58 USGS/BRD/ITR-2000-0012 



Willoughby (26,300 breeding birds). Between 1979 and 

 1 982, breeding murres were centered at these colonies 

 in southern Washington. However, all six colonies in 

 both colony complexes were abandoned or severely 

 reduced by 1994-95 (see below). In northern 

 Washington, colonies exist in relatively small 

 individual colonies and in three colony complexes: 

 Quillayute Needles, Carroll-Jagged, and Tatoosh 

 (Appendixes F, G). In 1979-82, relatively small numbers 

 occurred in northern Washington, but in 1994-95 the 

 Washington population was centered there. 



Many instances of irregular murre attendance at 

 rocks, often by small numbers, have been documented 

 in the past (see above), as well as during aerial surveys 

 from 1979 to 1995 (Figure 2.9). Determining breeding 

 activity is difficult in Washington because of colony 

 inaccessibility and poor viewing conditions from 

 adjacent mainland areas or boats. During surveys in 

 1979-95, murres were reported at eight locations on 

 only one survey in 1 year (i.e., Colony number 584 in 

 1989, 457 in 1986, 426 in 1986, 419 in 1987, 367 in 

 1985, 294 in 1985, 140 in 1986, and Jagged Pillar in 

 1991). We suspect that breeding did not occur at these 

 locations. During this same period, irregular attendance 

 occurred over 2-3 years at Cake Rock ( 1 990-92) and at 

 Carroll Pillar (1993-95). At Jagged Pillar, 17 murres 

 were reported in 1978 and 25 in 1982 (Speich and Wahl 

 1989). In the past, irregular attendance has been noted 

 at Carroll Pillar, Cake Rock, Bodelteh Island, Flat Rock, 

 and Giant's Graveyard. In addition, irregular attendance 



has been reported at "Dahdayla" near Cake Rock (2-30 

 birds in 1967-69), Half Round Rock (250 murres in 

 1981), and Quillayute Needle (35-276 birds in 1978- 

 80). Otherwise, murres were not reported at these 

 locations (Speich and Wahl 1989; Appendix F). At 

 Middle Rock, large numbers (range, 450-1,800) 

 attended irregularly in 1985-86. 



Although attended for a few years, breeding is not 

 suspected at Destruction Island or Colony number 355- 

 359. Murres were not reported attending Destruction 

 Island from 1906 to 1987 (Speich and Wahl 1989; 

 Appendix F). Between 250 and 650 birds were observed 

 loafing around peripheral rocks annually from 1988 to 

 1992 (Appendixes F and G). In 1995, 215 murres were 

 present, but no eggs or chicks were found during ground 

 visits to the island (U. W. Wilson, unpublished data). 

 Destruction Island lacks suitable murre nesting habitat 

 and murres were present in association with nesting 

 Brandt's cormorants on the island's peripheral rocks. 

 On the Washington coast, small numbers of nonbreeding 

 murres frequently are seen among nesting Brandt's 

 cormorants. Since these cormorants can change their 

 colony locations, irregular murre attendance at certain 

 rocks may be due to attraction of murres to Brandt's 

 cormorant colonies. 



2 i 



Carroll - Jagged 



Figure 2.11. Trends in whole- 



colony counts for four colony c- 



complexes of common murres in 1 



Washington, 1979-1995 (see | 

 Appendix H). 



a 





 o 







4> 



I 



3 



z 



Quillayute Needles 



1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 



Willoughby - Split 



1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 



Point Grenville 



1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 



1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 



Year 



