[Tweeters] White-tailed Ptarmigan in WA -- confusion re WDFW claims and statements

[Steve Loitz via Tweeters]

I seek to clear up confusion re WDFW's statements re White-tailed
Ptarmigan, the Mt. Rainier subspecies of which has recently
received enhanced ESA protection, which is a good thing.

WDFW's webpage
<https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/lagopus-leucurus-saxatilis#desc-range>
re
the WTPT re the WTPT seems to make inconsistent claims--  WDFW claims that
"[t]he Washington population may be about 1,000 individuals"

-- but in the immediately preceding paragraph, WDFW states that the species
is "common in areas further north, such as the Pasayten Wilderness."

How can a bird with only 1,000 individuals state-wide be deemed "common" in
a relatively small geographic subset of the state?

Furthermore, the "1,000 individuals" claim is contrary to my experience,
which I acknowledge to be anecdotal, but nonetheless relevant. I've been
mountaineering and birding in the WA Cascades for 40 years, have seen
hundreds of WTPT and, although I do acknowledge the long-term threat of
climate change, I have not noted any material decline in the numbers of
WTPT north of I-90. WTPTs are a common sight in the NCNP on both sides of
SR20, e.g., Pickets, Steattle Ridge, Isolation Traverse, Bacon/Hagan/Blum
area, Ragged Ridge, Mt. Logan massif, and also in the Glacier Peak WA,
Chelan/Sawtooths, Pasayten WA and other areas.

WDFW acknowledges that [t]here has been little work done with [the species
in WA]."

What's going on here? WDFW's claim is not qualified by subspecies and,
AFAIK, the Mt. Rainier subspecies is the only WTPT subspecies in the WA
Cascades.

On what sampling does WDFW rely for the "1,000 individuals" claim? Many,
very possibly most, WTPT reside in areas which see little human traffic
and, based on my considerable experience mountaineering in WA's WTPT
habitat, those areas very likely get virtually zero eBirders.

This is not the first time I've been addled by claimed data which reflects
the very small overlap of birders and deep wilderness travelers, but it's
the most mindboggling.

Steve Loitz
Ellensburg, WA
steveloitz at gmail.com
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