/3/14 ›

High counts during the week of 256 adult Caspian terns, 91 attended Caspian tern nests, and 78 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; more Caspian tern chicks hatched this week; high counts of 16 California gulls and 30 ring-billed gulls also on island; despite the severe, ongoing drought and associated water allocation problems in the Upper Klamath Basin, the Refuge has managed to retain enough water in Sump 1B to prevent the tern island from being land-bridged

7/28 – 8/3/14 ›

High counts during the week of 186 adult Caspian terns, 36 attended Caspian tern nests, and 23 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; numbers of attended Caspian tern nests and Caspian tern chicks on the tern island are beginning to decline; the small size of the Caspian tern colony on the Malheur Lake new tern island, and its low nesting success, compared to the previous two years is likely caused by the on-going severe drought in the region, which has caused lake levels to fall and forage fish stocks to plummet; a Caspian tern with symptoms consistent with avian botulism was collected, euthanized, and sent to a lab for testing

7/28 – 8/3/14 ›

High counts during the week of 20 adult Caspian terns and 10 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 191 adult ring-billed gulls (101 chicks) and 131 adult California gulls (16 chicks) also present on island; chick fledging is well underway for gulls and terns nesting on East Link tern island

7/28 – 8/3/14 ›

8/3/14 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; this is the first time a Caspian tern has successfully fledged from this island since 2011, the first year that Caspian terns nested on the island

7/28/14 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon

WEEKLY Update FOR 7/21 – 7/27/2014

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

Dropping water levels in Sheepy Lake due to the on-going severe drought and associated water allocation problems have made it extremely difficult and unsafe to access the Sheepy Lake tern island; the tern island was not accessed this week and no data collection from the observation blind on Sheepy Lake tern island was conducted this week

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

High counts during the week of 298 adult Caspian terns, 102 attended Caspian tern nests, and 79 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; the number of Caspian tern chicks on the colony continues to increase, but the number of new attended Caspian tern nests has dropped off this week; high counts of 24 California gulls and 10 ring-billed gulls also on island; despite the severe, ongoing drought and associated water allocation problems in the Upper Klamath Basin, the Refuge has managed to retain enough water in Sump 1B to prevent the tern island from being land-bridged

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

High counts during the week of 249 adult Caspian terns, 50 attended Caspian tern nests, and 28 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; numbers of attended Caspian tern nests and Caspian tern chicks on the tern island are beginning to decline; the small size of the Caspian tern colony on the Malheur Lake new tern island, and its low nesting success, compared to the previous two years is likely caused by the on-going severe drought in the region, which has caused lake levels to fall and forage fish stocks to plummet

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

High counts during the week of 41 adult Caspian terns and 11 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 310 adult ring-billed gulls (144 chicks) and 241 adult California gulls (25 chicks) also present on island; fledging has commenced for gulls and terns nesting on East Link tern island

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

No Caspian terns and one California gull observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; documented presence of terrestrial predators (raccoon and mink) in previous weeks is likely responsible for the absence of any nesting by colonial birds on this island

7/21 – 7/27/14 ›

WEEKLY Update FOR 7/14 – 7/20/2014

7/14 – 7/20/14 ›

High counts during the week of 469 adult Caspian terns, 182 attended Caspian tern nests, and 129 Caspian tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; three California gulls that were observed depredating tern eggs on Sheepy Lake tern island were shot (under permit); evidence of mammalian predation on Caspian tern chicks observed on island this past week, perhaps from river otters; high counts of 107 adult ring-billed gulls (about 30 chicks) and 135 adult California gulls (about 35 chicks); fledging has commenced for Caspian terns and is nearly completed for gulls; dropping water levels in Sheepy Lake due to the on-going severe drought and associated water allocation problems have made it extremely difficult and unsafe to access the island any longer; hence, data collection from the blind on Sheepy Lake tern island has ended for the 2014 breeding season

7/14 – 7/20/14 ›

High counts during the week of 355 adult Caspian terns, 100 attended Caspian tern nests, and 62 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; the number of Caspian tern chicks on the colony continues to increase, but the number on new attended Caspian tern nests has leveled off this week; high count of 13 California gulls also on island

7/14 – 7/20/14 ›

High counts during the week of 297 adult Caspian terns, 60 attended Caspian tern nests, and 34 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; numbers of Caspian tern chicks on tern island continue to increase, but initiation of new Caspian tern nests has declined; high counts of 63 adult ring-billed gulls (22 chicks), 48 adult California gulls (39 chicks), roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also present on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks, and fledging has commenced for ring-billed gulls

7/14 – 7/20/14 ›

High counts during the week of 20 adult Caspian terns and 11 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; mortality of adult terns and gulls from unknown causes subsided this week; declining numbers of adult and chick Caspian terns on island due primarily to fledging by tern chicks; high counts of 931 adult ring-billed gulls (248 chicks) and 371 adult California gulls (27 chicks) also present on island; fledging has commenced for gulls and terns nesting on East Link tern island

7/14 – 7/20/14 ›

No visits to the Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon this week; disturbance and predation by terrestrial predators has apparently caused total nesting failure of colonial waterbirds on Crump Lake tern island this season; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going severe drought

7/18/14 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California

7/17/14 ›

First Caspian tern fledgling observed on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon

WEEKLY Update FOR 7/7 – 7/13/2014

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

High counts during the week of 439 adult Caspian terns, 278 attended Caspian tern nests, and 172 Caspian tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of 947 adult ring-billed gulls (about 254 chicks) and 575 adult California gulls (about 270 chicks); terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks, and fledging has commenced for ring-billed and California gulls

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

High counts during the week of 337 adult Caspian terns, 116 attended Caspian tern nests, and 21 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; numbers of active Caspian tern nests continue to increase on Tule Lake tern island despite the late stage of the nesting season; high counts of 24 California gulls and 12 ring-billed gulls also on island; 2 adult Caspian terns discovered dead on the Tule Lake tern island from unknown causes; one dead adult Caspian tern collected for necropsy to attempt to determine cause of death

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

High counts during the week of 490 adult Caspian terns (season high), 86 attended Caspian tern nests, and 25 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of 117 adult ring-billed gulls (12 chicks), 101 adult California gulls (37 chicks), roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also present on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks, and fledging has commenced for ring-billed gulls

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

High counts during the week of 23 adult Caspian terns, 9 attended Caspian tern nests, and 16 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; one ring-billed gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on East Link tern island was shot (under permit); high counts of 951 adult ring-billed gulls (311 chicks) and 271 adult California gulls (44 chicks) also present on island; fledging has commenced for ring-billed gulls nesting on East Link tern island; peregrine falcon seen causing disturbance to nesting birds on several occasions; 3 adult Caspian terns and 4 adult ring-billed gulls discovered dead on East Link tern island; possible disease outbreak suspected

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; documented presence of terrestrial predators in previous weeks is likely responsible for the absence of any nesting by colonial birds on this island

7/7 – 7/13/14 ›

7/11 – 7/12/14 ›

Aerial surveys of interior Oregon and northeastern California to look for new Caspian tern colonies and check on the productivity of existing Caspian tern colonies; Caspian tern colony on Dorris Lake in Modoc NWR, California failed due to drought and land-bridging of the nesting island; Goose Lake, California, and the entire Warner Valley, Oregon, almost completely dry due to on-going severe drought; breeding colony of several hundred nesting pairs of double-crested cormorants in Upper Klamath NWR discovered with all chicks dead from unknown cause

WEEKLY Update FOR 6/30 – 7/6/2014

6/30 – 7/6/14 ›

High counts during the week of 553 adult Caspian terns, 382 attended Caspian tern nests, and 140 Caspian tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of 1,075 adult ring-billed gulls (about 665 chicks) and 310 adult California gulls (about 190 chicks); terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks, and fledging has commenced for ring-billed gulls

6/30 – 7/6/14 ›

High counts during the week of 276 adult Caspian terns, 93 attended Caspian tern nests, and 2 Caspian tern chicks on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; high counts of 16 California gulls and 11 ring-billed gulls also on island

6/30 – 7/6/14 ›

High counts during the week of 293 adult Caspian terns, 91 attended Caspian tern nests, and 21 Caspian tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of 165 adult ring-billed gulls (5 chicks) and 82 adult California gulls (31 chicks); roosting American white pelicans (no count) and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also present on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks; a small mammal (vole) was observed in the bill of an adult Caspian tern at the colony, the first documented case of a mammal in the diet of Caspian terns that we are aware of

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High counts during the week of 23 adult Caspian terns, 18 attended Caspian tern nests (similar to the previous 3 weeks), and 21 Caspian tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,608 adult ring-billed gulls (about 273 attended nests and 837 chicks), 357 adult California gulls (about 22 attended nests and 64 chicks), and 5 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/30 – 7/6/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; on two separate visits to the island, mammalian nest predators were observed, a raccoon on 6/30 and a mink on 7/1; these terrestrial predators are likely responsible the absence of any nesting by colonial birds on this island

7/6/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls, adults or chicks, observed this week on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; disturbance and predation by terrestrial predators has apparently caused total nesting failure of colonial waterbirds on Crump Lake tern island this season; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

WEEKLY Update FOR 6/23 – 6/29/2014

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High count during the week of 702 adult Caspian terns, 454 attended Caspian tern nests, and 121 Caspian tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high count of 1,544 adult ring-billed gulls (about 1,267 chicks) and 374 adult California gulls (about 230 chicks); terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High count during the week of 300 adult Caspian terns and 94 attended Caspian tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; numbers of attended Caspian tern nests have more than tripled over the past 4 weeks; high count of 33 California gulls and 7 ring-billed gulls also on island; one raccoon that was documented visiting the island this past week was removed (under permit) during an overnight stay on the island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High count during the week of 362 adult Caspian terns, 111 attended Caspian tern nests, and 13 tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; by week’s end, however, the count of active nests had declined to 47, apparently due to unseasonably cool, wet, and windy weather late in the week; during the spell of poor weather, tern nests were abandoned, gull predation on tern eggs increased, and tern chicks died of apparent exposure and starvation; three ring-billed gulls and one California gull that were observed depredating tern eggs on Malheur Lake new tern island were shot (under permit); high count of 111 adult ring-billed gulls (13 attended nests and one chick) and 50 adult California gulls (0 attended nests and 11 chicks), roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns and gulls (ring-billed) on nests with eggs or chicks

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High count during the week of 25 adult Caspian terns, 20 attended Caspian tern nests (similar to the previous 2 weeks), and 28 tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high count of 1,523 adult ring-billed gulls (about 533 attended nests and 683 chicks), 288 California gulls (about 44 attended nests and 41 chicks), and 2 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

No Caspian terns and two roosting California gulls observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon

6/23 – 6/29/14 ›

High count during the week of 50 adult ring-billed gulls (about 14 chicks) on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; no Caspian terns or California gulls observed on the island this past week; this is a big drop in the number of gulls and gull chicks on Crump Lake tern island compared to the previous week; disturbance from terrestrial predators has apparently caused near total nesting failure of colonial waterbirds on Crump Lake tern island this season; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

WEEKLY Update FOR 6/16 – 6/22/2014

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

High count during the week of 758 adult Caspian terns, 505 attended Caspian tern nests, and 49 Caspian tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; one California gull that was observed depredating eggs on Sheepy Lake tern island was shot (under permit); high counts of 1,695 adult ring-billed gulls (about 366 attended nests and 1,170 chicks), 484 adult California gulls (about 150 attended nests and 212 chicks); terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

High count during the week of 281 adult Caspian terns and 82 attended Caspian tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; numbers of attended Caspian tern nests have nearly tripled over the past 3 weeks; high counts of 54 California gulls and 4 ring-billed gulls also on island; during an overnight stay on 6/20 a raccoon was observed on the island; overnight stays will continue until the predator is removed from the island (under permit); terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

High count during the week of 298 adult Caspian terns, 103 attended Caspian tern nests, and 10 tern chicks on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; one California gull that was observed depredating eggs on Malheur Lake tern island was shot (under permit); high counts of 111 adult ring-billed gulls (39 attended nests and 15 chicks), 62 adult California gulls (0 attended nests and 23 chicks), 2 roosting Bonaparte’s gulls, roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns and gulls (ring-billed and California) on nests with eggs or chicks

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls observed this week on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; weedy vegetation is covering much of the surface of Gold Dike tern island, rendering the habitat less attractive for prospecting Caspian terns

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

High count during the week of 44 adult Caspian terns, 22 attended tern nests (similar to the previous week), and 26 tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; one California gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on the island was shot (under permit); high counts of 1,315 adult ring-billed gulls (about 695 attended nests and 816 chicks), 214 California gulls (about 42 attended nests and 42 chicks), and 5 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs or chicks

6/16 – 6/22/14 ›

High count during the week of 6 Caspian terns and 0 attended Caspian tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 462 adult ring-billed gulls (about 33 attended nests and 34 chicks) and 9 adult California gulls (one attended nest and no chicks) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs or chicks; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

6/22/14 ›

First Caspian tern chick observed on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California

WEEKLY Update FOR 6/9 – 6/15/2014

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

High count during the week of 795 adult Caspian terns, 524 attended Caspian tern nests, and 34 tern chicks on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; one California gull that was observed depredating eggs on Sheepy Lake tern island was shot (under permit); high counts of 2,300 ring-billed gulls (about 1,152 attended nests), 618 California gulls (about 291 attended nests); terns and gulls attending nests with eggs and chicks

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

High count during the week of 287 adult Caspian terns and 59 attended Caspian tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; numbers of attended tern nests more than doubled compared to the previous week; high counts of 127 California gulls, 48 ring-billed gulls, and 4 double-crested cormorants also seen on island; the increasing numbers of nesting terns and gulls on the Tule Lake tern island likely due to the removal of several raccoons from the island (under permit) in previous weeks

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

High count during the week of 376 adult Caspian terns and 137 attended Caspian tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; the number of attended tern nests was slightly higher compared to the previous week; high counts of 119 nesting ring-billed gulls (35 attended nests), 55 nesting California gulls (12 attended nests), 36 roosting Franklin’s gulls, roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs and chicks

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

No Caspian terns or gulls observed on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; weedy vegetation is covering much of the surface of Gold Dike tern island, rendering the habitat less attractive for prospecting Caspian terns

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

High count during the week of 47 adult Caspian terns, 22 attended Caspian tern nests (similar to the previous week), and 11 tern chicks on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; one California gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on the island was shot (under permit); high counts of 1,008 ring-billed gulls (about 856 attended nests) and 77 California gulls (at least 50 attended nests) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; a raccoon that was seen on the island the night of 5/30 has not been observed on the island since then; the crew will continue to monitor the island for raccoon activity in the coming weeks and will attempt to remove the raccoon (under permit) if it returns to the island

6/9 – 6/15/14 ›

High count during the week of 10 Caspian terns and 0 attended Caspian tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,244 ring-billed gulls (about 494 attended nests) and 267 California gulls (about 85 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

6/15/14 ›

Incipient Caspian tern colony discovered on island in the northern end of Dorris Reservoir in Modoc NWR east of Alturas, CA; minimum counts of 70 Caspian terns and 30 attended tern nests on island

6/11/14 ›

First Caspian tern chick observed on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon

WEEKLY Update FOR 6/2 – 6/8/2014

6/2 – 6/8/14 ›

High count during the week of 738 Caspian terns and 527 attended Caspian tern nests on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of 2,528 ring-billed gulls (about 1,535 attended nests), 570 California gulls (about 253 attended nests); terns and gulls attending nests with eggs and chicks

6/2 – 6/8/14 ›

High count during the week of 206 Caspian terns and 28 attended Caspian tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; two raccoons that were documented visiting the island this past week were removed (under permit) during two overnight stays on the island; high counts of 13 California gulls, 10 ring-billed gulls, and 19 double-crested cormorants also seen on island

6/2 – 6/8/14 ›

High count during the week of 337 Caspian terns and 123 attended Caspian tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; one California gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on the island was shot (under permit); high counts of 64 nesting California gulls (37 attended nests), 72 nesting ring-billed gulls (23 attended nests), roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns on nests with eggs and gulls on nests with eggs and chicks

6/2 – 6/8/14 ›

High count during the week of 44 Caspian terns and 21 attended tern nests on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,174 ring-billed gulls (about 842 attended nests) and 74 California gulls (at least 47 attended nests) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; one ring-billed gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on the island was shot (under permit); the presence of a raccoon on the island was confirmed on the night of 5/30; field crew members spent the night on the island every night this past week and were unable to re-sight the raccoon and trapping efforts this week were unsuccessful; the crew will continue to monitor the island for raccoon activity in the coming weeks and will attempt to remove the raccoon (under permit) if it returns to the island

6/2 – 6/8/14 ›

High count during the week of 4 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nest on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,190 ring-billed gulls (about 450 attended nests) and 265 California gulls (about 90 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; sign of avian predation on adult gulls, likely from a prairie falcon, continue to be seen on and near the island; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

6/8/14 ›

First Caspian tern chicks (8) observed on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California

6/4/14 ›

First Caspian tern chick observed on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon

WEEKLY Update FOR 5/26 – 6/1/2014

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of 707 Caspian terns and 420 attended tern nests on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; terns continue to occupy the gull exclusion area, where the majority of tern nests have been initiated thus far; high counts of 2,288 ring-billed gulls (about 1,335 attended nests), 598 California gulls (about 270 attended nests); gulls attending nests with eggs and chicks; terns attending nests with eggs; one California gull and one ring-billed gull that were observed depredating eggs on Sheepy Lake tern island were shot (under permit)

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of 186 Caspian terns and 8 attended tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; on 5/29 a raccoon that was documented visiting the island last week, killing adult terns and gulls, and depredating tern and gull eggs, was removed (under permit) during an overnight stay on the island; one ring-billed gull that was observed depredating eggs on Tule Lake tern island was shot (under permit); high counts of 30 California gulls, 10 ring-billed gulls, and 8 double-crested cormorants also seen on island

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of 391 Caspian terns and 159 attended tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; one California gull that was observed depredating tern eggs on the island was shot (under permit); high counts of 137 nesting gulls (both California and ring-billed), roosting American white pelicans (no count), and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns on nests with eggs and gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; on 5/29 a ring-billed gull carcass with its head removed was found on island, presumably killed by an avian predator; field crew members will begin staying on the island overnight to determine if a nocturnal predator is visiting the island

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of one Caspian tern and 0 attended tern nests on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 26 ring-billed gulls (0 attended nests) and one California gulls also on island; no new ring-billed gull nests have been initiated on island; weedy vegetation is beginning to cover much of the surface of Gold Dike tern island, rendering the habitat less attractive for prospecting Caspian terns

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of 32 Caspian terns and 20 attended tern nests on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,522 ring-billed gulls (about 572 attended nests) and 113 California gulls (at least 40 attended nests) also on island; terns attending nests with eggs, gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; on 5/29 a raccoon was confirmed on the island, killing gulls and depredating gull eggs; the presence of a raccoon on the island has caused a decrease in colony attendance and attended nests by ring-billed gulls; field crew members are staying on the island overnight, attempting to remove the raccoon (under permit)

5/26 – 6/1/14 ›

High count during the week of 22 Caspian terns and 1 attended tern nest on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,836 ring-billed gulls (about 1060 attended nests) and 340 California gulls (about 175 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs and chicks; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

6/1/14 ›

First Caspian tern egg observed on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon

WEEKLY Update FOR 5/19 – 5/25/2014

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of 533 Caspian terns and 291 attended tern nests on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; terns continue to occupy the gull exclusion area, where the majority of tern nests have been initiated so far; high counts of 3,130 ring-billed gulls (1,917 attended nests), 802 California gulls (450 attended nests), and 12 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; gulls attending nests with eggs and chicks; terns attending nests with eggs

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of 362 Caspian terns and 47 attended tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; on 5/21 we confirmed that a raccoon had been visiting the island, killing adult terns and gulls, and depredating tern and gull eggs; the presence of a raccoon on the island has caused a drastic decrease in colony attendance and attended nests; field crew members are staying on the island overnight to try to remove the raccoon (under permit)

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of 267 Caspian terns and 63 attended tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; two California gulls that were observed depredating tern eggs on Malheur Lake tern island were shot (under permit); high counts of 112 nesting gulls (both California and ring-billed), 79 roosting American white pelicans, and roosting double-crested cormorants (no count) also on island; terns on nests with eggs and gulls on nests with chicks and eggs

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of one Caspian tern and 0 attended tern nests on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high count of 6 ring-billed gulls (0 attended nests) and two California gulls also on island; both ring-billed gull nests previously initiated on island have failed for unknown reasons; weedy vegetation is beginning to cover much of the surface of Gold Dike tern island, rendering the habitat less attractive for prospecting Caspian terns

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of 41 Caspian terns and 13 attended tern nests on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,286 ring-billed gulls (701 attended nests) and 99 California gulls (at least 41 attended nests) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs; 4 ring-billed gulls and one California gull that were observed depredating eggs on East Link tern island were shot (under permit)

5/19 – 5/25/14 ›

High count during the week of 13 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 2,136 ring-billed gulls (815 attended nests) and 532 California gulls (211 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs, but chicks expected any day; carcasses of adult gulls found both on island and nearby on dry lake bed, presumably killed by mammalian predator (probably a coyote); several disturbances to nesting gulls and roosting terns by a prairie falcon observed this week, with one ring-billed gull falling prey to the falcon during one of the disturbances; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

5/21/14 ›

First Caspian tern eggs observed on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California

5/20/14 ›

A Caspian tern that was satellite-tagged on Goose Island in Potholes Reservoir, WA, in early April 2014 was observed on Sheepy Lake tern island, about 375 miles to the southwest

WEEKLY Update FOR 5/12 – 5/18/2014

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 511 Caspian terns and 92 attended tern nests on the Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; terns are beginning to occupy the gull exclusion area, where the majority of tern nests have been initiated so far; high counts of 2,850 ring-billed gulls (1,875 attended nests), 715 California gulls (318 attended nests), 22 roosting double-crested cormorants, and 2 roosting American white pelicans also on island; both terns and gulls attending nests with eggs

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 440 Caspian terns and 36 attended tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; by the end of the week terns showed more commitment to the island by remaining there throughout the day and night; high counts of 40 nesting ring-billed gulls, 18 nesting California gulls, and one roosting double-crested cormorant also on island; the first ring-billed gull egg was laid on 5/18; no signs of great horned owl predation on island this week

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 369 Caspian terns and 32 attended tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of 91 nesting gulls (both California and ring-billed) and 61 roosting American white pelicans also on island; terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding); there was a general increase in the number of piscivorous waterbirds counted on the Malheur Lake tern island this week, as compared to the previous week

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 3 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high count of 8 ring-billed gulls (2 attended nests) and one California gull also on island; gulls on nests with eggs; weedy vegetation is beginning to cover much of the surface of Gold Dike tern island, rendering the habitat less attractive for prospecting Caspian terns

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 26 Caspian terns and 7 attended tern nests on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,432 ring-billed gulls (569 attended nests) and 88 California gulls (44 attended nests) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs; one California gull that was observed depredating eggs on East Link tern island was shot (under permit); no significant colony disturbances observed this week

5/12 – 5/18/14 ›

High count during the week of 42 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,501 ring-billed gulls (793 attended nests) and 415 California gulls (200 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs; gull carcasses seen both on island and nearby on dry lake bed, presumably killed by an avian predator; several disturbances to nesting gulls and roosting terns by a prairie falcon observed this week, with one ring-billed gull falling prey to the falcon during one of the disturbances; the Crump Lake tern island remains land-bridged and completely surrounded by dry lake bed due to on-going drought

WEEKLY Update FOR 5/5 – 5/11/2014

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 154 Caspian terns and 10 attended tern nests on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of ca. 2,600 nesting ring-billed gulls, ca. 1,200 nesting California gulls, and 83 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; both terns and gulls attending nests with eggs

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 251 Caspian terns and 3 attended tern nests on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; high counts of 127 nesting ring-billed gulls, 25 nesting California gulls, and 42 roosting double-crested cormorants also on island; signs of great horned owl predation (gull remains) on island

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 141 Caspian terns and 3 attended tern nests on Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of 61 nesting gulls (both California and ring-billed), one roosting American white pelican, and double-crested cormorants (no count, potentially nesting) also on island; terns, gulls, and cormorants exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding); there was a general decline in the number of piscivorous waterbirds counted on the Malheur Lake tern island this week, as compared to the previous week, likely due to inclement weather (i.e., snow, hail, freezing rain, and wind)

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 4 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high count of 8 ring-billed gulls and one attended ring-billed gull nest also on island; gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulation)

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 20 Caspian terns and 4 attended tern nests on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 574 ring-billed gulls (71 attended nests) and 66 California gulls (22 attended nests) also on island; terns and gulls on nests with eggs; crew stayed in blind on three consecutive nights to identify the cause of recent nighttime disturbances to the colony; the first two nights terns and gulls left the island gradually throughout the night, returning the next morning; the third night no disturbance was observed and both terns and gulls remained on colony throughout the night; the cause(s) of previous nocturnal colony disturbances is unknown

5/5 – 5/11/14 ›

High count during the week of 41 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,830 ring-billed gulls (360 attended nests) and 669 California gulls (131 attended nests) also on island; gulls on nests with eggs; Crump Lake water levels are way down so far this season, causing the tern island to be completely land-bridged, with no water near the island

5/10/14 ›

Nighttime visits by a great horned owl to the Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California were confirmed this past week; one owl was live trapped, banded, and relocated to a designated site away from the island; nighttime disturbances by the owl have limited Caspian tern nest initiation, colony size, and nesting success at this island so far this season

5/9/14 ›

First Caspian tern egg observed on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; the tern egg was discovered in the area where gull exclusion netting had been installed on 4/11, and subsequently removed on 5/7 in order to prevent gull nesting throughout the island prior to the arrival of Caspian terns

5/9/14 ›

First Caspian tern egg observed on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon

5/7/14 ›

Gull exclusion netting (intended to prevent gulls from nesting) removed from the designated Caspian tern nesting area on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; netting had been placed over a small portion of the island in an attempt to prevent California and ring-billed gulls from nesting throughout the island prior to the arrival of Caspian terns

WEEKLY Update FOR 4/28 – 5/4/2014

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 267 Caspian terns and 3 attended tern nests on the Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of 2,500 ring-billed gulls and 1,000 California gulls also observed on island; both terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding), with some gulls attending nests with eggs

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 116 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on the Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; high counts of 60 California gulls and 29 ring-billed gulls also observed on island; signs of owl predation on island

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 285 Caspian terns and 3 attended tern nests on the Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of ca. 150 American white pelicans, 60 gulls (both California and ring-billed), and double-crested cormorants (no count) also observed on island; terns, gulls, and cormorants exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding)

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 3 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high count of 18 ring-billed gulls also observed on island; two disturbances to the colony by a peregrine falcon observed

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 23 Caspian terns and 1 attended tern nest on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 1,433 ring-billed gulls (21 attended nests) and 77 California gulls (13 attended nests) also observed on island; terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors, with some gulls on nests with eggs; one colony-wide disturbance observed, cause unknown

4/28 – 5/4/14 ›

High count during the week of 32 Caspian terns and 0 attended tern nests on Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon; high counts of 1,591 ring-billed gulls (68 attended nests) and 691 California gulls (15 attended nests) also observed on island; terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors; artifact hunters on the dry lake bed that surround the Crump Lake tern island caused disturbance to roosting piscivorous waterbirds on the island in this past week

4/29/14 ›

First Caspian tern egg observed on Malheur Lake tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; egg was subsequently depredated by a California gull

WEEKLY Update FOR 4/21 – 4/27/2014

4/21 – 4/27/14 ›

High count during the week of 63 Caspian terns on the Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; high counts of 1,375 ring-billed gulls and 380 California gulls also observed on island; both terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding); the first ring-billed gull eggs were discovered on the island on 4/22

4/21 – 4/27/14 ›

High count during the week of 147 Caspian terns on the Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; 42 California gulls and 31 ring-billed gulls also observed on island; signs of owl predation on island; great horned owl observed on island the evening of 4/25, causing terns and gulls to abandon the colony and not return until the following morning

4/21 – 4/27/14 ›

High count during the week of 77 Caspian terns on the Malheur Lake new tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; high counts of 127 gulls (both California and ring-billed) and three American white pelicans also observed on island; terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (e.g., nest building, copulations, mate feeding)

4/21 – 4/27/14 ›

This past week, no piscivorous colonial waterbirds were observed on Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon

4/21 – 4/27/14 ›

High count during the week of 19 Caspian terns on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area, Oregon; high counts of 630 ring-billed gulls and 36 California gulls also observed on island; terns and gulls exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors

4/27/14 ›

First visit to Pelican Lake island, Warner Valley, Oregon; due to drought and low water levels the island is land bridged; 250 gulls, 233 American white pelicans, 5 double-crested cormorants, 4 great blue herons, and 3 great egrets loafing on the island

4/21/14 ›

First visit to Crump Lake tern island, Warner Valley, Oregon this season; the island is completely land-bridged due to extreme drought and low water levels in Crump Lake; island can easily be accessed on foot; 6 Caspian terns and 300-400 gulls loafing on the island; 9 ring-billed gull nests contained eggs

4/21/14 ›

First survey of piscivorous colonial waterbirds nesting on two privately-owned islands on Singhus Ranch (north and south unnamed islands) near the north shore of Malheur Lake, Oregon; no piscivorous colonial waterbirds observed during visit; in previous years, Caspian terns, double-crested cormorants, American white pelicans, California gulls, and ring-billed gulls nested on one or both of these islands; both islands are just outside the boundaries of Malheur NWR and appear to be land-bridged or nearly so

Update FOR 4/11 – 4/20/2014

4/17 - 4/18/14 ›

First visits to Malheur Lake tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; completed colony preparations (i.e., deployed Caspian tern decoys and audio playback systems, installed video monitoring system, laid out colony grids, installed bird-be-gone and netting on elevated structures to prevent roosting by avian predators)

4/18/14 ›

First Caspian terns (20) observed on Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR; ca. 3,200 gulls (both ring-billed and California) were also counted on the island; gull breeding behaviors observed (e.g., territorial aggression, mate feeding, copulation)

4/17/14 ›

First Caspian terns sighted on Malheur Lake tern island, Malheur NWR, Oregon; 10-20 terns flushed from the island on our first visit; 10 American white pelicans were also counted on the island

4/16/14 ›

Completed colony preparation on East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area (i.e., installed video monitoring system)

4/15/14 ›

First visit to Gold Dike tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area; completed colony preparations (i.e., deployed Caspian tern decoys and audio playback systems, installed video monitoring system, laid out colony grids, removed tumbleweed, installed bird-be-gone and netting on elevated structures to prevent roosting by avian predators)

4/14/14 ›

First visit to East Link tern island, Summer Lake Wildlife Area; began colony preparations (i.e., deployed Caspian tern decoys and audio playback systems, laid out colony grids, installed bird-be-gone and netting on elevated structures to prevent roosting by avian predators)

4/14/14 ›

First Caspian terns sighted in Summer Lake Wildlife Area by project staff in 2014; 4 seen flying over East Link tern island

4/12/14 ›

First visit to the Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California; completed colony preparations (i.e., deployed Caspian tern decoys and audio playback systems, installed video monitoring system, laid out colony grids, installed bird-be-gone and netting on elevated structures to prevent roosting by avian predators)

4/12/14 ›

First Caspian terns (10) seen on Tule Lake tern island in Sump 1B, Tule Lake NWR, California

4/11/14 ›

First visit to the Sheepy Lake tern island, Lower Klamath NWR, California; completed colony preparations (i.e., deployed Caspian tern decoys and audio playback systems, repaired/replaced chick ramps, laid out colony grids, installed bird-be-gone on elevated structures to prevent roosting by avian predators, installed elevated netting placed over the designated tern colony area to prevent gull nesting prior to the arrival of terns at the colony)

4/11/14 ›

First Caspian tern sighted in Upper Klamath Basin, California by project staff in 2014; one seen flying over Sheepy Lake tern island