Monitoring Seabird Populations in Areas of Oil and Gas Development on the Alaskan Continental Shelf: Populations, Productivity, and Feeding Habits of Seabirds at Cape Thompson, Alaska

摘要

A field camp was established at the mouth of Ikijaktusak Creek from 2 July-31 August 1988. Permanent study plots were selected for cliff nesting species in 4 of the 5 discrete colonies comprising the Cape Thompson complex, and regular observations were made throughout the study to document attendance patterns, breeding phenology, and success of murres and kittiwakes. Periodic collections of adults offshore were used to determine the food habits of the study species. Shore-based work was supplemented with off-shore studies of seabird foraging 24-31 August. Correlation analysis revealed negative trends in murre attendance at all Cape Thompson colonies between 1960 and 1982 or 1988, significantly so for 3 of the 5 colonies. Based on apparent changes in species composition within the colonies, Common Murres declined at a more rapid rate than Thick-billed Murres between 1960 and 1988. Combining information from all colonies, it appears that murre populations have been relatively stable since about 1979.