By

• Main Authors: Edward J. Mallek, Christian P. Dau, U. S. Fish, Wildlife Service U. S. Fish, Wildlife Service
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Key Words; aerial survey; emperor geese; waterbirds; southwest Alaska; Canada; Pacific; Brant; Canada Goose; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.483.170; http://www.fws.gov/alaska/mbsp/mbm/waterfowl/surveys/pdf/emf08rpt.pdf

Abstract: This report presents results of the 30th consecutive year of fall aerial emperor goose surveys in southwest Alaska. The survey was flown from 26-29 September 2008 from Jacksmith Bay to Bechevin Bay, along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula and along the south side east to Wide Bay. The USFWS Turbo-Beaver (N754) was used and a left seat pilot/observer and right seat observer made observations along coastlines and over estuaries from 45m (150 feet) ASL and at 200km/hr (110 kts). All bird and marine mammal species were counted with emphasis was on emperor geese, Pacific brant, Canada geese, and Steller’s eiders. Population estimates for emperor geese, Canada geese, and Steller’s eiders within the entire survey area were 78,201, 41,190 and 28,637, respectively. Three additional replicate surveys of the Izembek NWR area were flown on 28 and 30 September and 1 October to estimate sizes of the Pacific brant and Canada goose populations. Averages counts for the Izembek area, based on these four surveys, were 130,294 Pacific brant and 22,148 Canada geese.