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Lake Earl

View on Full Map View Surveys (6) View Sources (6)
Lake name:
Lake Earl
Location:
California
Latitude:
41.8274562
Longitude:
-124.1890326
Surface area (km2):
19.5 at high water level, 8.9 when open to ocean
Basin type:
non-reservoir
Primary emergent vegetation:
hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutus) Three Square Bulrush (Scirpus americanus)
Primary vegetation for nesting:
sago pondweed Wigeon Grass
Management agency:
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Region associations:
Lake Earl Wildlife Area; Lake Tolowa; Pacific Coast; Del Norte Coast; Tolowa Dunes State Park
Comments:
Coastal lagoon connected to Lake Tolowa via a channel called the Narrows. Part of Lake Earl Wildlife Area, it is the largest lake in Del Norte County. Considered ornithologically important and is the largest coastal lagoon south of Alaska.

Summary of Surveys (6)

Survey Citation:
Feerer, J. L. and R. L. Garrett. 1977. Potential Western Grebe extiinction on California lakes. Cal-Neva Wildlife Transactions. 13(1):80-89.

  • Time period
    1976
  • Source
    Journal Article
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N/A
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 presence 1976
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 presence 1976
Max Nests N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Nests N/A N/A N/A
Max Chicks 1 to 100 10 1976
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 10 1976

Comments:

This report presents survey data from spring 1976 of Clear Lake, Eagle Lake, Salton Sea NWR, Topaz Lake, Sacramento NWR, Lake Earl, and Tule Lake (Klamath Basin NWR) and compares to historical data with focus on Clear Lake issues so not much data on Lake Earl. No info on how surveys were conducted. In 1976, spring population estimate is 50 (Table 1) but I didn't enter this because it's not during breeding season. 1976 productivity (# hatchlings) is a 10. No historical breeding references. No other data provided nor description of lake. From Table 1, the colony is not protected, recreation is the main use, there is minimal shoreline development, and spring water level stability is stable.

Survey Citation:
Ivey, G. L. 2004. Conservation assessment and management plan for breeding Western and Clark’s Grebes in California. Unpublished technical report. American Trader Trustee Council, California. . Accessed 15 January 2020.

  • Time period
    around and including 1974
  • Source
    Conservation Assessment, Management Plan
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    N/A
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 presence around 1974?
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 presence around 1974?
Max Nests 1 to 100 43 around 1974?
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 14 around 1974?
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

This entry to capture historical record of breeding grebes in CA prior to 2002. There are four different numbers of nests reported from two different sources but only one year (1974) is associated with one of the counts (18 nests). It is not clear what year the other nest numbers are counted from. 18 nests were counted in 1974 (Funderburk 1979) but it is not clear when 43 nests were counted (Funderburk 1979). Then, 15 nests were counted, and 14 nests counted but not clear what years those were from (Jaques 1998). Small number reported from Small 1994, but unclear what year. I am assuming the count numbers are in chronological order starting from 1974.

Survey Citation:
Robison, K., R. Weems, and D. Anderson. 2008. Western and Clark's Grebe conservation and management in California. Annual report for year four (2008). Report for American Trader and Kure/ Stuyvesant Trustee Councils and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, California.

  • Type
    shore
  • Time period
    2008
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 200 2008
Most Recent Adults 101 to 500 200 2008
Max Nests 1 to 100 75 2008
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 75 2008
Max Chicks 0 0 2008
Most Recent Chicks 0 0 2008

Comments:

Data from Table 3. Date of surveys not provided. Estimated total # of adults is entered here. Good nesting habitat (emergent vegetation) along the shore of the whole lake. No other information provided. Subsequent reports have their own entries.

Survey Citation:
Jaques, D. 2010. Lake Earl Western Grebe annual monitoring report 2010. Prepared for Ducks Unlimited and the American Trader/Kure Stuyvesant Trustee Councils. Astoria, Oregon.

  • Type
    shore; boat
  • Time period
    April 2010, September 2010
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 109 2010
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 25 2010
Max Nests 0 0 2010
Most Recent Nests 0 0 2010
Max Chicks N/A N/A N/A
Most Recent Chicks N/A N/A N/A

Comments:

Largest estuarine lagoon on the Pacific coast of the US that is occasionally breached to the ocean. This is year one of a 3 year study. Peak number of adults is from 18 April 2010 of 148 but this is prior to breeding season so I left it out. Entered next peak number of 109 from 14 June 2010. Each survey date was at a different set of viewpoints. No nesting was observed. This is the first time surveying that no nesting was observed and the lagoon open to the sea.Grebes have nested at Lake Earl since 1974 and 1975 (Funderburk 1979) and also during waterbird surveys from 1987 - 1988 (Jaques 1999). Historical data summarized in this report is entered separately.

Survey Citation:
Jaques, D. 2010. Lake Earl Western Grebe annual monitoring report 2010. Prepared for Ducks Unlimited and the American Trader/Kure Stuyvesant Trustee Councils. Astoria, Oregon.

  • Type
    shore; boat
  • Time period
    1974, 2008
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 101 to 500 200 2008
Most Recent Adults 101 to 500 200 2008
Max Nests 1 to 100 44 2008
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 44 2008
Max Chicks 1 to 100 58 1974
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 1 2008

Comments:

Historical data summarized in this report is entered separately here from the survey of this report (2010). Grebes have nested at Lake Earl since 1974 and 1975 (Funderburk 1979) and also during waterbird surveys from 1987 - 1988 (Jaques 1999). Also includes 1999 data (6 nests) and 2001 (7 nests) (B. Depee, CDFG unpl. data) and Robison et al. (2009) for 2008 survey results. Breeding season water level June to August in 2008 was 6 to 7 feet with gradual decline and emergent vegetation flooded. This is a different situation than 2010 where for the first time surveying, no nesting was observed and the lagoon open to the sea.

Survey Citation:
Jaques, D. 2010. Lake Earl Western Grebe annual monitoring report 2010. Prepared for Ducks Unlimited and the American Trader/Kure Stuyvesant Trustee Councils. Astoria, Oregon.

  • Type
    shore; boat
  • Time period
    June 2011, September 2011
  • Source
    Report
  • Both Western and Clarks?
    Y
Count Type Range Max Year
Max Adults 1 to 100 43 2011
Most Recent Adults 1 to 100 2 2011
Max Nests 1 to 100 10 2011
Most Recent Nests 1 to 100 10 2011
Max Chicks 1 to 100 2 2011
Most Recent Chicks 1 to 100 2 2011

Comments:

This is year 2 of a 3 year study. The lagoon was breached naturally in late March and water level dropped 9 feet in a day! For 2 months the lagoon was intertidal then finally sealed and water eventually rose and stabilized. From 5 years of collecting data between 1997 to 2011, there is a positive relationship between early spring closure of the lagoon (higher water levels) and grebe nesting effort. The later the lagoon is sealed from the ocean, the fewer grebe nesting there is. I entered minimum # adults as 2, the mid-September count. The other minimum of 0 is from a viewing point not used on the other survey dates. Adult grebes reacted to an otter who investigated nests but also otters have been known to kill adult grebes there (Jaques, unpubl.). Used submergent aquatic vegetation for nests in 2011.

Sources of Information

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