PACIFIC SEABIRDS

A Publication of the Pacific Seabird Group

Volume 39, Number 1 Spring 2012 PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP Dedicated to the Study and Conservation of Pacific Seabirds and Their Environment The Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) was formed in 1972 due to the need for better communication among Pacific seabird researchers. PSG provides a forum for the research activities of its members, promotes the conservation of seabirds, and informs members and the public of issues relating to Pacific Ocean seabirds and their environment. PSG members include research scientists, conservation professionals, and members of the public from all parts of the Pacific Ocean. The group also welcomes seabird professionals and enthusiasts in other parts of the world. PSG holds annual meetings at which scientific papers and symposia are presented; abstracts for meetings are published on our web site. The group is active in promoting conservation of seabirds, include seabird/fisheries interactions, monitoring of seabird populations, seabird restoration following oil spills, establishment of seabird sanctuaries, and endangered species. Policy statements are issued on conservation issues of critical importance. PSG’s journals are Pacific Seabirds (formerly the PSG Bulletin) and Marine Ornithology. Other publications include symposium volumes and technical reports; these are listed near the back of this issue. PSG is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ornithological Council, and the American Bird Conservancy. Annual dues for membership are $30 (individual and family); $24 (student, undergraduate and graduate); and $900 (Life Membership, payable in five $180 installments). Dues are payable to the Treasurer; see the PSG web site, or the Membership Order Form next to inside back cover. World Wide Web Site http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

Donations The Pacific Seabird Group is a nonprofit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of California. Contributions to the Pacific Seabird Group are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed US law (IRS Section 501[c][3]).

Pacific Seabirds This journal publishes short peer-reviewed articles, reports of ongoing work, conservation news, and other items of importance to conservation of seabirds in the Pacific Ocean. The journal is published twice a year in spring and fall. Materials should be submitted to the Editor, except that conservation-related material should be submitted to the Associate Editor for Conservation. Information for contributors to Pacific Seabirds is published in each Fall issue and is on PSG’s web site. Editorial policies accord with those of PSG’s Executive Council; in other matters the journal aims for an unbiased point of view. Back issues of the PSG Bulletin and Pacific Seabirds are posted on the group’s web site or may be ordered from the treasurer (see Membership/ Order Form next to inside back cover for details). Submission deadlines are 20 March for the spring issue and 20 September for the fall issue; manuscripts may be submitted at any time.

Pacific Seabirds Editor Vivian M. Mendenhall, 4600 Rabbit Creek Rd., Anchorage, AK 99516, USA. Telephone (907) 345-7124; e-mail: fasgadair@ attalascom.net. Associate Editor Patricia Baird

Associate Editor for Conservation Joanna Smith, 408-9000 Birch St., Chilliwack, BC, V2P 8G2, Canada. Telephone: (604) 795-9332; mobile: (604) 813-9200; e-mail: [email protected] Assistant Editors for Conservation: S. Kim Nelson and Mark Rauzon.

Assistant Editor for Regional Reports for This Issue Jennifer Boyce

Marine Ornithology Marine Ornithology presents peer-reviewed contributions concerning international seabird science and conservation. The journal is published two times a year. It is available on its web site or by subscription. The journal is supported by a partnership of global seabird societies, including the Pacific Seabird Group (PSG), African Seabird Group, Australasian Seabird Group, the Seabird Group (UK), Dutch Seabird Group, and Japan Seabird Group. For further information see www.marineornithology.org

Change of Address Send changes of address to the PSG Treasurer, Lindsay Young, P.O. Box 61493, Honolulu, HI 96839-1493; telephone (808) 741-9479; e-mail [email protected] PSG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 2012 For Executive Council members in current year (if different), see PSG’s web site, http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

Officers Chair Kim Rivera, NOAA Fisheries, National Seabird Program, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, USA. Telephone: (907) 586-7424; e-mail: [email protected] Past Chair Pat Jodice, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, G27 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA. Phone: (864) 656-6190; e-mail: pjodice@ clemson.edu Chair-Elect Doug Forsell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Retired), Chesapeake Bay Field Office (Volunteer), 47130 Iversen Point Rd., Point Arena, CA, USA. Telephone: (707) 884-1514; e-mails: [email protected] and [email protected] Vice-Chair for Conservation Craig S. Harrison, 4953 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA. Phone: (202) 778‑2240; e-mail: [email protected] Treasurer Lindsay Young, PO Box 61493, Honolulu, HI, 96839-1493. Telephone: (808) 741-9479; e-mail: [email protected] Secretary Heather Major, Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. Telephone: (867) 920-2291; e-mail: [email protected] Editor, Pacific Seabirds Vivian Mendenhall, 4600 Rabbit Creek Rd., Anchorage, AK 99516, USA. Phone: (907) 345- 7124; fax (907) 345-0686; e-mail: [email protected]

Regional Representatives Alaska and Russia Adrian Gall, ABR, Inc.–Environmental Research & Services, P.O. Box 80410, Fairbanks, AK 99708, USA. Phone: (907) 455-6777 x125; fax: (907) 455-6781; e-mail: [email protected] Canada Ken Morgan, Institute of Ocean Sciences. P.O. Box 6000, 9860 W. Saanich Rd., Sidney, BC, Canada V8L 4B2. Phone: (250) 363-6537; fax: (250) 363-6390; e-mail: [email protected]‑mpo. gc.ca Washington and Oregon Don Lyons, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Phone: (503) 791-2958; e-mail: [email protected] Northern California Hannahrose M. Nevins, Moss Landing Marine Labs, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039. Phone: (831) 771-4422; fax (831) 632-4403; e-mail: [email protected] Southern California and Latin Jennifer Boyce, NOAA Restoration Center–Montrose Settlements Restoration, 501 West Ocean America Blvd., Suite 4470, Long Beach, CA, USA. Phone: (562) 980-4086; cell: (562) 243-5015; e-mail: [email protected]

Non-Pacific United States Iain Stenhouse, Biodiversity Research Institute, 625 Main St., Gorham, ME 04038, USA. Telephone: (207) 839-7600; fax: (207) 839-7655; e-mail: [email protected] Europe/Africa Steffen Oppel, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 1767-693452; mobile: +44 7590-441443; e-mail: [email protected] Asia and Oceania Yutaka Watanuki, Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato- cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan 040-8611. Phone: +81 (138) 46-8862; fax: +81 (138) 46-8863; e-mail: [email protected] Student Representative Sarah Thomsen, Dept of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Dr, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6. Telephone: (778) 782-3981; e-mail: [email protected] PACIFIC SEABIRDS A Publication of the Pacific Seabird Group

Dedicated to the Study and Conservation of Pacific Seabirds and Their Environment

Volume 39 2012 Number 1

The Editor's Page ...... 3

Lifetime Achievement Award: John Cooper. By Alan E. Burger ...... 4

Conservation Report ...... 7

Forum: Why Does the World Need Another Seabird Group? By Malcolm C. Coulter and Craig S. Harrison ...... 10

Research Letter: The First English Name and Probable Record off North America of Murphy's Petrel Pterodroma ultima. By W.R.P. Bourne...... 12

How PSG Runs: How the Conservation Committee Works ...... 13

Meeting News PSG's 2012 Annual Meeting at Oahu, Hawai‘i ...... 16 PSG Annual Meetings: 2013 and Beyond ...... 18

The Chair's Page ...... 18

Treasurer's Reports Treasurer's Report for FY 2010-2011 and Budget for FY 2011-2012 ...... 20 Endowment Fund ...... 24

Committee Reports to the Executive Council Marine Ornithology. By Tony Gaston, Managing Editor/Editor in Chief ...... 25 Pacific Seabirds. By Vivian Mendenhall, Editor ...... 28 Seabird Monitoring. By Scott Hatch ...... 29 Kittlitz's Murrelet Technical Committee. By Michelle Kissling ...... 30 Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee. By William Ritchie ...... 31 Xantus's Murrelet Technical Committee. By Shaye Wolf and Harry Carter ...... 32 Craig S. Harrison Small Grants Committee. By Verena Gill ...... 34 Communications Committee. By Verena Gill ...... 34 Corresponding Members Committee. By Melanie Steinkamp ...... 34

(Continued on next page) TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued from previous page)

Executive Council Minutes (Summaries) Minutes for EXCO Meeting of 7 September 2010, Victoria, BC ...... 35 Minutes for EXCO Meeting of 29 March 2011, by Conference Call ...... 37 Minutes for EXCO Meeting of 27 October 201l, by Conference Call ...... 38

PSG News PSG Elections for 2012 EXCO. By Patricia Baird, Elections Chair ...... 39 Call for Nominations for 2013 EXCO. By Patricia Baird ...... 40 PSG Interim Treasurer is Lindsay Young ...... 40 That Makaha Problem ...... 40 New Committee to Assist with Annual Meetings ...... 41 New Editor Sought for Marine Ornithology ...... 41 New Committee Leaders ...... 41

Regional Reports for 2011 (continued) Alaska ...... 42 Southern California ...... 46 Latin America ...... 47

General Information Information on the Pacific Seabird Group ...... Inside Front Cover Publications of the Pacific Seabird Group ...... 48 PSG Committee Coordinators ...... 50 PSG Life Members and Recipients of Awards ...... 51 Membership Application and Order Form ...... 52 PSG Executive Council for 2012 ...... Inside Back Cover THE EDITOR’S PAGE Vivian Mendenhall

Pacific Seabirds has been adding a few things in the past year: an Associate Editor, a new section in the journal, and (most recently) this column. Since the first issue of Pacific Seabirds, in 1973, the journal has supported PSG’s purposes by keeping members in touch with recent research and conservation concerns. It also runs news about PSG itself—annual meetings, elections, EXCO minutes, committee reports, and so on. The new section in Pacific Seabirds is “How PSG Works.” In 2011 (Volume 38), we started with two articles: “How PSG Runs” and “How the PSG Executive Council Works.” The first tells what PSG does besides Annual Meetings. Many members who attend meetings might like to know more about our year-round work, such as conservation of seabirds, support for scientists in developing countries, and keeping PSG financially sound. “How the PSG Executive Council Works” and two associated articles contain good information for all of PSG, but especially for EXCO members. EXCO is PSG’s Board of Directors, and therefore its members have certain legal obligations. EXCO has performed well (overall) during PSG’s 40-year history, and its tasks are usually pretty routine. But members have to work very hard when PSG or EXCO come under stress—when emotions run high due to drastic differences of opinion, or when we face unexpected expenditures or losses. In those situations (and to forestall potential problems!), it is crucial that EXCO members make well-thought-out and responsible decisions. Both EXCO and PSG will benefit if new EXCO members read “How the PSG Executive Council Works,” “The obligations of EXCO Members,” and associated articles (especially if you haven’t already). They are in Pacific Seabirds, Volume 38, pages 4-11. Pat Jodice also discusses these concerns in “The Chair’s Page,” on page 18 of this issue. And EXCO is arranging a workshop for itself on Board duties, in association with the Portland meeting in 2013. We are continuing “How PSG Works” in this issue with the Conservation Committee, which does PSG’s respected advocacy for science-based conservation. Craig Harrison describes how the committee functions, what it has achieved over the last couple of years, and who can help. Future articles will focus on PSG’s commitment to scientists around the Pacific Rim; the financial benefits and risks of Annual Meetings (alongside their many benefits for science and conservation); and other year-round work. (If you would like to see a topic addressed in “How PSG Works,” please contact the Editor!) Lastly, my acknowledgements: Pat Baird suggested the idea of an Editor’s column; and I owe its title, and much of my inspiration (if any), to Malcolm Coulter, long-time editor of the PSG Bulletin.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 3 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Pacific Seabird Group occasionally honors major contributors to seabird science and conservation with Lifetime Achievement or Special Achievement awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual whose outstanding work for seabirds has influenced the course of research, conservation, and/or education throughout the Pacific or the world.

PSG Lifetime Achievement Award for John Cooper By Alan E. Burger

still are) oil spills from the thousands of ships passing the Cape of Good Hope each year, and competition with fisheries. Hired to work on the African Penguin, John joined the staff of the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1973. Over the next 35 years he was a well-known and easily identified fixture at UCT, first at the FitzPatrick Institute (1973-1996) and later at the Animal Demography Unit (1997-2008). During much of this long period John was unmistakable for his unruly Afro-style hair and whimsical Spike Milligan-style humor. Working under Professor Roy Siegfried at the FitzPatrick Institute, John was part of a research team that began a new era of groundbreaking research into African and Subantarctic John Cooper with an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross on Gough Island. Photo: Ross Wanless. seabirds. John’s field work during this period entailed long months on The Pacific Seabird Group seldom unspoiled African bush, he developed some of South Africa’s isolated guano gives awards to seabird biologists a love of nature and a lifelong desire islands, primarily Dassen and Marcus whose principal area of activity is to study and nurture birds and their Islands near Saldanha Bay. The guano outside the Pacific Ocean. But, in giving habitats. After graduating from the scrapers of that era were all alumni of the Lifetime Achievement Award to University of Rhodesia (then a college the toughest South African prisons, John Cooper, who has worked primarily of the University of London), John and John developed essential skills in in southern Africa, the Subantarctic moved to South Africa where he started negotiating with people of very diverse and Antarctic, PSG is recognizing an working on seabirds. He arrived in viewpoints. This was often hot, dusty exceptional international contribution Cape Town at the time of great concern work, but it gave John a solid grounding to seabird research, conservation and over the status of the African (Jackass) in field techniques and fortitude. publishing. The award was presented Penguin (Spheniscus demersus). John would organize volunteer work on 10 February 2012 at PSG’s annual This iconic species, the only penguin expeditions to these islands, inviting meeting on Oahu, Hawai‘i. species that breeds off Africa, was students to help with nest monitoring, John was born in 1947 in the undergoing precipitous declines, which banding, and other field work. As an United Kingdom, migrated southward continue in much of its range today. undergraduate participant in several of at a young age, and spent most of his Among the many factors contributing these guano island work parties, I too life in southern Africa. Growing up in to the penguins decline were (and was initiated into the scruffy fraternity

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 4 Lifetime Achievement Award of seabird biology. Even today the scent conserving these of dried guano conjures up wonderful magical islands memories of long hot days counting and their globally and banding penguins, punctuated by important seabird memorable feasts of the freshest rock populations. lobster, washed down with flagons of He was among cheap Cape wine. the first to raise It is no exaggeration to say the alarm over that John Cooper has contributed the impacts of in a major way to research, public longline fishing awareness, and conservation of every (often illegal), southern African seabird species. His which was killing work on the African Penguin, Bank tens of thousands Cormorant (Phalacrocorax neglectus) of albatrosses and African Gannet (Morus capensis), and petrels in in particular, was solid and remains the Southern very relevant decades later. John has Oceans. He has John Cooper doing field work on Gough Island. Photo: Ross Wanless written or coauthored over 300 research also contributed papers, books, book chapters and other significantly to studying and removing phase he also underwent a significant publications dealing with seabirds and malicious introduced plants and animals change in sartorial appearance. The their conservation. He has been a mentor in these vulnerable Subantarctic wild Afro hair and wrinkled T-shirts and collaborator with many leading ecosystems. Partly as a result of his disappeared and John the guano islander researchers in our field, including Rob international lobbying and collaborative acquired a collection of spiffy shirts and Crawford, Bob Furness, Peter Ryan, work, there are today strong programs silk ties. Rory Wilson, and many others. in place on these islands to restore and Currently John is an honorary During his long tenure at UCT, protect the island ecosystems. John is a Research Associate at the Centre of John played a pivotal role as the member of the Management Committee Excellence for Invasion Biology at honorary librarian for the Southern for the Prince Edward Islands Special Stellenbosch University. He continues African Ornithological Society (now Nature Reserve, and these islands are the management-related research on BirdLife South Africa). Through a first Subantarctic RAMSAR sites. John southern islands and delves into clever array of reciprocal agreements is an honorary Conservation Officer of the history of the South African with other societies, the FitzPatrick the Government of Tristan da Cunha. National Antarctic Programme and the Institute received nearly all the leading He drafted the current conservation Subantarctic Prince Edward Islands. ornithological and zoological journals at legislation for the Tristan islands and One of the primary reasons that almost no cost; as a result, the institute’s he serves on the Tristan Biodiversity PSG is recognizing John Cooper with Niven Library now has the best Advisory Group (T-BAG). John is not this award is his major contribution to ornithological collection in the southern just a boardroom biologist — it seems global seabird conservation initiatives. hemisphere. For this contribution to his greatest joy is to be on these islands He contributed significantly to seabird African education and research, part of doing hands-on work, like banding management within the Scientific the Niven Library was named the John seabirds or pulling alien weeds which Committee for Antarctic Research Cooper Antarctic Collection. In 2012 are threatening the local vegetation and (SCAR). From 1997 to 2001 he John received the Gill Memorial Medal bird nesting habitat. initiated and coordinated the global Award from BirdLife South Africa, its In post-Apartheid South Africa Seabird Conservation Programme highest honor, for outstanding lifetime John ventured away from academia of BirdLife International. He was contributions to ornithology in southern for two years, when in 1996 he was one of the major contributors to the Africa. invited to be a Ministerial Advisor Agreement on the Conservation of In the 1980s John began working to the late Kader Asmal, the highly Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), which on seabirds on the subantarctic islands respected Minister of Water Affairs and is a remarkable example of international nearest to Africa. First at Marion and Tourism in Nelson Mandela’s cabinet. cooperation and foresight (its URL Prince Edward Island, and later at In this capacity John honed his skills is http://www.acap.aq/). ACAP is a Gough Island and the Tristan da Cunha at international diplomacy, including multilateral agreement that seeks to Islands, John contributed significantly work with the Independent World conserve albatrosses and petrels by to understanding, managing and Commission on the Oceans. During this identifying and mitigating threats to

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 5 Lifetime Achievement Award

Advisory Committee, and he remains guidance, it became a joint venture of as the honorary Information Officer five groups: the African, Pacific, Dutch, for ACAP. He researches and writes UK, and Japanese seabird groups. John daily news items for the ACAP website. continued as senior editor and guru until John has been a major organizer and 2009. Under his watchful eye the current contributor to international conferences editors are striving to maintain the on penguins and albatrosses, in which rigorous standards of editing and layout capacity he is well known to many PSG precision that John long maintained. members. He was asked to give the For his significant and lengthy closing plenary to the 2004 Waterbirds contributions to seabird research, Around the World conference in international conservation and education, and his dedicated work Edinburgh, and he warmed up the leading to the establishment of a truly crowd for the final speaker, HRH Prince international seabird journal, Marine Charles. Ornithology, the Pacific Seabird Group Perhaps our greatest debt to John is pleased to honor John Cooper with its Cooper is for his work as editor and Lifetime Achievement Award. John is publisher over a period of 35 years. also the first Honorary Member of PSG. Lifetime Achievement awardees on the In 1976 John founded the Southern A partial list of John Cooper’s Galápagos Islands—John Cooper (left) and African Seabird Group and was the scientific publications is available on John Croxall editor of its journal, The Cormorant. this website: http://adu.org.za/jc_publ1. With John at the helm, the group php their populations. ACAP came into soon evolved into the African Seabird force in February 2004; it currently has Group, and in 1990 The Cormorant Acknowledgements 13 member countries and covers 29 changed into Marine Ornithology. Thanks to Peter Ryan for help in species of albatrosses and petrels. John In 2001 Marine Ornithology became preparing this note, and to Ross Wanless served as the Vice-Chair of the ACAP truly international, when, under John’s for photographs.

John Cooper with his award, together with the journal he John Cooper receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award from PSG founded: The Cormorant (left), and its continuation to the Chair Pat Jodice, 10 February 2012 present day, Marine Ornithology

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 6 CONSERVATION REPORT Compiled by Jo Smith

USFWS LOWERS THE is now unclear. The data show that mobile species is difficult, and that as- LISTING PRIORITY while Kittlitz’s Murrelets are associated sessing reproductive success and survival with these waters during their breed- NUMBER FOR KITTLITZ’S must be considered in their decision on ing season, they are also found in areas evaluating the listing of this species MURRELET without tidewater glaciers. The nature under the ESA. of their association and relative impor- For more information on this spe- In September 2011, the U.S. Fish tance of glaciers is unclear. Uncertainty cies, please see the 2012 Report to the and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lowered also exists in the evaluation of the steep Executive Council for the Kittlitz’s Mur- the Listing Priority Number (LPN) for population declines. USFWS continues relet Technical Committee by Michelle the Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus to be concerned about population de- Kissling, elsewhere in this issue. For brevirostris) from a 2 to an 8. This was clines because the population trend is more information on the LPN, please because the magnitude of threats was still negative; however, the severity of consult the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- changed from “high” to “moderate to this decline is much less certain now vice’s Candidate Notice of Review in low.” The Kittlitz’s Murrelet is still because there are very large confidence 76 Federal Register 66370, 66374 (26 a candidate for listing under the U.S. intervals in the data. New concerns focus October 2011). Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the on the low reproductive success of the USFWS received funding for this assess- Kittlitz’s Murrelets, which is less than ment as an outcome of the multi-district 10 percent in some locations. Research legislation settlement in September 2011. is also underway to assess the status and USFWS’s Listing Priority Number trends of Kittlitz’s Murrelet throughout Baja California is a unique combination of (1) magnitude its range. Data are currently available for of threats, (2) immediacy of threats, only a small part of the species’ range, Seabirds Get a Boost and (3) taxonomy. Priority numbers 1-6 and only for a few survey years. Based from Restoration refer only to high-magnitude threats, on information to date, the USFWS has Fund both imminent (1-3) and non-imminent concluded that low reproductive success (4-6). Priority numbers 7-12 refer only is a “moderate“ threat to the species. The Montrose Settlements Restora- to moderate to low-magnitude threats, Threats to adult survival are also noted tion Fund (MSRP) and the Luckenbach both imminent (7-9) and non-imminent from several sources, including fisheries Trustee Council combined resources to (10-12). Within the groupings, taxonomy bycatch and predation by Peregrine Fal- support a $4 million, five-year program further identifies the LPN (monotypic cons (Falco peregrinus) and Bald Eagles restoring seabird habitat on several Baja genus, species, or subspecies/popula- (Haliaeetus leucocephalus); these threats California Pacific Islands. Many seabirds tion). In this system, the Kittlitz’s Mur- are rated as “moderate to low.” USFWS cross international borders for nesting relet can only be a 2 (high, imminent), is shifting its focus from the receding and feeding grounds. Seabird species 5 (high, non-imminent), 8 (moderate to tidewater glaciers towards evaluating such as the California Brown Pelican low, imminent) or 11 (moderate to low, reproductive success as a mechanism for (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus), non-imminent). the observed population declines. Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuti- In 2004, the species was listed as a For all the aforementioned rea- cus), Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma Threatened Species Candidate because of sons, the Kittlitz’s Murrelet’s LPN was homochroa), and Xantus’s Murrelet the apparent steep and rapid declines in changed to an 8 to reflect the change (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) nest on its population. At the time, USFWS con- in the magnitude of the threats; there these islands. These seabirds face threats cluded that the loss of tidewater glaciers is no change in the imminence of the was a “high” threat to the species because threats. In February 2011, PSG wrote to from non-native species, nest and burrow of the increased rate of glacier melt. The the USFWS in Anchorage (see Pacific destruction in high-use areas, and distur- magnitude of this threat resulted in an Seabirds 37[2]:31, 2010), noting that bance from lights and other man-made LPN of 2 for Kittlitz’s Murrelet. Today, Kittlitz’s Murrelet populations “will be structures. USFWS acknowledges there is more most responsive to management actions Organizations from the US and uncertainty in the threat’s magnitude. that reduce direct mortality and improve México, including the National Audubon For example, the link between melting [adult] survival.” PSG also noted that as- Society, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithol- tidewater glaciers and population trends sessing population trends for this highly ogy, Grupo de Ecología y Conservación

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 7 CONSERVATION REPORT de Islas, and the Mexican Fund for the lide in flight with the wind turbines or fledged young. Conservation of Nature, are partnering related infrastructure during operation For more information, and to re- to implement this restoration program. of the facility. ceive the Macquarie Dispatch, contact: The restoration partners will conduct The Kaheawa Wind Power company [email protected] habitat restoration, reduce human dis- operates Kaheawa Wind I, a 20-turbine, turbance and artificial light, and support 30-megawatt wind farm on the hills environmental education in surrounding above Ma’alaea, and is in the process communities. To increase nesting seabird of constructing Kaheawa Wind II, an populations on the islands, scientists additional 14 wind turbines that will PALMYRA ATOLL AND generate 21 megawatts of electricity. will use decoys, mirrors, and broadcast THE GREAT SHIP OF calls and songs to attract seabirds, and When complete, the combined Kaheawa will construct artificial nests to improve Wind Power I and II will provide enough ERADICATION nesting opportunities. power to generate electricity for 18,700 A March 2012 update from the U.S. The partnership will begin work in homes annually on Maui. Fish and Wildlife Service and Island January 2012 on Coronado, Todos San- tos, San Martín, San Jerónimo, Nativi- Conservation (IC) suggests that a $2.7 dad, Asunción, and San Roque Islands, million project to eradicate rats (Rattus which are located in the northwestern rattus) and restore Palmyra Atoll may portion of México. These islands support new website on have been successful. USFWS Biolo- a diverse group of breeding seabirds and chinese crested tern gist Elizabeth Flint reports “absolutely are known for high levels of biological no sign of living rodents” since June diversity. On 23 March 2012, the BirdLife 2011, and Island Conservation’s Project More information is available at International Asia Division announced Manager, Alex Wegmann, says on the http://www.montroserestoration.gov/ a new website—in three languages— project’s blog that “initial results are restoration/seabirds/ for the critically endangered Chinese positive.” Typically, a site must be rat- Crested Tern (Thalasseus bernsteini): free for two years before eradication is http://www.birdlife-asia.org/eng/chi- considered successful. Neither USFWS nese_crested_tern/ or IC is claiming victory just yet; how- ever, since rats reproduce year-round on Maui wind farm the tropical atoll, managers will likely reduces PERMITTED be able to declare success later this year. Palmyra Atoll is a moist Central incidental take MACQUARIE Pacific atoll that sits 1,778 km south of of petrels and ERADICATION UPDATE Honolulu, Hawai‘i, at 5.08° N, 162.1° W. shearwaters The atoll is in the Pacific Remote Islands Eradication efforts have entered National Marine Monument, is a USFWS On 5 March 2012, the State of their second phase on Australia’s sub- National Wildlife Refuge, and is one of Hawaii Board of Land and Natural antarctic Macquarie Island. With feral The Nature Conservancy’s private pre- Resources approved an Amendment domestic cats (Felis sylvestris), black serves. Ten species of seabirds totaling for the Incidental Take License issued rats (Rattus rattus) and house mice (Mus more than 325,000 individuals breed on to Kaheawa Wind Power on Maui. The musculus) either eradicated or severely the atoll, as well as the world’s largest amended permit reduces the permitted knocked back, the newest efforts take terrestrial invertebrate, the coconut crab take of Hawaiian Petrels (Pterodroma aim at introduced European rabbits (Birgus latro). In June 2011, led by Is- sandwichensis) from 40 birds to 25, and (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to control ero- land Conservation’s Alex Wegmann, an take of Newell’s Shearwaters (Puffinus sion. The use of dogs to find the last of interagency team used helicopters and newelli) from 40 birds to 4. Projected the burrowing lagomorphs is proving ground crews to distribute rodenticide take of the Nene Goose (Branta sand- successful. Ground-nesting petrels and vicensis) and the Hawaiian hoary bat prions are responding positively to the and remove hundreds of thousands of (’ope’ape’a; Lasiurus cinereus semotus) restoration, especially Grey Petrels ship rats while minimizing ecosystem would remain unchanged at 60 and 20 (Procellaria cinerea), a species that had effects. respectively. The Incidental Take License not bred on the main island in over 100 The precedent-setting eradication addresses potential take of the listed years. After the cats were removed, Grey on Palmyra Atoll was one of three res- species that may result when they col- Petrels returned and have successfully toration projects supported by a unique

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 8 CONSERVATION REPORT multi-national partnership specializing conservation of effort identified the seasonal composi- in eradications on remote islands. The seabirds in Chilean tion of birds associated with fishing in USFWS, Britain’s Royal Society for the Patagonia the complex system of fjords. Among Protection of Birds, and several other their most important results was finding conservation organizations joined forces that Black-browed Albatross had a strong With a grant from PSG’s Craig S. in 2011 to complete three island restora- relationship with fisheries discards, espe- Harrison Conservation Fund, Cristián cially during the hard conditions of the tions in turn: Palmyra Atoll, Phoenix Is- G. Suazo from Chile has developed southern winter. lands Protected Area (PIPA, Kiribati) and products that can have a special role in For more information, see: Henderson Island (UK), the largest tropi- the conservation of seabirds. Working in cal or sub-tropical island ever cleared of the Chonos Archipelago with colleague Ojeda, J., C.G. Suazo, and J.R. Rau. 2011. Ensamble estacional de aves marinas en introduced rats. [The eradication on Hen- Jaime Ojeda (from the province of Cape Horn), he focused on gathering data on la pesquería del palangre artesanal de la derson was described in Pacific Seabirds the interactions of seabirds and man. merluza austral Merluccius australis, en 38(1-2):15-16.] Carrying two helicopters Cristián’s projects identified and canales subantárticos de Chile (Seasonal and extensive eradication equipment, evaluated the interaction of seabirds seabird assemblages in the artisanal long- line fishery of austral hake Merluccius the M/V Aquila undertook a remarkable such as the Black-browed Albatross australis, in Chile’s sub-Antarctic chan- 27,000 km voyage throughout the Pacific (Thalassarche melanophris) with global nels). Revista de Biología Marina (Chile), Ocean to deliver bait and supplies to conservation problems and local fishing 46: 443-451. In Spanish. (Available at three ground-based eradication teams. activities. Most important was to high- http://www.revbiolmar.cl) This international partnership had been light the presence of artisanal fisheries in Suazo, C.G., R.P. Schlatter, A.M. Arriagada, the islands of the Chonos Archipelago, discussed for more than 10 years, and L.A. Cabezas and J. Ojeda (in press). one of the most poorly studied regions in it finally succeeded in supporting these Fishermen perceptions and interactions Chile because of its geographic isolation between seabirds and the artisanal fish- very important island restoration efforts. and extreme weather conditions. ery in the Chonos’ archipelago, Chilean For more information on the restora- The Chonos Archipelago is an im- Patagonia. Oryx. (The Oryx website is: tion of Palmyra Atoll, please visit: http:// portant artisanal fishery area for Austral http://journals.cambridge.org/action/ www.protectpalmyra.org/blog/ hake (Merluccius australis), and this displayJournal?jid=ORX).

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 9 FORUM

Pacific Seabirds welcomes submission of opinion columns on seabirds and related topics. The authors are expressing their opinions, which may or may not be PSG’s or the Editor’s. The Editor may invite an alternate viewpoint, a note concerning which appears at the end of this column.

Why Does the World Need Another Seabird Group? Malcolm C. Coulter and Craig S. Harrison

The World Seabird Union recently There are many seabird groups and the ease of access to the data sets. formed as a new seabird group. The first around the world, and we are already It is the information to be extracted that announcement of creating this organiza- in touch with each other. Each regional is most important. The current informa- tion came only after an “invitation only” group has an important role in local is- tion in the North Pacific Seabird Colony meeting was held the first day of the sues, as well as contributing to the larger Database (http://alaska.fws.gov/mbsp/ World Seabird Conference by some of global effort. PSG has taken a lead in mbm/northpacificseabirds/colonies/de- its organizers. Readers with a sharp eye much of this and successfully hosted the fault.htm) does not inspire confidence. might have noticed the announcement first World Seabird Conference. This type For example, for the 20 seabird species a few weeks earlier when it was posted of approach brings us together. But each breeding on Buldir Island, the abundance on the conference’s web site. At no time seabird group has its own identity and re- information for 16 of those species is during the four years leading up to the sponsibilities, its own local strengths and from 1976, with no information on any World Seabird Conference was there weaknesses. When Malcolm Coulter was species more recent than 1979, even any suggestion by its promoters that they editor of the PSG Bulletin (now Pacific though the USFWS has had seabird re- intended to form a new seabird group. Seabirds), he made a point of contacting searchers on the island regularly through In considering this development, all the different seabird groups, set up 2011. several past efforts at “world” seabird journal exchanges, and reported on all All data sets have life spans. Wheth- groups have failed, in part because of a the other groups. PSG has an extremely er the information is entered, maintained, lack of funding. In the 1980s, the Interna- effective list-serve. Do we need two list- and transferred to future computer plat- tional Council for Bird Preservation had serves, so people can’t remember which a International Seabird Working Group, one they posted on? This could decrease forms is critical. It is difficult for any led at different times by George Watson, communication and increase confusion. agency or group to ensure that a data set Ralph Schreiber (PSG Bulletin 10[2]:38, Verena Gill has spent hundreds of hours will retain its integrity. In January 2012 1983) and David Duffy (D. Duffy, pers. over the years ensuring that it works so the US Government stopped supporting comm.); it has long been inactive. The well, and it has lead to many collabora- the National Biological Information International Ornithological Congress tions around the world. Infrastructure with little warning. The had a Standing Committee for Coordina- Outer Continental Shelf Environmental tion of Seabird Research, which was led Data sets Assessment Program data that were col- by David Nettleship and John Croxall in A primary justification for the for- lected for millions of dollars no longer the 1990s (Marine Ornithology 19:153- mation of the World Seabird Union is exist. Other Alaska databases have, until 155, 1991). That committee began in the to create online databases. This seems recently, contained data that is decades mid-1960s and functioned until 1998. old. Even if they are now being updated Seabird biologists by their nature to be a solution in search of a problem. the history of these databases does not are international. Working in the oceans Data sets are not ends in themselves, and inspire confidence that they will be away from land, we deal with each other, the number of people who use them as maintained in the future. We question sharing geographic and taxonomic infor- sources of “data” to be manipulated and mation, conservation interests, and even analyzed, as opposed to sources of “in- the survivability of these larger data topical interests. We are all in touch on formation,” is small. We all create data sets without dedicated funding source a regular basis. At the 2007 Monterey sets when we analyze our information. to ensure their success and longevity. PSG meeting, an international workshop There are also larger data sets created To the extent that the formation of the brought together people interested in by groups or governments. Their value World Seabird Union is to create online boobies (Sulidae) from five countries depends on how they are constructed, the databases, we have serious doubts that around the world, all cooperating. frequency with which they are updated, this effort will be a success.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 10 Forum

PSG is a world-wide organization conservation activities in non-US nations and at Sea, S.K. Nelson and S.G. Sealy with a focus on the Pacific since its inception. PSG has never been (editors), 1995; Seabird Bycatch: Trends, PSG is already an international strictly confined to the Pacific Ocean; Roadblocks and Solutions, E.F. Melvin seabird group, based on membership members work every year in the Arctic and J.K. Parrish (editors), 2001; Biology, (20 countries), past meeting locations Ocean and Antarctica. In 1974, PSG Status and Conservation of Japanese (including Canada, Mexico, Japan and issued a detailed policy statement on Seabirds, N. Oka (editor), 2001; Seabirds Taiwan), and other activities (e.g., the seabird conservation in Baja California, as Indicators of Marine Ecosystems, W.J. Craig Harrison Conservation Fund, followed 30 years later with a revised Sydeman et al. (editors), 2007. which provides money for seabird con- and updated statement. In 1994 PSG co- PSG published the Exxon Valdez servation in developing countries of the funded (with the Danish Ornithological Oil Spill Seabird Restoration Workshop, Pacific basin). PSG’s Executive Council Society) a project in the Philippines to Warheit et al. (editors), 1997, which in- has always had international representa- produce “Conservation and Manage- volved oil spill restoration experts from tion. Currently, three of the nine regional ment Strategy for Seabirds in the Sulu Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the seats must be filled by non-US residents Sea.” In 1995, PSG received the first UK, and Saudi Arabia. (Canada, Asia, and Europe/Africa). Even North American Free Trade Agree- What new tasks need to be done that in 1974, PSG had a non-US regional rep- ment (NAFTA) grant, under which it PSG could not do or has not done in the resentative (Mexico). At least four Chairs trained Mexican biologists to remove past? For example, PSG pioneered the of PSG have been non-US citizens. predators from seabird colonies in Baja creation of a database of seabird biolo- PSG’s international affiliations are California. PSG has endorsed using oil gists throughout the world in 1984. It longstanding—it joined the International spill trust funds from the US to restore would be simple to update and recreate Council of Bird Preservation in 1982, seabirds at colonies in New Zealand. It that on PSG’s web site. When we need hosted an international meeting in Hono- has advocated conservation of the Ross to address international seabird conserva- lulu with the Australasian Seabird Group Sea. In 2007, PSG began a small grant tion issues, PSG, BirdLife International, (December 1982); joined the IUCN as an program, whereby biologists in such and the American Bird Conservancy international organization in 1998, and nations as Fiji, Guatemala, Peru, Chile already work on them together. prepared the first directory of members and Indonesia have received funds to of all major seabird groups in 1984. conserve seabirds. PSG also has assisted Competition among seabird groups PSG has long encouraged seabird re- in conserving the Chinese Crested Tern could be a disadvantage search and conservation outside the US. (Thalasseusa bernsteini). All organizations require volunteers PSG encouraged its Japanese colleagues PSG’s publications are international. to manage their activities, and the World to create the Japan Seabird Group, act- It jointly publishes Marine Ornithology, Seabird Union will divert volunteers ing as a catalyst while recognizing that an international peer-reviewed journal of who might otherwise work on issues for our colleagues needed to form their own seabird science and conservation, with PSG and the other seabird groups. Its society and work in ways appropriate the African Seabird Group, Australasian meetings may compete for attendance to Japan. PSG since 1995 has offered Seabird Group, Seabird Group (UK), at other meetings. In 2010, PSG’S WSC Corresponding Memberships to seabird NGZ (Dutch Seabird Group), and Japan received $280,000 in grants and PSG’s biologists and conservationists through- Seabird Group. Long Beach meeting received $5,000. out the world, particularly in developing PSG has published the following in- PSG applied to the Packard Foundation countries. Corresponding members do ternational symposia: Shorebirds in Ma- for a grant to support small conservation not pay PSG dues; in return, they sub- rine Environments, F.A. Pitelka (editor), grants; however, the foundation instead mit periodic reports on their work. This 1979; Tropical Seabird Biology, R.W. gave a $50,000 travel grant to the World membership ensures their participation Schreiber (editor), 1984; Marine Birds: Seabird Conference. Maintaining data- and communication. PSG currently in- Their Feeding Ecology and Commercial bases, an activity for which there seems cludes participants from five countries, Fisheries Relationships, D.N. Nettleship to be little interest in implementing including the Indian Ocean Seabird et al. (editors), 1984; Ecology and Behav- with volunteer efforts, would take an Group and BirdLife Pacific (Fiji). ior of Gulls, J.L. Hand et al. (editors), enormous amount of financial resources. PSG has given its Lifetime and 1987; Auks at Sea, S.G. Sealy (editor), This would inevitably require the World Special Achievement Awards to indi- 1990; Status and Conservation of the Seabird Union to compete with existing viduals from around the world, includ- Marbled Murrelet in North America, seabird groups for resources. It is naive ing Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South H. Carter and M.L. Morrison (editors), not to recognize this. Africa, and the UK. 1992; The Status, Ecology, and Con- It has taken almost 40 years to build PSG is active in international con- servation of Marine Birds of the North PSG as it stands, and it has taken a tre- servation. PSG has provided policy Pacific, K. Vermeer et al. (editors), 1993; mendous dedication and work by many advice to decision-makers concerning Biology of Marbled Murrelets—Inland individuals. Recent PSG members may

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 11 Forum not know that it was not an easy pro- new organization in another nation such N o t e cess. PSG is still here because we made as UK or the Netherlands would make The World Seabird Union (WSU) has the effort in the early years! PSG went much more sense. A group whose pri- only been able to see a very brief summary of the contents of the article, provided by through what Malcolm calls the dark mary promoters all speak English as their the Editor. While this was appreciated, with- ages in the late 1980s, when the chairs native tongue and who mostly reside in out access to the full text of the article, the did nothing and the only thing keeping the United States is “international” in WSU was unable to respond appropriately. the group together were the Treasurer name only. We therefore wished to reserve its right of and PSG Bulletin Editor. We forget the Ultimately there has been no com- reply in the next issue of the journal. In the recent past when PSG could easily have pelling answer to the question of why meantime, readers interested in a coherent disappeared. PSG may seem to be stable we need another seabird group. PSG is expression of an alternative viewpoint should consult Hatch (2010). Those interested in the now, but, given problems such as finan- already working fine. We don’t need to recent work of the newly established consor- cial losses at the Long Beach (2010) and duplicate it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix tium of the world’s seabird groups should Hawaii (2012) meetings, PSG could lose it. It is ironic that many ornithological consult the WSU page on www.seabirds.net. its entire assets in a heartbeat. societies in North America are consider- If there is a need for a new “inter- ing merging, at the same time a splinter Reference Hatch, S.A. (2010) A world seabird organ- national” seabird group, why did it form seabird group has formed. Local action isation and Seabirds.net: meeting the in the US? There are two large, interna- is how effective conservation gets done, challenge of the new paradigm. Marine tional seabird groups based in the US and a global effort that diverts scarce hu- Ornithology 38:69-77. (PSG and the Waterbird Society). There man and financial resources can reduce David Irons (Chair), are almost 200 nations in the United the viability of regional groups and end John Croxall (Vice-Chair) Nations General Assembly. Forming a up being harmful to seabirds. World Seabird Union

RESEARCH LETTER

The first English name and probable record off North America of Murphy’s Petrel Pterodroma ultima W.R.P. Bourne

A petrel taken off northwest Amer- pity that this possible early record and Latham, J. 1785. A General Synopsis of ica during Captain Cook’s third voyage name appear to have escaped recognition Birds. London. in the spring of 1778, described and in North America (Howell 2012). Murphy, R.C. 1949. A new species of petrel named the Black-toed Petrel by John from the Pacific. Pp. 89-91 in Mayr, E. LITERATURE CITED and Schuz, E. (editors). Ornithologie als Latham (1785), caused endless confu- Bourne, W.R.P. l995. Could the Black-toed biologische Wissenschafte. Carl Winter, sion (Bourne 1995) until it was eventu- Petrel Procellaria melanopus have been Heidelberg. ally named Pterodroma ultima by R.C. Murphy’s Petrel Pterodroma ultima? Murphy (1949). While there is an ele- Notornis 42:48-49. Howell, S.N.G. 2012. Petrels, Albatrosses W.R.P. Bourne ment of uncertainty in the identification and Storm-Petrels of North America. Ardgath, Station Road that avoids problems with the scientific Princeton University Press, Princeton, Dufftown, AB55 4AX, UK nomenclature (Bourne 1995), it seems a New Jersey and Woodstock, UK. [email protected]

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 12 HOW PSG RUNS

This is an occasional section that describes the year-round work of PSG. The first installment appeared in Pacific Seabirds 38(1-2), 2011 (see “The Editor’s Page,” earlier in this issue.) This article was adapted from the Vice-Chair for Conservation’s report to the Executive Council for February 2012.

HOW THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE WORKS Craig S. Harrison, Vice-Chair for Conservation

Background It is almost impossible to predict Often PSG is under a strict dead- The Conservation Committee keeps the specific issues that the Conservation line to provide information or policy PGS members informed about problems Committee will address during each year. advice to resource managers or regula- that face seabirds. But, at least as im- We ask all PSG members to bring impor- tory agencies. Correspondence should portant, the Conservation Chair and the tant issues to the Conservation Commit- be drafted well before deadlines to committee make PSG’s concerns and tee in a timely manner, particularly the allow adequate time for internal PSG expert suggestions known to government Regional Representatives (who should review; insufficient time is not a rea- agencies, private organizations, and the keep a close eye on conservation issues son to truncate internal review. public. in their respective regions). We also re- PSG can take positions that are PSG’s Bylaws state the mission quest that members volunteer to review controversial or are not unanimous, but it is vital that PSG’s decision-mak- of the Conservation Committee in the documents and assist the Committee in ers understand all sides of controver- job description for the Vice-Chair for drafting PSG letters. sial issues so they can accommodate Conservation: Process for approving PSG’s conser- any conflicting viewpoints within PSG The Vice-Chair for Conservation vation policy correspondence as much as possible. Where there are shall be responsible for initiation and At the annual meeting in February strong differences of opinion it may coordination of conservation related 2012, PSG’s Executive Council adopted be preferable for PSG to refrain from activities of PSG. . . . Specific duties a formal procedure for approving our taking a position. In such situations, individual PSG members can provide include: acting for PSG as directed correspondence on conservation policy. by the Chair and Executive Council information and policy recommenda- I proposed the following as PSG’s of- on priority conservation issues at tions to agencies and decision makers ficial process, in keeping with how PSG public forums and through written on their own behalf. has approached the issue for well over a comments; chairing the Conservation decade. This procedure will be added to Committee; reporting the activities of Summary of PSG’s conservation PSG’s Handbook: the Conservation Committee to the activities, September 2010- Executive Council and other duties PSG’s bylaws state that the Vice- February 2012 specified in the PSG Handbook. (By- Chair for Conservation is responsible In order to show what PSG is doing laws, Article 3, Secti on 3, Clause E) for the initiation and coordination of for conservation, brief accounts of PSG’s PSG’s conservation-related activities. activities between the EXCO meetings The Conservation Committee is PSG must speak with a single voice of September 2010 and February 2012 open to all PSG members and meets and conservation-related correspon- are listed below. The accounts have been during PSG’s annual meeting. Working dence should normally be signed condensed from Craig Harrison’s Report members of the committee are any PSG by the Vice Chair for Conservation. to EXCO for February 2012. Details of members: (1) who bring conservation All draft conservation policy cor- most items were presented in “Conserva- issues to my attention and who draft respondence should be reviewed by tion Reports” in Pacific Seabirds, which appropriate correspondence; (2) who the Chair, Chair-Elect, and Past Chair are referenced. review and draft comments on public for concurrence, any of whom may policy documents that pertain to seabirds; seek advice from others. Internal PSG October 2010: Marine Preserves (3) whom I ask for opinions on particular review is conducted on a case-by- in Oregon—PSG wrote the Oregon issues because of their expertise; or (4) case basis, the purpose of which is to Department of Fish and Wildlife to who attend Conservation Committee determine whether there are strongly support the state’s proposal for Marine meetings. divergent views. Reserves and Marine Protected Areas,

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 13 HOW PSG RUNS which was a proposal to help protect and 30,000 downed shearwaters since the directly to the southern Bering Sea. Kit- restore nearshore ecosystems. PSG noted 1980s; lights have been shielded, and tlitz’s Murrelets do not breed until 2–4 that Oregon’s approach complements lines should be buried or moved inland. years of age, lay only one egg per clutch, efforts by Washington and California However, PSG noted other problems and may not breed every year. Declining to manage the California Current in that could be contributing to declines populations can be expected to recover an ecosystem-based manner, and that in the Newell’s Shearwater, which must slowly, even with effective action to conservation should include all relevant be much better explored before they protect them. scientific disciplines. Seabirds within the can be mitigated. As one example, it is PSG wrote that in the short term, California Current System are an integral not known how many birds of all age Kittlitz’s Murrelet populations would component of that ecosystem; we noted classes are lost to exotic predators such be most responsive to management that that there are over 66 seabird colonies as feral cats, dogs, rats, pigs and owls. reduces direct mortality. Seabird bycatch within the areas being considered. PSG also urged that population estimates is sampled in all areas where gillnet PSG urged Oregon to support for Newell’s Shearwaters be improved. monitoring has occurred in Alaska, and research on forage species, consider Finally, where feasible, a cross-fostering Kittlitz’s Murrelet mortalities have been restricting forage fisheries in protected program should be undertaken at suit- recorded in both driftnets and set-nets, areas, establish no-disturbance areas able predator-free locations throughout although more gillnet fisheries need to be around sensitive colonies, protect shore- Kauai, to establish colonies in already- sampled. Kittlitz’s Murrelets also would lines to conserve Black Oystercatchers protected areas. benefit from oil-spill prevention and re- (Haematopus bachmani) and Harlequin PSG noted that it has sent numerous sponse planning (mortality was recorded Ducks (H. histrionicus), and manage letters to USFWS and the Kauai utility from the Exxon Valdez spill, among other public lands near colonies to deter during the past decade on these issues— incidents); reducing human activities scavengers and minimize disturbance. we are frustrated and disturbed that the that artificially increase populations of (Pacific Seabirds37[2]:33, 2010) HCP process has already taken over six predators (e.g. Bald Eagles, Haliaeetus years. (Pacific Seabirds37[2]:31, 2010) leucocephalus); avoiding disturbance November 2010: Habitat Conser- of nesting birds; protecting nesting and vation Plan on Kauai—PSG wrote the February 2011: ESA status of Kit- foraging habitats; and minimizing distur- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) tlitz’s Murrelet—PSG wrote to USFWS bance by vessels (such as tourist boats) in in Honolulu concerning a Habitat Conser- in Anchorage to express concern about favored foraging areas. Finally, we noted vation Plan (HCP) that is being proposed the status of Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachy- that in February 2010 PSG sponsored a by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. ramphus brevirostris). We urged the symposium to summarize the status and The utility plans to spend $11 million to agency to evaluate this species for listing trends of Kittlitz’s Murrelet in Alaska and minimize their incidental take of species under the ESA, and to base its decision Russia (Marine Ornithology, Volume 39, listed under the Endangered Species Act on the best available scientific informa- 2011). (Pacific Seabirds37[2]:31, 2010) (ESA); listed seabirds include the en- tion. We noted that biologists who are dangered Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma familiar with the species recognize that it April 2011: PSG supports Pal- phaeopygia sandwichensis), threatened is difficult to estimate trends in numbers, myra rat eradication—PSG wrote Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli), because populations are so scattered to USFWS in Honolulu to support the and candidate Band-rumped [Harcourt’s] and mobile; we stated that reproductive agency’s plan to eradicate ship rats (black Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) . success and survival must be taken into rats; Rattus rattus) at Palmyra Atoll, for Under the HCP, the utility would be is- account. the benefit of seabirds and their habitat. sued an incidental-take permit for three PSG noted that relatively little is Rats are notorious for preying on the to five years, while studies would im- known about the life history, marine eggs, chicks, and adults of small seabirds. prove our knowledge and conservation and terrestrial habitat requirements, The eradication of rats on Midway Atoll methods for the species. ecology, and populations of Kittlitz’s in the 1990s is one example of how When fledgling Newell’s Shearwa- Murrelets. The current world population seabirds such as Bonin Petrels (Ptero- ters and Hawaiian Petrels head to sea, is estimated at 30,900 to 56,800 individu- droma hypoleuca) and storm-petrels can they are attracted to bright lights such als. The species often feeds during the increase after rat removal. On Palmyra, as street lamps and hotel lights. Trapped breeding season in waters associated with small and vulnerable species such as in the glare, the confused birds circle re- tidewater glaciers, but smaller numbers Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) peatedly until they fall to the ground from also occur near the Aleutian Islands and and noddies would almost immediately exhaustion or strike buildings or wires. in northern Alaska. Migration and the increase; and eight more seabirds that There has already been focus on the light winter range are poorly known, although probably were extirpated by rats could attraction issue; the “Save Our Shearwa- recent satellite telemetry confirms that reappear, including three shearwaters, ter” program has retrieved and released birds fly from southeastern Alaska two petrels, a storm-petrel, a noddy, and

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 14 HOW PSG RUNS a tern. PSG also reminded USFWS that many suggestions. As part of this pro- Fence protects seabirds at Kaena its Regional Marine Bird Policy includes cess, I asked many other PSG members Point, Hawaii—In early 2011, a pred- a goal of “remov[ing] all introduced for their opinions and thoughts. I also ator-exclusion fence was completed predators from marine bird colonies on provided extensive written comments in at Kaena Point, the northernmost tip . . . National Wildlife Refuges.” December on NFWF’s draft work plan. of Oahu. Exotic predators have been PSG stated that the project must I think this project has great potential eradicated from the area, and seabirds aim for complete eradication of rats, so for the conservation of seabirds. Scott that nest in the Kaena Point colony are we supported aerial broadcast of baits Hall summarized the project during the already benefiting. containing the anticoagulant poison Conservation Committee meeting in Feb- PSG wrote to the Hawaii Depart- brodificoum. Application of bait from ruary 2012. [This issue was not covered ment of Land and Natural Resources at helicopters has improved since a failed in a Conservation Report.] least three times from 2008 to 2011 to attempt to remove rats from Palmyra support erection of the fence around a in 2001-2002; recent successes include Outcome of some recent issues that state nature reserve. The state approved projects at Rat Island (Alaska) and Ana- PSG has commented on the fence, and the Packard Foundation capa Island (California). Wind farm canceled at Radar has funded predator removal, seabird Palmyra’s bird populations are low Ridge, Oregon—In June 2009 and again restoration, and monitoring. during summer, but a small number of in June 2010, PSG expressed its concerns PSG treasurer Lindsay Young and non-breeding Bristle-thighed­ Curlews to the Washington Department of Natural member Eric VanderWerf have been the (Numenius tahitiensis) could be exposed Resources (WDNR) about plans by a prime movers behind the fence. It pro- to poison baits. We supported mitigation consortium of electric utilities to build tects nesting seabirds from exotic cats, of the risk to curlews through capturing Western Washington’s first major wind dogs, rats, and mongooses (Herpestes them and keeping them in cages during farm in habitat that the state had earlier javanicus). Laysan Albatrosses (Phoe- the application. identified as critical for the recovery of bastria immutabilis) and Wedge-tailed The project was carried out in June the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) were al- 2011, with two phases of widespread marmoratus). The utility companies ready nesting at Kaena Point, but cats and baiting. Nine curlews were kept in cages cancelled the project in November 2011 mongooses alone were killing 15 percent and did well. Monitoring for rats (which due to restrictions that USFWS would of chicks. Populations and productivity must be carried out for two years after have imposed for protection of the mur- of the albatrosses and shearwaters are an application of poison) has so far in- relet, which the developers considered rising, native plants are benefiting, and dicated successful eradication. (Pacific “untenable.” additional species such as Red-footed Seabirds 37[2]:30, 2010) PSG had expressed concern to Boobies (Sula sula) and Great Frigate- WDNR that the location of this particular birds (Fregata minor) might colonize August 2011: Nationwide seabird facility (and not wind turbine projects the reserve in the future. Endangered conservation program—I was contact- in general) would likely result in direct monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) ed in by representatives of the National mortality of murrelets nesting adjacent also haul out in the reserve. VanderWerf Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to to the facility. We pointed out that in is continuing to study seabird populations provide my thoughts on the development a 1997 HCP for timber harvesting, the and monitor for predator intrusion. of NFWF’s five-year, $40 million dollar state had committed itself to “mak[ing] The reserve is open to the public. Seabird Conservation Program in the a significant contribution to maintaining Entrance is through ingenious “rat- Pacific. While I was initially contacted and protecting marbled murrelet popula- locks”—double doors that cannot both be because of my position in PSG and as- tions in western Washington.” We also open at the same time; people are asked sociated experience, it seemed to me knew that a state-commissioned Science to stay on roped-off paths. The result is that my advice would best be provided Report had identified the Radar Ridge an outstanding resource, not only for in my personal capacity, instead of as a area as the single best place to restore research, but also for public enjoyment PSG officer. I initially had wide-ranging Marbled Murrelet habitat on state land. and education in a seabird colony that is discussions about various conservation (Pacific Seabirds 36[2]:47, 2009; 38(1- both protected and easy to access. (Pa- issues, and I followed up in writing on 2):14, 2011) cific Seabirds 36[2]:45, 2009).

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 15 MEETING NEWS

PSG’S 2012 ANNUAL of PSG’s Lifetime Achievement Award), for “A northwestern Pacific metric of MEETING AT OAHU, “Conservation and restoration of islands pelagic marine debris: plastic ingestion HAWAII in the Southern Ocean”; and Jeffrey by black-footed albatross from Kure Polovina, “Recent changes at the top Atoll, Hawai‘i” and Amanda Gladics for “Causes and consequences of highly PSG held its 39th Annual Meeting and bottom of the Central North Pacific ” variable diets for Common Murres off on 7-10 February 2012 at the Turtle Bay subtropical ecosystem. Oregon.” Trevor Joyce received the Best Resort, Haleiwa, on the North Shore of The Awards Committee (chaired by the Past Chair, Tom Good) granted Student Poster Award for “Breeding Oahu, Hawaii. The Chair of the Local travel support to three categories of season marine distribution and spatial Committee was Lindsay Young. The applicants: students from the USA and habitat use of Newell’s Shearwater from resort was an excellent venue, in out- Canada, students from other countries, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i; the Runner-up Student standing surroundings—towering blue and scientists from countries other than Poster Award went to Yukiko Aoyama waves beyond white beaches, Laysan the US and Canada. Eleven students from for “Seabirds as adhesive seed dispersers Albatrosses passing offshore, tropical North America received a total of $3,270: of alien and native plants in the oceanic trees with exotic songbirds, Pacific Abe Borker, Katherine Goodenough, Ogasawara Islands, Japan.” Golden-Plovers and Mynahs on the lawn, Jacquelyn Grace, Peter Kappes, James The banquet was held on the resort’s people swimming and snorkeling . . . Lawonn, Christopher Millow, Rachel Or- lawn on the evening of 10 February, As of the start of the meeting, 283 ben, Annie Schmidt, and Rebecca Young featuring Hawaiian foods and Polynesian people had registered to attend. There from the US; and Shanti Davis and Mark fire dancing. John Cooper was presented were 198 presentations—144 oral pre- Maftei from Canada. Two students from with the Lifetime Achievement Award sentations and 54 posters. A quarter of other countries received a total of $725: (see accompanying article in this issue). the total presentations were given by Ando Haruko from Japan and Mindaugas Field trips before and after the students. The Scientific Chair of the Mitkus from Sweden (his place of study; conference took in nearby Kaena Point, meeting was Chair-Elect Kim Rivera. he actually hails from Lithuania). Four the colony of Laysan Albatrosses and The theme of the meeting was other students were offered travel support Wedge-tailed Shearwaters that has “Tropical Seabirds.” Special Paper Ses- but were unable to attend. recently been protected with a predator- sions included Tropical Seabird Biology Four foreign scientists received a proof fence; hikes to find native song- and Conservation (convened by David total of $2,000, all from Japan: Mayumi birds in the southern Koolau mountains; Hyrenbach and Scott Shaffer); Where Sato, Misori Takashima, Tatsuya Ura, birding on the island of Hawai‘i and Seabirds and Tuna Meet: Biology and offshore of Kaua‘i; and a week-long visit and Yutaka Yamamoto. A fifth scientist Management of Subsurface Predator Fa- to Midway Island. was offered support but was unable to cilitated Foraging (Sara Maxwell, Lance Preparations for the meeting suf- attend. PSG is pleased to have helped Morgan, and Peter Kappes); Seabirds, fered a rude shock back in October 2011: these students and scientists attend, even Marine Spatial Planning and Impacts of Lindsay learned that the venue she had Renewable Energy Development in the though to a modest extent. chosen (and EXCO had approved)—the Calfornia Current Ecosystem (Jeannette Awards for the best student papers Makaha Resort—was closing suddenly. Zamon); and Biology and Conservation and posters were decided by volunteer Demonstrating remarkable resilience, of Hawai‘i’s Endemic Seabirds (Helen judges under Past Chair Tom Good. Lindsay started her search for a hotel all James, Nick Holmes, Fern Duvall, and Abraham Borker received the Best Stu- over again, so EXCO was able to approve Jay Penniman). Many additional papers dent Paper Award for “Acoustic activity the new venue and budget in their confer- were presented at thirteen general ses- as an index of relative abundance at ence call later that month. Not only did sions. seabird colonies: a low-cost and scal- Lindsay put on a wonderful meeting, she Plenary lectures opened each morn- able tool for measuring conservation outdid all previous Local Chairs by doing ing’s session: Matthieu LeCorre, “Migra- outcomes.” In an unusual decision, much of it twice! (Some more informa- tion strategies of seabirds of the tropical two students received Runner-up Stu- tion on the Makaha situation is in “PSG Indian Ocean”; John Cooper (recipient dent Paper Awards: Andrew Titmus News,” elsewhere in this issue.)

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 16 Meeting News

Local Chair Lindsay Young

Student travel awardees

Past Chair Tom Good presents Best Student Poster award to Trevor Joyce . . .

. . . and co-Runner-up Best Student Scientist travel awardees Tatsuya Ura and Paper Award to Amanda Gladics Yutaka Yamamoto (after the Oahu birding trip)

Pomona College undergraduates at the banquet in Oahu: Neha Savant, Molly Yukiko Aoyama with her Runner-up Student Shallman, Kristina McOmber, and Jamie Canepa, with Professor Nina Kar- Poster Award novsky. (Photo by Jennifer Boyce)

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 17 Meeting News

PSG ANNUAL MEETINGS: updates on the program, abstract sub- We are still in the thinking stage for 2013 AND BEYOND mission details, and information about PSG 2015. Discussions of late have em- registration, lodging, field trips, and phasized that we would be best served by PSG is turning 40 next year! Plan- festivities. meeting in the near future near our core ning has commenced for the 2013 —Holly Freifeld, Local Commit- membership areas (to “recover” from Annual Meeting, which will be held tee Chair for PSG 2013 meetings in Japan, Hawaii, and Victoria). 20-24 February in Portland, Oregon. Semi-Ah-Moo in Blaine, Washington has We will celebrate PSG’s 40th at the expressed a desire to have us back. The downtown Hilton. The hotel’s website is: For PSG 2014, we have a proposal greater Seattle area is another possibility. http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/ for Juneau, Alaska from Adrian Gall, Other thoughts include San Diego/La PDXPHHH-Hilton-Portland-Executive- and an informal proposal for the Mon- Jolla, California and the San Francisco Tower-Oregon/index.do terey area from Hannah Nevins and Bay area. Keep an eye on the PSG website Josh Adams. EXCO has not yet decided —Tom Good, Past Chair, (www.pacificseabirdgroup.org) for between them. 2010-2012

THE CHAIR’S PAGE Pat Jodice

This is the Chair’s report to PSG members on PSG’s condition and accomplishments during his tenure (September 2010 to February 2012). It was written as his report to the Executive Council at the recent Annual Meeting (February 2012 in Oahu), but it is equally addressed to everyone else.

My term as PSG Chair ran from Good, Chair-Elect Kim Rivera, and I ar- such as that, and to prepare for either the September 2010 to February 2012. The ranged conference calls in most months. planned or unplanned need to hand over term began with PSGs 38th Annual The calls kept us current on issues and duties to a new leader, an Assistant Coor- Meeting in Victoria, BC, concurrently provided the current and incoming Chairs dinator would be a valuable asset. (Other with the World Seabird Conference. The with the perspective of the Past Chair. I titles could be used, such as associate, WSC was considered quite successful by found these calls to be very valuable and vice, etc.) Pursuing such appointments most, with over 800 attendees from more strongly recommend that they be con- during the 2012–13 term appears to be a than 40 countries. PSG members had a tinued by future Chairs. It may be worth worthwhile endeavor. critical role in developing the meeting adding the Secretary to the calls so that One of the most consistent activi- and in presenting scientific products at minutes can be duly recorded. ties for the PSG during the year is the the meeting. I think it is safe to say that The various committees of PSG preparation of policy statements. Craig the global seabird community observed continue to conduct important business Harrison has taken on this task for years first-hand how PSG is such a strong throughout the year and their stability and continues to excel at it, to the point proponent for the pursuit of outstanding needs to be maintained. We discussed where we may not always realize the science and timely conservation, as it during the year the appointment of as- quality and quantity of effort Craig in- pertains to seabirds and their habitats. sistant Coordinators to each committee, vests in these statements; i.e., we just take Due to the extended nature of the although we have not yet completely his timely and well-developed statements Chair’s term, and to help with the passing achieved this. Because of the nature of for granted. During the 2010–2012 term, of information between past, current, and our work we often find that a commit- Craig and I discussed the need for writ- incoming Chairs, a monthly conference tee’s Coordinator is “in the field” for an ten description of the process he uses to call was established. Past Chair Tom extended period of time. In instances develop these policy statements, so that

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 18 The Chair’s Page

PSG members can more fully understand available to the seabird community. Un- proposed allocation of funds, and the importance of his conservation work fortunately, Tony will be steeping down PSG’s financial stability. and the timeline needed for it. Craig as Editor-in-Chief, so a search committee • In short, officers and EXCO members developed such a statement, which is will be formed to conduct the search for a need to see their commitment to included in his report (Vice-Chair for new Editor. This is an important task that PSG as a regular part of their career, Conservation). It will be reviewed at the deserves thoughtful deliberation during not just as something they work on EXCO meeting and proposed for inclu- the 2012-2013 term. immediately before board meetings. sion in the Handbook. [Editor’s note: Much energy has been invested This culture of commitment and see “How the Conservation Committee during 2012 in issues surrounding the investment needs to be fostered by Works,” above.] financial relationship between the PSG current EXCO officers and board Annual Meetings continue to be a and the World Seabird Union. I will not members, so that incoming officers primary focus each year—their location, detail the issues here; instead, I choose and board members know what is and budgets and income. In 2010, PSG to focus on ideas that may lessen the expected of them. approved the formation of a Conference chances of divisive issues arising in the Throughout the 2010-2012 term, Coordinating Committee to support future. various issues arose that made it appar- Local Chairs, and especially to exam- • PSG would benefit from increased ent our organization would benefit from ine all hotel contracts prior to signing. attention to detail by members of some self-reflection and training. Such Enhanced oversight of meeting plans, EXCO during their meetings, and efforts are not short-term fixes to prob- such as that provided by this committee, also immediately following meet- lems, but rather long-term solutions. We should improve our chances of avoiding ings. Attention needs to be paid need to take action towards better board financial losses due to poorly structured to the quality and accuracy of the management, improved organizational conference contracts. The committee minutes. Approval of the prior structure, and overall program stability. should also allow for improved consis- meeting’s minutes is a required duty In an effort to achieve these goals, we tency in information transfer between at each EXCO meeting. Although will be discussing the need for a Board years and local chairs. During the plan- approval tends to seem like a rou- Retreat and Training Session during the ning stages of the 2012 Annual Meeting, tine task, this duty actually needs to 2012-2013 term. While we would only be undertaken with great care and in our original location, Makaha, went out be able to support a limited number of a timely fashion. Minutes should be of business. We lost our deposit and, as attendees at such a training session, the produced and reviewed soon after of the preparation of this report, have yet goal would be to have those individu- meetings, and questions or changes to have that deposit refunded. Efforts are als act as mentors for incoming EXCO should be submitted, even if the being made to recover this deposit; the members. In so doing, current EXCO vote for approval will be several members would hopefully impart an new Chair and EXCO need to continue months in the future. improved understanding of their roles investing time and effort in this. • While anticipating the unexpected and responsibilities to each new rotation PSG continues to be a key supporter is never easy, EXCO members of EXCO members. of Marine Ornithology. Editor-in-Chief need to pay more attention to the I am grateful to have been given the Tony Gaston, along with his team of entire range of potential outcomes opportunity to serve the PSG as Chair for Associate Editors, continues to do an when crafting motions and propos- the past 17 months, and I look forward to admirable job producing the journal als—not just the range of likely or serving the organization as Past-Chair in and handling manuscripts. The journal expected outcomes. Similarly, all the year to come. I have complete faith continues to focus on the improvement EXCO members have a responsibil- that our Chair-Elect, Kim Rivera, will of the manuscripts it receives, so as to ity to review treasurer’s reports and lead our organization in a positive and produce quality science that is readily ask questions regarding expenditures, professional manner.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 19 TREASURER’S REPORT FOR FY 2010-2011 AND BUDGET FOR FY 2011-2012 Ron LeValley, Treasurer

PSG’s fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September. This report describes our membership, assets, and accounting for the fiscal year that ended 30 September 2011. The draft budget for the fiscal year that ends in September 2012 was approved by EXCO at its February 2012 meeting. The accounting also includes an update that reflects financial decisions made at the same meeting.

Membership Membership has remained steady. We continue to gather many new members at our annual meetings. We continue to lose mem- bers each year after the meeting that they attend! Membership renewals will go out in January 2012 along with the notification of the Pacific Seabirds recent issue.

As of December 20, PSG membership was:

2011 2010 Life Members 81 80 Regular and Family 371 383 Student 109 84 Corresponding 7 7 Honorary 1 1 (John Cooper) Total 569 555

Financial Accounts PSG maintains a number of bank accounts. The operating funds are kept in a two regular checking accounts.

Regular Checking September 30, 2010 $78,227.61 September 30, 2011 $102,079.24 January 22, 2012 $192,992.54

Our Investment funds (Life Memberships and other specially designated monies) are kept in a mutual fund managed by Neu- berger and Berman.

Investment Funds September 30, 2010 $126,275.74 September 30, 2011 $119,879.53 January 22, 2012 $132,010.16

A PayPal account is used to accept membership payments, contributions and other monies by credit card.

PayPal Account September 30, 2010 $498.32 September 30, 2011 $15,100.28 January 22, 2012 $1,641.62

Vivian Mendenhall maintains an account to facilitate the printing and mailing of Pacific Seabirds.

Pacific Seabirds balance as of September 30, 2010 $1,145.10 September 30, 2011 $5,640.00

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 20 Treasurer’s Report

(Financial Accounts, continued)

Total Assets as of September 30, 2010 $206,146.77 Total Assets as of September 30, 2011 $242,699.05

(Total Assets as of January 22, 2012—does not include expenses of Oahu meeting) $329,989.84

PSG Accounts as of 22 January 2012 (Modified to reflect disbursements through 10 February 2012; see “Expenses” and Note 16, below)

Cash on Hand Accounts Chase Checking $192,742.89 North Valley Bank Checking $249.65 PayPal $1,641.62 Neuberger Berman Investments $135,355.68

Total $329,989.84

Allocated Funds Craig Harrison Conservation Fund $7,464.18 Endowment Fund $135,355.68 Marine Ornithology $3,877.48 PSG 2012 Hawaii $85,045.83 Student Travel Fund $825.95 Seabirds.net, WSC Publications, Databases $37,000.00 World Seabird Conference “Seed Money” $12,000.00

Total $281,569.12

Unallocated Funds $48,420.72

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 21 Treasurer’s Report

Accounting and Budget Proposed Actual Proposed 2010-2011 2010-2011 2011-2012 Notes INCOME Conservation Fund $1,152.18 1 Endowment Fund 2 Life Membership $1,620.00 Membership $10,000.00 $8,883.18 $10,000.00 Institutional Subscriptions $525.00 $500.00 Books Publications $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Tax Refund $6,618.68 3 General Fund $19,751.00 4 Marine Ornithology $2,470.00 $1,500.00 5 Student Travel $50.00 $500.00 6 Long Beach Meeting $9,000.00 $9,000.00 7 Oahu Meeting $18,323.36 8 Misc World Seabird Conference $11,000.00 $94,095.15 $59,092.37 Total $21,000.00 $162,488.55 $80,592.37

EXPENSES Bank Charge ($1,500.00) ($780.45) ($1,500.00) 9 Conservation Fund ($6,110.00) Dues And Subscriptions ($1,400.00) ($1,998.53) ($2,000.00) 10 Insurance ($1,400.00) ($1,400.00) ($1,500.00) 2012 Oahu Meeting ($22,472.16) 11 Misc ($500.00) ($500.00) Marine Ornithology ($8,191.99) ($4,000.00) 12 Office Supplies ($75.00) ($75.00) Postage ($200.00) ($106.00) ($100.00) Professional Fees ($1,000.00) ($575.00) ($750.00) Publications ($6,500.00) ($6,500.00) 13 Student Travel ($850.00) 14 State Taxes ($20.00) ($133.27) ($150.00) Federal Taxes ($6,618.68) 15 Chair’s Discretionary Funds ($1,000.00) $0.00 ($1,000.00) Lifetime Achievement Awards $0.00 ($4,000.00) Telephone $0.00

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 22 Treasurer’s Report

(Expenses, continued) WSU products $0.00 ($37,000.00) World Seabird Conference 2010 ($83,792.98) 16 Total ($7,095.00) ($138,679.06) ($59,925.00) OVERALL $13,905.00 $23,809.49 $20,667.37 TOTAL

Notes to accounting and budget: 1. See Conservation Fund Report 2. Miscellaneous donations in conjunction with dues payments 3. Refund received after appealing penalty from not filing taxes on time. 4. Income From World Seabird Conference to PSG 5. Income through PayPal account for Subscriptions and Page Charges 6. Income from Silent Auction and donations. 7. Income received from the Long Beach meeting (NOTE: $9,000 more is coming.) 8. Based on early budget; includes Midway trip. (NOTE: This will likely change!) 9. Mostly PayPal fees. 10. IUCN, Ornithological Council 11. Based on present income and includes Midway trip. (NOTE: This will likely change!) 12. Payment after PayPal charges from Subscriptions and Page Charges 13. Pacific Seabirds 14. Amount on hand for Oahu meeting 15. Tax Penalty paid for not filing; refunded (see “income,” above) 16. Disbursed at EXCO meeting in February 2012, as contracts for WSU publications, databases, & Seabird.net

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 23 ENDOWMENT FUND TRUSTEES REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010-2011 Ron LeValley, Kenneth Briggs, and Malcolm Coulter, Trustees

PSG’s Endowment Fund provides a core of funds for supporting the production of publications, as provided in the Bylaws (Article VI, Section 3). The fund is managed by three trustees, one of whom is the Treasurer. It receives its money from Life Memberships, and from donations, bequests, and other sources as decided by EXCO. The Trustees invest the money, and they decide how much is available each year for expenditure. The Trustees have developed a conservative policy for deciding how much money is available for expenditure each year. Their intention is to ensure that the principal of the Endowment Fund is protected, in spite of fluctuations in the value of securities in which the fund is invested. Briefly, no money will be spent if the fund’s value at the end of PSG’s fiscal year is less than $100,000 in 2004 dollars (the year in which it first reached $100,000). For this analysis, the Trustees convert the Fund’s actual value on 30 September to 2004 dollars by use of a federal inflation index. As an additional protection, the Trustees allow no more than 6% of the Fund’s value for expenditure each year. The Trustees explained these methods in detail in Pacific Seabirds 37(1):17-18, Spring 2010. If funds are available for expenditure, actual use of the money is recommended by the Communications Committee and decided by EXCO. (PSG’s publications are listed near the back of each Pacific Seabirdsissue.)

Endowment Fund Value 30 September 2010 $146,058.87

Income to fund Life Memberships $1,620.00 Other (general contributions) $0.00

Unrealized gains/losses (change in value of ($27,499.34) investments)

Endowment Fund value 30 September 2011 $119,879.53

Availability of funds for expenditure Using the methodology described above, the Endowment Fund dropped below the threshold ($100,000 in 2004 dollars), and so no money was available for publications.

Actual expediture of funds and long-term projects Since actual decisions on spending money from the Endowment Fund (if any is available for expenditure) are made by EXCO, the Trustees express no opinion here concerning the scientific merit of any proposed publications. We note that the availability of funds does not mean that any funds should actually be spent unless meritorious publication projects have been proposed. There are issues that would be related to expensive long-term projects, if such projects were proposed; we have not addressed these concerns here, but will do so if and when they arise. However, we strongly recommend that large projects seek co-funding from other sources.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 24 PSG COMMITTEE REPORTS TO EXCO FEBRUARY 2012 MARINE ORNITHOLOGY Tony Gaston, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief

Organization the previous structure, becoming As- pipe suggests that we will be able to pro- In 2011 Scott Hatch, who had been sociate Editors, while Alan Burger has duce another good issue in April 2012. our North American Editor since 2005, shifted from being Review Editor to be- The size of the journal has increased from decided to call it quits. Scott was a re- coming an Associate Editor. In addition, an average of 136 pages in the decade ally exceptional editor and I would like I recruited Sebastien Descamps (Norsk before we took over, to an average of 230 to pay fulsome tribute to the time and Polar Institute, Norway), Peter Evans pages in the last four years. However, the energy that he devoted to the journal. I (Seawatch Foundation, UK), Nina Kar- increase is greater than that, because the found myself invariably in agreement novsky (Pomona College, CA), Kathy current format allows for more words with his editorial decisions, and I my- Kuletz (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, per page than the earlier one. In 2011 we self became a little lazy about editing Alaska) and Yan Ropert-Coudert (Centre published more than 2,000,000 words. because papers coming via Scott were national de la recherche scientifique, The size of the journal is not really always in an excellent state with respect Strasburg, France) as additional AEs. a great way to evaluate our success (al- to formatting and style, and were virtu- Pat Baird (Simon Fraser University, though it probably is a good indicator of ally typo-free. During his tenure, Scott Vancouver, BC) has taken over as Book the amount of work involved). To date, probably handled about half the papers Review Editor. These changes will be we have refused relatively few papers, preferring instead to put time and effort flowing through Marine Ornithology evident with the next volume year (Vol- into tutoring weaker authors to produce because we had, and continue to have, ume 40, 2012) and will be accompanied something useful. If we can afford this a preponderance of papers from North by a change in cover format and perhaps approach, I would like to continue it, America. His was a big job and he did it some website tweaking. because that is part of our mission—to splendidly. If I have done one thing right Another change I have not reported, increase the availability of information in managing Marine Ornithology, it was but which may be significant, is that on seabirds. I think we should continue inviting Scott to be an editor. our technical editor since 2004, Ann to publish anything on seabirds that con- Scott’s departure coincided with Fotheringham-Brown, resigned in 2010. stitutes sound, non-trivial science. [See my own decision to alter the structure Her successor, Carolyn Brown, another Table and Figure on following pages.] of the journal away from the “Regional Ottawa-based editor, worked previously Editor” model, in which I was mainly a with Canada’s National Research Coun- Impact Managing Editor, towards a more typical cil Journals and also acts as a publishing Because we are not listed by the structure with an Editor-in-Chief and a consultant. She has been a good source Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), list of Associate Editors (AEs). Instead of advice on matters other than editing, Marine Ornithology still does not have a of papers being submitted to Regional so getting her participation (suggested citation index from them. However, other Editors, under the new structure they all by Ann) may have been a lucky break. indices suggest that we are doing bet- come to me and I assign them to Associ- Recently, Akiko Shoji, my former ter than you might anticipate. Scimago ates. The AEs then return them to me for graduate student, has been helping me (www.scimagojr.com) produces a rather a final decision. This system, already in with rounding up page charges, as well different index of impact (SJR Index) action, should improve the consistency of as with mailing. that gives MO a score of 0.046. This decision-making, and also should short- compares with 0.079 for Condor, 0.044 circuit the system by turning back papers Summary of recent issues for Bird Conservation International and that clearly are inadequately prepared or After a very bumper volume year in 0.041 for Waterbirds. We rank in the off-topic. 2009, with 3 issues and 297 pages pub- second quartile of both their “Oceanogra- The restructuring was mentioned in lished, the 2010 year was much smaller, phy” and “Animal Science and Zoology” last year’s report to PSG’s EXCO. It was only 139 pages. This taught me a lesson lists, so there are many, many journals then discussed at a lunchtime meeting that it is better to spread things out a bit, below us. We still do not have our papers of the editors during the World Seabird rather than trying to cram everything on posted on the Searchable Ornithological Conference in September, where it met hand into every issue. However, 2011 Research Archive (SORA)—I have left with general agreement. Tony Diamond, saw us back up to our maximum size with this to Patrick Jodice, who has made little Rob Barrett and Peter Dann remain from 283 pages in two issues. Material in the headway to date.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 25 REPORTS TO EXCO • Marine Ornithology

Papers published in Marine Ornithology, Volumes 31-39, by type and permanent institutions (either subscrib- number of authors, and pages per issue. ers or deposit libraries) in the following countries: US (24), UK (9), Australia Total Short (3), South Africa (4), France (1), Italy Issue pages Forum Papers notes Reviews Authors (2), Netherlands (2), New Zealand (3), Norway (1), Poland (2), and Germany (2). The numbers have been pretty stable 31(1) 94 0 11 1 2 36 since 2007, when the raising of rates for 31(2) 118 0 15 0 0 44 South African subscribers caused the 2003 combined 212 0 26 1 2 shedding of quite a few.

Budget 32(1) 120 0 11 6 1 61 32(2) 84 0 5 6 2 33 Starting with the 2009 volume year 2004 combined 204 0 16 12 3 and getting more insistent as we proceed, I have been requesting page charges. We 33(1) 73 1 7 5 1 44 currently charge $30 per page, and an ad- 33(2) 131 1 13 3 5 61 ditional $70 if there is color on the page. 2005 combined 204 2 20 8 6 In the past two years approximately 50% of non-symposium authors paid—most 34(1) 86 1 8 5 3 42 of those with agency affiliations and 34(2) 83 0 12 1 1 33 a few academics. In addition, all costs 2006 combined 169 1 20 6 4 were found by the conveners to cover the last three symposia published: Sal- 35(1) 88 0 9 3 4 42 ish Sea (2009), Indian Ocean Seabirds 35(2) 67 0 8 0 3 22 (2009), and Kittlitz’s Murrelet (2011). 2007 combined 155 0 17 3 7 Consequently, although I budget with a view to asking PSG for up to $6000 per 36(1) 82 1 8 3 4 34 annum, we actually have not requested 36(2) 120 0 12 5 3 57 any money from PSG since 2008, when 2008 combined 202 1 20 8 7 we received $3000. On average we have received approximately $2000 per year 37(1) 95 1 11 0 2 41 from PSG since the group took over re- 37(2) 86 1 11 0 0 25 sponsibility for MO. Given that I work 37(3) 113 2 13 8 1 63 on the idea that supporting societies will 2009 combined 297 4 35 8 3 contribute $1.00 per member per year, and that PSG membership sits around 38(1) 67 1 7 3 4 39 500, the additional cost to PSG has been 38(2) 72 1 8 2 3 42 only about $1500 per year. 2010 combined 139 2 15 5 7 The strength of the Canadian dollar continues to be a source of concern, as all 39(1) 145 1 13 3 4 75 our income is in US dollars, while most 39(2) 138 0 15 4 4 60 of the expenses are in Canadian dollars. 2011 combined 283 1 28 7 8 The Canadian dollar has been close to or above parity with the US dollar all of the past year. If this continues, I may raise the subscription rates again in 2013 and Subscriptions 98 copies. I print 130 copies of each issue probably the page charges as well. Currently, Marine Ornithology is to ensure I have a stock of back issues, Another recent innovation has being sent to 27 individual and 42 in- but I might reduce that to 120, as there is been the use of PayPal for subscriptions stitutional subscribers. In addition, 29 not much demand for back issues. I can and page charges. These payments go gratis copies are mailed to collaborators, and do increase the print run where sym- through the PSG Treasurer, as I do not deposit libraries, editors and one life posia are involved and the symposium want to set up a PayPal account myself. member (we no longer offer a life mem- organizers pay for additional copies. The main effect of this innovation is bership). This means a total mailing of Marine Ornithology currently goes to 53 that we have added a few individual

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 26 REPORTS TO EXCO • Marine Ornithology subscribers. It remains to be seen whether The Future approach. To date, the only people being these continue, or whether people mainly I approached PSG and other sup- paid are the technical editor (Carolyn wanted to get copies of issues in which porting Societies to ask if they wanted a Brown), the layout team (Reber Creative) they had written papers. There is a slight review. In my last report, I invited PSG to and the printers. I suspect that some fi- falling off in the number of Institutional develop such a review in 2011. To date, nancial inducement might be necessary subscribers, but this loss of income has no one has showed any interest in doing to attract a suitable Editor-in-Chief if he/ so, so there has been no outside review. she is to do more than I have. Also, we been counterbalanced by an increase in The journal is still far short of where I may need to start paying our webmaster, revenue from page charges. would like to see it. I would like to see although Ben has never hinted at being I cannot provide a decent statement posting of all papers at the time of ac- overworked. However, if we went to of the finances right now because the ceptance, more support from advertising post-on-acceptance, he probably would costs of layout and printing for the past and page charges, acceptance by ISI, and need to put aside more time. If we want two issues still have not been invoiced. proper citation indexing. If we can get to spend more, we shall have to gener- Suffice it to say that I have enough on ISI recognition we have a chance to at- ate more revenue. Other options on the hand to pay those bills and to produce tract more good quality papers and raise table include dropping the printed is- the first issue for 2012, so I do not en- the standard of the science we publish. sue, adopting an online review process visage any problems. The books (i.e., However, we do want to continue to be (presumably through one of the existing spreadsheets) are available for inspection an outlet for all legitimate contributions providers), and affiliation with WSU (if any time. on seabirds, irrespective of their contri- such an organization actually appears). bution to science at large. In the longer Although I get some satisfaction in term this may mean expanding the size editing and producing Marine Ornithol- The website of the journal. ogy, I recognize that the journal would I continue to be most grateful to Ben If the journal is to be expanded probably benefit from a more dynamic Saenz, our pro bono webmaster, for his much beyond its current size, I think we Editor-in-Chief. I find myself rather less very efficient handling of the web site. shall need to take a more professional active and engaged than I used to be.

Changes in numbers of pages published in Marine Ornithology since 1991.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 27 REPORTS TO EXCO • Marine Ornithology

Even if I still had all my youthful energy They really need to be undertaken within that time, so this gives a good deadline intact, after eleven years, I am certain that the context of a general review of PSG’s to aim for. We have a good foundation a change at the top would be beneficial publications. I think that there are two now—so let’s really make this thing go. for the Journal. It is in the nature of things options: (1) for PSG, via the publications And please, can we have some reac- that change is best achieved by bringing committee, to take a more active role in tion to this report? in new blood. managing the journal; or (2) for PSG to Consequently, I would like to make formally “spin off” Marine Ornithol- a strong recommendation to the PSG ogy, with the journal constituted as an Acknowledgements EXCO that you identify and recruit a independent foundation or incorporated In addition to myself, the editorial new Editor-in-Chief as of 2013. [Editor’s as a business. Right now the publisher team for 2010-11 was: Scott Hatch of note: A search committee was formed is still registered as the “African Seabird USA (North America and Asia), Tony in February 2012.] There might be an Group” and the country of publication Diamond of Canada (N America east advantage to keeping the position in is South Africa. We probably should do coast and Caribbean), Rob Barrett of North America, but we don’t have to be something about that. Norway (Europe), and Peter Dann of inflexible on that. As I indicated before, To date, PSG’s EXCO has pretty Australia (Southern Hemisphere). Alan I would be happy to continue doing the much had a free ride, as far as thinking Burger was Review Editor. I would like finances for the journal, which would about or organizing Marine Ornithology. remove one less-agreeable aspect from However, whatever future direction Ma- to thank them all for their excellent ef- the Editor’s job, making it more attrac- rine Ornithology takes, I think it is up to forts. I would also like to offer sincere tive to candidates. I would also be happy PSG to provide the engine. I would like thanks (again) to Ben Saentz, our web- to have an overlap year to accustom the the EXCO to convene a publications master, to Carolyn Brown, our technical new editor to the tasks involved. workshop at the 2013 Annual Meeting editor, and to Reber Creative, our layout Expanding and upgrading the jour- where these matters can be discussed. team. Perhaps some thanks could be nal, along with generating the necessary It would be essential to have the new recorded at PSG’s Annual Meeting for additional revenue, are not trivial tasks. Editor-in-Chief selected and present at these individuals.

PACIFIC SEABIRDS Vivian Mendenhall, Editor

Issues of Pacific Seabirds published, • Volume 38, combined issue with that presented only one side of a story. September 2010-Febraury 2012 numbers 1 and 2, Spring and Fall It was suggested in such a case that the 2011 (published February 2012). Editor should let the “target” of the criti- • Volume 37, number 1, Spring 2010 The issue will be printed and mailed cisms know before the manuscript was (published June 2011). 288 hard the week of our meeting. Costs are published, and perhaps invite an article copies were mailed—200 domestic, not known yet. This double issue that would present “the other side.” After 88 foreign. Costs were $1371.61 for should catch Pacific Seabirds up discussing the options with professional printing and mail handling, $444.72 with the real-life year and season; I journalists, I have decided to follow those for postage. The printing company will try to keep it that way. suggestions. initially overlooked the Institutions It is common for a journal or maga- sheet of the mailing list (the only Proposed editorial policy zine to invite a rebuttal to a letter that time in 21 issues they’ve done this); I propose to include the following disagrees with a published piece (e.g., they paid for expedited mailing of in the journal: “Pacific Seabirdsreflects Condor 113(4):709-712, 2011; Scientific those copies. any formally stated policies of PSG’s American 305(6):8, December 2011). • Volume 37, number 2, Fall 2010 Executive Council. On issues for which Pacific Seabirds (published December 2011). 288 such a policy has not been expressed, the This issue of con- hard copies were mailed—200 journal aims for an unbiased presentation tains an opinion piece on whether a new domestic, 88 foreign. Costs were of all points of view.” international seabird group should exist. $1,921.10 for printing and mail There have been a few concerns The column appears alongside a state- handling; postage cost $126.13 for over the years about articles or “Forum” ment that the relevant people have been domestic mailing, $372.17 for non- opinion columns that were critical of invited to reply, and that if they do, their U.S. copies. a person, agency, or other entity, and response will appear in a future issue.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 28 REPORTS TO EXCO • Pacific Seabirds

A few minor problems I’ll try in the future to notify contributors I have no idea what other countries’ post Several Regional Representatives early and often. offices do.) We don’t have time to pursue didn’t pay attention to my deadline for About 10 long-time members seem all oblivious members for their updates. 2011 Reports, which is why only half of to have changed their street address but I wish the Post Office wouldn’t paste the reports appeared in the recent issue. I never notified PSG. They are not getting the “Undeliverable” sticker over the the journal, obviously. Two cases may be original address. That means I have no realize I also have taken deadlines lightly due to our mistake or the post office’s, but idea who the addressee was. (Sometimes in recent years, so there’s an excuse. But the others are real. (Note: the U.S. post I can deduce the name by peering through I plan to be more dogmatic in the future. office will only forward mail for a year; the back of the envelope . . . )

SEABIRD MONITORING COMMITTEE Scott Hatch, Committee Coordinator

The Pacific Seabird Monitoring Committee members at the conference the Pacific Seabird Group and approxi- Database (PSMD) is fully implemented helped organize and present a number of mately 20 others worldwide. The WSU on the World Wide Web, including in- workshops that were intended to promote will sponsor Seabirds.net, a website that terfaces for contributor, user, and data- the creation of world seabird databases: is being designed to accommodate the base administrator. The database can be World Seabird Monitoring Database shared aspirations of all seabird pro- accessed at http://seabirds.usgs.gov. It (WSMD), World Seabird Colony Regis- fessionals, especially the creation and currently contains 20,934 observations of ter (WSCR), World Pelagic Surveys Da- maintenance of world seabird databases. seabird population parameters (numbers, tabase (WPSD), World Seabird Tracking A version of the PSMD, under the name breeding success, phenology, survival, Database (WSTD), and World Seabird World Seabird Monitoring Database, and others), in 2,954 time series. Most of Trophic Studies Database (WSTSD). will soon be installed on Seabirds.net as those data (18,281 observations in 2950 The goal for the seabird monitoring a pilot project for trial and evaluation. time series) were converted to “Public” component is an expansion of the general An important initial step in creating record status during 2011. The database approach exemplified in the PSMD to a global database will be a comprehen- currently has 27 registered data contribu- include the efforts of seabird research- sive inventory of all past and ongoing tors and 66 registered users. ers globally. This global project is being effort to monitor population parameters The previous meeting of the Seabird pursued under the auspices of the World of the world’s seabirds. Regional Coordi- Monitoring Committee was held in con- Seabird Union (WSU), a consortium of nators, with areas of geographic respon- junction with the World Seabird Confer- regional seabird organizations, including sibility as shown on the attached map, ence in Victoria, BC, in September 2010. have been recruited to lead this initiative.

World Seabird Monitoring Database Regional Coordinating Committee

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 29 REPORTS TO EXCO • Kittlitz’s Murrelet

KITTLITZ’S MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Michelle L. Kissling, Coordinator

The Kittlitz’s Murrelet Technical Endangered Species Act. See the 2011 also PSG News item in this issue]. With Committee (KMTC) was formed in KMTC Mid-year Report (dated March the KIMU listing evaluation underway, 2008 to begin addressing concerns re- 15, 2011) for details regarding letter I suspect that PSG (or some members of lated to the status and conservation of development. PSG) may want to be involved in certain this rare seabird. The Kittlitz’s Murrelet (5) In September 2011, the U.S. aspects of the process. I suggest using the (Brachyramphus brevirostris; KIMU) is Fish and Wildlife Service published the Conservation Committee as an avenue currently listed as a candidate under the 2011 Candidate Notice of Review in the for PSG to write letters and/or review Endangered Species Act. The purpose Federal Register lowering the Listing materials related to the KIMU listing of the KMTC is to: (1) act as a technical Priority Number (LPN) for the species evaluation and, if necessary, a proposed authority on the status, distribution, and from a 2 to an 8. However, because of rule and designation of critical habitat. life history of the KIMU; (2) identify, the multi-district legislation settlement I recommend classifying the KMTC as encourage, and facilitate research; (3) (see #6 below), the change in the LPN “inactive” for one, year to allow time for address conservation problems related had no influence on the timeline of the someone to assume the leadership role; to the KIMU; and (4) act as a liaison listing evaluation for KIMU. however, if after one year, the committee between research and management. (6) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- still lacks a coordinator, I suggest PSG vice reached a multi-district legislation abolish the KMTC. If the need arises 2011 accomplishments and updates settlement with the Center for Biological again, the KMTC can reform at that time. (1) The KMTC last met on 19 No- Diversity and WildEarth Guardians in I am proud of the accomplishments vember 2010 in conjunction with the September 2011 that requires the Service of the KMTC in the last four years (2008- Alaska Bird Conference in Anchorage. to review and address the needs of over 2011). Key accomplishments include: Twenty-nine members participated (five 250 species, including the KIMU, on the • Organizing five formal and one infor- over the phone). Meeting minutes are 2010 Candidate Notice of Review. The mal KMTC meetings available on request. Service received funding in 2012 to be- • Compiling and distributing a priori- (2) The proceedings of the sympo- gin the listing evaluation for KIMU and tized list of information needs for sium titled “Population status and trends to publish a decision regarding the legal the KIMU of the Kittlitz’s Murrelet,” held in Long status of the species in the U.S. Federal • Writing three letters to agencies and Beach, California, February 17, 2010 Register by 30 September 2013. The organizations encouraging KIMU were completed and published in Marine KIMU cannot remain a Candidate for conservation Ornithology 39(1):2-122 in August 2011. listing under the U.S. Endangered Spe- • Facilitating and improving coordina- All 11 papers presented at the symposium cies Act; the Service will have to either tion among researchers, managers, were published in the proceedings and have to reach an “not warranted” finding and interested individuals are available on the Marine Ornithology or publish a proposed rule by this date. • Convening a symposium with 11 website. papers that summarized the current (3) We completed and distributed Future of the KMTC state of knowledge regarding status 2010 and 2011 KIMU Project Summa- As of 11 February 2012, I will resign and trends of the KIMU ries of completed, current, and proposed as Coordinator of the KMTC for two • Publishing proceedings of the afore- projects to study KIMU in Alaska and primary reasons. First, I have coordinated mentioned symposium in Marine Russia. The goals of this effort were to this committee since its inception in 2008 Ornithology improve communication among investi- and the committee would benefit from • Maintaining an annual list of current, gators of KIMU studies and to connect new leadership. Secondly, I am leading completed, and proposed KIMU funding agencies and organizations with the KIMU listing evaluation for the U.S. projects investigators seeking funding for specific Fish and Wildlife Service (beginning • Elevating awareness of KIMU within projects. Annual summaries are available in February 2012), and therefore I now state and federal agencies, industry, on request. view my position as Coordinator of the universities, and non-governmental (4) We drafted and sent a letter from KMTC for PSG as a direct conflict with organizations PSG to Geoff Haskett, Alaska Regional my assigned tasks at the Service. Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- Several individuals have been en- I appreciate the opportunity to co- vice, on February 4, 2011. The purpose couraged by me and others to assume ordinate this important committee on of the letter was to encourage the Service the KMTC Coordinator role, but nobody behalf of the Pacific Seabird Group, and to move forward with the evaluation has stepped forward to do so at this time I thank the Executive Council for support for listing of the KIMU under the U.S. [Editor’s note: as of 31 January 2012; see over the years.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 30 REPORTS TO EXCO • Marbled Murrelet

MARBLED MURELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE William Ritchie, Coordinator

The Marbled Murrelet Technical by locating this development at Radar be supported largely due to emigration, it Committee (MMTC) is a long-standing Ridge. The proposed site would have appears to be more robust than the 2009 committee of the Pacific Seabird Group. been located within close proximity to estimate. Its role is: (1) to act as a technical author- the South Nemah Natural Resource Con- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ity about the status, distribution, and life servation Area and other conservation released a final revised Critical Habitat history of the Marbled Murrelet (Brachy- lands in southwest Washington. These designation in October 2011. The new ramphus marmoratus); (2) to identify, conservation lands were in part desig- designation removed approximately encourage, and facilitate research; (3) nated to protect and enhance Marbled 190,000 acres in southern Oregon and to address conservation problems re- Murrelet nesting habitat, including northern California, an area where ex- lated to the Marbled Murrelet; and (4) long-term murrelet conservation for tensive surveys over many years has to act as a liaison between research and the Washington Department of Natural not found murrelets. Many of these management. Resources Habitat Conservation Plan lands were determined to be unsuitable and The Nature Conservancy Ellsworth habitat since the 1996 Critical Habitat MMTC activities and accomplish- Preserve. designation. Marbled Murrelet at-sea popula- ments Tree climbing is occasionally used tion monitoring continued as part of The full committee met 10 and 11 for small-scale Marbled Murrelet nesting March 2011 in Santa Cruz, California. the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) assessments in suitable habitat; often Effectiveness Monitoring Program. For This was a stand-alone meeting, since only a single tree is climbed. In 2002 the Pacific Seabird Group did not hold the 5-zone area combined, the overall MMTC wrote a letter providing general population has declined during the years an annual meeting in calendar year 2011. guidance on when and how tree climb- The meeting was convened to assist with 2000 to 2011. An estimated population ing should be used to identify suitable of 22,500 birds was up from the previ- development of a regional Marbled Mur- murrelet nest trees. The Committee has ous year, but large confidence intervals relet conservation plan and to identify developed a draft standardized training persisted. A declining trend is evident outstanding questions and research needs protocol for use in certifying climbers. in both the 5-zone area and in Zones 1 for the Santa Cruz (Recovery Zone 6) The protocol will be reviewed at our and 2 (Washington). At-sea monitoring population. It was hosted by California 2012 meetings. A training session will will continue in 2012, but may need Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Preven- be held in autumn 2012, pending avail- to be curtailed if funding is reduced in tion and Response (OSPR), the Com- able funding. subsequent years. mand and Luckenbach Trustee Councils, In the Committee’s final action for A model developed for the NWFP and California State Parks, Twenty-eight 2011, the MMTC Inland Survey Protocol terrestrial habitat monitoring component members and guests attended the meet- (ISP) Working Group began working on has shown that 64% (2.4 million ac) ing and a field tour of murrelet sites in revisions and updates to the survey pro- of higher suitability Marbled Murrelet the Santa Cruz Mountains and coastal tocol and training curricula. A core group habitat is on federal lands. The model foraging habitats. Attendees were able met in Corvallis, Oregon in November to examined changes in available habitat between 1994-1996 and 2006-2007.­ The to satisfy their adventurous side as a tsu- identify sections of the protocol that need trend shows an overall loss of habitat nami struck the coast during our meeting. revision. A working draft was prepared Committee membership totaled 71 of 7-13%. Federal lands saw a 3% loss and will be presented for discussion at where as private lands showed a 30% in 2011, a slight reduction from 2010. the MMTC meetings to be held in early Losses from Alaska, British Columbia, loss in habitat. Much of the loss was due 2012. We are planning to have a final to timber harvest and fire. Reports sum- and Oregon were somewhat offset by revised ISP available for Executive slight increases from California and marizing the NWFP monitoring activities Council review by autumn 2012. Washington. The latter two regions ac- from 2000-2011 are available at: www. reo.gov/monitoring counted for more than half the commit- Important updates tee’s current members. Since our 2011 Santa Cruz meeting, Future MMTC work items The proposed Radar Ridge wind inland A/V surveys, corvid research and Members of the MMTC will be energy project, the first major wind farm management, new habitat mapping, and developing a radar survey protocol for in Western Washington, was canceled outreach and litter control programs at pre-construction monitoring at proposed because of federal requirements to pro- state parks have continued or expanded. wind energy projects. A three-day meet- tect the Marbled Murrelet. Declining The Sempervirens Fund has developed a ing was held in late January 2012 to begin economics made the project unfeasible. regional conservation plan for Marbled this process. In 2009 and 2010 the MMTC wrote Murrelets in the Santa Cruz Mountains. MMTC members will also continue letters outlining our concerns about the Although survey detection levels show a working on revisions to the Inland Sur- potential impacts to Marbled Murrelets downward trend, and the population may vey Protocol.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 31 REPORTS TO EXCO • Xantus’s Murrelet

THE XANTUS’S MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Harry Carter and Shaye Wolf, Coordinators

The mandate of the Xantus’s Mur- and several organizations, universities, Plans for publication of recent relet Technical Committee (XMTC) is to and agencies in the US, Mexico and research “monitor the federal listing petition, state Canada are involved. This collaborative In 2005, PSG and the Colonial status, research, and conservation issues; effort has been spearheaded through Waterbird Society (now the Waterbird provide information to interested parties; coordination and prompting of the Society) hosted a symposium on Xan- and coordinate research and conservation XMTC. The document will be published tus’s Murrelets at the Portland meeting. in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.” The as a CDFG report, in both English and Proceedings of the symposium were pub- Xantus’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus Spanish, and will be posted on CDFG lished in Marine Ornithology (Volume hypoleucus) occurs at sea along western and PSG websites. 33, No. 2). However, several papers were Baja California, California, Oregon, In spring 2011, an incomplete review not prepared in time for inclusion and Washington, and south-central British draft (Carter et al., in prep.) was prepared additional studies have been conducted Columbia; it breeds on islands off south- and circulated to the whole committee for since 2005. At the planned XMTC meet- ern California and northwestern Baja comments. We are continuing to work on ing in summer 2012, we will discuss the California. Below, we summarize XMTC this document to finish missing sections preparation of another volume of papers activities in 2010 and 2011. and will circulate a more final version on Xantus’s Murrelets for publication in to the whole committee for comments the Proceedings of the Western Founda- Meetings in 2012. We hope to have a final version tion of Vertebrate Zoology. Papers in Our meeting at the February 2010 as early as fall 2012, although Spanish this volume would greatly assist listing, PSG Annual Meeting in Long Beach translation may take longer. management and conservation decisions had strong attendance and focused on the in the near future. management and restoration plan. At the Listing Status September 2010 World Seabird Confer- Under the U.S. Endangered Species Genetics and Species ence in Victoria and the February 2012 Act, a federal listing priority number Queen’s University and the Califor- PSG Annual Meeting in Oahu, we chose of 5 has been retained by the Xantus’s nia Institute for Environmental Studies not to hold meetings due to expected Murrelet in the Candidate Notice of (CIES) have completed a range-wide ge- low attendance. In September 2011, we Review. However, in July 2011, the U.S. netics study (Birt et al., in press). The two attempted to organize a meeting in south- Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to: (1) subspecies of the Xantus’s Murrelet (S. re-examine the status of 251 candidate ern California but insufficient numbers h. hypoleucus and S. h. scrippsi) are dif- species (including Xantus’s Murrelet); of people were available. We are cur- ferent species based on genetic analyses, rently planning to organize a meeting in and (2) by 30 September 2016, submit and these two species are clearly distinct southern California in summer-fall 2012. to the Federal Register for publication from Craveri’s Murrelet (S. craveri). All either a Proposed Rule (for endangered Management and Restoration Plan three Synthliboramphus murrelet “spe- or threatened status) or a “not warranted” The XMTC has been an active coop- cies” breed off northwestern Baja Cali- finding for the Xantus’s Murrelet. Status erator in the preparation of the Xantus’s S. h. scrippsi review work will likely start in 2013 or fornia, while only breeds Murrelet Management and Restoration 2014. The XMTC expects to assist this in southern California. Conservation and Plan that will guide state and federal process by: (1) continuing to provide management efforts should recognize efforts to protect and restore Xantus’s updated information to better assess cur- them as three distinct species until full Murrelets at breeding islands in southern rent threats and restoration of this species recognition by the scientific community California and northwestern Baja Cali- in the U.S. and Mexico; (2) completing is received. fornia. This plan will fill an important gap the Management and Restoration Plan since California is not required to write a Nest Monitoring (see above); and (3) encouraging fur- recovery plan and the Xantus’s Murrelet In 2010, nest monitoring for hatch- ther publication of research on Xantus’s is still a federal candidate for listing, ing success, timing of breeding, and Murrelets (see next section below). and as such, it receives no protection The State of California officially listed population size changes was conducted under the Endangered Species Act. Plan the Xantus’s Murrelet as Threatened in at two sites. Monitoring on Santa Bar- preparation is being led by Humboldt December 2004; however, there is still bara Island was done by field personnel State University (HSU, which obtained no recovery plan or implementation Kevin Barnes, Sasha Auer, and Laurie funding from the California Department schedule. Xantus’s Murrelets are listed Harvey, funded by Montrose Settlements of Fish and Game (CDFG). Several as Endangered in México; the species is Trustee Council (MSTC) and the Chan- XMTC members are primary authors, not listed in Canada. nel Islands National Park (CINP). Work

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 32 REPORTS TO EXCO • Xantus’s Murrelet on Anacapa Island by Darrell Whitworth Restoration LNG Proposals—The XMTC is and others (Whitworth et al. 2012) was On Anacapa Island, Black Rat (Rat- following the progress of 2 proposals funded by the American Trader Trustee tus rattus) eradication was conducted for constructing LNG terminals near Council (ATTC). This was the final year in 2001-02 (Island Conservation and XAMU colonies in the CINP: (1) Crystal of ATTC support for monitoring at Ana- CINP), funded by ATTC (Howald et al. Energy’s Clearwater Port, located ap- capa Island. A report on 2008-2009 nest 2005). Annual nest monitoring by HSU proximately 20.2 km offshore of the city monitoring at Santa Barbara Island will and CIES from 2000 to 2010 has shown of Oxnard in the Santa Barbara Channel, be available in the near future (Harvey that numbers of nests in monitored ar- and 10-15 km off Anacapa Island; and et al., in prep.). eas have grown substantially, with high (2) Esperanza Energy’s Port Esperanza, In 2011, nest monitoring was con- hatching success. However, most upper located approximately 24 km seaward tinued by CINP on Santa Barbara Island island areas have not yet been reused of the Port of Long Beach. Both projects (Harvey, Barnes, Auer) and on Anacapa for nesting, based on fall 2009 surveys appear to be on hold. Island (Harvey), with funding from the (Whitworth et al. 2012). Offshore Wind Farms—BOEM MSTC. On Santa Barbara Island, native is developing programmatic regulations Nest monitoring has not been con- plant restoration by CINP (Harvey, for offshore wind development, and the ducted in Baja California since 2007, due Barnes, Auer) began in 2007 and has XMTC is monitoring opportunities to to completion of CIES monitoring that since expanded greatly, funded by MSTC provide public comments. (Harvey and Barnes 2009). was funded by Chevron at the Coronado Literature Cited Islands in that year. That project was Conservation issues Birt, T.P., H.R. Carter, D.L. Whitworth, A. related to Chevron’s Liquid Natural Gas Introduced Mammals —At most MacDonald, S.H. Newman, F. Gress, E. (LNG) terminal plan, which has since islands with breeding Xantus’s Mur- Palacios, J.S. Koepke, and V.L. Friesen. been withdrawn. Funding has also been relets, introduced mammals have been In press. Rangewide population genetic insufficient for Mexican groups and eradicated over the past 30 years. Efforts structure of the Xantus’s Murrelet (Synth- continue to control cats at the south end liboramphus hypoleucus). Auk. researchers for monitoring at the San Harvey, A.L. and K.W. Barnes. 2009. Alcid of Guadalupe Island and at San Clemente Benito Islands. A long-term monitoring habitat restoration and Xantus’s Murrelet program is needed in northwestern Baja Islands. Several proposals to fund cat nest monitoring on Santa Barbara Island, California. eradication at Guadalupe Island have California in 2007. Unpublished report, been prepared but not yet funded. Pro- Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, Surveys and research posed black rat (R. ratttus)eradication at California. In 2009-10, extensive Xantus’s Mur- San Miguel Island, with funding from the Howald, G.R., K.R. Faulkner, B. Tershy, B. relet surveys were conducted at Santa MSTC, is now doubtful due to concerns Keitt, H. Gellerman, E.M. Creel, M. Grin- Barbara Island by a group of researchers: about impacts to island foxes (Urocyon nell, S.T. Ortega and D.A. Croll. 2005. Darrell Whitworth (CIES), Laurie Har- Eradication of Black Rats from Anacapa littoralis). GECI is examining eradica- Island: biological and social consider- vey (CINP), Nina Karnovsky (Pomona tion options for a non-native deer mouse ations. Pages 299-312 In: D.K. Garcelon College), and Harry Carter (Carter Bio- (Peromyscus sp.) that was introduced to and C.A. Schwemm (eds.). Proceedings logical Consulting), with funding from West San Benito Island in 2007. No ef- of the sixth California Islands sympo- the MSTC. These surveys included four forts to remove introduced rats or cats are sium. National Park Service, Technical methods: (1) nest searches in all acces- underway at Cedros and Santa Catalina Publication CHIS-05-01, Institute for sible coastal areas; (2) nocturnal spotlight Islands, although murrelets likely breed Wildlife Studies, Arcata, California. Whitworth, D.L., A.L. Harvey and H.R. in areas that are not currently accessed surveys for estimating population size Carter. 2011. Cassin’s Auklets, Xantus’s and measuring population size changes; by introduced mammals. Murrelets and other crevice-nesting sea- (3) nocturnal at-sea captures using the Bright Lights—No efforts have birds at Santa Barbara Island, California: night-lighting technique, to examine been made to address potential impacts 2009-10 surveys. Unpublished report, status of birds in at-sea congregations; from bright lights near breeding colonies California Institute of Environmental Studies, Davis, California; Channel and (4) diurnal at-sea transects for dis- (i.e., squid fishing lights, aquaculture Islands National Park, Ventura, Califor- tribution (replicating 1976-77 transects), facilities, anchored vessels, etc.). The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management nia; and Carter Biological Consulting, coupled with at-sea sampling to assess Victoria, British Columbia. (BOEM) is considering possible ef- prey and oceanographic conditions Whitworth, D.L., H.R. Carter and F. Gress. fects of lights on seabirds at offshore (Whitworth et al. 2011). 2012. Responses by breeding Xantus’s oil platforms in southern California. In 2011, nest monitoring and at- Murrelets eight years after eradication Future seabird restoration plans in Baja of Black Rats from Anacapa Island, sea captures were continued by CINP California funded by MSTC and Luck- California. Unpublished report, Califor- (Harvey, Barnes, Auer) at Santa Barbara enbach Trustee Council have identified nia Institute of Environmental Studies, Island, funded by MSTC. the reduction of bright lights as one goal. Davis, California.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 33 REPORTS TO EXCO • Small Grants

CRAIG S. HARRISON CONSERVATION FUND (SMALL GRANT FUND) Verena Gill, Coordinator

The Small Grant Fund accepts ap- The three funded proposals were: The committee continues to work on raising the funds that support our plications for support from people in • Dr. Carlos B. Zavalaga, Peru. At-sea grants. A 5K foot race was held at the developing nations of the Pacific Rim, movements of Peruvian-Diving 2012 Hawaii meeting to raise money for who are doing research, outreach, and Petrels in Peru: Interaction with other activities for the conservation of this fund. Each person was charged $15, fisheries? $2000. Fully funded and the entire amount went to the Fund. seabirds. Between September 2010 and There was a donation button for the January 2012, we received six inquiries • Mere Tabudravu, Fiji. Community- based Monitoring and Conservation Fund on the registration page for the for funding. Of those, three were funded, 2012 Hawaii meeting, which has gener- one is waiting for the applicants to submit of the Collared Petrel. $2000. Fully funded. ated money. a full proposal, one was denied because it Our account with Amazon.com was for work outside of the Pacific, and • Diego Miranda, Chile. Northern Chile has generated some money for the Fund one never responded to our request for Beached Seabird Surveys. $1910. when people buy products through the a full proposal. Fully funded. PSG portal.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Verena Gill, Coordinator

The PSG Listserv had 683 members as of 27 January 2012. This figure exceeds the number of official members; reasons are that some people have a couple of e-mail accounts, and some people from developing countries have been signed up for free.

CORRESPONDING MEMBERS COMMITTEE Melanie Steinkamp, Coordinator

The Corresponding Members included BirdLife Pacific to increase Melanie is now taking the lead. We look Committee provides PSG membership our communication with that group. forward to her leadership. to researchers and conservationists We originally had eight We have replaced Amit Sukal in developing countries. Committee memberships to provide and, as this (BirdLife Pacific) with Don Stewart, members are Melanie Steinkamp costs PSG minimally, EXCO has because Amit has moved on. Don, (Coordinator), John Piatt, Jessica allotted us another eight, for a total of who is now in charge, will keep Hardesty, and Malcolm Coulter. To 16. Not all are yet filled (see below). communication flowing. retain Corresponding Membership, Changes over the past year: We presently have seven recipients are asked to provide a brief John Cooper is moving on! We Corresponding Members, from China, report on research or conservation in held him as a Corresponding Member in Colombia (2), Fiji, Ecuador, The Indian their area for Pacific Seabirds, at least appreciation for his great contribution Ocean and Peru. every three years; we suggest more to establishing Marine Ornithology. He We are a small, slow-acting frequent submissions. We also have is duly moving on to become the first committee. included other communications, such Honorary Member of PSG. We offer We encourage suggestions to add as the Indian Ocean Seabird Group him our great congratulations! other Corresponding Members. Please Newsletter that has been posted on the Malcolm has stepped down as contact Melanie Steinkamp at Melanie_ PSG Listserv, and we have recently coordinator of this committee, and [email protected]

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 34 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MINUTES

The Pacific Seabird Group’s Executive Council (EXCO) meets two or more times a year, at the winter Annual Meeting and during the rest of the year by conference calls. Each meeting’s Minutes are available after they are approved at the next Exco meeting: a summary in Pacific Seabirds, and the full Minutes on the group’s web site (www.pacificseabirds. org) The minutes summarized below were approved in October 2011 and February 2012.

SUMMARY OF MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 7 September 2010 Victoria Conference Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada

PSG administration to keep membership current has helped Awards Committee Minutes of previous meeting get people to pay their dues. There are 3 A motion was passed unanimously The minutes of the Executive Coun- new life members. that John Cooper be made the first Hon- cil (EXCO) meeting in Long Beach, The Endowment Account has gone orary Member of PSG. [This category California on 17 February 2010 were down a bit as of 30 June. of award was created by the Bylaws approved unanimously after being PSG’s Publications Fund has not revisions of April 2010.] amended. been used for some time. Perhaps PSG Craig S. Harrison Conservation Small-grant Committee (Verena Gill) Chair-elect (Pat Jodice) should consider whether there might Five applications were received Pat apologized for not preparing a be a better use for these funds. All Life for funding by the committee; 3 were written report, since he was fully occu- Membership dues currently go into the funded. An initiative with BirdLife In- pied with the program committee of the Endowment Fund, which is designated solely for PSG publications. Should this ternational to support the Conservation First World Seabird Conference (WSC). Fund fell through due to the recession; [Further details are in “Meeting News,” continue? Some EXCO members wanted to continue the present arrangement; however, a $2000 donation was received Pacific Seabirds37(2):36, 2010.] from Commonweal in August 2010. others suggested that some Endowment Treasurer (Ron LeValley) money be used to fund travel for foreign Communications Committee (website, Ron apologized for not preparing scientists or be transferred to the Conser- Listserv, Twitter) (Verena Gill) a formal report; he has been very busy vation Fund. EXCO may consider the The PSG website needs updating. handling all WSC’s financial matters. issue at a future meeting. Its list of committees is out of date, and Ron recently discovered that we have not The new provider of EXCO’s direc- in general, there remains an unaccept- filed our taxes for the last 2 years. The tors’ insurance (a cooperative package able amount of missing and incomplete accountant who has this responsibility information on the website. attempted to file online; the filing was for California non-profits) is working well. Coverage for the WSC was includ- Verena updated EXCO on the state not accepted, but this was not discovered of the PSG listserv (currently 607 mem- ed in the regular premium—no additional at the time. Ron has worked hard to bers) and the PSG Twitter account (115 rider was required. It is also cheaper than clear up this issue and we are no longer followers). The Twitter account seems our previous policy. at risk of losing our tax-exempt status. to be reaching an entirely new audience The accountant is covering one year of Election Committee (Pat Baird) for PSG. tax expenses, and negotiations with the IRS are ongoing to reduce the 2nd year Pat updated EXCO on newly elected PSG’s representation at the American of bills. Ron cleared up some unusual members, and discussed the need to Bird Conservancy (Craig Harrison) and unexpected misinformation the IRS improve outreach and promotion for We may need some new blood to had on PSG. the next set of elections. The duties of represent PSG to the American Bird Con- Membership is slightly up, perhaps the Regional Representatives were also servancy (the current representatives are due to large attendance at this meeting. discussed; there is a feeling that more Craig and Malcolm Coulter). Preferably Sending an announcement of publication specific instructions regarding the re- this should be someone who lives in the of Pacific Seabirds along with a reminder quirements of these positions is needed. Washington, D.C. area.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 35 EXCO MINUTES • 7 September 2010

PSG’s representation on the Ornitho- fill a block of rooms at the Westin, once PSG’s usual venues. Expenses of reg- logical Council we realized that reservations would fall istration, food, and lodging would cost Doug Forsell informed EXCO that short. (Westin did allow PSG to spend about $500 each. There are 8 houses he is now the longest-serving member some of our $25,000 commitment on that sleep 8 people and 16 houses that of the Ornithological Council (OC). food and other items.) sleep 16. There are also vacation rentals PSG has contributed $1,000 per year to Various options were discussed for nearby; the nearest hotel is about 30 min- the OC. EXCO members discussed the avoiding cost overruns future meetings. utes away. The facility is 35-40 minutes desire of some that all experiments and These included hiring a conference plan- from the airport, requiring either rental ner, similar to the one employed for the field projects be certified regarding cur- cars or some sort of shuttle service. WSC; more extensive communication rent Animal Care protocols. Lindsay will prepare a revised bud- between the local committee chair and get for the meeting, based on feedback PSG posters and brochures the treasurer, local chairs of past meet- at this EXCO meeting. She will also Ron LeValley designed and printed ings, and others; and writing hotel con- investigate hotel alternatives on Oahu, PSG posters for our table here at the tracts to ensure that our commitment to and will conduct a survey of the general WSC. Vivian Mendenhall has designed fill a block of rooms can be reduced if we membership to see what the sort of venue and printed PSG brochures that explain haven’t filled them by a specified date. A motion was passed to form a PSG they would prefer. The registration fee our organization and its purposes. EXCO Conference Coordinating Committee. will be designed to ensure that the meet- expressed interest in continuing to use Its members will include the Treasurer, ing will run in the black. the posters and brochures at future meet- the current Past Chair, and several local ings of PSG and other societies. chairs of past meetings. Committee reports PSG publications World Seabird Conference Kittlitz’s Murrelet Technical Commit- Marine Ornithology (Tony Gaston) tee (Michelle Kissling) Chair of WSC International Tony Gaston updated EXCO on Ma- Steering Committee (David Irons)— Michelle updated EXCO on 11 rine Ornithology. The journal operates Dave thanked the EXCO for accepting papers that will soon be published in on a shoestring budget, and its current the financial risk for putting on the first Marine Ornithology. She also gave financial model will need to be updated WSC, and for PSG’s the continuing EXCO a 24-page report on the Informa- if the journal is to remain active. support of this effort. Dave drew our tion Needs Workshop that was held in Alaska in 2009. Pacific Seabirds (Vivian Mendenhall) attention to the meeting at 1300 today She is working on the issue for to discuss the continuation of the Inter- Mabled Murrelet Technical Commit- Spring 2010 currently. Regional Rep- national Steering Committee. tee (Bill Ritchie) resentatives will need to collect activ- Chair of the WSC Local Commit- PSG sent a letter to the U.S. Fish and ity reports from PSG members in their tee (Pat O’Hara)—Pat thanked PSG Wildlife Service recommending against region beginning shortly after this WSC for approving the hiring of an event the Radar Ridge wind power project meeting. coordinator, which has been vital to the in southwest Washington. (USFWS is Electronic publication of Pacific success of the meeting. reviewing the Endangered Species Act Seabirds has saved us some money. Our Slightly more than half the regis- consultation for the project). The project total expenditure for Volume 35 (all hard trants (750 so far) are from non-North would occur on Washington state lands. copies) was $6,681; the total for Volume American countries (43 nations). The most registrants are from the US, then Chinese Crested Tern Working Group 36 (which half of the members received (Verena Gill) electronically) was $5,299. Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. Income from registrations probably Verena noted that PSG continues in a networking role on conservation issues Meetings will not quite cover meeting expenses, but any shortfall will easily be covered related to Chinese Crested Terns (CCT). PSG’s Long Beach meeting, February by efforts of the International Fundrais- She also reported on Dan Roby’s visit to 2010, and discussion of financial losses ing Committee. PSG will be reimbursed Taiwan in 2010 to attend a 2-day CCT at meetings for their funding advances to the WSC. conservation workshop. Roby presented PSG realized a financial loss on the [Further details are in “Meeting a paper on social attraction as a means Long Beach meeting. Reasons included: News,” Pacific Seabirds37(2):36, 2010.] to restore depleted seabird colonies. She low attendance, due to the WSC being also made EXCO aware of the way in held later in the same year; decisions by PSG’s 2012 Meeting, Oahu (Lindsay which international politics cause com- many attendees to stay elsewhere than Young, Local Committee Chair) plications for conservation in the region. the Westin Hotel; and PSG’s lack of suc- The proposed site is a YMCA camp Funding may be limiting conservation cess at renegotiating our commitment to (Camp Erdman), a little different from efforts for CCT.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 36 EXCO MINUTES • 7 September 2010

Seabird Monitoring Committee and accessible on the Web. Data are Japanese Seabird Conservation Com- (Scott Hatch) being entered. A big focus of the WSC mittee Scott updated EXCO on the ex- will be starting the development of a This Coordinator did not attend the EXCO meeting. Since Japan is now in citing advances in the development global seabird database. the new Asia region, with its own Re- of the Pacific Seabird Monitoring gional Representative, EXCO discussed Database, which is now implemented whether this committee is still needed.

SUMMARY OF MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 29 March 2011, by Conference Call

PSG ADMINISTRATION Treasurer (Ron LeValley) COMMITTEE REPORTS Minutes of previous meetings Due to a bookkeeping error, PSG’s Local Committee for Oahu meeting The approval of minutes from the taxes were not filed for two years, result- (Lindsay Young) executive council meeting in Victoria ing in fines, which have been paid. The • The contract with the Makaha resort is (September 2010) was tabled until the bookkeeper paid the fines from the first close to being finalized; it includes fall conference call. year; those from the second year were a 90-day release for rooms. paid by PSG, and later refunded after Chair (Pat Jodice) • Local operators have been contacted Update on future meetings: Ron LeValley wrote a letter to the IRS. regarding field trips, including a trip • North American Ornithological Con- • Membership is increasing, consistent to Midway. gress in August 2012. PSG will with other ornithological societies. • The proposed budget estimates a profit have just had a meeting in Hawaii; • The 2011 budget is a bit different than of $10,000 from the meeting. Due to the timing is not good for us to normal because of the lack of an concerns over travel expenses, this participate. annual meeting. may be a poorly attended meeting; • 2013: two locations have been pro- • We are now accepting money for the LOCO are keeping a close eye posed (Portland and Juneau); Holly Marine Ornithology via PayPal. on contracts and expenses. The Freifeld and Adrian Gall are looking Marine Ornithology has been suc- LOCO would like to include a buf- into these options. cessful in the past few years and has fer in the budget for unexpected Chair-elect (Kim Rivera) not required the $6,000 set aside for expenses. Update on the science program for them by PSG. • Registration can be done using Pay- the annual meeting in Hawai‘i: a theme • We continue to hold some cash from Pal; a link will be placed on PSG for the meeting has not been identified the World Seabird Conference. website. Once this system is set at this point. • We lost $40,000 at the Long Beach up, it will be available to use in Interest has been shown for sympo- meeting; this does not include future years. sia/special paper sessions on manage- $20,000 that a provider owes to ment of predation on nesting seabirds, PSG, which is being paid via in- Kittlitz’s Murrelet Technical Com- and rehabilitation versus restoration. stallments. mittee Proposals are due May 15th. Kim Rivera • Ron LeValley has been talking with • Michelle Kissling will be stepping will speak to folks on Oahu for a tropical Chase Bank about setting up a third- down as chair of this committee seabird workshop to see if there is any party account. PSG is currently at the Hawai‘i meeting. No one interest in a continuation of that work. using PayPal, for which we pay has stepped forward to take over Past Chair (Tom Good) about $1,500 in fees. Using Chase this role. Update on Lifetime and Special Bank will save PSG money if PSG’s • The committee had internal dissension Achievement for the Hawai‘i meeting. usage of PayPal increases. about a letter regarding whether Updating the PSG Handbook needs • We may need to consider separating Kittlitz’s Murrelets are endangered. more time; a draft version will be ready the Treasurer job into two (Trea- If PSG takes a formal position about for the Hawaii meeting. surer and Membership). this, it needs a vote by EXCO.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 37 EXCO MINUTES • 29 March 2011

Communications Committee on their own; there was consensus that Updates from delegates to councils Housekeeping issue: we need to this idea should be explored. The Ornithological Exchange’s ensure that “Publications Committee” website (http://ornithologyexchange. is replaced with “Communications ONGOING BUSINESS org) is a forum that seabirds.net should Committee” in all contexts, now that the Permit statements for Pacific Seabirds tie into sometime. Publications committee does not exist. and Marine Ornithology The Seabird Group will be having PSG currently does not have a their annual meeting in Plymouth, General committees update written policy for permit statements England on 2-4 September. Every committee would benefit in our publications. We need to find from having co-chairs/assistant chairs. out what other publications are doing MOTIONS General discussion about whether this and revisit this issue during the fall The only motion that was passed should be left up to committees to decide conference call. was approval of the budget.

SUMMARY OF MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 27 October 2011, by Conference Call

PSG administration Past Chair (Tom Good) Discussion of divvying up the Minutes of previous meetings Updates to the handbook need more funds from the WSC between PSG and The approval of minutes from the time and a draft version will be ready the World Seabird Union was tabled for the Hawaii meeting. It was agreed until the Hawai‘i meeting. executive council meeting in Victoria that Tom will continue to flag sections (September 2010) was tabled until the and send out a revised draft before the MEETINGS Hawaii meeting. Hawaii meeting. Minutes from the executive council Local committee for PSG 2012 meeting Update on awards for the Hawaii spring conference call were approved. (Lindsay Young) meeting: Change of venue: The Makaha Re- Chair (Pat Jodice) • Lifetime achievement award to John sort closed suddenly earlier this month. The online registration system is Cooper, who has also agreed to give Makaha has said that our refund for working well; it has cut down the amount a plenary talk the deposit that we already sent them of time that the LOCO needs to devote to • Travel award applications have been ($20,000) will be issued to PSG within registration, and all money is deposited received and will be announced on 30 days. The next step is to write a de- directly into PSG’s accounts. 28 October. mand letter. We may also be owed dam- Update on future meetings: • Judges for student paper and poster ages for extra costs that we’ve incurred awards will be contacted as the because Makaha broke the contract. • 2013, Portland: Holly Freifeld has meeting gets closer. found the Hilton and Marriott Wa- Consensus among EXCO to wait until we get our deposit or the 30 days have terfront are the two best hotels for Chair-elect (Kim Rivera) passed before sending a demand letter us and is continuing to explore these Updates on the scientific program for damages. options. There was some discussion for the Hawai‘i meeting: the meeting about contracting out some of the theme is tropical seabirds. There are four Members who have already made planning, as was done for the WSC; special paper sessions; no requests for reservations at Makaha will be notified but given that PSG meetings are symposia were received. Two plenary to cancel the transaction. much smaller than the WSC, this speakers have been confirmed (Jeffrey The closure of Makaha means we may not be necessary. Polovina and Mathieu LeCorre). The call must find a new venue for the February • 2014, Juneau: Adrian Gall and others for abstracts went out on 19 August, and meeting. Lindsay has researched new continue to explore Juneau as an op- they are due on 4 November. venues. Turtle Bay and the Waikiki con- tion. Additional meeting locations vention center are the two best options. should be put forward, so a vote Treasurer (Ron LeValley) EXCO briefly discussed the differences can be made at the Hawai‘i meeting. PSG is in good standing. between the two and decided that the

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 38 EXCO MINUTES • 27 October 2011 amenities and atmosphere at Turtle Bay PUBLICATIONS contract. 13 yeas, 0 nays, 0 abstentions; make it the best option. Pacific Seabirds (Vivian Mendenhall) motion passed unanimously The room block at Turtle Bay is Pat Baird was asked to be associate PSG 2013: Ron LeValley moved 50 rooms at $177/night plus $25/night editor of Pacific Seabirds. Requests were and Hannah Nevins seconded that Holly resort fee. There is other housing nearby, sent out for regional reports for the 2011 Freifeld move forward with plans for so it should not be a problem for people the 2013 meeting in Portland. 13 yeas, to find accommodations in their price issue; an e-mail will be sent out asking 0 nays, 0 abstentions; motion passed range. This block contains fewer rooms for a volunteer assistant editor for re- unanimously than PSG usually reserves, but we cannot gional reports. negotiate more rooms at that cost. We New Regional Representative for have until 29 October to sign the contract the non-Pacific United States: Ken MOTIONS with Turtle Bay. Morgan moved and Ron LeValley sec- Banquet costs will be higher at PSG 2012: Don Lyons moved and onded that we appoint Iain Stenhouse Turtle Bay than Makaha; the additional Ken Morgan seconded to allow Lindsay to be the USA representative. 12 yeas, charges will need to be covered by meet- Young to complete negotiations with 0 nays, 0 abstentions; motion passed ing profits. Turtle Bay Resort and sign resulting unanimously.

PSG NEWS

PSG ELECTIONS FOR 2012 members begin on the adjournment of the months (since the last election cycle), EXCO annual meeting following the election. please send your update to the treasurer, Patricia Baird, Elections Chair Surprisingly, 66 members out of Lindsay Young. She is responsible for 739 voted (8%)—it was surprising that keeping up the current list of members’ The following were elected to anyone voted because there was not one addresses, both e-mail and snail-mail. the Executive Council for February opposition candidate. So thanks to all of Most of the e-mails to Pomona College 2012-February 2013: you stalwart members for exercising your bounced, so if someone could follow Officers right to vote. In comparison, the last elec- through on that, it would help. Chair-Elect: Doug Forsell tion, which had more than one candidate Opportunities in PSG Treasurer: Ron LeValley [the running for some positions, only had And all of you please read two interim treasurer is Lindsay Young— 95 out of 527 (18%) voting, and in the articles in the recent issue of Pacific please see news article below] run-off region of 27 members, only six Seabirds (Volume 38, Numbers 1-2, members voted (22%). Kind of mimics Regional Representatives: 2011). The first is “How the Executive Alaska: Adrian Gall the USA voter turnout. There were some Council Works,” which outlines all jobs Northern California: Hannah write-ins, notably George Tirebiter, and on EXCO and how your Board of Direc- Nevins I have kept these in a “PSG Futures” file tors works for PSG. The second article Europe/Africa: Steffen Oppel for upcoming elections. Always feel free is “How PSG Runs,” which summarizes Asia: Yutaki Watanuki to nominate someone you think would our day-to-day operations, our conserva- Student Representative: Sarah be a good leader—this is your right as tion work, how Annual Meetings are Thomsen a member! (Your nominee does need to created, and how PSG funds itself. be interested in PSG—see next article on After reading these articles, please The election nominations.) consider volunteering for PSG—you can Most terms run for two years; the So thank you to all 66 of you who run for election to EXCO or volunteer Chair-Elect serves for one year, and then did vote. We found some bounced e-mail for one of the committees. Any member as Chair and Past-Chair for one year addresses—so to those of you who have is eligible to join EXCO or work on a each. Terms for all newly elected EXCO changed e-mail addresses in the past 18 committee—including undergraduates!

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 39 PSG NEWS

And if you want to learn more first, America Lindsay Young, chair of the Local everyone is invited sit in during the Non-Pacific United States Committee, immediately started the EXCO meetings. I would urge members A description of each position can be process again of selecting a venue for to do this to acquaint themselves with found in PSG’s Bylaws and Handbook, the meeting. She found the excellent PSG’s leadership and its operations which are on the PSG website (www. Turtle Bay Resort, which was approved (including the committees). Remember, pacificseabirdgroup.org). by EXCO within a short time. this is an all-volunteer organization, and The longer-term problem, however, it would be good for you to take an active was the $22,000 deposit we had paid part in it. It is a rewarding experience! to Makaha. The resort stated immedi- PSG INTERIM TREASURER ately that our money would be refunded within 30 days. That did not happen, so IS LINDSAY YOUNG in November, PSG sent a demand letter

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS (written by pro bono legal counsel) to PSG Treasurer Ron LeValley both Makaha and to its parent com- FOR 2013 EXCO requested a leave of absence, due to pany, Northwynd. Makaha never replied; Patricia Baird, Elections Chair personal issues, effective 27 February Northwynd did not reply until January, 2012. The Executive Council approved and then only that “vendors and the like” It is time again to call for Lindsay Young as Interim Treasurer might be repaid. PSG stated that we’re nominations to PSG’s Executive during an EXCO Special Session con- not a “vendor” and are legally entitled Council (EXCO). The people whom ference call on the same day. Also at to a full refund. we elect will join EXCO right after the that Special Session, EXCO appointed In February 2012, EXCO retained Portland meeting in February 2013. a Financial Committee (Lindsay Young, a legal firm in Hawai‘i, which did a title Nominations must be received by 1 June Ken Briggs, Kim Rivera), which, under search on Makaha and investigated our 2012 to be considered by the Elections EXCO’s direction, has made the neces- legal options for recovering the money. Committee for placement on the ballot. sary changes so that PSG’s business The lawyers wrote to Makaha and North- The committee will meet in summer continues seamlessly. These include wynd in March, stating again that the and fall 2012 to review all nominees. keeping PayPal available for new and deposit must be returned, and that PSG We will send out the final ballot 30 days renewing members, transferring PSG’s may be entitled to additional compensa- before the next meeting (i.e., you will funds to an account near Lindsay, and tion for damages (i.e., extra expenses) receive it in January 2013). keeping the membership and mailing lists due to Makaha’s breach of contract. For each nominee on the ballot, up to date. Several other members have Northwynd didn’t reply, and the letter to we will provide a brief biography. The volunteered to help with these tasks, in- Makaha was returned as undeliverable. biography has an obligatory section cluding Craig Harrison, Verena Gill, and In May the lawyers wrote to PSG, that describes past involvement with Hannah Nevins. EXCO thanks Lindsay “At this juncture, we would normally PSG. Please nominate only someone Young for stepping into a big job on short recommend initiating legal action to pur- who has shown interest in PSG. In- notice. We hope that Ron’s concerns will sue . . . [PSG’s] claim. However, in this depth knowledge of PSG activities and be resolved favorably and quickly. case, legal action may not be a productive issues is necessary for the Chair-Elect undertaking for PSG.” Their research on and Vice-Chair for Conservation, and is current state property records shows that strongly preferred for the Treasurer and “There appears to be no business being Secretary. Regional Representatives THAT MAKAHA PROBLEM conducted under this legal entity,” and should have shown a definite interest in that “[I]t does not appear that Makaha PSG. PSG’s 2012 Annual Meeting en- Resort is the fee owner of the Property.” These positions are up for countered a brand-new pitfall: the resort It also would not be productive to sue nomination for 2013: that was going to host our meeting went Northwynd, as this company is a sepa- out of business less than four months be- rate corporation based in Canada, is not Officers fore the date of the meeting. The Makaha registered in Hawai‘i, and was not a party Chair-Elect Resort on Oahu’s north shore closed its to the contract. Secretary doors suddenly and without warning for Based on the attorneys’ advice, Vice-Chair Conservation “renovations.” PSG had paid a deposit EXCO voted at their May 15 meeting Regional Representatives: of almost $22,000 in May 2011 to secure not to pursue any further legal action to Canada the contract with Makaha, and members recover the Makaha deposit. We have re- Washington/ Oregon were already making reservations for quested that the Better Business Bureaus Southern California/Hawaii/Latin rooms. of Hawai‘i and Canada investigate the

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 40 PSG NEWS problem, but recovery of the lost money much “institutional knowledge,” but next year, and PSG is searching for a seems unlikely. PSG members will be it will especially advise on financial new editor. EXCO approved a search updated if anything changes arrangements at each meeting—from committee for the editor-in-chief at There’s better news, though, regard- the amount of free food that’s budgeted its February meeting in Oahu. The ing the effect on PSG’s financial status. for receptions and afternoon breaks, to committee members are Scott Hatch, Even if none of the Makaha money can the all-important terms of the contract Alan Burger, Bill Sydeman, Peter that must be signed with each hotel. be recovered, the Oahu meeting will Dann, outgoing editor Gaston, and the Members of the committee were have made a modest net profit. The final journal’s founding editor, John Cooper. selected for their experience with past Tony’s detailed account of Marine balance sheet for the meeting shows that meetings and with PSG’s fiscal and Ornithology over the past ten years, PSG’s profit without the Makaha loss legal affairs. They include the Treasurer including his recent staff changes for would have been $25,500; therefore, (currently Lindsay Young), Craig even if we have to absorb the entire loss, Harrison, Katie O’Reilly, and Lora even better editing, appears in “Reports we are still $3,500 in the black. Leschner. to EXCO,” elsewhere in this issue. EXCO and Local Chairs also are dis- The work of organizing each annual cussing how we can avoid an unpleasant meeting will depend on volunteers in the surprise like this in the future. Local Committee, as always. And Local Chairs may consult other sources, from NEW COMMITTEE previous Local Chairs to PSG’s Hand- LEADERS book. The Coordinating Committee has now provided advice and support for two Two new coordinators of PSG NEW COMMITTEE TO Annual Meetings thus far, and its help committees were approved by EXCO in ASSIST WITH ANNUAL has been greatly appreciated. February 2012. Melanie Steinkamp has taken over the Corresponding Members MEETINGS Committee from longtime coordinator The Conference Coordinating Malcolm Coulter; and John Piatt has Committee was established by EXCO stepped up as head of the Kittlitz’s Mur- in September 2010. The committee relet Technical Committee, in place of its will support Local Committee Chairs, NEW EDITOR founding leader Michelle Kissling. PSG who make all the arrangements SOUGHT FOR MARINE welcomes the new Coordinators who for an Annual Meeting (except for ORNITHOLOGY have volunteered for these demanding the scientific program, which is posts. And we thank the outgoing coor- organized by the Chair-Elect). The Tony Gaston, the Editor-in-Chief dinators for their hard work on behalf of Coordinating Committee can supply of Marine Ornithology, is retiring PSG and seabirds.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 41 REGIONAL REPORTS FOR 2011

Regional reports summarize current seabird work of interest to PSG members. Regional Reports generally are organized by location of the work, not by affiliation of the biologist. Some reports for 2011 were received after the Fall 2011 issue went to press; three are printed below (the Northern California report was not available in time for this issue). Regional Reports should not be cited without permission of the authors.

ALASKA Kathy Kuletz and Liz Labunski Ecological Knowledge of King Island, Compiled by Adrian Gall (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [US- Alaska.” Her cooperators are Deanna FWS]) completed the second of four Kingston (Department of Anthropology, Beaufort and Chukchi seas years of pelagic seabird surveys in the OSU), the National Science Foundation, Adrian Gall and Bob Day (ABR, northern Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort and the Elders of King Island. Nelson is Inc.–Environmental Research and Ser- seas. Their work is part of the Seabird using extensive interviews with Elders, vices) completed the fourth field season Distribution in the Offshore Environ- combined with meetings and visits to of boat-based seabird surveys, as part of ment project, funded by the Bureau of King Island and Nome/Cape Woolley, the Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). In to compile information on the birds and Program. The crew that included Lau- 2011 they placed observers on five arctic marine mammals on and around King ren Attanas, Jennifer Boisvert, Tim research cruises for a total of 334 days at Island. She is creating a bird guide for Obritschkewitsch, Corey Overton, sea and over 10,800 km of transects. In use by the Elders and their families, and John Rose. These surveys are an addition, surveys were conducted on six associating bird and mammal habitat interdisciplinary oceanographic study cruises in the Bering Sea and along the with place names on King Island, and that collects data concurrently on physi- Aleutian Islands for 74 days at sea and is summarizing traditional uses of birds cal and biological oceanography, benthic 4,930 km of transects. The 2011 observ- and mammals on King Island and the ers were Andy Bankert, Toby Burke, Seward Peninsula. Integrating seabird ecology, fisheries, contaminants, marine Lucas DeCicco, Sarah Jennings, Robb ecology with Inupiat folklore is a mammals, and seabirds. The study area Kaler, Liz Labunski, David Pavlik, current priority. is 60-100 nautical miles (NM) offshore Catherine Pham, Declan Troy, Sophie Kathy Kuletz (USFWS, from the village of Wainwright. The data Webb, and Tamara Zeller. Anchorage) continued work as a from the first 3 years of this study are be- Don Dragoo, Jim Schneeweis, principal investigator on the Bering Sea ing summarized in a series of papers that and Dave Kuehn (Alaska Maritime Integrated Ecosystem Research Project will be submitted for inclusion (pending National Wildlife Refuge [AMNWR], (BSIERP). Kuletz’s project includes review and acceptance) in a special issue USFWS) collected data on populations two components: “Broad-scale Seabird of Continental Shelf Research. This study of Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tri- Distribution” and the at-sea component is funded jointly by ConocoPhillips, dactyla), Common Murres (Uria aalge) of the “Patch Dynamics Study” (PDS). Shell E & P, and Statoil. and Thick-billed Murres (U. lomvia), Both are in the analysis and synthesis Tawna Morgan (ABR, Inc.) coor- at Cape Lisburne, Alaska. In addition, phases. The PDS examined predator- dinated the second of two field seasons they monitored Black-legged Kittiwake prey relationships around the Pribilof of seabird and marine mammal surveys productivity. and Bogoslof islands. Field work was for the Alaska Monitoring and Assess- completed in 2008 and 2009. Graduate ment Program, an interdisciplinary Bering Sea students Nathan Jones and Brian oceanographic study that focuses on the Kim Nelson (Oregon Cooperative Hoover (Moss Landing Marine Labs, nearshore zone (5-30 NM offshore) of Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, California State University) expect to the Chukchi Sea from Pt. Hope to Bar- Oregon State University [OSU]) complete their theses and publications row. Tawna conducted the field work in continued her research on the traditional in spring 2012. Seabird focal species August, surveying seabirds from Pt. Lay ecological knowledge of seabirds and of the PDS were Thick-billed Murres to Barrow. This study is being funded marine mammals at King Island in the and Black-legged Kittiwakes. Nathan jointly by the Alaska Department of Bering Sea. The project is entitled, is examining diet and stable isotope Environmental Conservation and Shell “Documenting the Cultural Geography, signatures of these two species, and E & P. Biogeography, and Traditional Brian is comparing foraging activity

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 42 REGIONAL REPORTS • Alaska duirng nighttime and daytime, as well recovered from Red-legged Kittiwakes Leah Kenney (AMNWR) conducted the as distribution relative to environmental (Rissa brevirostris) completed a one- final year of a 4-year study investigating features. year tagging effort. This research was the breeding biology of Kittlitz’s Murre- George Hunt and Martin Renner funded by the North Pacific Research lets (Brachyramphus brevirostris). At the (University of Washington) and Kathy Board (NPRB). 21 nests discovered in 2011, six chicks Kuletz are working with the North The Seabird Telemetry component fledged; they considered this a bumper- Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database to of BSIERP, led by David Irons crop breeding year at Agattu, compared assess changes in the distribution and (USFWS) and Dan Roby (OSU), has with the previous three seasons. abundance of seabirds. They are using finished data collection on Black- Kaler and Kenney, along with El- 35 years of quantitative data (since legged Kittiwakes and Thick-billed len Lance (USFWS), confirmed the 1975) on seabird distribution and Murres at the Pribilof Islands after three first nesting record of aBrachyramphus abundance in Alaskan waters. They successful field-seasons (2008-10). murrelet on Adak Island in September, are especially examining changes for In the summer and fall of 2011, post- when they discovered an abandoned egg Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) doctoral researcher Rosana Paredes laid at a non-active nest site that Kenney and albatrosses (Phoebastria spp.) in the (OSU) analyzed data on foraging had discovered in summer 2010. Two eastern Bering Sea, and investigating distribution and breeding performance additional nest sites of Brachyramphus long-term patterns in cross-shelf and of Black-legged Kittiwakes in relation to murrelets were found and were identified along-shelf patterns in distributions oceanographic features and forage fish based on a fecal ring at the scrape. and abundance. They plan to examine availability on the southeastern Bering decadal-scale variability in numbers of Sea continental shelf and Aleutian Gulf of Alaska seabirds using the eastern Bering Sea, basin. Two manuscripts on kittiwakes At East Amatuli Island in the Barren and relating the patterns to those of are scheduled to be submitted to peer- Islands group, Arthur Kettle, Sarah zooplankton with the help of Ken Coyle reviewed journals in late 2011 and early Youngren, Dan Rapp, and Margaret (University of Alaska Fairbanks). They 2012. Lambert (AMNWR) monitored repro- will have several papers in the works by Stephanie Sell and Heidi ductive success, prey, and population the end of spring 2012. Isernhagen (Alaska Department of trends of Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels Working with several fisheries Fish and Game) monitored populations (Oceanodroma furcata), Black-legged colleagues, Rob Suryan (OSU) and and productivity of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common and Thick-billed Kathy Kuletz are examining seasonal Kittiwakes, Common Murres, and Murres, and Tufted Puffins (Fratercula spatial relationships between seabirds Pelagic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax cirrhata). and their prey in the southeastern Bering pelagicus) at Round Island, within the Nora Rojek (AMNWR) coordi- Sea, using data from 2008 to 2010. Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary, nated monitoring of long-term seabird Annual seabird monitoring on the between May and August 2011. Black- demography at Chowiet Island, in Pribilof Islands was led by Heather legged Kittiwake productivity was the Semidis group off the coast of the Renner (AMNWR), with summer-long monitored for 53 nests; success was Alaska Peninsula. The summer-long field crews consisting of Greg Thomson 0.28 chicks/nest, with 28% of the nests field crew of Marty Reedy and Casey and Derek Evon (St. Paul) and Matt being successful. Common Murre Engstrom worked with several species, Klosterman, Lauren Scopen, and productivity was 0.10 chicks/nest, with including Northern Fulmar, Red-faced Caitie Kroeger (St. George). During 10% success at 67 nests monitored. (Phalacrocorax urile) and Pelagic July we also conducted population Pelagic Cormorant productivity was Cormorants, Black-legged Kittiwake, counts of ledge-nesting seabirds on 0.50 chicks/nest, with 6% of 16 nests Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glauces- both islands; this effort occurs once being successful. cens), Common and Thick-billed Murres, every three years and was aided by Parakeet and Rhinoceros Auklets (Aethia Merry Maxwell, Elizabeth Caldwell, Aleutian Islands psittacula and Cerorhinca monocerata), Frances Murphey, and Seth Wagner. Annual seabird monitoring was and Horned (Fratercula corniculata) and Rachael Orben (PhD student at carried out at Buldir, Ulak, Koniuji and Tufted Puffins. University of California, Santa Cruz), Aiktak islands, led by Jeff Williams Rojek also conducted seabird coast- assisted by Dean Kildaw and John (AMNWR). Jeff also led coastline sur- line surveys in July 2011 around most Harley, retrieved geolocation loggers veys of Rat, Tanadak, Davidof, Khvostof, of the islands in the outer Shumagins: deployed on 3 species of seabirds nesting Segula, Little Kiska and Kiska, Great Atkins, Bendel, Bird, Castle Rock, on the Pribilof Islands. Tags recovered Sitkin, Aziak, Asuksak, Tanaklak, Kanu, Chernabura, Hall, Haystacks Islets, Her- from Black-legged Kittiwakes and Umak, Igitkin and Atka Islands. endeen, Murie Islets, Murre Rocks, Pen- Thick-billed Murres completed a 3-year At Agattu Island in the western insula, Simeonof, Spectacle, and Turner. tagging effort begun in 2008, and tags Aleutians, Robb Kaler (USFWS) and She also surveyed the Black-legged

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 43 REGIONAL REPORTS • Alaska

Kittiwake colony at Cape Thompson on KNWR (Bill Pyle and Robin Corcoran) re-counted historical photo plots that Big Koniuji Island, and Midun Island and Ecological Services Divisions (Ellen were established during the 1989 Exxon in the Sandman Reefs. Additional crew Lance); USGS, Alaska Science Center Valdez oil spill. They established new members included Dean Kildaw, Ve- (John Piatt); and OSU. photo plots for colonies of ledge-nesting ronica Varela, Ingrid Harrald, Traven Jenna Cragg (University of Vic- seabirds, including Black-legged Kit- Apiki, Ithaca Sorensen, and Joe Masui. toria [UVIC], Victoria, BC, Canada) tiwakes, Pelagic Cormorants, Red-faced They were based on AMNWR’s research conducted radar surveys for Marbled Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants vessel M/V Tiglax. and Kittlitz’s Murrelets on Kodiak Island (Phalacrocorax auritus), Common Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge for her MSc project. She was assisted by Murres, and Glaucous-winged Gulls. In (KNWR) biologist Robin Corcoran ini- Alan Burger (UVIC), Robin Corcoran, addition, they considered passive moni- tiated a summer nearshore survey for ma- and John Piatt. Jenna is developing toring methods (time-lapse cameras) for rine birds along the east side of Kodiak radar monitoring protocols for Brachyr- certain colonies and species that were Island, from Chiniak Bay to Alitak Bay. amphus murrelets in Alaska. difficult to access or where they wanted The 2011 survey covered 1500 km of After a 5-year hiatus, Kathy Ku- to collect more extensive and detailed coastline with systematically placed tran- letz (USFWS) and crew members Liz data. The goal of the project is to develop 2 sects. About 20% of the 3000 km study Labunski, Karen Brenneman, and a long-term monitoring plan for seabirds area was sampled. The most commonly Tamara Zeller returned to survey in the Kenai Fjords region; they plan to encountered species were Black-legged Kachemak Bay in Cook Inlet, south- use Bayesian hierarchical modeling to Kittiwakes, Glaucous-winged Gulls, central Alaska. The 1-week July survey examine the ability of protocols to de- Tufted and Horned Puffins, Common provided population estimates for Kit- tect population trends. Field work will Murres, Marbled Murrelets (Brachyr- tlitz’s and Marbled Murrelets in the continue in 2012 and 2013. Funding is amphus marmoratus), Harlequin Ducks bay; both species had lower numbers by the National Park Service. (Histrionicus histrionicus), and Pigeon than during surveys in 2005-2007. The Scott Hatch (USGS) and others Guillemots (Cepphus columba). Field highlight of the 2011 survey was sighting continued long-term research and moni- operations were supported by several Long-billed Murrelets (Brachyramphus toring of seabirds on Middleton Island, volunteers and by Jeff Lewis, who pi- perdix) on transect, and we were able to in the north-central Gulf of Alaska. loted the USFWS research vessel M/V get photographs. Two of the Long-billed Lena Agdere (California) led a field Ursa Major II. Murrelets acted like a pair, and all three crew consisting of volunteers Sharon James Lawonn, graduate student were in alternate plumage. van den Eertwegh under the direction of Dan Roby at Bob Day and Adrian Gall contin- (The Netherlands), OSU, completed a fourth field season ued bimonthly aerial surveys for Steller’s Lucy Brooks-Marchant (England), locating and monitoring Kittlitz’s Mur- Eiders (Polysticta stelleri) in Iliamna and Mike Johns (California), as well as relet nests on the western end of Kodiak and Iniskin bays, in western Cook Inlet. PhD candidate Thomas Merkling from Island. This season, James and two They also conducted a boat-based survey the Université Paul Sabatier (Toulouse, volunteers (Steve Crane and Deanna of breeding birds with the help of John France), his assistants (Elise Albert and Russell) located nests by systematically Shook and Pam Seiser. Over the past 6 Romain Durieux) and, during June, searching nesting habitat. They collected years, this project has documented the his academic supervisor Dr. Pierrick morphometric and genetic data on chicks use of these bays by summering and win- Blanchard (Toulouse). Coming from after they hatched. Nests were periodi- tering birds to provide baseline informa- Fairbanks for portions of the season cally monitored to determine the status tion for permitting applications related were Jorg Welcker (a post-doc on loan of breeding birds, and following the end to the Pebble Project, a mining develop- from the Norwegian Polar Institute) and of breeding activities, ground cover was ment proposed in southwest Alaska. This his field assistantChris Barger (gradu- sampled to characterize critical nesting project will continue through 2012. ate student at the University of Alaska). habitat. During 2011, 22 active nests In summer 2011, Laura Phillips, Of particular interest during 2011 are were discovered. Fourteen of these nest Leslie Adams, and Monika Parsons the results of GPS trackers deployed produced chicks, of which four fledged. (Kenai Fjords National Park [KEFJ]), on breeding Black-legged Kittiwakes, Chick provisioning, nest depredation and together with Jen Curl and Christine which revealed a shifting pattern of egg abandonment were recorded at 19 Hunter from the University of Alaska early-season foraging compared to pre- nests using remote cameras. In addition, Fairbanks (UAF) and Leslie Slater vious years. Combined with an apparent 16 audiovisual surveys of birds flying to (AMNWR), initiated a cooperative dietary change and improved breeding and from nesting areas were conducted, 3-year study of seabirds in the Kenai success in 2010 and 2011, there is reason recording 372 total detections at five Fjords region. They conducted boat- to suspect that a long-awaited ocean re- locations. This project is a cooperative based surveys to identify colony loca- gime shift may be underway in the Gulf effort between two offices of USFWS— tions, counted individuals and nests, and of Alaska.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 44 REGIONAL REPORTS • Alaska

Several researchers have formed a Research Program. Another component seabird diet data, and soon, at-sea sea- new nonprofit corporation, the Institute of the NPRB study included at-sea obser- bird information. Additionally, the data for Seabird Research and Conservation, vations of seabird and marine mammals portal provides information on indices of under the direction of Scott Hatch, Bill from two research vessels. Leslie Slater seabird population trends (over a 10-year Sydeman, and Vernon Byrd. Their goal oversaw this work, which took place on period) and seabird productivity (relative is to pursue the development of a per- seven separate cruises between April and to mean clutch size for the species). manent station for seabird research and October. Sampling stations for collecting At the Ecological Wildlife and monitoring on Middleton Island. data on oceanographic variables, and the Habitat Analysis of the Land- and Sea- In Prince William Sound, Mary seabird and marine mammal transects scapE (EWHALE) lab at UAF, Falk Anne Bishop (Prince William Sound that connected the stations, were located Huettmann and his students worked on Science Center) and Kathy Kuletz (US- across a broad area—from central south- the development of a Circumpolar Open FWS) continued their study on seasonal east Alaska to the south end of Kodiak Access Seabird Distribution Model. They and interannual trends in seabird preda- Island. Many people contributed to were assisted by Grant Humphries and tion on juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea these observations: Toby Burke, Sophie had great support from Yuri Artyukhin pallasi) during winter months, including Webb, Declan Troy, Slater, Veronica (Kamchatka Institute of Ecology and environmental and habitat factors as- Padula, Jacklyn Slawson, Mike Neary, Nature Use, Russia) and Olivier Gilg sociated with seabird distribution. This and Ashley Hovis. (Université de Bourgogne). The model project is part of the Herring Restoration Blake Barbaree, graduate student includes over 25 environmental layers Plan funded by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in the Department of Fisheries and Wild- for 27 seabird species. The model has Trustee Council. life at OSU, completed his thesis titled good prediction accuracy, and it is being “Nesting season ecology of Marbled applied for a general conservation assess- Southeast Alaska Murrelets at a remote mainland fjord in ment of circumpolar shipping lanes. Falk At St. Lazaria Island (part of AM- Southeast Alaska.” He was working with is an ongoing participant of the Interna- NWR), the 2011 seabird monitoring crew Kim Nelson (OSU) and Scott Newman tional Polar Macroscope Working Group consisted of Ashley Hovis, Amanda (Food and Agricultural Organization) on of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life Millay, Ashley Bolwerk, and Leslie a larger project studying the inland and (CAML), which assesses the marine bio- Slater, with short-term help from Mi- at-sea ecology of Marbled Murrelets at diversity of both polar regions. Together chelle Badolato. Data were collected Port Snettisham, AK. with all international partners involved, a on the following: (1) population trends standardized and consistent set of over 25 of Leach’s (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) Data products and services environmental GIS layers and metadata and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Pelagic Data from all of the USFWS at- was made publicly available for both Cormorant, Glaucous-winged Gull, sea surveys conducted by Kathy Ku- poles (http://www.scarmarbin.be/). Falk Pigeon Guillemot, Common and Thick- letz (USFWS) will be archived in the also finished his UAF sabbatical and billed Murres, Rhinoceros Auklet, and North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database published a book that deals, in part, with Tufted Puffin; (2) annual productivity of (NPPSD) as well as at BOEM and the seabirds and the “Protection of the Three Fork-tailed and Leach’s Storm-Petrels, NPRB. The NPPSD is maintained by Poles” (co-authored with several PSG Pelagic Cormorant, Glaucous-winged Gary Drew (USGS, Alaska Science members). Finally, Falk was invited to Gull, Common and Thick-billed Murres, Center). The data are publicly available. participate as a data manager in the Ice- Rhinoceros Auklet, and Tufted Puffin; (3) Robb Kaler (USFWS) maintains AGE project (http://www.iceage-project. Chick growth for Fork-tailed and Leach’s the North Pacific Seabird Colony Data- org/) with the German RV Meteor on a Storm-Petrels and Rhinoceros Auklet; base and has been working to increase month-long cruise. He developed predic- and (4) diet sampling on Fork-tailed and the accessibility of this resource. The tive marine biodiversity models for this Leach’s Storm-Petrels, Glaucous-winged North Pacific Seabird Data Portal (web region, and pelagic seabird surveys off Gull, and Rhinoceros Auklet. access via Seabirds.net) is a collabora- Iceland and southeast Greenland were Alexis Will (UAF) began gradu- tive effort to provide seabird researchers carried out, using distance sampling and ate work on Rhinoceros Auklets on St. with a place to archive and serve their other survey methods. Lazaria to learn about adult foraging seabird data to other marine researchers, Grant Humphries’ Masters locations during the breeding season. to resource managers, and to the general research at UAF, on dimethyl sulfide Her work is funded by the North Pacific public. The portal contains detailed infor- and storm-petrels, is being published; Research Board (NPRB), as part of the mation on colonial seabird biogeography he has moved on to a PhD program in Gulf of Alaska Integrated Ecosystem (distribution and relative abundance), New Zealand.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 45 REGIONAL REPORTS • Southern California

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and Robert Pitman (both of NOAA) (1) investigation of the demographics Compiled by Jennifer Boyce to analyze seabird data collected in the of the Ashy Storm-Petrel using Passive eastern tropical Pacific and California Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags; (2) Rebecca Lewison and Kate Good- Current ecosystems. audiovisual studies to determine behav- enough are working on a project investi- Laurie Harvey (National Park ior of the Ashy Storm-Petrel at nesting gating fine-scale movements and diet of Service) continues to oversee seabird colonies. Gull-billed Terns (Gelochelidon nilotica) projects in the Channel Islands National A feasibility study was conducted nesting in San Diego Bay, California. Park, under the Montrose Settlements at Anacapa Island in 2011 with col- Utilizing a combination of method- Restoration Program (MSRP). On Santa laborators H. Carter, F. Gress, M. Parker ologies, including radio telemetry, stable Barbara Island, alcid habitat restora- (CIES), and M. McKown (University of isotope analysis, and colony observation, tion was coupled with social attraction California, Santa Cruz) in 2011 to de- they are obtaining information on adult for Cassin’s Auklets (Ptychoramphus termine restoration potential for several Gull-billed Tern movements and adult aleuticus), resulting in the first suc- species. This study resulted in the first and chick diets. They plan to continue cessful recruitment into restored areas. documented Ashy Storm-Petrel nest on monitoring gull movements and diets This project is scheduled to continue the Anacapa Island group. Future restora- through the 2012 breeding season. for approximately five additional years. tion work is being considered under the Martin Ruane (Natural Resources Concurrent studies included: (1) the ef- Phase 2 MSRP plan. Manager), Francesca Ferrara, and Re- fects of Barn Owl (Tyto alba) predation In addition to the restoration work, becca Kelley (Wildlife Biologists, U.S. on nesting Xantus’s Murrelets (Synth- reproductive monitoring was conducted Navy) are monitoring nesting colonies of liboramphus hypoleucus) and Cassin’s as follows: (1) Santa Barbara Island: California Least Terns (Sterna antillarum Auklets (S. Thomsen, Simon Fraser Xantus’s Murrelets, Cassin’s Auklets, browni) at Naval Base Ventura County University), and (2) use of nest cameras Ashy Storm-Petrels, Brown Pelicans (NBVC), Point Mugu. Monitoring is to investigate breeding biology of the (Pelecanus occidentalis), Brandt’s Cor- conducted by walking through the colony Xantus’s Murrelet (in collaboration morants, Pelagic Cormorants (Phala- to find and track nests and observing with N. Karnovsky, Pomona College). crocorax pelagicus), Double-crested colony and nests from blinds. Adaptive Reproductive monitoring for these and Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), predator management is done each sea- other species was conducted as in previ- Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba), son to aid in recovery. During the 2011 ous years. Western Gulls, (Larus occidentalis), nesting season from 467 to 671 pairs of On Santa Cruz Island, the two and Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus California Least Terns were estimated, ongoing MSRP projects to benefit Cas- bachmani); (2) Anacapa Island: Brown initiating 717 nests. Numbers of nests sin’s Auklets and Ashy Storm-Petrels Pelicans, Brandt’s Cormorants, Pelagic and pairs were the highest recorded. (Oceanodroma homochroa) continued, Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants However, nesting and fledgling success with partners F. Gress of the California (Phalacrocorax auritus), and Xantus’s were lower than in recent years, due Institute for Environmental Studies Murrelets; (3) San Miguel Island: Cas- to chick and fledgling predation, high (CIES), B. McIver U.S. Fish and Wild- sin’s Auklets, Common Murres (Uria winds, nest abandonment, and possible life Service (USFWS), H. Carter (Carter aalge), and Black Oystercatchers; (4) shortage of prey. In addition, NBVC Biological), K. Flagg and D. Hartley Santa Cruz Island: Ashy Storm-Petrels, Port Hueneme is home to a small nesting (Growing Solutions), and J. Adams Cassin’s Auklets, Black Oystercatchers, colony of Brandt’s Cormorants (Phala- (United States Geological Survey). and Pigeon Guillemots. crocorax penicillatus), which is the one Habitat restoration on Scorpion Rock is Kathy Keane (Keane Biological of the few mainland colonies in southern ongoing; native plant percent cover to Consulting) and her colleagues continue California. Brandt’s Cormorants began support expanded Cassin’s Auklet nest- to oversee the California Least Tern nest- nesting on the site in 2007, when seven ing is approaching target goals, with an ing site at the Los Angeles Harbor, as nests were documented. The colony is expected 3 to 5 years of additional work well as nesting in the Harbor by Caspian monitored for population and breeding needed to complete plant community Terns (Hydroprogne caspia), Elegant success. The colony has increased in size restoration. Social attraction and dis- Terns (Thalasseus elegans), and Black each year since its inception. A peak of turbance reduction efforts for the Ashy Skimmers (Rhynchops niger). She will 71 fledglings was documented in 2009 Storm-Petrel were continued in the sea be participating in a population modeling and 108 fledglings in 2010. In 2011 there caves and offshore rocks of Santa Cruz workshop on the California Least Tern in were 42 nests, with 124 large chicks and Island; the nesting colony at Orizaba spring 2012. She hopes for publication in fledglings observed on 23 June 2011. Rock has responded positively to restora- the coming year of the study on the status Annette Henry of the National Oce- tion efforts. One additional year of social of the California Least Tern population anic and Atmospheric Administration attraction is planned to ensure colony that she presented at PSG and the World (NOAA) is working with Lisa Ballance stability. Concurrent studies included: Seabird Conference in 2010. Keane has

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 46 REGIONAL REPORTS • Southern California completed a research project for the LATIN AMERICA species were collected for analyses of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regard- Compiled by Jennifer Boyce diets, using stable isotopes, and for pol- ing California Least Tern foraging with lutants (mercury). Preliminary analyses respect to dredging locations that have The project “Ecology and pres- have been run. During 2012, they expect been proposed in southern California by ent status of the Galápagos seabird to conclude analyses and submit results the Corps of Engineers; she is awaiting community: a study of spatial and for publication. A total of 30 nests of comments on the report from the U.S. temporal variation of their diet, trophic Red-footed Boobies with young were Fish and Wildlife Service. relationships, distribution and pres- monitored in Punta Pitt over the breeding Keane lives part-time on the east ent status of their populations” was cycle, to assess reproductive success and coast of Baja California, where she started in 2011 by Carlos A. Valle of the impact of cat predation. watches Magnificent Frigatebird (Fre- the Galapagos Academic Institute for At Isla La Plata near mainland gata magnificens), leads bird walks, and the Arts and Sciences, Universidad Ecuador, monitoring of the seabird com- presents talks about bird identification San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ec- munity continued during 2011, under and conservation. She hopes to volunteer uador. Collaborators included Steve Valle’s advice and the leadership of soon for ongoing restoration projects on Emslie (University of North Carolina Equilibrio Azul, an Ecuadorian marine seabird islands off the Baja coast. Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA), conservation and research foundation. Results of a 4-year monitoring pro- Trevor Joyce just completed the Bill Sydeman (Farallon Institute for gram (2008-2011) are in the process of first year of his PhD at Scripps Institu- Advanced Ecosystem Research, Peta- analysis. They will serve as the honors tion of Oceanography in La Jolla. He will luma, CA, and the Global Center of thesis for an Ecuadorian undergraduate investigate the impacts of tuna fisheries Excellence, USA), and Todd Miller and El Niño-Southern Oscillation vari- student from Universidad San Francisco (Center for Marine Environmental ability on the associations of tuna and de Quito, and we expect to publish these Studies, Japan). The researchers aim seabirds in the tropical Pacific. (See also results during 2012. to conduct this long-term research Regional Report for Hawai‘i, Pacific A two-day international workshop project over the next 10 years, but its Seabirds 38[1-2]: 27). on the conservation of the Pink-footed continuation will be largely depending Pat Baird (Simon Fraser University, Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) was on available funding. Burnaby, BC, Canada) mentored students held at Isla Mocha, Chile during 2011. Valle and his collaborators cen- in California (CA) and in Latin America. Chilean government officials, non-gov- sused seabird populations on Islote She taught them various field methods, ernment employees, and academics were including mist netting, banding, drawing Pitt and around Punta Pitt on San Cris- joined by Canadian and US specialists blood, radio-tagging, conducting at-sea tóbal Island. Study species included and by Mocha residents. The attendees surveys, identifying food samples, and Red-footed booby (Sula sula), Nazca discussed conservation issues impacting monitoring of foraging. The birds used Booby (S. granti), Blue-footed Booby the shearwaters and possible solutions. for these projects were California Least (S. dactylatra), Great Frigatebird (Fre- There was a field trip to the shearwater Terns (Sternula antillarum) and Western gata minor), and Swallow-tailed Gull colony in the late evening, when partici- Sandpipers (Calidris mauri). She also (Creagrus furcatus). They also con- pants witnessed birds returning to their mentored graduate students at California ducted a quick search for nests of the burrows. State University (Long Beach and Fuller- Galápagos Shearwater (Puffinus sub- The Advisory Committee for the ton, CA), and collaborated with scientists alaris), storm-petrels (Oceanodroma Agreement on the Conservation of Al- from Occidental College (Los Angeles, tethis and O. castro), and Red-billed batrosses and Petrels met in Guayaquil, CA) in an ecological assessment of San Tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus). Ecuador in August 2011. Workshops Diego Bay, CA. Samples of breast feathers of all these were associated with the meeting.

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 47 PUBLICATIONS OF THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP

The Pacific Seabird Group publishes symposia and other works. PSG Symposia are occasionally held at Annual Meetings; those which have been published are listed below. Technical Reports prepared by PSG working groups also are listed. To order one of these PSG publications, please see instructions after each item. Abstracts of papers and posters given at PSG meetings are published annually. Abstracts for meetings of 1974 through 1993 appeared in the PSG Bulletin (Volumes 2–20); for meetings of 1994 through 2003, in Pacific Seabirds (Volumes 21–30); and for meetings of 1997 and later, at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org PSG publishes the journals Pacific Seabirds (www.pacificseabirdgroup.org) and Marine Ornithology (www. marineornithology.org). Current and past issues of both journals are available online or by subscription. Back issues may be obtained online; those of Pacific Seabirds also are available from the PSG Treasurer (order form on last page).

SYMPOSIA

SHOREBIRDS IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS. Frank A. Pitelka (Editor). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group. Asilomar, California, January 1977. Published June 1979 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 2. Available free of charge at http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/cooper/sab.php

TROPICAL SEABIRD BIOLOGY. Ralph W. Schreiber (Editor). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Honolulu, Hawaii, December 1982. Published February 1984 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 8. Available free of charge at http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/cooper/sab.php

MARINE BIRDS: THEIR FEEDING ECOLOGY AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES RELATIONSHIPS. David N. Nettleship, Gerald A. Sanger, and Paul F. Springer (Editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Seattle, Washington, January 1982. Published 1984 as Canadian Wildlife Service, Special Publication. Out of print; available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

THE USE OF NATURAL VS. MAN-MODIFIED WETLANDS BY SHOREBIRDS AND WATERBIRDS. R. Michael Erwin, Malcolm C. Coulter, and Howard L. Cogswell (Editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium at the first joint meeting of the Colonial Waterbird Society and the Pacific Seabird Group, San Francisco, California, December 1985. Colonial Waterbirds 9(2), 1986. $12.00. Order from: Ornithological Societies of North America, PO Box 1897, Lawrence, Kansas 66044; phone (800) 627-0629; no online orders.

ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF GULLS. Judith L. Hand, William E. Southern, and Kees Vermeer (Editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Colonial Waterbird Society and the Pacific Seabird Group, San Francisco, California, December 1985. Published June 1987 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 10. $18.50. Available free of charge at http://elibrary. unm.edu/sora/Condor/cooper/sab.php

AUKS AT SEA. Spencer G. Sealy (Editor). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Pacific Grove, California, December 1987. Published December 1990 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 14. Available free of charge at http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/cooper/sab.php

STATUS AND CONSERVATION OF THE MARBLED MURRELET IN NORTH AMERICA. Harry C. Carter, and Michael L. Morrison (Editors). Proceedings of a Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Pacific Grove, California, December 1987. Published October 1992 in Proceedings of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Volume 5, Number 1. $20.00. Order from PSG Treasurer (order form on last page), or available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

THE STATUS, ECOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION OF MARINE BIRDS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC. Kees Vermeer, Kenneth T. Briggs, Ken H. Morgan, and Douglas Siegel‑Causey (editors). Proceedings of a Symposium of the Pacific Seabird

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 48 PSG PUBLICATIONS

Group, Canadian Wildlife Service, and the British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, British Columbia, February 1990. Published 1993 as a Canadian Wildlife Service Special Publication, Catalog Number CW66-124‑1993E. Order free of charge from: Publications Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OH3, Canada.

BIOLOGY OF MARBLED MURRELETS—INLAND AND AT SEA. S. Kim Nelson and Spencer G. Sealy (Editors). Pro- ceedings of a Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Seattle, Washington, February 1993. Published 1995 in Northwestern Naturalist, Volume 76, Number 1. $12.00. Order from PSG Treasurer (order form on last page), or available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

BEHAVIOUR AND ECOLOGY OF THE SEA DUCKS. Ian Goudie, Margaret R. Petersen and Gregory J. Robertson (editors). Proceedings of the Pacific Seabird Group Symposium, Victoria, British Columbia, 8-12 November 1995. A special publication compiled by the Canadian Wildlife Service for the Pacific Seabird Group. Published 1999 as Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper number 100, catalog number CW69-1/100E. Order free of charge from: Publications Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OH3, Canada, or available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

SEABIRD BYCATCH: TRENDS, ROADBLOCKS AND SOLUTIONS. Edward F. Melvin and Julia K. Parrish (editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Blaine, Washington, 26-27 February 1999. Published 2001 by University of Alaska Sea Grant, Fairbanks, Alaska. Publication no. AK-SG-01-01. $40.00. Order from publisher.

BIOLOGY, STATUS, AND CONSERVATION OF JAPANESE SEABIRDS. Nariko Oka (editor). Proceedings of an Inter- national Symposium of the Japanese Seabird Group and Pacific Seabird Group, Lihue, Hawaii, February 2001. Journal of the Yamashina Institute of Ornithology 33(2); Symposium (5 papers), pp 57-147, other papers pp. 148-213. In English with Japanese abstracts. $75.00. Order from PSG Treasurer (order form on last page).

OIL AND CALIFORNIA’S SEABIRDS. Harry R. Carter (convener) and Anthony J. Gaston (editor). Proceedings of a Sym- posium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Santa Barbara, California, February 2002. Published 2003 inMarine Ornithology 31(1). Available free of charge at www.marineornithology.org

The Biology and Conservation of the American White Pelican. Daniel W. Anderson, D. Tommy King, and John Coulson (editors). Proceedings of a Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group. Waterbirds, Volume 28. Special Publication 1, 2005. Published by the Waterbird Society. $15.00. Order from PSG Treasurer (order form on last page).

BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF XANTUS’S MURRELET. Harry R. Carter, Spencer G. Sealy, Esther E. Burkett, and John F. Piatt (editors). Proceedings of a symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Portland, Oregon, January 2005. Published 2005 in Marine Ornithology 33(2):81-159. Available free of charge at www.marineornithology.org

SEABIRDS AS INDICATORS OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. John F. Piatt and William J. Sydeman (editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Girdwood, Alaska, February 2006. Published 2007 in Marine Ecology Progress Series Volume 352:199-309. Available free of charge at http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v352/#theme

Information on presenting symposia: Pacific Seabird Group Symposia or Paper Sessions may be arranged by any member who is interested in a particular topic. Before planning a special session, refer to Meetings/Symposia Guidelines at www. pacificseabirdgroup.org; also contact the Coordinator of the Publications Committee and the Scientific Chair for the meeting.

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL SEABIRD RESTORATION WORKSHOP. Kenneth I. Warheit, Craig S. Harrison, and George J. Divoky (editors). Exxon Valdez Restoration Project Final Report, Restoration Project 95038. PSG Technical Publi- cation Number 1. 1997. Available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org METHODS FOR SURVEYING MARBLED MURRELETS IN FORESTS: A REVISED PROTOCOL FOR LAND MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH. Pacific Seabird Group, Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee. PSG Technical Pub- lication Number 2. 2003. Available free of charge at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 49 PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP COMMITTEE COORDINATORS

Committees do much of PSG’s business, as well as the conservation work for which PSG is respected. The committees welcome (and need) information concerning their issues. Please contact one of these Coordinators with input, updates, or to apply for a small grant (see PSG’s website for eligiblilty); or if you wish to help a committee with its work.

AWARDS COMMITTEE The Awards Committee consists of the Past Chair, Chair, and Chair-Elect. Committee members from February 2012 until February 2013 are Pat Jodice (Past Chair), Kim Rivera (Chair), and Doug Forsell (Chair-Elect). Their contact information is on the inside back cover.

CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Craig S. Harrison, 4953 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA. Telephone: (202) 778‑2240, e-mail: charrison@ hunton.com CRAIG S. HARRISON CONSERVATION SMALL GRANTS COMMITTEE Verena Gill, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., MS 341, Anchorage, AK 99503-6199, USA. Telephone: (907) 786-3584; fax: (907) 786-3816; cell phone: (907) 250-3721; e-mail: [email protected]

ELECTION COMMITTEE Pat Baird, Simon Fraser University, Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6. Tele- phone: (604) 928-5510, e-mail: [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Verena Gill, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., MS 341, Anchorage, AK 99503-6199, USA. Telephone: (907) 786-3584; fax: (907) 786-3816; cell phone: (907) 250-3721; e-mail: [email protected]

PSG DELEGATES TO THE AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY Craig S. Harrison, 4953 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA. Telephone: (202) 778‑2240, e-mail: charrison@ hunton.com and Malcolm C. Coulter, P.O. Box 48, Chocorua, NH 03817 USA. Telephone: (603) 323‑9342, e-mail: [email protected]

CHINESE CRESTED TERN WORKING GROUP Verena Gill, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., MS 341, Anchorage, AK 99503-6199, USA. Telephone: (907) 786-3584; fax: (907) 786-3816; cell phone: (907) 250-3721; e-mail: [email protected]

JAPAN SEABIRD CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Motohiro Ito, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1, Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan. Telephone and fax: 0138-40-8863, e-mail: [email protected]

KITTLITZ’S MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE John Piatt, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, c/o 616 Marrowstone Point Rd., Nordland, WA 98358-9633, USA. Telephone: (360) 744-0516; fax: (360) 385-7207; e-mail: [email protected]

MARBLED MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE William P. Ritchie, P.O. Box 1102, Port Angeles, WA 98362-0209, USA. Telephone: (360) 902-2365, fax: (360) 417-3302, e-mail: ritchwpr@ dfw.wa.gov SEABIRD MONITORING COMMITTEE Scott Hatch, Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Science Center, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503 USA. Telephone: (907) 786‑3529, fax: (907) 786‑3636, e-mail: [email protected]

XANTUS’S MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Shaye Wolf, Center for Biological Diveristy, 351 California St., Ste. 600, San Francisco, CA 94104. Telephone: (415) 632-5301 (office), (415) 385-5746 (cell), fax: (415) 436-9683, e-mail: [email protected] and Harry R. Carter, Carter Biological Consulting, 1015 Hampshire Road, Victoria, BC V8S4S8, Canada; [email protected]; phone (250) 370-7031 CORRESPONDING MEMBERS COMMITTEE Melanie Steinkamp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 11510 American Holly Drive, Laurel, MD 20708. USA. Telephone: (301) 497-5678; mobile (only when travelling): (413) 687-5950; fax: (301) 497-5706; e-mail: [email protected]

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 50 PSG LIFE MEMBERS 2011 ______David Ainley Lisa Haggblom Koji Ono Sarah G. Allen Judith Latta Hand Steffen Oppel Daniel W. Anderson Craig S. Harrison Katie O’Reilly Edgar P. Bailey Scott A. Hatch Julia K. Parrish Pat Herron Baird Monica Herzig Zürcher Robert Pitman Lisa Ballance Nancy Hillstrand Jennifer Provencher Mrs. Don Bishop Joel D. Hubbard C. John Ralph Kenneth T. Briggs David B. Irons William P. Ritchie Joanna Burger Ronald Javitch Chad Roberts Douglas Causey Sarah Keller Daniel D. Roby Ellen W. Chu James G. King Gerald A. Sanger Roger B. Clapp Kathy Kuletz Palmer C. Sekora Cheryl Conel James Kushlan Nanette Seto Malcolm C. Coulter Lora Leschner Scott A. Shaffer Kathy Cousins David B. Lewis Kouzi Shiomi Theodore L. Cross Peter Major Joanna Smith Jeff Davis Eugene Y. Makishima William E. Southern Robert H. Day Vivian Mendenhall Arthur L. Sowls Tony DeGange Godfrey Merlen Jeffrey A. Spendelow Jan Dierks Pat Mock Takaki Terasawa Kyle Elliott Ken Morgan W. Breck Tyler Stewart Fefer Edward C. Murphy Enriqueta Velarde Gonzalez Lloyd C. Fitzpatrick Maura Naughton Kees Vermeer Elizabeth Flint S. Kim Nelson John S. Warriner Douglas J. Forsell Yasuaki Niizuma Yutaka Watanuki Michael Fry David R. Nysewander Jennifer Wheeler Adrian Gall Haruo Ogi Jeff Williams

HONORARY MEMBER John Cooper

RECIPIENTS OF PSG’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Daniel W. Anderson John Cooper James G. King Philip and Myrtle Ashmole John Croxall Haruo Ogi James C. Bartonek Charles Guiguet = Spencer G. Sealy W.R.P. Bourne Michael P. Harris Robert E. Ricklefs Richard G.B. Brown= Thomas R. Howell = Miklos D.F. Udvardy = G. Vernon Byrd George L. Hunt, Jr. John Warham= Karl W. Kenyon =

RECIPIENTS OF PSG’S SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Malcolm Coulter Hiroshi Hasegawa Arthur L. Sowls = Franklin Gress Lora Leschner Steven M. Speich George J. Divoky Edward Melvin Mark J. Rauzon Craig S. Harrison S. Kim Nelson Yutaka Watanuki =Deceased

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 51 Pacific Seabird Group Membership Application/Publication Order Form (Please copy)

Membership (includes subscription to Pacific Seabirds) (You may also join or renew online at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org) Individual and Family $30.00 Student (undergraduate and graduate) $24.00 Life Membership1 $900.00 (optional payment plan: five $180 installments) Sponsored Membership $30.00 Name of Sponsored Member______$______

Donations2 To the Endowment Fund1 $______Other (please specify)______$______

Pacific Seabird Group publications A full list of PSG publications appears on preceding pages. If the publication you want is not listed on this page, please order according to information in the publications list.

Back issues of Pacific Seabirds (can also be downloaded from www.pacificseabirds.org) Vols. 1-8 (1974-1981) ______x $2.50 $______Vols. 9 (1982 to present) ______x $5.00 $______

PSG Symposia Status and Conservation of the Marbled Murrelet in North America ______x $20.00 $______Biology of Marbled Murrelets: Inland and at Sea ______x $12.00 $______Biology, Status, and Conservation of Japanese Seabirds______x $75.00 $______The Biology and Conservation of the American White Pelican ______x $15.00 $______TOTAL ENCLOSED $ Prices include postage (surface rate) and handling.

SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER (payable in US dollars to the Pacific Seabird Group) to: Ron LeValley, PSG Treasurer, P.O. Box 324, Little River, CA 95456-0519, USA.

MEMBERSHIPS (new and renewing) and DONATIONS may also be paid online at www.pacificseabirdgroup.org ______1 Proceeds from Life Memberships go to the Endowment Fund, which supports the publications of the Pacific Seabird Group. Contributions may be given for a specified purpose; otherwise they also go to the Endowment Fund. 2 Donations may be tax-deductible; see inside front cover for more information. Member/Sponsor or Order Deliver/Ship to (if different) Name______Name______Address______Address______Telephone______Telephone______Fax______Fax______E‑mail______E‑mail______

Pacific Seabirds • Volume 39, Number 1 • Spring 2012 • Page 52