Pigeon Guillemot Bird Surveys

ELS was contracted by Scarsella, Bros. to complete shorebird, specifically pigeon guillemot, surveys at a gravel pit expansion site in Tacoma. Previous studies in the area by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in the early 2000s depicted pigeon guillemot nesting sites within the proposed expansion area. ELS coordinated with WDFW and Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to complete a plan moving forward that would confirm the shorebirds no longer used the mapped nesting areas and would allow the gravel pit expansion to proceed. The plan included surveys over a period of two years during different times in the nesting season. Survey results showed the pigeon guillemot had abandoned the nesting site and Scarsella, Bros. could move forward with the expansion as permitted.