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| Cormorant nests |
In January, we began our bird surveys on Anaho Island, to
help document use of the island by birds other than colonial waterbirds. Closed to the public, Anaho Island is both a
National Wildlife Refuge managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and a part
of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, patrolled by the Tribe’s Pyramid Lake
Rangers. It was established to protect
breeding colonies of waterbirds, particularly American White Pelicans – the
pelican colony there is one of the two biggest in the western United
States. For now, our surveys extend
across the entire island – as the breeding colonies of pelicans, cormorants,
gulls and so on, re-establish themselves in spring, our survey area will shrink
to only those areas where we cannot disturb them.
We completed our first winter survey in January – though
given the blue skies, warm weather, and green grass, it didn’t feel too much
like winter! We didn’t see anything
unexpected on this visit, but I certainly was impressed by the sheer numbers of
Rock and Canyon Wrens. We’re definitely
looking forward to documenting the changes in the bird community here across
the seasons - we’ll keep you posted!
Happy birding,
Jen
Jen
