[Tweeters] Caspian tern colonies

[Thomas Good - NOAA Federal]

Tweeters;

I have been gratified at the response to my query about Caspian terns
around Puget Sound by myself (24 May) and Steve Hampton (13 June). Many
folks have responded with their sightings as well as questions about the
status of CATE locally; their status was the impetus for my initial query.

It is clear from reports that CATE can be seen foraging and roosting at
many locations in the Sound, but it appears that their only known nesting
in the Sound in 2023 is occurring on Rat Island just off Marrowstone Island.

In 2022, a large colony was located on the rooftop of a Port of Seattle
building next to the Duwamish Waterway in South Seattle, but the birds
abandoned the site before their eggs hatched. The Port had been aware of a
colony on that rooftop for a handful of years. This building was also the
site of the chick die-off due to the heat dome in June 2021. That warehouse
was torn down in the winter of 2023, so I am interested in knowing where
CATE are nesting in lieu of this warehouse rooftop this summer.

As people have mentioned, they have attempted nesting on Dungeness Spit, on
Smith Island, as well as on a warehouse roof in Everett. They are quite
nomadic, trying past locations as well as new locations when forced to
abandon sites for one reason or another. They do use Kellogg Island for
roosting and foraging around, but they are not nesting there.

I will post updates as I gather more information from here and
other sources.

Tom

-- 
Thomas  P. Good
Research Biologist
NOAA Fisheries - Ecosystem Science Program
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
2725 Montlake Boulevard East
Seattle, WA 98112
206-860-3469
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