The BC Coastal Waterbird
Survey is designed to provide data that contribute to the conservation
of coastal waterbird populations and coastal waterbird habitats in
British Columbia. This past winter (1999-2000) was the inaugural year
for the Coastal Waterbird Survey – and it was without a doubt a
successful start!
The BC Coastal Waterbird data
is collected following a standardized protocol developed by
researchers, biologists and local naturalists. This data provides
valuable baseline information on the relative abundance of waterbird
species, the distribution of waterbirds along the coast and will also
certainly advance our general understanding of the ecology of these
birds. This baseline data is an important step towards monitoring,
research and conservation of many species of waterbirds that spend the
winter months along the BC coast.
A total of
958 completed BC Coastal Waterbird Survey recording forms were mailed
to Bird Studies Canada – BC Programs by May 2000 and even more data
has arrived through the summer months!
Through the large network of
BC Coastal Waterbird Survey volunteers, regional organizers,
naturalist groups, non-government agencies and government agencies
shoreline surveys were conducted in over 30 communities along the
coastline; Bamfield, Bella Bella, Black Creek, Bowen Island, Campbell
River, Comox and Courtenay, Cortes Island, Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo,
Parkesville and Qualicum Beach, Denman Island, Hornby Island, Jordan
River, Lasqueti Island, Malcolm Island, Mayne Island, Porcher Island,
Port Alberni, Port McNeill, Powell River, the Queen Charlotte Islands,
Saltspring Island, Saturna Island, Squamish Estuary, Sunshine Coast,
Telegraph Cove, Texada Island, Tofino and Ucluelet, Vancouver,
Victoria, Sooke and the Saanich Peninsula, White Rock and Zeballos.
The peak waterbird month
was April with a total of 245,000 waterbirds counted along the coast!
Data was collected at 187 shoreline sites, with a total of
113 species seen through the winter months. The Fraser River Delta
area had the most species with 103 species recorded. Not surprisingly,
the ten most commonly recorded species were Surf Scoter,
Dunlin, American Wigeon, Glaucous-winged Gull, Mew Gull, Mallard,
White-winged Scoter, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup and the Northern
Pintail.
The rare species
recorded during BC Coastal Waterbird Surveys include American Bittern,
American Kestrel, Black-footed Albatross, Cassin’s Auklet, Golden
Eagle, Gyrfalcon, Iceland Gull, King Eider, Northern Goshawk, Red
Phalarope, Rough-legged Hawk, Solitary Sandpiper, Sora and the
Semipalmated Plover. All these species were recorded only once at a
single site! Other uncommon species include the Marbled Godwit,
Yellow-billed Loon, Redhead, Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Caspian
Tern, Cinnamon Teal and the Lesser Yellowlegs. Details for all species
recorded during the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey are given in the
accompanying newsletter
(PDF format 535 K).
A review of the bird species
occurrence and numbers in the coastal regions reflects the differences
in coastal habitats. Most mudflat dwelling shorebirds, like Dunlin and
sandpiper species were counted in the Fraser River Delta region, while
rocky intertidal shorebird species were found in other coastal
regions, such as Surfbirds along the Sunshine Coast and Sanderling on
the west coast of Vancouver Island. Seabird species, like Marbled
Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots, and Common Murres were seen from the
shoreline in most coastal regions.
The first year of the BC
Coastal Waterbird Survey was a major success, growing from 5 shoreline
sites in White Rock to over 200 shoreline sites in over 30 regions
across the coast. The program has over 250 dedicated participants
donating their time and energy to collect this valuable monitoring
data. The BC Coastal Waterbird Survey data from 1999/2000 is the first
of many years of monitoring data, and is the template for information
collected in future years to help assure the conservation and
protection of all coastal waterbird species in British Columbia.
—Stephanie
Hazlitt
BC Coastal Waterbird Survey Coordinator
The BC Coastal Waterbird Survey
is a success because of the hard work and tireless efforts of the
volunteers that donate their time and skills to monitoring waterbirds.
We would like to thank all the participants for their dedication!
Dave Aldcroft, David
Allinson, Jean Allen, Gladys Anderson, Jerry Anderson, Steve Baillie,
Donna Baker, Jenny Balke, Alice Bandoni, Bob Bandoni, Gene Barker, Ron
Barre, Geoff Bate, Lonny Bate, Ron Beal, Yur Bekker, Kevin Bell, Monica
Belko, Linda Bernard, Margaret Beswetherick, Jan Bevan, Chris Bibby,
Maija Bismanis, Don Blood, Jim Borrowman, Mary Borrowman, Neil Bourne,
Edna Bowen, Liz Bredberg, John Brighton, Betty Brooks, Doug Brown,
Janice Brown, Bev Bullen, John Butterworth, Lynda Butterworth, Mike
Callahan, Sheila Calvert, Hazel Cannings, Rob Cannings, Steve Cannings,
Douglas Carrick, Lyn Carmichael, Sheila Carrick, Alice Cassidy, Bob
Chappell, Carole Chambers, John Chandler, Trudy Chatwin, Vi Chungranes,
Peter Clarkson, Paul Clemens, Paul Colton, Fred Cooke, John Cooper,
Marian Coope, Bruce Cousens, Joyce Craig, Rela Cripps, Sean Cullen,
Daryl Dancer-Wade, Carol Davies, Steve Diggan, Gabriel David, John Dove,
Michael Dunn, Phil Edgell, Yorke Edwards, Kyle Elliott, Patrick Fawkes,
Chris Ferris, Kerry Finlay, John Fletcher, Dennis Forsyth, John Ford,
Blake Fougere, Dave Fraser, Jeremy Gatten, Bonny Glambeck, Betty
Goodman, Pam Gordon, Barbara Graves, Bob Graves, Jude Grass, Kate Grauer,
Tony Greenfield, Jeff Griffen, Denise Gubersky, Donald Gunn, Lea Haggert,
Jack Hammonds, Peter Hamel, Jack Hansed, Sherri Hannay, Vicki Hansen,
Heather Harbord, Joann Harrison, Keith Harrison, Amanda Heath, Margo
Hearne, Bill Heidrick, Audrey Henry, Nathan Hentze, Bill Heybroek, Kate
Hickok, Jared Hobbs, Doug Hopwood, Frank Hovenden, Roberta Hower, Jean
Hudson, Doug Innes, Marian Innes, John Ireland, Harvey Janszen, Pam
Janszen, Dale Jenson, Daryl Johnson, Paul Jones, Liz Kaarremaa, Keith
Keller, Gail Kenner, Rex Kenner, Ruth Keogh, Dayna Kneeland, Anne
Knowles, Allan Kokorudz, Edward Kooi, Rhonda Korol, Marilyn Lambert,
Monika Lamm, Wendy Lambert, Andrew Lang, Donald Lang, Reina LeBaron,
Charlene Lee, Will Lemmon, Ken Lertzman, Pat Levitt, Dan Lewis, Eric
LoFroth, Gail Loughridge, Bev Lownie, Betty Lunam, Jim Lunam, Jeanette
MacDonald, John MacDonald, Carolyn MacDonald, Bill MacIntyre, Hue
MacKenzie, Jo Anne MacKenzie, John MacKenzie, Lois MacKenzie, May
Mackenzie, Frances Madsen, Diane Maloff, Derrick Marven, Jeanette
Martinolich, Monica Mather, Golo Maurer, Yvonne Maximchuk, Tiiu
McCormick, Margaret McDonnell, Ann McIntosh, Nelson McInnes, Jack
McLeod, Jean McLeod, Anne McNeill, Sandy McRuer, Allan Milligan, John
Mills, Marilyn Miller, Guy Monty, Glen Moores, Judy Moores, Art Morgon,
Mike Morrell, Norma Morton, Yolanda Morbey, Ashton Mullan, Marilyn
Mullan, Heather Neville, John Neville, John Newell, John Nicholson,
Rosemary Nixon, Phyllis Ogis, Marie O'Shaughessy, Carlo Pavan, Jim
Phillips, Chris Pielou, Allen Poynter, Helen Poynter, Bill Proctor,
Gareth Pugh, Carol Quin, Tony Quin, Ilze Raudzins, Wolf Rautenberg, John
Rawsthorne, Sheila Ray, Gloria Read, Keith Riding, Karin Ristau, Geoff
Robins, Mike Roberts, Murray Robertson, Neil Robins, Penny Robertson,
Donald Ross, Rand Rudlund, Harnet Rueggeberg, Ron Satterfield, Brian
Scott, Barbara Sedgwick, Alan Shatwell, Rick Shortinghuise, Ed Silkens,
Bob Simons, George Sirk, Arnold Skie, Brian Slater, Jamie Smith, Joanna
Smith, Jodi Sniders, Daphne Solecki, Joan Sommer, Sheila South, Bernie
Spitmann, Prue Spitmann, Jan Steen, Dave Stirling, Bonnie Stout, Al
Storey, Derek Sutton, Rosemary Talbot, Doreen Tamboline, Bev Temp, Jack
Temp, Peter Thompson, Russ Tkachuk, Rick Toochin, Cathy Tuominen,
Branden Vaness, Hank Vanderpol, Audrey Viken, Sally Wait, Bob Waldon,
Judith Walmsley, Rozi Walmsey, Scott Wallace, Alison Watt, Robin Weber,
Chris Weixelbaumer, Marja deJong Westman, Sue Wheeler, Alice Whiting,
Marilyn Whipps, Michael Whipps, Jim Wisnia, Christine Woolcott, Jean
Woodley, Lynne Woodhead, Julie Wright, Ken Wright, Colin Wykes, Arlene
Yaworsky, Ann Zielinski
