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North Buck Lake

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Lake name:
North Buck Lake
Location:
Alberta
Latitude:
54.6769445
Longitude:
-112.5461111
Surface area (km2):
19
Basin type:
non-reservoir
Management agency:
Alberta Environment; Alberta Parks
Lake use:
fisheries recreation
Region associations:
North Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area
Comments:
A popular recreation lake, it is managed for fisheries.

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
    1991, 2011
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 124 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 from 1991 to 2011 (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 Unpublished report for the Canadian Wildlife Service). No break out of data per year 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
    17 July 2008, 25 August 2008
  • Source
    Dissertation
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 124 1991
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 2 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
    boat; air
  • Time period
    1991, 2003
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 65 1991
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 presence 2003
Max Nests 1 to 100 32 1991
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2003
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

According to Table 10 Historic information on breeding populations of western grebes on lakes in Northeast Alberta, these breeding adult numbers are nests X 2 and is sourced from Hanus (2002). I divided by 2 the historical adult numbers in Table 10 for the historical nest numbers. Adults were noted in 2003 (page 6) but no count number nor estimate provided in Table 10.

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
    1982, 2015
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 >=30 2015
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 >=30 2015
Max Nests 1 to 100 presence 1991, 1998, 2015
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 presence 2015
Max Chicks 1 to 100 presence? 1991, 1998, 2015
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 presence? 2015

Comments:

Sources are AESRD and ACA (2013), FWMIS (Accessed Nov 2015 including field surveys from 2015 and 2016), Found and Hubbs 2004, Wollis and Stratmoen 2010, Erickson 2010, Hanus 2002, and Purdy et al. 1983. 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
    1991, 2008
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 124 1991
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 2 2008
Max Nests 1 to 100 presence 1991
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2008
Max Chicks 1 to 100 presence 1991
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 1991 but it is no longer or unknown in 2008.

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
    1991, 2007
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 124 1991
Most Recent Adults 0 0 2007
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:

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.

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
    1991, 2015
  • Source
    Management plan
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 124 1991
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 >30 2015
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, potential habitat was available, and lake was occupied by Western grebes. Sources are Prescott et al., 2018 and Alberta Environment and Parks, 2018.

Sources of Information

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