Pacific Sand Lance (Ammodytes personatus) are energy-rich schooling fish that are thought to be important drivers of marine food webs in Alaska (USA) and British Columbia (Canada). Despite a number of studies characterizing their distribution and habitat use in Alaska and British Columbia, surprisingly little is known about population attributes in the Salish Sea. We compiled and analyzed 15,192 records collected from 1630 sites, primarily by beach seine or tow net in nearshore shallow areas between 1970 and 2009, to determine Sand Lance spatial and seasonal distribution in the inland waters of Washington State. Sand Lance were present along 78% of the shoreline that was sampled and were captured during every month of the year. The maximum number captured in individual nets increased between May and August. Fork length ranged from 1.7 to 19.0 cm and average fork length did not vary by month. The shortest minimum fork lengths were documented during April through July, likely representing annual recruits, but size at maturity is not known for the local population. Their widespread distribution throughout the region and peak abundance during summer suggests that they are an important potential prey source and could be a driver of marine food webs in this region.

We monitored the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) population at Agency and Upper Klamath Lakes, in the Klamath Basin, Oregon, from 2001–2010. We estimated that the population of adult Black Terns declined at these 2 joined waterbodies by 8.4% annually. In contrast, our analysis of Breeding Bird Survey data for the Bird Conservation Region 9/Great Basin during the same period did not detect a trend. Knowledge of local short-term trends in the Klamath Basin can contribute to understanding regional and continental population declines of this species. Water levels, which may affect both habitat availability and suitability, were relatively stable from 2001–2009, but dropped in 2010 and remained depressed from 2010–2014. The direct effect of water-level fluctuations on habitat availability (hectares of habitat loss) is not well understood. Water allocation is a management challenge in this region and has been exacerbated by recent drought conditions. In combination, understanding trends and causal factors can inform water management, restoration, and habitat protection, all of which may contribute to reversing the decline of breeding terns.

In Canada and in British Columbia, the interior Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii macfarlanei) has been assessed as a species at risk primarily as a result of loss and degradation of low-elevation riparian habitat. Few data exist on population demographics of this subspecies. We analyzed annual survival of 19 radio-tagged adult owls from 2009 through 2013 using known-fate models. Time and sex dependence in annual survival rates were examined. The best approximating models suggested that female annual survival (28%) was lower than male survival (83%). Owl survival was lowest prior to incubation and during brood rearing, times when owls are most vocal. Mortality was attributed to avian predation and road mortality. Management practices to preserve habitat during the critical breeding period are encouraged in light of this research.

Knowledge of timing and pattern of wing molt is important for explanations of post-breeding movements and inland vagrancy in Ancient Murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Examination of specimens coupled with observations of family groups and recently independent young suggests that chick rearing and wing molt probably occur separately in adults, although it may commence before the last chicks of the season become independent. An adult Ancient Murrelet beached in September 1976 (Alaska Peninsula) and a probable second-year murrelet beached in July 1987 (Oregon) were synchronously molting remiges. Adults in family groups, collected in July 1920 (southeast Alaska) and July 1948 (British Columbia), and observed in July 2009 (British Columbia), were not molting remiges, although an adult observed with a family group on 18 July 1971 (British Columbia) may have commenced molt. Family groups immediately moved offshore from colonies on Langara Island, Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), British Columbia, from late May through mid-June, 1970 and 1971. During boat surveys in that area from May to August, a family group was observed on 10 July 1971, and independent juveniles also began to appear inshore in early July, consistent with observations of recently independent young recorded off the Goose Islands, British Columbia, by CJ Guiguet in 1948.