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Muriel Lake

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Lake name:
Muriel Lake
Location:
Alberta
Latitude:
54.1461111
Longitude:
-110.6891667
Surface area (km2):
64.1
Basin type:
non-reservoir
Management agency:
Alberta Environment, Alberta Parks
Lake use:
fisheries
Region associations:
Moose Lake, Muriel Lake Basin, Muriel Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Comments:
Large and shallow, this lake is managed for fisheries and has a rocky shore for most of the shoreline. There is a large population of colonial nesting waterbirds but there is also a lot of development around this lake. This lake lost a lot of volume since the 1970s and water levels dropped drastically.

Summary of Surveys (7)

Survey Citation:
COSEWIC. 2014. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 55 pp. www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm

  • Type
    shore; boat; air
  • Time period
    1970, 2011
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 760 1991-2011
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 ? 2011
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests N/A N/A N/A
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

From Table A.2, maximum counts of breeding Western grebes from surveys mostly conducted during nesting season from June and July (sourced from Wilson, A. and Smith, P.A. 2013. Distribution and population status of Western Grebes in Canada. Unpublished report for the Canadian Wildlife Service). Stated as 20 year chunks: 1970 - 1990 and 1991 - 2011 without breaking those down into years or other details.

Survey Citation:
Erickson, M. E. 2010. Persistence and abundance of the western grebe in Alberta. Dissertation. University of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Same lakes and abundance estimated were checked against Erickson, M. E., C. Found-Jackson, and M. S. Boyce. 2017. Habitat associations with counts of declining western grebes in Alberta, Canada. Avian Conservation and Ecology. 12(1):12. Appendix to Erickson et al 2014 is unavailable but presumed to be the same list of lakes and abundance estimates.

  • Time period
    8 July 2008, 17 August 2008
  • Source
    Dissertation
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 600 1991
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 40 2008
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests N/A N/A N/A
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

From Table B.1 and Table C.1, survey methods and dates for 2008 field season, and latest abundance estimate from 2008, compared to maximum abundance estimate. Source of maximum abundance estimate is historical data from Wildlife Status Reports (WSR) #60. I didn't include maximum abundance estimate as part of the survey date for Erickson's surveys.

Survey Citation:
Found, C. and A. Hubbs. 2004. Survey of Colonial Nesting Birds and Lakeshore Habitats in Northeast Alberta. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Species at Risk Report No. 88, Edmonton, AB. 32 pp.

  • Type
    shore; boat; air
  • Time period
    26 June 2003, 19 July 2003
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 >760 (partial) 2003
Most Recent Adults 501 to 1000 >760 (partial) 2003
Max Nests 101 to 500 300 1991
Most Recent Nests 101 to 500 300 1991
Max Chicks 1 to 100 2 2003
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 2 2003

Comments:

One of the largest Western grebe adult populations in the province. According to Table 10 Historic information on breeding populations of western grebes on lakes in Northeast Alberta, Muriel Lake's breeding adult numbers are unknown in 2003. The 3 surveys in 2003 were of the entire lake for one survey, then partial for the other two. I entered the largest adult count number though it was partial because it far exceeded the other count numbers. The other two years' historical numbers are sourced from (Hanus 2002) and is number of nests X 2. I divided by 2 the historical adult numbers in Table 10 for the historical nest numbers.

Survey Citation:
Prescott, D. R. C., J. Unruh, S. Morris-Yasinski, and M. Wells. 2018. Distribution and abundance of the western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in Alberta: an update. Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Policy Branch, Alberta Species at Risk Report No. 160, Edmonton, AB. 23 pp.

  • Type
    boat
  • Time period
    1965, 2016
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 >760 2003
Most Recent Adults 0 0 2016
Max Nests 1 to 100 presence 1980, 1981, 1985, 1988-1991, 1998, 2003
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2016
Max Chicks 1 to 100 presence? 1980, 1981, 1985, 1988-1991, 1998, 2003
Most Recent Chicks 0 0 2016

Comments:

Sources are eBird (accessed Nov 2015 and Dec 2016), AESRD and ACA (2013), FWMIS (Accessed Nov 2015 including field surveys from 2015 and 2016), Found and Hubbs 2004, Erickson 2010, and Found 2004. This report is an update of Western grebe distribution in Alberta based on previous provincial status reports, additional breeding records (between May 1 to August 31) through end of 2014 from new sources. Lakes were visited in 2015 and 2016 for occupancy and habitat conditions. In a given year, if there are multiple sources of data, the highest count was given. From the Appendix, I entered only lakes (67) with evidence of breeding (either chicks or nests, but doesn't specify which and no nest nor chick numbers provided). Otherwise, 318 lakes supported adult grebe populations. This report compiled a list of 35 priority lakes for grebe surveys and management actions through the provincial recovery plan based on high population and habitat scores. New lakes with breeding reveal a changing system of lake occupancy and possibly higher populations than previously thought in Alberta.

Survey Citation:
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and Alberta Conservation Association. 2013. Status of the western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in Alberta: Update 2012. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. Alberta Wildlife Status Report No. 60 (Update 2012). Edmonston, AB. 48 pp.

  • Type
    boat
  • Time period
    2003, 2008
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 >760 2003
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 40 2008
Max Nests 1 to 100 presence 2003
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2008
Max Chicks 1 to 100 presence 2003
Most Recent Chicks 0 0 2008

Comments:

Data from Table 3 ("Summary of lakes in Alberta that once had large breeding colonies (over 100 birds) but no longer have active colonies). HIghest breeding population estimates and most recent estimates are presented here"). Number of western grebes from Table 3 is from abundance estimates (minimum estimate of western grebes for that year) and came from nest counts (X2 for breeding adult numbers), boat surveys of adult grebes, or incidental observations, using highest estimate. Breeding confirmed in 2003 but it is no longer or unknown in 2008. Very low water level (H. Wollis, pers. comm.)

Survey Citation:
Wollis, H., and C. Stratmoen. 2010. Population study of western grebes in Alberta 2001-2009: Implications for management and status designation. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Species at Risk Report No. 138. Edmonton, AB. 18 pp.

  • Time period
    1990, 2009?
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 386 1990
Most Recent Adults 0 0 2008/2009?
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2008/2009?
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

This report is a continuation of a western grebe monitoring project started in 2001 to survey colonies in Alberta and assess population trends and distribution. Known and new colonies were searched for each year through 2009. This entry is from Table 2 comparing most recent estimate of # adults with highest estimate year. No nesting in "recent" years, I entered as 2008/2009 but it is unclear.

Survey Citation:
Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2021. Management Plan for the western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in Canada [Proposed]. Species at Risk Act Management Plan Series. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa. 5 iv + 52 pp.

  • Time period
    2003, 2016
  • Source
    Management plan
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 501 to 1000 >760 2003
Most Recent Adults 0 0 2016
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests N/A N/A N/A
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

From Appendix B, data columns are historical high count, high count since 2000, and most recent count. Since minimum count was not stated, I entered the minimum from these columns though it might not be the actual minimum across the span of years reported. Also, there is no detail on years that were excluded from surveying so range of survey years may be inaccurate. Footnote for this lake indicates that for 2015 to 2016, breeding was confirmed but no Western grebes. Sources are Prescott et al., 2018 and Alberta Environment and Parks, 2018.

Sources of Information

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