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Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project
Standwatch Bird Surveys – Winter 2013/14
Report Date July 25, 2014
Survey Dates & Times
The following is a summary of the survey dates and associated times:
• December 19, 2013 – 07:55 to 15:16
• January 6, 2014 – 09:05 to 16:37
• January 17 – 08:05 to 16:40
• January 31, 2014 – 08:15 to 17:05
• February 17, 2014 – 08:30 to 16:52
• February 28, 2014 – 08:40 to 17:13
• March 13, 2014 – 08:00 to 15:22
• March 28, 2014 – 09:00 to 17:24
Weather & Tidal Conditions
The following is a detailed summary of the weather conditions (general conditions and temperature) and tides on each of the survey dates, for the associated times:
• December 19, 2013 – overcast skies, average temperature: -2.3 degrees Celsius; low tide of 3.3 m at 13:16 and high tide of 3.7 m at 17:16
• January 6, 2014 – overcast skies, average temperature: -1.9 degrees Celsius; high tide of 4.7 m at 09:24 and low tide of 2.2 m at 16:07
• January 17, 2014 – overcast skies, average temperature: 4.6 degrees Celsius; high tide of 4.4 m at 07:06 and low tide of 3.1 at 12:46
• January 31, 2014 – clear skies, average temperature: 2.1 degrees Celsius; high tide of 4.6 m at 06:18 and low tide of 2.9 m at 11:52
• February 17, 2014 – partly cloudy, average temperature: 6.5 degrees Celsius; high tide of 4.2 m at 07:02 and low tide of 2.3 m at 13:15
• February 28, 2014 – clear skies; average temperature: 5.1 degrees Celsius; low tide of 2.6 m at 10:48 and high tide of 4.0 m at 16:09
• March 13, 2014 – partly cloudy, average temperature: 7.0 degrees Celsius; low tide of 2.7 m at 11:07 and high tide of 3.5 m at 16:10
• March 28, 2014 – overcast skies, average temperature: 7.5 degrees Celsius; low tide of 2.2 m at 10:47 and high tide of 3.8 m at 16:24
Weather data from Government of Canada hourly climate data for Delta Burns Bog: 32TUhttp://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=BC&StationID=49088&dlyRange=2011-01-25%7C2014-06-29&cmdB1=Go&Year=2014&Month=3&cmdB1=Go#U32T
Tide data from Government of Canada 7 days tidal predictions for Tsawwassen: 32TUhttp://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/eng/station?type=0&date=2014%2F03%2F28&sid=7590&tz=PDT&pres=1U32T
http://www.hemmera.com/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=BC&StationID=49088&dlyRange=2011-01-25%7C2014-06-29&cmdB1=Go&Year=2014&Month=3&cmdB1=Go%23http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=BC&StationID=49088&dlyRange=2011-01-25%7C2014-06-29&cmdB1=Go&Year=2014&Month=3&cmdB1=Go%23http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=BC&StationID=49088&dlyRange=2011-01-25%7C2014-06-29&cmdB1=Go&Year=2014&Month=3&cmdB1=Go%23http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/eng/station?type=0&date=2014%2F03%2F28&sid=7590&tz=PDT&pres=1http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/eng/station?type=0&date=2014%2F03%2F28&sid=7590&tz=PDT&pres=1
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Survey Areas
Port Metro Vancouver’s (PMV’s) Habitat Enhancement Program – Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project, Delta, BC.
Salt marsh restoration work involved the removal of dense accumulations of woody debris from three sites along Boundary Bay, referred to as sites 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. For the purposes of conducting winter bird surveys, these sites were further divided into six restoration (or “treatment”) standwatch survey stations labelled 3.3.a, 3.3.b, 3.4, 3.5.a, 3.5.b and 3.5.c. Additional standwatch surveys were conducted at five non-treatment (“control”) stations labelled Ref.a, Ref.b, Ref.c, Ref.d and Ref.MB (Figure 1). Standwatch stations were 200 meters wide (east to west) and extended 300 meters southward into the marsh and 100 meters northward into the upland.
Survey Team Andrew Venning, Biologist (Hemmera); Sam Gidora, Biologist (Hemmera)
Scope of Work
As part of Port Metro Vancouver’s Habitat Enhancement Program, a salt marsh restoration project was undertaken in September of 2013 in Boundary Bay. Restoration works involved the removal of woody debris directly adjacent to the dike. Accumulations of woody debris can smother vegetation and compact soils, impeding the growth and production of salt marsh vegetation. Treated wood, such as creosote-treated poles and timbers, can also introduce toxic or harmful substances into the environment. In order to provide some enhanced wildlife habitat features, short snags were installed at all three restoration sites to function as raptor perches and “plucking posts”.
In order to better understand the use of these salt marsh habitats by raptors and other bird groups during the overwintering period, eight standwatch bird surveys were conducted on a biweekly basis from December 19, 2013 to March 28, 2014. Raptors were the focal species group for these standwatch surveys, however use by all bird species was also part of this survey work.
Survey Methods
One surveyor conducted 30 minute standwatches from the Boundary Bay dike at each of the eleven stations during each survey. Raptors and other birds were documented 300 meters in front of surveyor (southward) and 100 meters behind surveyor (Figure 1). Birds were grouped into one of four strata within each station:
1. Back stratum – behind surveyor and within the upland, up to 100 meters from dike
2. Woody debris stratum – within woody debris removal area (for treatment stations) or woody debris area (for control stations)
3. Buffer stratum – seaward of the woody debris removal/woody debris area, extending to a distance matching width of woody debris removal/woody debris area
4. Far stratum – seaward of buffer stratum, extending up to 300 meters from dike
The focus of surveys was to document birds within or near woody debris stratum and thus survey efforts were focused in front of observer. As a result, back stratum data collection was not as rigorous as the three front strata.
Binoculars and spotting scope were used to identify birds within survey areas. For each bird documented, the following information was recorded: species, number, time, stratum, distance from dike, behavior, and flyover direction.
Bird numbers presented may not reflect actual abundance of birds present, as some birds may have been counted more than once. In any situations where a bird was counted in one station and moved to another station coinciding with movement of the surveyor from one station to the next, the bird was counted in each of the two survey areas.
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Results
Results from treatment and control stations are presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. A summary of all species observed is presented in Table 3. Total abundance of species groups is presented in Figure 2 and Figure 3. Figure 2 represents a broad data set and reflects the habitat mosaic both on the upland and seaward sides of the standwatch locations, while Figure 3 is focused strictly on the seaward side of the salt marsh habitats.
Average numbers of bird observations per station in all strata (excluding back stratum) are presented in Figure 4. Overall, more birds were observed in control stations, particularly in the far stratum. Average numbers of raptor and other bird observations per station in woody debris stratum are presented in Figure 5. In woody debris stratum, more birds were observed in control stations, however more raptors were observed in treatment stations.
The majority of birds observed in woody debris stratum consisted of songbirds/passerines (Figure 5). The higher abundance of songbirds/passerines observed in control stations, relative to treatment stations, is likely due to a higher concentration of upland vegetation at control stations. Upland vegetation at Ref.a and Ref.b, in particular, is comprised of dense deciduous trees and shrubs several meters high. Upland vegetation at the remaining stations is primarily agricultural land or golf course (i.e., mowed grass).
At Boundary Bay during these overwintering surveys, the majority of observations were comprised of dabbling waterbirds (n=1,156), songbirds (n=449) and other passerines (n=360) (Figure 2). 345 separate raptor observations and seven owl observations were recorded. The most common species observed at Boundary Bay were American Wigeon (n=714), European Starling (n=206), and Bald Eagle (n=180) (Table 3).
Nine raptor/owl species were observed during overwintering surveys: Bald Eagle (n=180); Northern Harrier (n=156); Short-eared Owl (n=7); American Kestrel (n=2); Peregrine Falcon (n=2); Cooper’s Hawk (n=1); Merlin (n=1); Red-tailed Hawk (n=1); Sharp-shinned Hawk (n=1); Unidentified raptor (n=1). Raptors were most commonly observed hunting (31% of raptor observations), flapping (29% of raptor observations) and perching (10% of raptor observations). Owls (exclusively Short-eared Owls) were most commonly observed flapping (43% of owl observations), hunting (29% of owl observations) and perching (29% of owl observations).
Three raptor species, one songbird species and one other passerine species were observed perching at various occasions on installed short snags in the treatment sites: Bald Eagle (1) (Photo 1), Northern Harrier (1) (Photo 2), Short-eared Owl (1) (Photo 3), European Starling (6), and Northwestern Crow (1) .
It is important to note that these standwatch surveys were conducted only 2.5 to 5 months after woody debris removal and prior to any notable recovery of salt marsh vegetation within the treatment sites. As a result, bird use observations from this past winter should be further augmented with additional surveys after vegetation has had a better opportunity to re-colonize the site (e.g., winter 2014/15).
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Tables
Table 1 Species observed at Boundary Bay treatment sites during winter 2013/14 standwatch surveys; Delta, BC.
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
3.3.a
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 5 5
Other
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
feeding, flapping, walking
53
56 Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus flapping,
singing/calling 3
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, perched in snag/dead tree, standing
7
22 Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting, perched
in snag/dead tree, harassing
another, loading/resting
13
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus hunting,
harassing another
2
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius flapping, perched
in live tree 2
16
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
flapping 3
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta
flapping, landing, singing/calling
8
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
perched in live tree
3
Waterfowl
American Wigeon Anas
americana walking, feeding 592
634
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope walking, feeding 1
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca walking, feeding 2
Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos
flapping, landing, swimming,
loafing/resting, being harassed, walking, feeding
36
Northern Pintail Anas acuta flapping 3
3.3.b
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 1 1
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias landing,
singing/calling, standing, hunting
2 2
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Other
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
flapping, perched in live tree,
singing/calling 67
80
Northwestern Crow
Corvus caurinus
flapping, perched in live tree,
perched on guy wire,
singing/calling
13
Raptors
American Kestrel Falco
sparverius perched in live tree, taking off
1
29 Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
flapping, harassing
another, perched in live tree, perched in
snag/dead tree
23
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
flapping, gliding, landing, hunting,
perched in snag/dead tree
5
Shorebirds Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
walking 1 1
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius
feeding, perched in live tree, flapping,
singing/calling
7
46
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
singing/calling 2
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis perched in live tree, walking,
feeding 8
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
perched in live tree,
singing/calling 5
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
singing/calling 1
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 3
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
walking, feeding, singing/calling
8
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus singing/calling 3
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta
landing, singing/calling
9
Waterfowl Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos flapping 18 18
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
3.4
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 6 6
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias walking, hunting 1 1
Other
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
perched in live tree,
singing/calling 1
8
Northwestern Crow
Corvus caurinus
flapping, perched in live tree,
singing/calling, taking off, perched in
snag/dead tree
7
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, perched in live tree,
landing, perched in snag/dead
tree, singing/calling,
soaring
19
31
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting,
standing, taking off
11
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
perched in live tree
1
Songbirds
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 1
11
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis feeding, taking
off 3
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
perched in live tree,
singing/calling 3
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
perched in live tree,
singing/calling, perched in
shrub/hedge, walking
4
Waterfowl
American Wigeon Anas
americana
feeding, flapping, loafing/resting,
walking 50
185 Gadwall Anas strepera
feeding, loafing/resting,
swimming 20
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca swimming,
feeding 22
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos
feeding, landing, loafing/resting,
preening, swimming,
walking
46
Northern Pintail Anas acuta loafing/resting 4
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata feeding,
swimming 43
3.5.a
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 1 1
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias flapping 1 1
Other
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
flapping, perched in shrub/hedge, singing/calling,
perched in snag/dead tree
23
26
Northwestern Crow
Corvus caurinus
flapping, perched on pole
3
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, gliding, perched in
snag/dead tree, perched on pole
8
40 Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting, landing, flapping, perched
in snag/dead tree,
singing/calling
28
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
flapping, perched on fence/post,
landing, perched in live tree
4
Songbirds
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 4
30
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
perched in snag/dead tree
2
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
singing/calling 3
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
feeding, standing,
perched in live tree, perched in snag/dead tree, singing/calling,
perched on pole
11
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus
feeding, perched in live tree, perched in
shrub/hedge
4
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
feeding, perched in shrub/hedge,
walking 6
Waterfowl American Wigeon Anas
americana walking, feeding 45 45
3.5.b
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 12 12
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
flapping, standing,
loafing/resting, walking, hunting
6 6
Other
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
perched in snag/dead tree,
standing 61
62
Northwestern Crow
Corvus caurinus
flapping, harassing another
1
Raptors
American Kestrel Falco
sparverius flapping, feeding 1
43
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus flapping, soaring 20
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
being harrassed, harassing
another, flapping, gliding, hunting,
perched in shrub/hedge,
perched in snag/dead tree, singing/calling
21
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo
jamaicensis flapping, being
harassed 1
Songbirds
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
singing/calling 1
39
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
singing/calling 4
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
perched in snag/dead tree, singing/calling,
perched on fence/post
3
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
feeding, perched in shrub/hedge, perched in live tree, perched in snag/dead tree, singing/calling,
walking
9
Unidentified Sparrow
- perched in
shrub/hedge 2
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
perched in live tree
20
3.5.c
Gull and Terns Unidentified Gull
Larus sp. flapping 15 15
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias flapping,
singing/calling, standing
2 2
Other Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus
landing, walking, perched in live tree, perched in snag/dead tree
4 4
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, gliding, perched in
snag/dead tree, soaring
13
29
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
flapping, harassing
another, hunting, perched in
snag/dead tree, gliding
16
Shorebirds Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
walking, singing/calling
39 39
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius standing 1
4 Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
singing/calling 2
Tree Swallow Tachycineta
bicolor flapping,
singing/calling 1
Waterfowl
Gadwall Anas strepera walking, feeding 2
4 Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
walking, feeding 2
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Table 2 Species observed at Boundary Bay control sites during winter 2014 standwatch surveys; Delta, BC.
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Ref.a
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 30 30
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea
herodias
flapping, standing,
loafing/resting, taking off,
singing/calling, walking, feeding
9 9
Other Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus
flapping, singing/calling,
perched in snag/dead tree
4 4
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, perched in snag/dead tree,
soaring 12
26 Northern Harrier Circus
cyaneus
gliding, hunting, landing, perched
in snag/dead tree, singing/calling
12
Peregrine Falcon Falco
peregrinus flapping, perched in snag/dead tree
2
Shorebirds Greater
Yellowlegs Tringa
melanoleuca singing/calling 1 1
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 1
55
American Tree Sparrow
Spizella arborea
walking, feeding 3
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
perched in shrub/hedge, singing/calling
6
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
singing/calling 1
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
landing, perched in live tree,
singing/calling, perched in
snag/dead tree, feeding, perched in shrub/hedge,
walking
9
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus singing/calling 2
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Unidentified Sparrow
- flapping, walking,
perched in shrub/hedge
3
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
flapping, perched in live tree,
singing/calling, perched in
shrub/hedge
30
Waterfowl
Gadwall Anas strepera walking, feeding 11
22 Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
flapping, landing 11
Ref.b
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea
herodias
flapping, landing, standing,
loafing/resting, walking
15 15
Other Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus
flapping, singing/calling, perched on guy
wire
6 6
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, perched in live tree,
perched on pole 19
33 Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
perched on pole 1
Northern Harrier Circus
cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting, perched in snag/dead tree
13
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius
perched in live tree,
singing/calling, walking, feeding
9
57
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes
bewickii
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 1
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
perched on fence/post,
singing/calling, perched in live
tree
5
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
feeding, walking 15
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
singing/calling 2
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
feeding, walking, perched in
shrub/hedge, perched in
snag/dead tree, singing/calling
17
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus
perched in shrub/hedge, singing/calling
8
Waterfowl
Gadwall Anas strepera walking, feeding 2
107 Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca walking, feeding 105
Ref.c
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 3 3
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea
herodias
flapping, standing, gliding,
perched in snag.dead tree, loading/resting,
walking
8 8
Other Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus - 1 1
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
flapping, gliding, harassing
another, being harassed, perched in
snag/dead tree, perched on pole,
preening, perched on
telephone/light pole, soaring
32
53
Northern Harrier Circus
cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting, perched
in snag/dead tree, harassing
another, being harassed,
landing, perched in snag/dead tree,
singing/calling, standing
21
Shorebirds Greater
Yellowlegs Tringa
melanoleuca singing/calling,
flapping 1 1
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius
perched in live tree,
singing/calling 4
92
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
singing/calling 2
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
perched in snag/dead tree
60
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
perched in shrub/hedge, singing/calling
4
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus singing/calling 2
Unidentified Sparrow
- flapping, perched
in live tree 20
Waterfowl Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos
loafing/resting 2
4 taking off, flapping
2
Ref.d
Other European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
perched in live tree
1 1
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus
feeding, walking, flapping, gliding,
harassing another, perched in snag/dead tree, perched on pole,
perched on telephone/light
pole
25
34
Northern Harrier Circus
cyaneus
flapping, gliding, hunting,
singing/calling 9
Short-eared Owl Asio
flammeus flapping 1
Songbirds
American Robin Turdus
migratorius
perched in live tree, perched in shrub/hedge, singing/calling
3
74
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
perched in live tree,
singing/calling 6
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
feeding, walking, perched in live tree, flapping
20
Marsh Wren Cistothorus
palustris singing/calling 1
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
perched in snag/dead tree,
preening 1
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
feeding, walking, flapping, perched
in live tree, singing/calling
13
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus singing/calling 2
Unidentified Sparrow
- flapping, perched
in live tree 9
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Station Species Group
Common Name Latin Name Behaviour Abundance of Species
Abundance of Species
Group
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
feeding, walking, flapping, perched in snag/dead tree
19
Waterfowl
American Wigeon Anas
americana feeding, walking 27
41
Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos feeding, walking 4
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata feeding, walking 1
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus
buccinator standing,
loafing/resting 9
Ref.MB
Gull and Terns
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. flapping 2 2
Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea
herodias loafing/resting,
standing 2 2
Other Northwestern
Crow Corvus
caurinus
flapping, singing/calling,
walking, feeding 112 112
Raptors
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus
leucocephalus flapping 2
10 Merlin Falco
columbarius flapping, gliding 1
Northern Harrier Circus
cyaneus gliding, hunting 7
Songbirds
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
feeding 1
23
Dark-eyed Junco Junco
hyemalis perched in
shrub/hedge 2
Fox Sparrow Passerella
iliaca feeding, walking 4
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
singing/calling, perched in live
tree 1
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
flapping 1
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
feeding, perched in live tree,
singing/calling, flapping, walking
12
Spotted Towhee Pipilo
maculatus perched in live
tree 2
Waterfowl Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
loafing/resting, swimming,
walking, feeding 10
105
Northern Pintail Anas acuta loafing/resting 95
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Table 3 Summary of species observed at Boundary Bay (treatment and control data pooled) during winter 2014 standwatch surveys, note that raptors are highlighted; Delta, BC.
Common Name Latin Name Number Species Group
American Wigeon Anas americana 714 Dabbling waterbirds
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 206 Other Passerines
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 180 Raptors
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus 156 Raptors
Northwestern Crow Corvus caurinus 154 Other Passerines
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 131 Dabbling waterbirds
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca 129 Dabbling waterbirds
Northern Pintail Anas acuta 102 Dabbling waterbirds
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 89 Songbirds
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys 78 Songbirds
Unidentified Gull Larus sp. 75 Gull and Terns
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 67 Songbirds
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 46 Herons
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 44 Dabbling waterbirds
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla 36 Songbirds
Gadwall Anas strepera 35 Dabbling waterbirds
Unidentified Sparrow - 34 Songbirds
American Robin Turdus migratorius 27 Songbirds
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus 25 Songbirds
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 23 Songbirds
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 19 Songbirds
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 17 Songbirds
Unidentified Bird - 14 -
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 13 Songbirds
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator 9 Swans
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus 7 Owls
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa 5 Songbirds
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca 4 Songbirds
Unidentified Swan Cygnus sp. 3 Swans
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis 3 Songbirds
American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea 3 Songbirds
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto 2 Songbirds
American Kestrel Falco sparverius 2 Raptors
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 2 Shorebirds
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 2 Raptors
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Common Name Latin Name Number Species Group
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca 2 Shorebirds
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii 1 Raptors
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii 1 Songbirds
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope 1 Dabbling waterbirds
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus 1 Songbirds
Merlin Falco columbarius 1 Raptors
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor 1 Songbirds
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 1 Raptors
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 1 Raptors
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor 1 Swallows
Unidentified Raptor - 1 Raptors
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris 1 Songbirds
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Figures
Figure 1. Boundary Bay standwatch survey study areas; Delta, BC.
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Figure 2. Abundance of species groups observed at Boundary Bay (including back stratum) during winter 2013/14 standwatch surveys; Delta, BC.
Figure 3 Abundance of species groups observed at Boundary Bay (excluding back stratum) during winter 2013/14 standwatch surveys; Delta, BC.
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Nu
mb
er
of
Bir
ds
Ob
serv
ed
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Nu
mb
er
of
Bir
ds
Ob
serv
ed
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Figure 4 Average number of birds observed per station at Boundary Bay during winter 2013/14 standwatch surveys (back stratum data removed). ‘Unknown’ data reflects data from first survey, before strata were decided; Delta, BC.
Figure 5 Average number of birds observed per station in woody debris stratum at Boundary Bay during winter 2013/14 standwatch surveys; Delta, BC.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Treatment Control
Av
era
ge
Nu
mb
er
of
Bir
ds
pe
r S
tati
on
Unknown
Far
Buffer
Woody Debris
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Treatment Control
Av
era
ge
Nu
mb
er
of
Bir
ds
pe
r S
tati
on
Swans
Swallows
Herons
Shorebirds
Dabbling waterbirds
Songbirds/Passerines
Raptors
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Photos
Photo 1 Immature Bald Eagle perched on installed short snag at Boundary Bay; Delta, BC.
Photo 2 Northern Harrier perched on installed short snag at Boundary Bay; Delta, BC.
Boundary Bay Salt Marsh Restoration Project – Winter 2013/14 Standwatch Bird Surveys July 25, 2014
Photo 3 Short-eared Owl perched on installed short snag at Boundary Bay; Delta, BC.