Do you have any info on Caspian Terns in the Lower Mainland?

See the below message from a researcher in need of any information that you may have on Caspian Terns in Delta, Vancouver and the whole Lower Mainland of BC.

Hello everyone, 
Our research group, Bird Research Northwest (partnership among Oregon State University, USGS Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Real Time Research), would like to ask for recent information of Caspian terns in Delta and Vancouver, BC area. A large colony of Caspian terns at East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary (near Astoria, Oregon) failed completely last week due to high pressure by predators (bald eagles, peregrine falcons, western/glaucous-winged gulls) and probable low food availability due to high river flow (marine forage fish tends to be less available in the estuary in high river flow years). Our recent survey of the Columbia River estuary and conversations with local birders on the US side of Puget Sound strongly suggest that majority of terns nested at East Sand Island earlier this season have already dispersed to Puget Sound.  We are trying to figure out where those terns are now and if they are attempting to nest (or has established a new breeding colony).

We would very much appreciate any information on Caspian terns in your area (e.g. large congregations, sudden influx, potential nesting activities) in Delta and Vancouver area. Some of those terns have been marked with colored leg bands, so any sighting reports of banded individuals are also appreciated. 

Please email Yasuko Suzuki (yasuko.suzuki@oregonstate.edu) with any relevant information. Thank you very much!


Yasuko Suzuki
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Oregon Cooperative Fish and wildlife Research Unit
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Oregon State University

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