Tidal_PAD_V1_Sec4.pdf - Snohomish County PUD

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Snohomish County PUD –Pre-Application Document 4 – Existing Environment Table 4-51. Site-specific description of the presence of the snowy plover by project area Site All Sites Species Present: Unlikely Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) - Status: Threatened Description The range of the snowy plover extends to approximately Cape Flattery and does not overlap with the site footprint or surrounding terrestrial area (Birdweb 2007, USFWS 2001). Individuals are not expected to be present, and there is no overlap of critical habitat. 4.7.2.2 Marbled Murrelet The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small seabird of the Alcidae family which inhabits the eastern Pacific coastline from Alaska to southern California (USFWS 2006a). Spending much of its life at sea, the marbled murrelet is generally found in association with calm, shallow coastal waters and bays typically less than 1-1.6 km from shore (Seattle Audubon Society 2007). It is most often observed alone or in pairs, and appears to be solitary to moderately social with interactions among larger groups primarily occurring en route to nesting or foraging activities (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997). Early in the spring, as the marbled murrelets’ winter plumage of gray, black and white begins to give way to the cryptic brown plumage of the breeding season, long term pair bonds are initiated between mates (Seattle Audubon Society 2007). These bonds form the foundation of a nesting strategy that is unique among the alcids, for although marbled murrelets forage at sea, they nest, from late March to late September, in coniferous old-growth forests or stands that may be as many as 70-80 km inland (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997, 2006a). Mates take 24-hour shifts incubating the sole egg laid by the female sometime between April and July, and as one remains in the nest, the other flies out to sea and forages for food (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997). This pattern is maintained for four weeks until the hatchling emerges, and for another four weeks afterwards until the semi-precocious chick itself departs for the sea in the middle of the night in search of food (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997). Following this departure and with the onset of fall, the adult murrelets return to the sea full time, where they undergo a flightless molt of their breeding plumage, again vesting their characteristic fall and winter colors (USFWS 1997). 4-142 January 31, 2008
Snohomish County PUD –Pre-Application Document 4 – Existing Environment Like all alcids, marbled murrelets forage for prey by diving and swimming underwater, propelling themselves with their wings (Seattle Audubon Society 2007). They generally forage in nearshore waters shallower than 30 m but are capable of diving to depths of up to 50 m (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; WSDNR 2006; USFWS 1997). During summer, when nourishment of nestlings and frequent long flights inland are required, fish form a significant part of their diet, with typical prey including Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), Pacific herring (Clupea harengus), northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), smelts (Osmeridae), and sea perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) (USFWS 1997). While adult and sub-adult marbled murrelets primarily feed on the larval and juvenile stages of prey fish, chicks are normally fed larger second-year fish (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997). During winter and spring, outside of the nestling and fledgling periods, fish are less important and invertebrates such as euphausiids, mysids, and gammarid amphipods may represent a considerable fraction of their total diet (USFWS 1997). As such, marbled murrelets are considered opportunistic feeders, requiring primarily that their prey fall within certain size classes (USFWS 1997). Although some uncertainty remains regarding the actual composition of the marbled murrelet’s diet in the Pacific Northwest, it appears that the most common food source for both adults and chicks across their entire range is the Pacific sand lance (USFWS 1997; Speich and Wahl 1995). Once thought to be abundant in the Pacific Northwest, marbled murrelets are now only considered common during certain times of the year (USFWS 1997). Increased mortality due to by-catch complications and oil spills, and the loss of nesting habitat through the logging of old-growth forests and coastal development have led to a perceived decline in the population of marbled murrelets in Washington and to the consequent listing of the species as threatened by both federal and state authorities (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; USFWS 1997). Hampered by their nongregarious nature, the relative isolation of their nests, and their generally low density, approximations of the number of marbled murrelets in Washington are problematic (Piatt et al. 2007). However, statewide estimates currently range from a breeding population of approximately 5,000 to almost 9,800, while within Puget Sound, population estimates range from 1,490 to 2,580 (Seattle Audubon Society 2007; SEI 1996; Speich and Wahl 1995; WSDNR 2006). Due to its sheltered waters, mixed rock and sandy shorelines, and its proximity to old-growth forests, Puget Sound is used heavily during the breeding season (Strong 1995; USFWS 1997). It is also believed to be a vital wintering area for populations of marbled murrelets moving south from 4-143 January 31, 2008
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