Interactive Website
(data entry)

Toolkit

Available
Survey Sites

Data Analysis
(2010-2011 summary)

Birds of PSSS

What is PSSS?

Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a citizen-science survey organized by Seattle Audubon that empowers volunteer birdwatchers to gather valuable data on wintering seabird populations in Puget Sound.  Together, our team creates a snapshot of seabird density on more than 2,300 acres of nearshore saltwater habitat. It is the only land-based, multi-month survey in central or south Puget Sound.

Learn more about PSSS:          Overview         History/Objectives        Funders

For the 2011-12
PSSS Season

January 7, 2012 Survey Summary:

Wow, certainly looks like January was a great month to look for seabirds! It may have been the month to find COMMON MURRES with a total of 136 being reported at six different sites, including a staggering 104 at Discovery Park! Thirty RHINOCEROS AUKLETS and 21 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS rounded out the alcids. Sixteen EARED GREBES was an exceptional tally (Sinclair Inlet/Purdy Spit South). PACIFIC LOONS did not disappoint with 95 reported, with eighty-three at Seahurt Park. A total of 38 RED-THROATED LOONS were also seen, from 18 at Carkeek Park to 8 in Sinclair Inlet. Only ten COMMON LOONS were recorded. The most numerous of the 39 species reported was, not surprisingly, SURF SCOTER with a total of 1,024. An impressive 113 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen, mostly in the south Sound at Sinclair Inlet and Purdy Spit (97). The only BLACK SCOTERS were four reported at Carkeek Park.

Other highlights: 2 THAYER'S GULLS and 1 NORTHERN SHOVELER at Discovery Park, single EURASIAN WIGEONS at Saltwater State Park and Penrose State Park, 2 BRANT at Seahurst Park, four BONAPARTE'S GULLS at Sunrise Beach County Park, and two GREEN-WINGED TEAL at Thea's Park (Tacoma).

• Most Species:Dash Point State Park (16 species).
• Busiest Site: Michael Hobbs at Sinclair Inlet (81 entries).
• Most Birds: Myrtle Edwards Park (371 birds).

NEXT SURVEY WINDOW:

February 4, 2012
(11:33am – 3:33pm)

What is PSSS?

WHO

Citizen scientists, i.e. beginning to expert birdwatchers!

WHERE

Survey sites are specific locations established by Seattle Audubon. Nearly all are located on publicly-accessible saltwater shoreline.

See a map of available survey sites here or see all active sites on an interactive map.

WHEN

All surveys are synchronized to take place during a four hour window (determined by Seattle Audubon) on the first Saturday of the month, October through April. Each survey is 15-30 minutes.

Read the current PSSS schedule here.

WHAT

All "seabird" species: geese, swans, diving and dabbling ducks, loons, grebes, cormorants, gulls, terns, murres, murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots, auklets and puffins. Because the presence of raptors can affect the distribution of seabirds, hawks, eagles and falcons are also recorded.

Browse all seabird species here.

PROTOCOL

Using a ruler and a compass, surveyors gathers data that allows scientists to estimate bird density through 'distance sampling?. Simply counting the number of birds in a given location is a simpler approach, but it forces scientists to assume that all birds are detected by observers. In reality, detection of any species declines with the distance from the observer: poor sighting conditions, quality of observing equipment, and observer inexperience all contribute to declining detection likelihood as distance increases. Distance sampling provides a robust approach to estimating density and allow for calculation of less biased density estimates.

Learn more about the PSSS protocol here.

Major Funding For PSSS Provided By: