International Brant Monitoring Project
Observation Logs:

2008/2009 Observations

Date Location Observers Count Percent Juveniles Notes
Aug 14 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 200 2
Aug 16 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 1500 3
Aug 21 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 300 4
Aug 26 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 25,000 5
Oct 16 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston 1 n/a 6
Oct 19 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 4 7
Oct 23 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 8
Oct 26 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 83,500 11
Oct 28 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston 12 33 12
Oct 30 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston 15 26 13
Nov 1 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 200 14
Nov 3 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 15
Nov 4 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 16
Nov 4 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge >60,000 17
Nov 5 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 2 20
Nov 5 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston 249 17% 19
Nov 5 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 18
Nov 6 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge >13,780 21
Nov 9 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 200/hour 22
Nov 9 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 23
Nov 9 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 150 24
Nov 12 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 0 na 31
Nov 13 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 74 25
Nov 14 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 300 27
Nov 14 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston 818 9 28
Nov 14 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 100 26
Nov 18 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 5 NA 30
Nov 20 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 12 NA 29
Nov 21 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 130 32
Nov 23 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 175 33
Nov 30 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 80+ 0 38
Dec 1 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 500 34
Dec 2 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 136 36
Dec 4 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 245+ na 35
Dec 5 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 65 na 37
Dec 5 Delta, B.C. Richard Swanston ~1,100 16% 39
Dec 10 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 4000 40
Dec 13 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 110 na 41
Dec 16 Bodega Bay, CA Rod Hug 553 42
Dec 23 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 161 43
Dec 27 Drakes Estero, CA Rod Hug 0 44
Jan 1 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 12906 46
Jan 1 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 400+ 65
Jan 5 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 185-188 45
Jan 8 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 240+ na 47
Jan 9 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 10000 48
Jan 9 OTHER OTHER 23,384 63
Jan 10 OTHER OTHER 0 0 50
Jan 11 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 147+ 12.4% 51
Jan 12 Bodega Bay, CA Rod Hug 750 49
Jan 13 Bodega Bay, CA Rod Hug 850 53
Jan 14 Bodega Bay, CA Rod Hug 575 54
Jan 14 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 262 7 55
Jan 14 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 1500+ 52
Jan 16 Drakes Estero, CA Rod Hug 91 56
Jan 16 San Quintin Bay, Baja Cal. SANQUIBRANTA 4000 n/a 67
Jan 18 San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur GELSI 150 n/a 61
Jan 18 San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur GELSI 250 n/a 62
Jan 20 Drakes Estero, CA Rod Hug 36 57
Jan 20 Padilla Bay Reserve staff 58+ 59
Jan 21 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 0 60
Jan 22 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 185 58
Jan 25 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 400+ 66
Jan 28 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 175+ 64
Jan 31 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists X 72
Feb 1 OTHER OTHER 60 n/a 68
Feb 2 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 21482 74
Feb 4 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 185-191 71
Feb 6 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 13 69
Feb 8 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 300+ na 70
Feb 8 Tomales Bay, CA Rod Hug 1343 126
Feb 11 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 171 73
Feb 13 Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Guerro Negro Lagoon, Baja California Reserve Students/ Pro Esteros 534 n/a 127
Feb 18 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 250 75
Feb 20 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 172-180 76
Feb 20 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 40 na 80
Feb 26 OTHER OTHER 11 n/a 77
Feb 27 Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Guerro Negro Lagoon, Baja California Reserve Students/ Pro Esteros 238 n/a 128
Mar 4 San Quintin Bay, Baja Cal. SANQUIBRANTA 150 n/a 79
Mar 5 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 1070+ 78
Mar 6 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 140-179 83
Mar 6 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 80 na 81
Mar 6 Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Guerro Negro Lagoon, Baja California Reserve Students/ Pro Esteros 309 n/a 129
Mar 11 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 15000 82
Mar 13 Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Guerro Negro Lagoon, Baja California Reserve Students/ Pro Esteros 373 n/a 130
Mar 13 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 494 na 84
Mar 13 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 168 85
Mar 17 Parksville-Qualicum, Canada Guy Monty 2,500 >10% 86
Mar 20 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 195 87
Mar 25 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 83 88
Apr 1 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 0 92
Apr 2 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 247 na 89
Apr 3 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 216 90
Apr 6 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 242 94
Apr 7 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 433 na 91
Apr 7 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 10,000+ 93
Apr 8 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 300 unk 95
Apr 9 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 40 unk 96
Apr 14 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge 100 unk 97
Apr 17 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 195-222 99
Apr 19 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge >25,000 98
Apr 21 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 500 na 102
Apr 22 Padilla Bay, WA Conway School 10 0 104
Apr 22 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 1000 + na 103
Apr 22 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 433/hr 101
Apr 23 Izembek Lagoon, AK Izembek National Wildlife Refuge >5000 122
Apr 25 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 500-600 100
Apr 28 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 500 na 105
Apr 30 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, AK Chris Nicolai 5 106
May 1 San Quintin Bay, Baja Cal. SANQUIBRANTA 14 n/a 108
May 2 San Quintin Bay, Baja Cal. SANQUIBRANTA 31 n/a 109
May 3 San Quintin Bay, Baja Cal. SANQUIBRANTA 63 n/a 110
May 4 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 3000 107
May 12 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 250 na 111
May 14 OTHER OTHER 1 n/a 112
May 21 Coos Bay, OR South Slough NERR 35 113
May 21 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, AK Chris Nicolai 1000's 116
May 21 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 600 114
May 21 Oak Bay, Port Hadlock WA Diane Muholland 170+ na 115
May 22 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 175 117
May 28 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 0 118
May 28 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 9 119
May 29 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 5-45 120
Jun 1 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 100 121
Jun 6 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, AK Chris Nicolai hundreds 0 123
Jun 14 Yaquina Bay, OR Yaquina Birders & Naturalists 16-19 124
Jun 16 Humboldt Bay, CA Steve Rosenberg 0 125
Jun 20 OTHER OTHER 2 n/a 131


Notes:

2 First brant of the season observed on the gritting bars in Kinzarof Lagoon.

3 Observed near Grant Point in Izembek Lagoon

4 Observed in central Izembek Lagoon by Jim Smith from Grant Point

5 A major influx of brant occurred at Izembek Lagoon on August 26. I visited Grant Point at 9:00 p.m. (high tide) and estimated about 25,000 brant were in the area. Large flocks were resting on the water near Glen Island and Cape Glazenap as well as foraging in the usual areas around Grant Point. New flocks were also coming into the area from Applegate Cove at this time.

August 26 was also the date that the first observations of emperor geese were reported for the season.

Kristine Sowl

6 Oct.16th Boundary Bay Regional Park, Tsawwassen, Canada. In the pouring rain in the late afternoon I saw at least 1 brant in the crowd of Canada geese with thousands of widgeon and other waterfowl and with one snow goose.
During the summer one brant was seen by other observers in the Point Roberts area. However, I never saw this bird. We have had a succession of early winter storms in this area. It could be that the first brant is early this year.

Yours, Richard Swanston, Delta B.C.

7 south humboldt bay

8 John Arkley reported seeing approximately 2000 brant swirling up to high altitudes over Izembek Lagoon in the area north of Pintail Lake but south of Blaine Point in the early afternoon. He also said the Cackling Geese were acting very restless. Northwest winds were blowing at this time.

During the evening, I went out to Outer Marker to look for signs of migratory restlessness in the goose flocks. There were >50,000 brant spread out on Izembek Lagoon between Round Island and Blaine Point, but none of these birds spiraled up to altitude to test the winds. The winds were more westerly during the evening. Later, however, I saw a flock of 300 Cackling Geese, in V-formations, flying south over Cold Bay. October has been cold and we had 1 1/2 of snow during the night of October 23-24, so it is possible that some brant have headed south.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek National Wildife Refuge

11 I visited several view points of Izembek Lagoon to evaluate the brant numbers. I estimated that there were >30,000 brant in Applegate Cove, >50,000 brant between Round Island and Blaine Point, and about 3500 brant near Grant Point. The birds had bunched up in huge flocks and had moved away from nearshore areas, but I didn't see any flying up to altitude to test the winds. I predict that brant will leave on the next set of northwest winds. We have northwest winds forecast for Wednesday night, so check for brant arrivals Friday or Saturday.

12 On Oct 28, 2008 Richard Swanston looked for brant at 08:50 Boundary Bay Regional Park Tsawwassen from 08:50 to 10:09. This site is located at the end of 12th Street in Delta B.C., Canada. There was an east wind at 5 Knots, Clear Tide at 11.4 Feet and Falling.
All 12 brant were observed for race. Two gray-bellied adults were observed. All were observed for bands but none were seen. Five different times birds were chased off the beach by dogs allowed to run without a leash.


13 viewed from two spots at boundary bay park in Tsawwassen two groups of 6 and one of 3

14 right with the frontal passage of our first major storm,and exactly on time for the vanguaurd wave. these birds were tired and had to buck a big soeaster for the last part of the journey

15 Here is the brant migration update for Izembek Lagoon:

November 1 – The cackling geese were very restless today. One flock of several hundred geese were observed flying south of Cold Bay at 1:00 p.m. Approximately 2000 cackling geese were observed flying south over Cold Bay at 6:00 p.m. The brant did not show any signs of restlessness. Winds were mostly westerly at 10-20 mph.

November 2 – I estimated 12,700 brant were in the Grant Point area of Izembek Lagoon at 16:45. The cackling geese continued to be restless, but the brant did not show any signs of restlessness. Winds were mostly westerly at 10-20 mph.

November 3 – I estimated that approximately 90,000 brant were visible from the end of the Outer Marker Road (between Tern Island and Blaine Point) this morning. It looks like most of the brant are still here at Izembek Lagoon
However, more cackling geese are headed south. Jim Smith reported seeing 5000-7000 geese fly south over Cold Bay between 11:00 and 12:00. The geese were in flocks of 40-300 birds. Winds are from the northwest at 10-20 mph.

Winds are forecast to be from the northwest through Thursday, but mostly less than 20 mph. It is possible that some brant may take off with these winds, but so far they are not showing many signs of restlessness.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

16 Brant migration is in progress.
Last night between 6:53 and 7:05 p.m., I counted 12 flocks of brant flying over the town of Cold Bay and headed south. Lighting was dim but most flocks appeared to be 100-200 birds. They were calling as they flew so were easy to distinguish from the cackling geese flocks that had been departing all day. In the morning twilight today, additional flocks of brant were flying south between 7:55 and 8:05 a.m. Once it is light, I will head out to Izembek Lagoon and see if I can assess how many brant are still here.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek NWR

17 Latest brant update:

I took a spotting scope out to Izembek Lagoon during late morning to inspect all areas visible from the road system. Tide was just past low so many eelgrass beds were exposed. Winds were NNW at about 12 mph.

I scanned Applegate Cove from the viewpoint above Bluebill Lake. I could not see any large flocks on the eelgrass, but did see several flocks of geese flying around in circles over the lagoon. I thought they were brant rather than cackling geese from the way they were flying. They were showing definite signs of migratory restlessness.

Next stop was Grant Point. I could see a flock of about 2000 brant foraging on eelgrass northwest of the point. I could not see any brant as I looked towards Applegate Cove, so there were fewer brant in this area than I would have expected at low tide. As I passed, Izembek Slough, I could see a mixed flock of cackling geese and brant, at least 1500 birds, sitting off of Quarter Point. Again, fewer birds than I would have expected in this area.

Final stop was Outer Marker. All of the brant were concentrated between Round Island and Blaine Point. I did not see any brant looking towards Halfway Point. I estimated about 57,000 brant. So, it looks like at least half of the population is still at Izembek Lagoon and most likely more than that since I cannot see all areas. However, I had the impression that fewer brant were present in these areas than what I observed during the weekend.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek Lagoon


20 On Nov. 5, Phil Pickering reported the first Brant (2) in Lincoln County, Oregon. He saw them during a 6:45-9:30 AM seawatch at Boiler Bay, which is about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay.
They may have arrived earlier. Janet Lamberson unsuccessfully looked on Oct. 31 and Nov. 3 at Idaho Flats, which is just east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center and one of the embayment areas used by Brant at Yaquina Bay. There were no observations on Nov. 1-2. On Nov. 4, Phil did a 6:45-10 AM seawatch at Boiler Bay and did not see any, though he saw 30,000+ Surf Scoters and 2,000+ White-winged Scoters go by. I looked at Idaho Flats the afternoon of Nov. 4, and Roy Lowe of the USFWS looked on Nov. 5, but we did not see any. However, visibility conditions were poor the afternoon of Nov. 4.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon.


19 Nov. 5th 2008. I Arrived at 08:20 A.M. At Boundary Bay Regional Park Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Canada. Off the dike at 12th and Beach Grove Road. Wind was SSE at 10 to 14 Knots and the sky was clear. Many brant were just off the dike while the tide was rapidly rising. Counted 249 brant. Of those 44 were juveniles (18%).
At 08:30 something disturbed all the waterfowl and all brant depart.
At 08:42 a group of 18 to 20 brant fly by. At least two of these birds were grey belly brant.
By 09:29, 119 brant have returned, of which 19 were juveniles (16%)
Some brant come out of the water and these bands were read:
Right leg, black band, white codes 5A9 (read from the bottom up)
Left leg, blue band, white codes 8H3
Left leg, blue band, white codes -60
A mated pair with white codes on the right leg /S6 and /R2

/S6 and Mate are very familiar. I believe they are brant that spend the winter here in Boundary Bay. 8H3 might also be but I’m not sure. So since the first brant were seen Oct. 18 and the first grey bellied brant were seen Oct. 28th, I can safely say our winter brant have arrived.

Richard Swanston


18 Latest brant update:

During early morning of November 5, winds were from the NNW at 20-30 mph and there were intermittent snow showers. I thought I heard a flock of brant flying overhead as I walked to work at 8:00 a.m., but couldn't be sure due to the gusty winds.

Jim Smith from the National Weather Service reported seeing two waves of brant arise from Applegate Cove and head south at about 10:00 a.m. He estimated that these flocks included 4000-5000 brant. The winds were NW at about 13 mph at this time.

Lucretia Fairchild saw a flock of about 50 cackling geese fly over the office at 9:45 a.m. I saw a flock of about 100 cackling geese flying south over town at 13:30.

I made a brief visit to Outer Marker at 10:20 a.m. and estimated that 37,800 brant were visible. It was noticeable that there were fewer brant in the area. There was a thin film of ice on shallow areas of the lagoon and we probably had 1/2 inch snow accumulation.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek NWR


21 It looks like winter has arrived. We had several inches of snow accumulation yesterday and another evening of record low temperatures. Ice has formed on most of the freshwater lakes, including some of the large lakes and there is some ice formation in Izembek Lagoon. Steller's eiders had moved into the Grant Point area, which is a typical winter distribution rather than a fall distribution.

Another brant flock was heard passing overhead last night at twilight (about 7 p.m.) on November 5.

I went out to check on the state of the brant at Izembek Lagoon during the evening of November 6. I saw about 3780 brant at Grant Point and 10,000 brant near Round Island. I heard additional brant southwest of the Outer Marker peninsula but could not see them due to some fog formation. It looks like the majority of brant and cackling geese have left.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek NWR

22 On Nov. 9, Phil Pickering conducted a 6:45-11:45 AM seawatch at Boiler Bay State Park, about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay. He saw 800 Brant in many small flocks flying south. This is a rate of 200/hour.

At 4:30-4:40 PM on Nov. 9, I counted 22 Brant at Yaquina Bay, the first reported there this fall. They were in the channel near Sally’s Bend, east of Newport’s Liquefied Natural Gas Tank. I looked at all the Yaquina Bay embayments on Nov. 7 and saw no Brant. I also looked at Idaho Flats at 3 PM on Nov. 8 and saw no Brant, but if they were distant like they were today, I could have missed them. In my Nov. 5 posting, I should have said that I looked at Idaho Flats the afternoon of Nov. 5 [not 4], and Roy Lowe of the USFWS looked on Nov. 6 [not 5], but we did not see any.

The 800 Brant passing Boiler Bay in the morning is more than the 22 at Yaquina Bay in the afternoon and much more than the number of Brant found at Yaquina Bay in over a decade. Since Yaquina Bay is the southernmost of the three Bays in Oregon where Brant overwinter (the others are Tillamook and Netarts Bays), it appears that many Brant are migrating south past Boiler Bay en route to California.

Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon


23 It turns out that all the geese had not yet left Izembek Lagoon.

John Maxwell from the Flight Service Station reported that flocks of cackling geese were flying south over Cold Bay throughout the day during breaks between snow showers. He estimated that 2000-3000 geese passed overhead. Winds were from the NW at about 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Most of the activity occurred during the morning (starting at 10:00 a.m.) and late afternoon with little activity in the middle of the day. Flocks ranged from 50 to 200 birds.

Jim Smith reported that he heard a large number of brant passing over Cold Bay at about 7:00 p.m. It was dark, so he could not estimate the number of birds. Winds were from the NW at about 20 mph.

So check for more brant coming south.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek NWR

24 very poor influx this year. suspect most passed on by. this is what ive seen since the 200 on nov 1. some are probably the same birds, as they get chased to the ocean by pres.sure with some coming back in and others leaving for points south. nov 2-50 nov 3-0 nov 4-100 nov 5-50 nov 6-0 nov 7-20 nov 8-75 nov 9-150 nov 10-40 nov 11-15 nov12- 0 nov 13 unknown due to fog.

31
Students from Conway School went looking for brant on 11/12/2008 at Padilla Bay (near Anacortes Washington). We went to four differant sites, two on the north and two on the south sides of the bay. There were thousands of migrating waterfowl (i.e.; Canada geese, common loons, common merganser) however we did not see any brant geese. On our way back to Conway we did see a eagle hunt and kill a snow goose.

25 I previously posted on Nov. 9 that Phil Pickering had recorded 800 Brant passing Boiler Bay during his 6:45-11:45 AM seawatch--I mistakenly calculated this as a rate of 200/hr. It should have been 160/hr.

At Boiler Bay since then, Phil did a 6:45-8:15 AM seawatch on Nov. 10 and found 1 Brant, a 7-8 AM seawatch on Nov. 12 and saw 0 Brant, and a 6:45-9 AM seawatch on Nov. 13 and counted 2 Brant.

On Nov. 10 at Yaquina Bay, Janet Lamberson counted 30 Brant at Idaho Flats in the morning, and I found 30 there in the late afternoon; I did not find any Brant elsewhere at Yaquina Bay embayments or west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

On Nov. 13, Janet discovered 74 Brant at Idaho Flats.

Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon.

27 augmentation of earlier observation. it is now 445pm and 300 brant are in south bay in one big flock, in a large eelgrass swale. maybe they were wiating for the fog to clear as it has been pea soup for 2.5 days and low vis for several days prior.

28 Wind out of the east at 8 Knots. Sky overcast. Tide approximately 12.2 feet and falling. Richard Swanston observed brant in Boundary Bay in Delta B.C., Canada from 10:11 to 12:30.

He was excited to see an old friend with a yellow band 8H1 and her mate –AA. This brant had a radio transmitter surgically implanted years ago in Alaska. She and her mate have spent the winter in Boundary Bay for YEARS. Chris Nicolai was kind enough to share some information on this pair: 8H1 was banded as a gosling in 1991. Her mate, -AA was banded in 1999, both in Alaska. In spite of having been handled and having surgery and having an external antenna for years, she has persevered. Sometimes Richard was concerned that she looked unhealthy or stressed. Sometimes he saw her mate without any sign of her. But they seemed to have retained their pair bond. Every year these two have showed up at some time in Boundary Bay or the general area.

At one time Richard counted 265 brant of which 21 were juvenile and later he counted 283 brant of which 28 were juvenile (9%). Of the group of 283, all were black brant, no grey bellies. At 10:30 he counted a total of 818 brant in the northwest part of the bay.

Richard was also able to read these bands:
Aqua band on the right leg with black codes NL8 and V4Y
Right leg, black band, white codes RSA and UNS
Left leg, green band, white codes ZGZ
Yellow banded pair 8H1 and –AA



26 south humboldt bay.one flock had about 75 birds. wonder if they were the ones at yaquina yesterday.weather finally cleared about noon so i could see.

30 Yesterday morning about 8am, calm, sunny, I observed 5 Brant fly over Oak Bay. I have read there are about 14 Brant at Ft.Flagler, the northern tip of Marrowstone Island. The 5 I observed are the first of season for Oak Bay.

29 We saw about 12 Black Brants flying at Camp Kirby. They were the first Black Brants seen this year. High wind and choppy waves.

32 Brant numbers have been slowly increasing at Yaquina Bay embayments. Janet Lamberson counted 84 on Nov. 14, 120 on Nov. 17, and 130 Nov. 21.

Few Brant seem to be moving now along the coastline. Phil Pickering saw no Brant during his 7-9:15 AM seawatch on Nov. 17, 16 Brant during his 7-11 AM seawatch on Nov. 18, and no Brant on his Nov. 19 (7-8:45 AM), Nov. 20 (7:15-8 AM), and Nov. 21 (7-8:15 AM) seawatches at Boiler Bay, which is about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay.

33 a migration occurred this weekend but hunting pressure intimidated the birds both days and they soon fled to the ocean

38 On Nov. 30, Wayne Hoffman saw about 130 Brant at Idaho Flats, Yaquina Bay. Wayne noted that it was not possible to age about 50 of them because they were silhouetted against the sun. But he was able to age 80, and all of them appeared to be adults. He notes that this suggests a complete breeding failure--is this the case?


34 within 18 hours of the seasons close, coupled with rough seas keeping the sports crab fleet beached, the absence of holiday kayaks jet skis brant goose and duck hunters airplanes and you name it 500 brant are at rest in so bay

36 Brant numbers at Yaquina Bay seem to have reached a plateau. On Nov. 21, Janet Lamberson counted 130. On Dec. 2, Janet Lamberson and Pete Lawson independently counted 134 and 139 Brant, respectively, at Idaho Flats, the embayment east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center.
(Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon).


35 brant were mixed in with a large rafted of pintail ducks on the south side of Padilla bay on the west side of the Snohomish channel. the group thought that the few gray belles we say were cooler looking.

37 There were 65 Brant in Oak Bay at 2pm today. This is the first large group of Brant to arrive this season. The day was cloudy, calm, temp about 56.

39 Dec. 05, 2008. Richard Swanston observed brant geese from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and again from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Boundary Bay, in Tsawwassen near Delta B..C. Canada. Conditions were good with a SE wind at 8 to 10 knots though later in the afternoon the wind dropped off. At first about 250 brant were seen close to shore.

The first brant to come to shore were a family of gray-bellies with 4 juveniles. More brant kept flying in and coming to shore until at about 9:15 Richard estimated about 1,100 brant.
He was able to closely observe 220 brant and identify 37 as juveniles (17%). Many looked like gray-bellies with large numbers of juveniles. He could hear shots from hunters on the north side of the bay.

Sometimes the brant all took flight when an eagle flew over or pedestrians walked by on the dike-top trail or beach.

Of another 289 brant observed, 47 were juveniles (16%).
Later, of 141 brant, 15 were juvenile (11%)
Of 126 brant, 13 were gray-bellies and 9 of these gray bellies were juvenile (69%)

Richard was able to read these leg bands:
Black band with white codes TEG
White band with blue codes Z1S
Yellow band with black codes 64N paired with TEG
Red band with white codes LOK (or KOL, it may be upside down)
Black band with white codes 9YS
Black band with white codes A7/

He also again saw a brant with a GPS tracker mounted on it’s back. This bird kept to itself and spent a lot of time preening. And he saw this common behavior of three brant lifting up and chasing each other around the area in flight.


40 a huge mass of brant gathered on the sand point at the north end of south bay at half tide today. their sound was music to my ears. i saw several flocks come in from the ocean while duck hunting this am and some appeared to be coming from the south.

41 Over the past 5 days appx 112 Brant have arrived in Oak Bay.

42 This observation was on 12/16/08 but I did not have an opportunity to record it earlier. There was little wind and a high tide.

43 On Dec. 23, I counted 161 Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments. This is up from the 141 I counted on Dec. 8. This small increase could be from Brant still migrating south along the coastline.

For example, Phil Pickering did 1-2 hour, morning seawatches at Boiler Bay, which is along the coast about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay on Dec. 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 21. He only saw Brant during his Dec. 18 seawatch--3 flying south.

Happy Holidays!
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists



44 There were no brant in Drakes Estero today. On any given winter day in the 1950s I used to see 3000 to 4000 brant in Drakes Estero.

46 We conducted the Izembek Christmas Bird Count on January 1st. We observed 12,800 brant in Kinzarof Lagoon on the north side of Cold Bay. One flock of 800 was standing on the tidal flats in the west end of the lagoon, while a flock of 12,000 brant was swirling around over the central part of the lagoon. This flock was probably spooked by a bald eagle as they concentrate on waterbirds as a winter food resource. Additionally, approximately 100 brant were observed near Grant Point in Izembek Lagoon and a flock of 6 were observed flying over Outer Marker. Izembek Lagoon had considerable ice cover (>60% in the central portion of the lagoon), so many of the brant had moved over to Kinzarof Lagoon, which is on the Pacific side of the Alaska Peninsula.

65 we were at the camp Kirby spite when we hard something that sounded like a cross between barking dogs and Canada geese. As we look around we say a large flock of brant feeding just off store they were beautiful. Then we notes bird on shore up the beach from us there were six brants on shore with a bunch of gull.

45 During the Jan. 3 Yaquina Bay Christmas Bird Count, Bob Olson and Cindy Lippincott counted 185 Brant at Yaquina Bay. On Jan. 5, Janet Lamberson counted 188 Brant at Idaho Flats, the mudflats east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center. So Brant numbers have continued to slowly increase since 161 were counted at Yaquina Bay on Dec. 23.

47 An unusually low count for the first week in January. Usually the count is between 350-400. This is the lowest December and January count in 9 years of personal records.

48 south humboldt bay is loaded with brant and ducks-the sounds of brant are everywhere, and they are everywhere in the bay. at times 3000 or so will be in the air at once, as dense as sandpipers.the widgeon population is higher than ive seen in years, and i have been seeing several european widgeon on each of my recent outings. the tundra swan population is down here,but i saw 10 wednesday along with a peregrine falcon.

63 This report submitted by Glen Alexander with information from Jennifer Bohannon, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife survey brant by fixed-wing aircraft (Cessna 185 or 172). We cover 
the bays from Fidalgo Bay (near Anacortes, WA) to Drayton Harbor (near Blaine, WA). The January hunting season is opened or closed depending on the survey conducted Jan. 9th. The numbers 
in early December were low (see below), which wasn't too surprising given how 
mild the weather had been to that point. The January numbers were quite high so hunting brant was allowed for seven days in late January. One surprise was the relatively high number of brant 
using Lummi Bay during both the December and January counts. I don't believe 
there are any other survey flights scheduled for brant this winter.
We checked and sampled 201 harvested brant for avian influenza over the 7-day 
hunting season, but that is not a complete harvest count. We noticed relatively high 
numbers of juvenile brant in the harvested birds (at least 50%). Juveniles 
are more susceptible to harvest, so the actual ratio of juveniles to adults 
would be a bit lower, but still likely a good ratio. We haven't done any age 
composition counts this year.
Aerial Brant Survey 12/09/08
Fidalgo Bay 0

Padilla Bay (S) 1,145

Padilla Bay (N) 320

Samish Bay 1,600

Brant Pt. 21 

Lummi Bay 3,222

Birch Bay 310 

Blaine Harbor 0

Drayton Harbor 0
December Grand Total: 6,618 Birds

Aerial Brant Survey 01/09/09
Fidalgo: 30

Padilla: 2,860 

Samish: 12,925 

Samish (N): 412

Brant Point: 310

Lummi: 6,035

Birch Bay: 415

Blaine Harbor: 10

Drayton Harbor: 387
January Grand total: 23,384 Birds


50 Spanish (English below): Visité el estero de Punta Banda en busca de brantas. No siempre se ven en esta zona, pero en algunos años me ha tocado verlas en el extremo norte del sendero interpretativo del lugar, generalmente al final de la temporada, cuando van regresando al norte. De cualquier modo quise visitar el sitio. No encontré ninguna. El día estaba cálido y soleado. Me acompañó el fotografo Enrique Fuentes, quien está preparando una exposición fotográfica para el 2 de febrero, Día Mundial de los Humedales. Para él, el día era perfecto por la intensidad de luz natural.
Solo observamos avocetas, gaviotas, pelícanos, cormoranes, garzas (morena, nívea y azul) y un halcón, al parecer del llamado “marismero” (Circus cyaneus).
Espero esta semana poder visitar la bahía de San Quintín llevando la Caja Branta y hacer un monitoreo en el Panteón Inglés.
Iván Manríquez, Pro Esteros
English: I made a field trip to Punta Banda Estuary looking for Brant. You can’t always find Brant there, but some seasons I had seen them on the north side of the nature trail, basically at the end of the season but I went last Saturday anyway. There was no Brant.
The day was sunny and warm. The photographer Enrique Fuentes was with me, he’s taking pictures for an exhibit on the World Wetland Day. For him, the day was perfect, because of the bright light.
We saw Avocet, Gulls, Pelicans, Cormorants, Herons, Egretts and what seems to be a Northern Harrier.
I hope to travel to San Quintín Bay this week. I will take the Brant Care Package with me, and go to the English Cemetery, a good place to see Brant.
Iván Manríquez, Pro Esteros

51 On Jan. 11, Wayne Hoffman looked at Brant on Idaho Flats from the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail. He counted 105 adults, 13 young of the year, and an additional 29 birds too far away to age. He notes that this indicates "a very poor nesting season in 2008, at least for the Brant that come to Yaquina Bay. The total, 147, is about 35 less than recent counts in Yaquina Bay, so I suspect the remainder were up in Sally's Bend."

On Jan. 9, Range Bayer found 165+ Brant that were split between Idaho Flats, Sally's Bend, and the mudflats south of Sally's Bend.


49

53

54 850 Brant were in Bodega Bay late in the day on Jan 13. The next morning, Jan 14, I counted 575 Brant. Apparently some left during the night. On Jan 14, about ½ hour after sun rise, about 300 Brant appeared in the sky south of Bodega Bay. These birds landed in the ocean off Bodega Bay after milling around the area for about 20 minutes. Two hours later they got up and flew in over Bodega. Then after milling around at high latitude for about 15 minutes, signaling they were not familiar with Bodega, they finally landed in the bay.

Later in the morning on Jan 14 I watched a small flock of hauled out Brant 200 yards distant feeding on eel grass that was being washed onto shore by an east wind. Four of these birds were banded, but I could not read these small bands at that distance with the scope.


55 Date: Wednesday Jan 14
Place: Oak Bay, Port Hadlock, WE

Close observation of 262 Brant yielded 18 juvs in the flock.

52 A conway school group says a waterfowl raft with Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, Mallards and brants. An adult and immature Bald Eagle were hunting the raft of waterfowl. We say four gray bellies Brant in the flock.

56 Counted 69 White Pelicans and 251 Harbor Seals. The Estero was glassy calm, and I think I counted every Brant there. As I have said before, Drakes Estero hosted up to 4000 Brant during the 1950's. So what has changed? In past years only about 100 Brant regularly winter in Drakes Estero.

A comparison of Drakes Estero with Bodega Bay and Tomales Bay suggests far more brant should be in Drakes Estero, which is the way it was in the 1950s. Drakes has more extensive and luxuriant eel grass beds. In fact, the Estero habitat has not visibly changed from what it was in the 1950s. Drakes Estero is remote and unspoiled. There are no disturbances, development or boating activity in Drakes Estero like there are in Bodega Bay and Tomales Bay. Yet Bodega Bay hosts 600 to 800 Brant and Tomales hosts about 1500. Any ideas?

67 Spanish (English below): El 16 y 17 de enero, el fotógrafo Enrique Fuentes visitó la bahía de San Quintín. El punto de observacion fue hacia la parte más interior de bahía Falsa, frente un cultivo de ostión muy cercano a la zona del estero. Por las mañanas en bajamar las brantas estuvieron muy activas alimentándose de los pastos marinos en los bajos de la bahía.
English: On January 16 and 17, photographer Enrique Fuentes visit the San Quintín Bay. The observation site was inside Bahía Falsa (False Bay), behind a oyster farm, very close to the estuary. On the morning during low tide, the Brant were very reckless, feeding on eelgrass on the bay.

61 Spanish (English below): Laura Martínez Ríos (directora de Pro Esteros) y yo visitamos la laguna de San Ignacio, donde tuvimos la oportunidad de hacer un avistamiento en la zona de El Cardón. Llegamos al lugar alrededor de las 8:00 a.m. y miramos a cinco brantas alimentándose en la orilla. Cuidadosamente nos acercamos para tomar fotos y cuando Laura se adelantó, logró colocarse a tan solo unos seis metros de ellas. Tomó varias fotos y un video corto. Una de las brantas tenía dos anillos: en la pata derecha uno amarillo con las letras “TSR” en color negro y en la pata izquierda uno de metal, del cual no alcanzamos a ver la inscripción.
Mientras ella las fotografiaba, hice un conteo rápido en la zona y encontré un grupo de 10 brantas al norte, 15 en la zona más cercana al mangle y aproximadamente 120 un poco más lejos, al sur de donde estábamos.
Además observamos las siguientes especies de aves: Garza morena, garza blanca, cormorán, pelícano, gaviota, zapapico y gallito marino.

English: Laura Martínez-Ríos (Pro Esteros director) and I went to the San Ignacio lagoon, where we had the opportunity to do a survey in “El Cardón” Camp. We arrive around 8:00 a.m. and we saw five Brant being fed in the shore. Carefully we approach to take pictures and when Laura got closer, she managed to sit about six meters from them. She took several pictures and a short video. One of the Brant had two rings: on the right leg a yellow one with the letters "TSR" in black. On the left leg a metal ring (we couldn’t see any numbers or letters). While she photographed them, I did a fast count in the area and found a group of 10 Brant on the north side, 15 close to the mangrove and approximately 120 to the south side. We observe the following species of birds: Great blue heron, White heron, Cormorant, Pelican, Seagull, White ibis, Long-billed curlew, and Caspian tern.


62 Spanish (English below): Cuando salíamos de la laguna de San Ignacio, Laura Martínez Ríos (directora de Pro Esteros) y yo nos detuvimos en Campo Pachico a saludar a “los Mayoral”. Mientras Laura platicaba con Ranulfo, conté un total aproximado de 250 brantas un poco lejos de donde estábamos. Había también pelícanos, gaviotas, un “ostrero” (Haematopus palliatus) y una aura.

English: When were leaving San Ignacio lagoon, Laura Martínez-Ríos (Pro Esteros director) and I stopped in “Campo Pachico” to say goodbye to the "Mayoral" family. While Laura talked with Ranulfo Mayoral, I counted about 250 Brant, a little far from where we were standing. There were also Pelicans, Seagulls, American oystercatcher, and a Turkey vulture.


57 It was another beautiful day (no wind and plenty of warm sun). Also sighted 68 White Pelicans, one Cotton Tail Rabbit, and one Bob Cat.

59 we watched the brant hunters in our bay put out decoys and try to call the brant in. The brant seem to know that they need to stay away they stayed just out of gun range all day it was hilarious to watch.

60 we tried to observe brant but the bay was interlay fog in so we could not see. however on our way back to Conway School we say a huge flock of snow geese on a refuge with hunters across the road shooting birds that flow over. This was interesting in that bird watchers and hunter seem to have converged at the same spot.


58 I counted 185 Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments this afternoon, which is about the same as the 185-188 Brant reported on Jan. 3 & 5. They were all at the Sally's Bend embayment. A boat was moored very near where the Brant often have been this winter at low tides below Mean Low Water.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

66 We were at the Camp Kirby spit when we hard something that sounded like a cross between barking dogs and Canada geese. As we looked around we say a large flock of brant feeding just off shore. They were beautiful. Then we noticed birds on shore up the beach from us. There were six brant on shore with a bunch of gulls.

64 The afternoon of Jan. 28, Janet Lamberson counted about 175 Brant lounging in the Idaho Flats mudflats off the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail. While she was counting, "a dozen or so flew by in the distance." So numbers are similar to the 185-188 counted on Jan. 3, 5, & 22.

72 Brant at Yaquina Bay winter east of the Yaquina Bay Bridge at embayments. In 2008, they were first recorded west of the Bridge at a rock shelf
on the north side of the channel on March 4, although they may have been present earlier and not observed.

This year, Wayne Hoffman writes: "Eelgrass is the preferred winter food of Brant, but they also eat the green alga Ulva or 'sea lettuce.'
They have been going to the rock ledge west of the bridge and feeding, apparently on Ulva, for decades. I know I saw them in that
area in the 1960s. I think the seasonality has more to do with seasonal growth of the Ulva than with the birds' restlessness. This
year I saw them in that area on 31 January, which is earlier than usual, but I suspect all that sun we had in January spurred algal growth."

Wayne's point is well taken. It seems reasonable that Brant would prefer fresh Ulva growth over old eelgrass plants. Unfortunately, I
do not know of anyone monitoring Ulva growth at the rock ledge to see if there was a spurt of growth this January. In skimming through and
comparing solar radiation (scroll down http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/weather/summaries/index.html) and water temperature data (see bottom of
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/data_menu.shtml?stn=9435380%20South%20Beach,%20OR&type=Meteorological+Observations) at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center at Yaquina Bay between January 2008 and January 2009, it appears that solar radiation was greater and water temperatures warmer at times this year. Perhaps these led to increased Ulva growth, but a more comprehensive analysis that also considers growth factors in Ulva is needed.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists.

68 Spanish: Iván Manríquez (Coordinador del Programa Branta en México) y el biólogo Enrique Zamora fuimos al estero de Punta Banda en Ensenada, Baja Californioa. Miramos 60 brantas en la parte media del estero, justo frente al sendero interpretativo de la naturaleza que hay en el lugar. Estaban muy lejos y no distinguimos juveniles. El día estaba perfecto: soleado, sin viento y templado. Estábamos muy emocionados de ver brantas, porque no todos los años las podemos ver aquí. Creemos que van hacia al sur, por lo que es probable que no las encontremos el próximo domingo, cuando tenemos planeado hacer otra visita al lugar.
English: Iván Manríquez (Brant Project Coodrinator in México) and Biologist Enrique Zamora, went to Punta Banda Estuary, Ensenada, México. We saw 60 brant in the middle of the estuary, just in front of the "Nature Viewing" trail. They were so far, and we could not made a juvenile identification. The day was great: sunny, no breeze, and warm. We where so excited to see Brant there, because they are not in this estuary all the years. We think they are going south, so maybe they won't be there next sunday, when we are planning to made another field trip.

74 The official winter brant survey was conducted at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge by a team of observers from Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage. A total of 21,482 brant were observed. Since Izembek Lagoon was almost entirely ice-covered, brant were concentrated in the lagoons and estuaries on the Pacific side of the Alaska Peninsula.

71 Brant regularly overwinter at Yaquina Bay, but they do so only east of the Yaquina Bay Bridge at the embayments where there are large quantities of native eelgrass (Zostera marina).
A sign of Spring restlessness or possible migration is when they show up west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, usually at the rock shelf at the northwest side of the Bridge. Last year, they were first recorded there on March 4, though they may have been there earlier.
This year, Janet Lamberson first saw Brant on the rock shelf at the northwest side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge at lunchtime of Feb. 3. They were too distant from her location to count.
During the early evening of Feb. 4, Laimons Osis estimated at least 164 Brant west of the Bridge. Matt Hunter independently also saw Brant west of the Bridge on Feb. 4.
The afternoon of Feb. 6, I had counts of 185 and of 191 Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments, but it was frustrating to count them because Bald Eagles kept flushing them. First a subadult eagle disturbed them from Idaho Flats, then an adult flushed them after they landed at Sally's Bend. I then went west of the Bridge and found no Brant there.
So it is not clear if Brant at Yaquina Bay were just restless and flying around to locations where they have not been earlier in the winter, or if spring migration may have started. Perhaps eagle disturbance is causing them to move around more. In any case, they are not west of the Bridge all the time yet.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists


69 We say a large flock of bird in the midle of the bay most of them were Northern Pintails and Mallards mixed in their were this 13 brant.

70 Date: 2/8/09
Weather: 47; Cloudy
No Brant seen: 300+



126 The 2009 California Bird Count numbers for Brant in Tomales Bay are as follows:

12/20/08 1951
1/24/09 1118
2/08/09 1343

73 Many people are watching Brant at Yaquina Bay!
Feb. 4. USFWS Biologist Shawn Stephensen counted 157 Brant west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge at 3:49 PM. He had found none at the embayments (Idaho Flats, Sally’s Bend, and South Bay. Idaho Flats is east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail. On Jan. 3, 5, 22, & 28, there were about 185-188 Brant, so about 30 of them were missing during Shawn’s count.
Feb. 6. Janet Lamberson had been seeing small groups of Brant flying northwest from Idaho Flats recently, following the channel and then heading out towards the Yaquina Bay Bridge at low tide. She photo-counted 151 brant on the rock shelf west of the bridge at 2:55 PM.
Feb. 7. Paul Sullivan & Carol Karlen counted 175 Brant at Idaho Flats in mid-afternoon.
Feb. 9. Janet Lamberson found 145 Brant at Idaho Flats and no Brant west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
Feb. 11. USFWS Biologist Shawn Stephensen counted 163 Brant at Idaho Flats at 3:10 PM. About an hour later, Janet Lamberson tallied at total of 171 Brant there, several with leg bands; she noted that five of them were off in a small flock by themselves.
Feb. 14. George Neavoll saw a flock of 140-plus BRANT circling tightly over Yaquina Bay west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, then settling on the north end of the Bridge.


127 (English below)
Hola: El día de hoy fuimos a contar BRANTAS al área conocida como Chaparrito en la Laguna Ojo de Liebre me acompañaron alumnos de la Escuela Amado Nervo de 3ª. Grado sus nombres: Ruby, Eric, Luis, Keenia, Anani, Fernanda, Ivana, Yeradi, Kenia y Kevin y observamos 534 BRANTAS, tambien observamos 330 playeros 3 garzas blancas 1 pelicano pardo, 2 aguilas pescadoras, 2 pelicanos blancos.
Saludos cordiales, Marisol Aguilar Aguilar

Hi! Today we made a field trip to count Brant. We went to a place called “Chaparrito” (that means “little short person”) in “Ojo de Liebre” (Jackrabbit’s eye) Lagoon. We went with 3rd grade students from Amado Nervo School (Ruby, Eric, Luis, Keenia, Anani, Fernanda, Ivana, Kenia and Kevin). We saw 534 Brant. Also 330 shorebirds, 3 White Egrets, 1 Brown Pelican, 2 Ospreys and 2 White Pelicans.
Greetings - Marisol Aguilar Aguilar – El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.


75 we say a large flock of brant in the middle of the bay feeding from that distance they looked like long necked dotes with out the spotting scope.

76 On Feb. 16, Pete Lawson counted "about 180" Brant on the rock shelf at the northwest side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. On Feb. 19, Janet Lamberson found 172 at Idaho Flats, the embayment east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center. On Feb. 20, I did not find any Brant at the Idaho Flats, Sally's Bend, and South Bay Yaquina Bay embayments, but there were 179 Brant on the rock shelf near the northwest side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Their numbers were pretty stable this week, though their location was not.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

80 Seen near Fossil Point on lower Coos Bay, these are the first Brant we have seen this year.

77 (English below). Visité el estero de Punta Banda en Ensenada con un grupo de preparatoria. Cerca de la zona conocida como "el dique" observamos un grupo de brantas alimentándose como a 150 metros de la orilla. Solo eran 11 y no sé si serán algunas de las 60 que observé el 1 de febrero.
Espero que algunas brantas se queden a pasar el invierno en Ensenada cada temporada, pues me es más dificil viajar a San Quintín para disfrutarlas.
El día estaba despejado, con un ligero viento frío y la marea un poco alta.
English: I visit Punta Banda estuary with a high school group. Close to the place known as "the dike" we saw a group of brant, feeding about 150 meters from the shore. They were only 11, but I don't know if they were part of the 60 that I saw on February 1st.
I hope some brant stay in Ensenada each season, since it is not easy for me to visit San Quintin frecuently.
The day was clear, a light cold breeze, and the tide a little up.
Iván Manríquez, Education Coordinator, Pro Esteros
Ensenada, México


128 (English below)
Salimos al área de Chaparrito a observar y contar Brantas me acompañaron alumnos de 3er. Grado de primaria Amado Nervo sus nombres: Juan Miguel Velarde Aguilar, Mría de Jesús Arce Aguilar, Gabriel Simón Urias Trejo, Abramh Herrera Jáuregui, Ismael Lopez Arce, Contamos 238 brantas
Saludos , Marisol Aguilar A

We went to “Chaparrito” are ato watch and count Brant. I went with 3rd grader from Amado Nervo school. They are: Juan Miguel Velarde Aguilar, María de Jesús Arce Aguilar, Gabriel Simón Urías Trejo, Abraham Herrera Jáuregui, and Ismael López Arce. We counted 238 Brant.
Greetings - Marisol Aguilar Aguilar – El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.


79 (English below)
Visité el panteón inglés aproximadamente a las 6:40 p.m. Hacía viento frío y no había brantas cerca de la orilla, excepto por una que estaba alimentándose. No se asustó y me acerqué lo más lento que pude, hasta quedar a unos metros de ella (quizá 6 metros) Tomé algunas fotografías y me di cuenta de que tenía una pata lastimada. Ella seguía comiendo, aunque me mantuvo siempre vigilado. Finalmente me acerqué más para ver si volaba, y en efecto, cuando estaba tan solo a unos 4 metros de ella, levantó el vuelo.
A lo lejos había tres grupos de brantas. Uno a mi izquierda de aproximadamente 80 brantas, uno al frente de alrededor de 50 y otro más a la derecha con unas 20 brantas.
Iván Manríquez - Pro Esteros, A. C.
I visited the English cemetery (south of San Quintín) approximately at 6:40 p.m. It was windy cold and there where no brant near the coast, except by one that was feeding. It was not frightened and I approached as quiet as possible, until I was about 18 feet from the bird. I took some pictures and I saw that it had a injured leg. It wasn't scared and keep eating, although it always keep an eye on me. Finally I get closer so I can see if it will fly, and in fact, when I was about 4 meters from it, it started to fly.
In the distance there were three groups of brant. One to my left of approximately 80 brantas, one at the front of about 50 and another one to the right with some 20 brant.
Iván Manríquez - Education Coordinator - Pro Esteros, A. C.

78 We observed a small group of 20 Black Brant in the middle of Padilla Bay that were feeding. then we went went to the south east end of the bay and noticed a group of about 50 brant coming in for a landing they were heading west. we also noted that there were lots of bald eagles around we counted 28 all day. then we moved to the west side of the south end and saw a large group of about 1000 birds resting and preening along a spit.

83 On March 1, I counted 174 Brant at Idaho Flats, just east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center.
On March 2, Janet Lamberson counted 175 there in the afternoon, and I independently counted 179--since they move around, counting is tricky and it is possible to miss Brant or count the same ones over again. But it is interesting how close our counts were.
On March 6, I found only 6 Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments (all at Sally's Bend), and 163-168 Brant at 3 PM on the rock shelf on the northwest side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge--there were two people with unleashed dogs that were walking on the shelf towards the Brant. Also on March 6, Janet found no Brant at embayments and only 140 on the rock shelf at 3:30 PM--the people and dogs may have disturbed them, and the Brant had not returned.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

81 The brant were seen near Pigeon Point in lower Coos Bay by Mike Graybill and students from Mystic Marine Lab on a boat tour of the bay.

129 (English below)
Salida a Chaparrito acompañada con alumnos de 3er. Grado de primaria de la Escuela Amado Nervo los alumnos que me acompañaron por segunda ocasión fueron Kenia Belen, Kenia Gpe, Kevin, Emanuel, Erick, Fernanda, Abram y Luis, contamos 309 brantas
Saludos, Marisol Aguilar A

Field trip to “Chaparrito” with 3rd graders from Amado Nervo School. For the second time I went with: Kenia Belen, Kenia Gpe, Kevin, Emanuel, Erick, Fernanda, Abram and Luis. We counted 309 Brant.
Greetings, Marisol Aguilar Aguilar – El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.


82 the brant population has surged in the last 2 days,as is normal for the week prior to the solstice. my count does not include north bay. ospeys are increasing, the first rufous hummer came to my feeder last friday and i recently saw a bald eagle chasing ducks in the bay. picked my first wild iris yesterday.why is it the brant migrate against the north wind in the spring. do thay smell home or are they designed like racing sailboats to acheieve maximum efficiency at a slight angle into the wind.

130 (English below)
Salida a Chaparrito contamos 373 Brantas, también contamos águilas pescadoras, gaviotas, playeros, pelícanos, charal. Gaviotas.
Estudiantes: Juan Miguel Velarde Aguilar, Mría de Jesús Arce Aguilar, Gabriel Simón Urias Trejo, Abramh Herrera Jáuregui, Ismael López Arce
Saludos , Marisol Aguilar A.

Field trip to “Chaparrito”. Counted 373 Brant. Also Osprey, Gulls, shorebirds, Pelicans, and Terns.
Students: Juan Miguel Velarde Aguilar, Mría de Jesús Arce Aguilar, Gabriel Simón Urias Trejo, Abramh Herrera Jáuregui, Ismael López Arce
Greetings, Marisol Aguilar Aguilar – El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.


84 Today I had Brant counts in two locations:

Oak Bay, Port Hadlock
272 Brant counted at 3:30 pm

Suquamish Harbor
Shine Tidelands
South Point Road
122 Brant counted at 2 pm

85 The morning of March 13 at low tide, I found no Brant at the rock shelf to the northwest of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. But at Yaquina Bay embayments, I saw 6 Brant at Sally's Bend and 162 Brant at Idaho Flats.
There appeared to have been a herring spawn near the Yaquina channel at the east side of Sally's Bend, since an estimated total of 1,930 Surf Scoters, scaup, Buffleheads, Common Goldeneyes, American Wigeon, Mallards, and at least 2 Eurasian Wigeon drakes were aggregated and feeding like they do at a herring spawn at Yaquina Bay (e.g., http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/issues/v082n02/p0193-p0198.pdf). Although Brant have fed at Yaquina Bay herring spawns in the past, there were none there for this apparent one. While watching the feeding birds, I heard a Common Loon call, uncommon for here, and saw 4 adult Bald Eagles--1 at Idaho Flats, 2 perched at Sally's Bend, and another adult that cruised over the aggregated birds, causing many of them to fly away in alarm.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon


86 Just thought I'd let you know how the Brant are looking here on Vancouver Island, Canada so far this season.

- The proportion of juveniles is running at over 10%.

- There are currently about 2500 Brant in the Parksville-Qualicum Wildlife Management Area.

- The dog disturbance issue throughout most of the Parksville-Qualicum Wildlife Management Area seems to have finally been licked. We are seeing virtually no dog related disturbance at all. Near constant presence of RMOT students and Conservation officers seems to be doing the trick. Rathtrevor continues to be the one dark spot. The irony of a Provincial Park having the least protection and the most violations continues to amaze me.

- Human disturbance is still an issue, although even this is somewhat better than it has been in recent years. Kite surfing, sail boarding, sail cart racing, etc are increasing disturbance issues on all beaches.

- Bald Eagle disturbance is about the same as ever.

- A plan by the City of Parksville to encourage local citizens to use their dogs to drive Canada Geese out of the area is facing severe criticism and ridicule. Only Environment Canada and the dog lobby seems to support this plan. No idea how the city got permits for such an obvioulsy problematic plan?

- The herring spawn was the worst in the past 15 years. Some roe at a few spots, none at others.

- The API readings have been rising since the herring spawn. There are still plenty of skinny birds here though.

- The proportion of banded birds continues to decline. Black bands make up the great majority of the band readings. Virtually no yellow bands left at all, fewer blue and white bands, and only a couple of Aqua and green bands left. We have had one red band showing up regularly. Right (Red) LOK (upside down band). I think you had this bird in Boundary Bay in previous years? No sign of the double banded Lena River, Russian Brant so far this year.

- survey conditions so far have been the worst I've seen in the 9 years I've been doing this. High winds, heavy snow, and a temperatures as low as -6' makes for some unpleasant days on the beaches!

- The Brant festival has done a great job so far this year at getting the message out about not disturbing birds on the beaches. The two local radio stations are running regular ad spots asking people not to disturb migratory birds within the wildlife management area.

thanks,

Guy L. Monty
Nanoose Bay, BC

87 The afternoon of March 20, Janet Lamberson estimated 195 Brant along the sand beach just east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail. They were flushed by a jogger along the trail. This is the largest estimate so far this season.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon.


88 we observed three group of brant one large group of about 50 in Samish Bay that were far off. the second was a group of 18 brant that we say off of Bayview State Park they were resting and feeding.
the three group of 15 brant were in the south of Padilla Bay on a sandbar peening.

92 We are having a late spring this year. I made a visit out to Grant Point, Izembek Lagoon during the evening. The portion of the lagoon I could see from Grant Point had about 90% ice cover, not very welcoming for brant. There were a few small leads in the ice, so I saw red-breasted mergansers, common goldeneye, long-tailed ducks, and even a few greater scaup. No reported migrant brant yet.

89 Brant were present in two groups at low tide today.

90 On April 1, Janet Lamberson counted 145 Brant at Idaho Flats, just east of the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail.
On April 3 at about 1:30 PM, just before low tide, I only found 3 Brant at Idaho Flats and none at the other Yaquina Bay embayments. At about 2 PM, I arrived to view the rock shelf at the northwest side of Yaquina Bay Bridge, and just as I began observing, 33 Brant flew up, circled, and then flew eastward over the Bridge, just south of the steel arches, towards the embayments. Flocks of 24 and 156 remained, so there was a total of 216 Brant for the embayments and west of the Bridge--this is the high report so far this season. 2 Black Oystercatchers were also on the rock shelf, not far from the Brant.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists

94 On April 6 at 5:45 PM, Janet Lamberson estimated 242 Brant on the rock shelf west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. This is the most counted at Yaquina Bay this season.
On April 8 during a 7:15-8:15 AM seawatch at Boiler Bay, Phil Pickering counted 9 Brant, so Brant are moving along the coastline. Boiler Bay State Park is about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay.
On April 9 at 4:45 PM, I counted 126 Brant on the rock shelf west of the Bridge.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon


91 The Fossil Point area of Coos Bay is where brant are commonly seen during the spring migration. This flock was located in three separate areas during the afternoon low tide. 165 were dabbling along the edge of the rocky shore, 36 were feeding in a shallow pool, and the remaining 232 were spread along the soft muddy shore.

93 The ice is breaking up in Izembek Lagoon. Today, I did a brief overflight in the plane. There was perhaps 30% ice cover overall. In Norma Bay, at the southwest end of Izembek Lagoon, I saw several large flocks of brant, roughly 10,000-20,000 birds. There were also large numbers of Steller's eiders (perhaps 10,000) and several thousand emperor geese. It is not clear if the brant included any spring migrants as a number overwinter here and probably moved back into Izembek Lagoon as the ice broke up.

95 Flock flying in a 'V' formation high above the water (about 30m or so -- clearly above the horizon from 3 miles away). The formation was travelling along the Bering Sea coast for a few miles (unusual to see that with the birds that stay here during the winter, per K.Sowl, wildlife biologist at Izembek NWR) from NE to SW, Operl Island and along Cape Glazenap. I believe they turned in to Norma/Applegate Cove in Izembek Lagoon then. I am a biotech working for K. Sowl.

96 First brant observed in Cold Bay, during regular bimonthly observation sessions near Delta Point. Group in a low V flying low to the water travelling SE to NW.

97 Many small groups of brant observed during regular bimonthly observation sessions near Delta Point. All groups flying in a V or line low to the water, travelling SE to NW.

99 On April 15, I counted no Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments and 222 west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge on the north rock shelf. On April 17, Janet Lamberson found 195 Brant at the rock shelf at 1 PM, and I estimated 205 there an hour later.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

98 I have been out of town for a week, so missed the initial influx of brant, but they are definitely on the move now. I spotted one flock of 60 flying north over Cold Bay this morning, heading to Izembek Lagoon. I drove out to the end of the road at Outer Marker to see what was out in the lagoon. Spotted an enormous flock flying around near Blaine Point (estimated at 25,000 birds) and several flocks on the water near Round Island (estimated at 1700 birds. I also visited Grant Point, but did not see any brant from that location, despite the fact that several eelgrass beds were exposed. There was one small flock of emperor geese and a number of mergansers and goldeneyes. Weather is still unseasonably cold, but most of the ice has left the lagoon. There is still a lot of ice on the freshwater lakes.

Kristine Sowl
Izembek NWR

102 This morning,I watched a very tight flock of brant gathered together in a small bay near Fossil Point in a very dense fog. They were dabbling in the water and along the edge of the rocky shore. Later in the day they had spread along the lower bay. I believe these were the same birds I had seen earlier.

Tom Gaskill - South Slough NERR

104 brant were feeding off of the south side of camp kirby spit mixed in with loon, grebes and other ducks

103 Fossil Point was thick with brant in a large swirling flock over the water and on the water. This is the largest flock of brant I have ever seen at one time on our bay! They seem to be concentrating in the area around Fossil Point and stretching north to Pigeon Point.

Tom Gaskill - South Slough NERR

101 During seawatches of the coastline at Boiler Bay (which is about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay):
* Phil Pickering counted 17 Brant on April 18 during 6:45-7:30 AM (average rate=23/hr), 1,300 Brant on April 22 during 6:45-9:45 AM (433/hr), 400 Brant on April 23 during 6:15-7:45 AM (267/hr), and 800 Brant on April 24 during 6-9:30 AM (229/hr).
* Phil and Wayne Hoffman counted 230 Brant on April 25 during 6:15-8:30 AM (102/hr) and 48 Brant on April 26 during 6:15-8:15 AM (24/hr).
* Phil counted 80 Brant on April 27 during 6-9 AM (27/hr).

So peak migration along the coastline may have been around April 22 and now appears to be tailing off.

Brant do not overwinter at Boiler Bay or at Depoe Bay, just to the south of Boiler Bay, but they migrate by during migration. At 7 PM on April 20, Don Stein also saw 158 Brant on the ocean south of Depoe Bay.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon


122 23 April – Bruce Casler and David Ward observed approximately 250 brant flying north over Cold Bay at high altitude. This is a route migrants frequently use to reach Izembek Lagoon.

1 May – Between 08:30-09:15, Bruce Casler observed approximately 350 brant flying north over Cold Bay at high altitude. Birds were in flocks of 10-75 birds.

John Maxwell observed 3000-3500 brant crossing over Grant Point from Outer Marker to SW Izembek Lagoon from 12:00-13:00. The brant were usually in groups of 15-25 birds, but of few groups were 100-150 birds.

Between 18:40-18:50, Bruce Casler observed approximately 150 brant (flocks of 10-50 birds) flying north over Cold Bay at high altitude.

2 May – Bruce Casler observed approximately 60 brant flying north high over Cold Bay at 10:50.

9 May – Bruce Casler observed approximately 5000 brant in two groups on the water in Applegate Cove, Izembek Lagoon.



100 On April 22, Maggie Rivers saw about 500 Brant west of the Alsea Bay bridge near Waldport. On April 25, Roy Lowe of the USFWS estimated about 600 in the same area, and photographed some of them. Alsea Bay is about 13 miles south of Yaquina Bay. Brant do not overwinter at Alsea Bay, but sometimes appear there during spring migration.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

105 I was able to get quite close to a large flock of 500 feeding brant through the generosity of Mike Ullman and his wife Liz who live along the shores of Coos Bay at a place called Pigeon Point. The brant feed and rest near here and from the deck of their house, I was able to capture some video of the brant feeding on eelgrass "spaghetti". Here is a link to the video.
http://estuarylive.pbworks.com/f/MVI_2229.AVI

Some of the brant were still there this morning.

Tom Gaskill, South Slough NERR

106 First brant of the year showed up today. In 95% of the 24 year dataset, the first eggs showed up 10 days later. Sounds like moderate fox activity, but a decent vole year. So, hopefully the foxes will prefer the voles to eggs. I'll report when I hear anything new.

108 Observer: Iván Manríquez - Pro Esteros, A. C.
(English below)5:00 pm. Estaba en el Hotel Don Eddie’s, ubicado junto al sitio conocido como Molino Viejo en San Quintín, y observé 14 brantas en la zona. Seis de ellas estaban muy cerca de la orilla (aproximadamente a 15 metros). Estaban alimentándose con pasto marino. Además de las brantas, había 4 cormoranes, y varias gaviotas. El cielo estaba nublado, y el viento era frío.
English: 5:00 pm. I was in Don Eddie’s Hotel, just besaide the place known as Old Mill in San Quintín, and I saw 14 brant. Six of them were very close to the shore (about 45 feet), feeding on eel grass. I also saw 4 cormorants, and many gulls. The day was cloudy and the wind cold.
(I hope my English is good enough) Iván.


109 (English below) 6:00 a.m. Pasé la noche anterior en el hotel Don Eddie’s, y nuevamente hice algunas observaciones. Conté 31 brantas un poco lejos de la orilla. También había cormoranes y gaviotas. La noche anterior pude escuchar algunas brantas, pero estaba oscuro y no las miaraba.
English: 6:00 a.m. I spend the night in Don Eddie’s Hotel, and made some new observations on the morning. I counted 31 brant, a little far from the shore. There were also cormorants and gulls. Last night I hear some brant on the shore, but it was too dark and I couldn't see them.


110 (English below) 7:00 a.m. Este último día en San Quintín, la marea estaba baja, y pude observar 63 brantas frente a esa parte de la bahía. Estaban alejadas de la orilla y dispersas en grupos pequeños. Había además 1 pelícano (pasó volando), 7 aves playeras (probablemente “Willet”) 5 garzas blancas, 4 cormoranes y 3 gaviotas.
English: 7:00 a.m. This was my last day on San Quintín, the tide was low and I saw 63 brant in this part of the bay. They were far from the shore dispersed all around in small groups. Also: 1 brown pelican (flying), 7 shorebirds (maybe Willet) 5 great egrets, 4 cormorants and 3 sea gulls.


107 very stormy today. 3000 brant are in the eel grass beds on the east side of south bay along with the usual few late bluebills.i expect they will shortly be gone as the commorants and ospreys replace them in the grass beds. saw a bald eagle yesterday

111 Mike Ullman reports seeing 250 brant on Coos Bay near Pigeon Point. These geese have been moving up and down the bay along the channel at low tide for the past couple of days over a distance of about a mile or so.

- Tom Gaskill, South Slough NERR

112 (English below). Enrique Zamora, Biólogo de Ensenada con habilidades para identificar aves, visitó la lagunita del Ciprés, alrededor de las 10:30 a.m. y detectó la presencia de una branta. Además la poco usual presencia de una garza de corona amarilla (Yellow-crowned heron). Debe haber brantas al sur de Ensenada, en el estero de Punta Banda, pero no he visitado la zona últimamente.
Iván Manríquez
Biologist Enrique Zamora, who has good bird identification skills, visit "Lagunita del Ciprés", in Ensenada, Baja California, at 10:30 on the morning. He saw one brant. Also the unusual presence of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron. There must be some brant south from Ensenada, in Punta Banda estuary, but I have not visit the place lately.
Iván Manríquez - Education Coordinator - Pro Esteros, A. C.

113 The wind is blowing strongly out of the northwest today causing waves on the bay and the beginning of upwelling in the ocean which brings nutrients and cold water to the surface and into the estuary. I saw 35 brant north of Pigeon Point and have reports that they have been around for a few days now. Earlier this week there were millions of newly settled juvenile Dungeness crabs on the tide flats.

Tom Gaskill - South Slough NERR

116 Peak arrival on the Tutakoke colony was Tuesday May 12. No eggs have been found as of today. This might be among the latest dates for first eggs. Fox numbers seem moderate, but vole numbers are high. Hopes are good for a decent production year as foxes will select voles instead of brant eggs. But, next year has very high potential of high nest predation as foxes will probably produce a good crop of little foxes. I'll post up when I hear they found eggs.

114 this is very late for so many- northweaster is blowing and ocean remains in high 40's

115 Birding in Sequim 3Crabs and Dungeness Landing today (about 35 miles west of Oak Bay), we were surprised to see this large group of Brant so late. Weather was clear, 60's, little wind.

Yesterday in Oak Bay, Port hadlock, we had a group of 28 Brant on the beach at 4pm. They were not present this morning, but could have still been in the general area.

117 On May 17, Wayne Hoffman did a 6:15-7:45 AM seawatch at Boiler Bay (about 13 miles north of Yaquina Bay) and saw 6 Brant flying north that lit on the Pacific Ocean 400 yards out for 20 minutes.
On May 18, Janet Lamberson counted 23 Brant on the rock shelf near the northwest side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
On May 20, Rich Armstrong estimated "probably 250" Brant flying north in 4 separate flocks in the "Newport area."
On May 21 at Boiler Bay during a 5:45-8 AM seawatch, Phil Pickering saw 26 Brant flying north and during a 8-9 AM seawatch, David Bailey counted 20 Brant going north.
On May 22, David Bailey observed 175 Brant flying north in 5 separate flocks at Boiler Bay during a 8:15-9 AM seawatch.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

118 the 600 brant remaining in south humboldt bay left in the last two days so you yaquinas may see them today

119 the 600 brant remaining in south humboldt bay left in the last two days so you yaquinas may see them today-correction- i just saw 9 brant

120 May 24 in Tillamook Co., Wink Gross saw 30 Brant flying north.
May 25 seawatch from 7-7:30 AM at Boiler Bay, Jay Withgott counted 5 Brant.
May 27 seawatch from 5-7 PM at the Siuslaw North Jetty near Florence, Oregon in Lane County, Daniel Farrar observed 45 Brant flying by.
On May 28, Steve Rosenberg noted that the 600 Brant remaining in South Humboldt Bay had left in the last two days, but it looks like they migrated past Yaquina Bay!
On May 29, I counted no Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments between 11 AM and noon, and 9 Brant west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge on the rock shelf north of the channel at 12:30 PM. At 4:30 PM, Wayne Hoffman found 10 Brant west of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, south of the channel.
Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists, Newport, Oregon

121 it is 7 pm there are 9 brant on the east side of the bay below my home and about 90 in the middle of the west side. 2 veteran brant hunters saw about 50 flying north just ouside the bay entrance on their way to bottom fising at cape mendocino yesterday. my last report may have been erroneous since on may 28 one of these veterans saw about 200 in the north end of south bay which i cannot see from my home and later i saw 30 join the flock of 9 i saw. this is the most brant i have seen this late and i have been in my home here since 1980 and been a observer/ hunter since the 60's. it is common for one flock and/or a few stragglers to be around in late may or june with a few sometimes spending the summer,but we are apparently not quite yet at this point. i appreciate the feedback from yaquina

123 I've gotten some current info from the guys at the Tutakoke colony.

First, its a very late year for spring phenology on the YKD. Among the latest dates for the first eggs. Nest initation is pretty much over. Peak initation was the first few days of June. Not much signs of foxes as trapping occurred and also carcasses have been found, suggesting a mild natural die off. In addition, there seems to be plenty of voles this year, which should attract foxes in a hope they leave eggs alone.

However, it appears to be a very poor year in terms of numbers of brant attempting to breed. Only one concentration of nests occur on the colony. This has been a recent phenominon these past few years. Didn't used to be like that.

But, the real development is that 2 storm surges came in on the 5 anf 6 of June and flooded the bulk of the colony. The crew woke up the next day to driftlines of 1000's of eggs of all kinds. So, looks like brant in the low lying areas of the colonies have been wiped out. Not a good year for probably 2 of the 4 colonies. I'll post more when I hear it.



124 June 2-7 at Yachats (south of Newport): as many as 19 Brant (18 on
June 2 and 19 on June 5)(Betty Bahn).
June 8 at Seal Rocks (south of Newport): 2 Brant (Kitty Brigham).
June 11 during 7:30-8:30 AM seawatch at Lost Creek State Park (south
of Newport): two flocks of 5 Brant each flying north (David Bailey)
June 11 at 7:45 AM at Yachats: 19 Brant took off and flew north (Betty Bahn).
June 11 at 5:45 PM at Yaquina Head (north of Yaquina Head): 1 Brant
(Wayne Hoffman).
June 12: no Brant at Yaquina Bay embayments and 1 scruffy Brant at the
rock shelf near the northwest corner of the Yaquina Bay Bridge (Range
Bayer).
June 14 at Marine Gardens at Otter Rock (north of Newport): 16 "very
scruffy" Brant (Wayne Hoffman).

One may wonder if some or all of the 16 that Wayne saw on June 14 were
part of the 19 Betty Bahn noted at Yachats on June 5 and 11. There
could have been some local movement.

This year, we have a good number of Brant reports in early June, but
Brant are often reported in Lincoln County in June. For example,
during 1988-1992, Brant were recorded in 4 out of 5 years in early
June and in all 5 years in late June (search for "Brant" at
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui/bitstream/1957/8070/1/vol.%204%20pg.%20395-543.pdf).

More recently, Brant were recorded in June in Lincoln County the past
3 years, with 7-11 Brant at Seal Rocks in late June 2006 (Kitty
Brigham), an unspecified number at Yaquina Head in early and late June
2007 (Bureau of Land Management); and in 2008, 13 Brant at Seal Rocks on 13 June 2008 (Kitty Brigham; Roy Lowe), 19 at Otter Rock on 17 June
2008 (Don Stein & Dick Demarest), and 15 at Marine Gardens at Otter Rock on 19 June 2008 (Howard Bruner and others).

So the numbers reported this year so far are similar to those in June 2008.

Range Bayer for Yaquina Birders & Naturalists

125 last week i saw 75 brant, then 53 in south humboldt bay,west side. this week i have glassed for 2 days and have not seen one. none of the brant appeared other than healthy. this bay is loaded with eelgrass,proximal to the ocean,and arguably the epicenter of the spring migration. it has been a cold late srimg on the west coast and the lateness of these stragglers is but 2 weeks time. that is on the outer limit of variation but not unheard of. query if these birds can arrive in the yukon delta or some obscure point south and nest successfully. i know it only takes them 2 days to get to izembek from here if condions are favorable.

131 (English below)
Salí con un grupo de estudiantes de preparatoria al estero de Punta Banda, al sur de Ensenada. Al llegar, en la base de la barra arenosa que da forma al estero, había un par de brantas fuera del agua, que enseguida se metieron y empezaron a comer. Estaban como a 35 metros de donde nosotros estábamos observando aves.
Había también rayadores, cormoranes, gaviotas y garzas níveas. También pasó volando un gallito marino menor (o charrán mínimo). Es curioso ver a ambas aves juntas, ya que nosotros tenemos programas educativos para cada una, pero nunca las veo en el mismo tiempo. La branta llega en invierno-primavera y el gallito en primavera-verano. Ahora se juntaron, y al parecer se debe a lo rezagado de las brantas.

I made a field trip with high school students to Punta Banda Estuary, south of Ensenada. We went to the base of the sand bar that gives shape to the estuary, and there were two of Brant out of the water. Almost immediately they get into the water, and start eating. They were about 100 feet from us.
There was also Black Skimmers, Cormorants, Gulls, and Snowy Egretts. I also saw a Least Tern pass by. It is funny to see both species here at the same time (Brant and Least Tern). At Pro Esteros we have educational projects for both of them, but I had never before seen them together. Now they are at tha same place, I think because of the lateness of these stragglers.


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