American White Pelican, California Gull Caspian Tern, Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron and Ring-bilied Gulf Colony Surveys - A lberta 1998 Volume 1 - R eport (with 1999 update) Prepared by: Cottonwood Consultants Ltd. Calgary, AB Funded by: Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan Alberta Environment Alberta Conservation Association January 2000 North American Waterfowl Management Flan Alberta Conservation Association ENVIRONMENT This research was primarily funded by the Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) in 1998. Historical data was added to the report in 1999. This additional work was completed by Cottonwood Consultants Ltd., administered by the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), and funded by Alberta Environment. This document is the first volume of a t wo-volume report. Volume 2 c ontains the colony location maps. Due to the sensitive nature of colonial nesters to disturbance, these maps will be provided to Regional Endangered Species Specialists and Wildlife Biologists in the Natural Resources Service Area offices, and detailed information will be available on demonstrated need. TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 1 - R eport 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 2.0 STUDY METHODS 1 2.1 INTERVIEWS AND INFORMATION REVIEW 1 2.2 AERIAL SURVEY METHOD 1 2.3 GROUND SURVEY METHOD 2 2.4 DATA ANALYSIS 2 2.5 DATABASE AND MAPS 2 3.0 RESULTS 3 3.1 SUMMARY OF LOCATION DATA 3 3.2 INACTIVE OR SMALL FORMERLY ACTIVE COLONIES 136 3.3 SURVEYED WATERBODIES WITH NO HISTORICAL OR 1998 COLONIES 147 4.0 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION , 148 4.1 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN 148 4.2 CALIFORNIA GULL 149 4.3 CASPIAN TERN 151 4.4 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT 152 4.5 GREAT BLUE HERON 153 4.6 RING-BILLED GULL 157 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 160 5.1 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN 160 5.2 CALIFORNIA AND RING-BILLED GULLS 160 5.3 CASPIAN TERN 160 5.4 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT 161 5.5 GREAT BLUE HERON 161 6.0 REFERENCES 162 Volume 2 - C olony Location Maps Cottonwood Consultants Ltd:.- 1998 Alberta Colonial Waterbird Survey 1 . 0 Cottonwood Consultants Ltd. undertoo k a s urvey oIfN cTolRoOniDalU C nTesItiOnNg birds in southern and central Alberta in 1998. This was supplemented by surveys in central and northern Alberta by Alberta Environmental Protection and Elk 2 Island National Park personnel. The project incorporated an extensive field program. The objectives of the study were: 1 . to identify historical and recent nesting colonies from interviews with naturalists and wildlife biologists and . from a r eview of published information and government files; 2. to survey colonies of priority one species (American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, California Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tem and larger (15 or more nests/colony) Great Blue Heron colonies) throughout Alberta to determine breeding populations at each colony and to identify a p recise location for each colony; 3. to record incidental observations on colonies of p riority two species (White-faced Ibis, Common Tem, Forster's 0Tem, Franklin's Gull, Black Tem, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron) and other species of concern (e.g. Northern Leopard Frog, Great Plains Toad); 4. to compare the 1998 survey results with historical and recent data to identify any significant trends for priority one species. The final products consist of: 1 . technical background information and field data in p rinted and computer database form (UTM format compatible with GIS system); 2. a summary report; and 3. a v olume of page size maps depicting the locations of colonies from Cottonwood Consultants' surveys. T21h .e. siatenurtdiye ar lv i wseauws rs ,v eu ynrdsee rvtiakeewn of liin t etrhae t urfeo ll oawnindg S TfiUlDeY sM tia Engefs:o rmation 3. ground surveys T H 4. analysis of data and priority one species trenOdDs S 5. compile database, maps and final report 2.1 INTERVIEWS AND INFORMATION REVIEW The principal sources of information were: 1. Alberta Wildlife Division database (BSOD) - all historical records in section 3.1 unless noted otherwise 2. Alberta Breeding Bird Atlas database (BBA) 3. numerous published reports and recent survey data provided by Elk Island National Park and Alberta Environmental Protection 4. interviews with Alberta Environmental Protection and Ducks Unlimited personnel 5. historical scientific and naturalist literature (see 6.0 References) 6. Prairie Nest Records Scheme (PNRS) data 2.2 AERIAL SURVEY METHOD An initial aerial survey was conducted May 29-31, 1998 to relocate historical colonies and, to a l esser degree, to survey for new colonies. This included a s urvey of priority North American Waterfowl Management Plan lakes where they were close to survey transects. Over 300 sites were surveyed from the air. Once a colony was located and marked on the 1:50,000 base map, an estimate of its size was made. For Great Blue Herons and tree-nesting Double-crested Cormorants, a c ount was made by circling the colony several times at slow 1 Cottonwood Consultants Ltd.- 1998 Alberta Colonial Waterbird Survey speed. Some large tree-nesting Double-crested Cormorant colonies as well as gull, pelican and ground-nesting cormorant colonies were more accurately assessed during ground surveys and only a rough estimate was made or "active" designation given. While most of these "active" designations were correct, some apparently active colonies were, in fact, only loafing birds. A f ew colonies were found that were not obviously active from aerial surveys. While aerial counts of Great Blue Herons in deciduous trees proved to be most accurate, ground surveys were essential for accurate counts of most ground nesters, especially for the largest colonies. A c ombination of aerial and ground surveys was needed to get the best reading on nesting colonies in some coniferous trees. Aerial still photographs were taken but they proved to be less informative than the ground surveys where much more accurate count data could be obtained. 2.3 GROUND SURVEY METHOD In all, over 120 sites were investigated on the ground. Exact counts and representative samples were used for the ground-truthed sites. For smaller colonies and to test survey methods for larger colonies, exact counts were taken of all nests. Following the initial test surveys, representative transects of a m easured width and length were sampled at the larger colonies in which exact counts were undertaken. This was done to simplify the surveys and to minimize disturbance to the nesting colonies. Data from these representative transects were then extrapolated to the entire colony using a ratio based on the areal extent of the colony and the area of the representative transect. Incidental observations of priority two colonial species were also made during the ground surveys. 2.4 DATA ANALYSIS Summaries of data can be found in 4.0 Analysis and Discussion. The results of the various surveys were compiled by various survey periods based on the amount of survey data available: pre-1970s, 1970s, 1980s/1990s and 1998. Estimates of the maximum probable number of nesting pairs were made for each of the six priority one species (American White Pelican, California Gull, Caspian Tem, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron and Ring- billed Gull) within these survey periods. Assumptions had to be made as the data are not exactly comparable. Some survey data specify a r ange of values and not an exact number while others provide totals of adults not active nests. There is a h igh degree of confidence in the 1998 survey data totals (+/- 5%) compared to some of the 1960s and 1970s data which may have values within a + /- 10-25% range. Despite these shortcomings, it is believed that the general trends established using this methodology are reasonably accurate and there are sufficient numbers of accurate counts to act as a cross-check on the overall accuracy of the pre-1998 estimates. 2.5 DATABASE AND MAPS A d atabase of aerial and ground survey information was prepared in Access 97 format which was subsequently converted to Excel 97 format for compatibility with the BSOD database. Hand drawn page-size maps of all sites surveyed by Cottonwood Consultants Ltd. in 1998 are provided in a separate volume. These are mostly on 1 :50,000 scale National Topographic System maps with the exception of some areas in the Eastern Irrigation District where more recent and accurate County of Newell maps have been used. 2 Cottonwood Consultants Ltd.- 1998 Alberta Colonial Waterbird Survey 3.0 RESULTS 3.1 SUMMARY OF LOCATION DATA Location: Akasu Lake 1 Map: 73E/5 & 7 3E/12 Legal: E16-52-13-W4 Section E16 TP 52 RGE 13 MERW4 UTME: 443920 UTMN: 5927887 Description: low water; rocky sandy shore, grass-forb covered island with 12 small aspen; early fledgling stage Notes: 1998 Ground Survey; SW island Observers (Ground Survey): Wayne Smith, Ray Wershler Ground Survey Date: 1998/06/08 Ground Check: Yes Species: American White Pelican Adults: 5 Species: California Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 312 Nests (Aerial Survey): active Adults: 500 Species: Double-crested Cormorant Nests (Ground Survey): 0; no nests found despite apparent nesting from aerial survey Nests (Aerial Survey): 30 nests Adults (Ground Survey): 10 Species: Herring Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 1 Adults: 2 Species: Ring-billed Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 1248 Nests (Aerial Survey): active Adults: 2000 Historical Data: None— new colonies. Location: Akasu Lake 2 Map: 73E/5 & 7 3E/12 Legal: W22-52-13-W4 Section W22 TP 52 RGE 13 MERW4 UTME: 444492 UTMN: 5928274 Description: low water; bare dirt with patches of grass-forb, few small shrubs; early fledgling stage Notes: 1998 Ground Survey; centre island Cottonwood Consultants Ltd.- 1998 Alberta Colonial Waterbird Survey Observers (Ground Survey): Wayne Smith, Ray Wershler Ground Survey Date: 1998/06/08 Ground Check: Yes Species: American White Pelican Adults: 22 Species: California Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 970 Nests (Aerial Survey): active Adults: 600 Species: Herring Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 3 Nests (Aerial Survey): active Adults: 10 Species: Ring-billed Gull Nests (Ground Survey): 5 Nests (Aerial Survey): active Adults: 20 Historical Data: None— new colonies. Location: Anderson Creek North Map: 83B/15 Legal: NW18-44-4-W5 Section NW18 TP 44 RGE 4 MERW5 UTME: 663300 UTMN: 5852350 Description: small island in small water body near Wilson Creek Notes: 1998 Aerial Survey Observers: Wayne Smith, Cliff Wallis Aerial Survey Date: May 29-31 1998 Ground Check: No Species: Great Blue Heron Nests (Aerial Survey): 10 nests Historical Data: Great Blue Heron LOCATION LEGAL # O F NESTS YEAR NOTES Anderson Creek NE5-44-4-W5 16 nests 1987 4-Map 82 B; BSOD (1998) 294-295; (? correct location) Steve Brechtel, NRS Edmonton (1998); beaver pond NW of Bluffton; note different location than 1998 21 nests 1988 Cottonwood Consultants Ltd.- 1998 Alberta Colonial Waterbird Survey