Lake Abert IBA is a unique inland salt-lake that is critical migratory bird habitat for an estimated 3.25-million bird-use days/year. On some years, a quarter of the world’s population of the Wilson’s Phalarope stops to moult and feed before the non-stop flight to Argentina. Yet this ecosystem has no protection, no guaranteed fresh water in-flow, no monitoring of the bird’s main food source (micro invertebrates), and no monitoring of the migratory birds themselves. This project proposes to change that by:
(1) assuring bird counts are completed for 2011
(2) creating face-to-face meetings between state, federal, university, and conservation organizations
(3) creating a clearinghouse (website) of information on the Lake Abert IBA
(4) engaging local birders to help protect this critical area, including a possible WHRSN designation.
On April 28, 2011 ECAS hosted a workshop in Paisley, Oregon. The focus was strictly on scientific discussions associated with Lake Abert’s ecology and the impacts of water levels. We were treated to four presentations in the morning and a field trip to the lake in the afternoon. Here we visited the lake shore to sample the invertebrates and the dam at Rivers End Ranch. 21 people from a range of organizations attended. The star attraction was Dr. Dave Herbst who is a leading expert on Great Basin salt lakes. He provided a fantastic resource for understanding the system. The four presentations:
Lake Abert Hydrology - by Ron Larson
Water Birds of Lake Abert - by Trent Seager and Steve Dougill
Impacts of climate change on semi-arid systems – by Susan Haig et al
Ecology of Lake Abert – Dave Herbst
Lake Abert IBA is a unique inland salt-lake that is critical migratory bird habitat for an estimated 3.25-million bird-use days/year. On some years, a quarter of the world’s population of the Wilson’s Phalarope stops to moult and feed before the non-stop flight to Argentina. Yet this ecosystem has no protection, no guaranteed fresh water in-flow, no monitoring of the bird’s main food source (micro invertebrates), and no monitoring of the migratory birds themselves. This project proposes to change that by:
(1) assuring bird counts are completed for 2011
(2) creating face-to-face meetings between state, federal, university, and conservation organizations
(3) creating a clearinghouse (website) of information on the Lake Abert IBA
(4) engaging local birders to help protect this critical area, including a possible WHRSN designation.
On April 28, 2011 ECAS hosted a workshop in Paisley, Oregon. The focus was strictly on scientific discussions associated with Lake Abert’s ecology and the impacts of water levels. We were treated to four presentations in the morning and a field trip to the lake in the afternoon. Here we visited the lake shore to sample the invertebrates and the dam at Rivers End Ranch. 21 people from a range of organizations attended. The star attraction was Dr. Dave Herbst who is a leading expert on Great Basin salt lakes. He provided a fantastic resource for understanding the system. The four presentations:
Lake Abert Hydrology - by Ron Larson
Water Birds of Lake Abert - by Trent Seager and Steve Dougill
Impacts of climate change on semi-arid systems – by Susan Haig et al
Ecology of Lake Abert – Dave Herbst