Lake Christina/Christina Lake

Survey Citation:
Allen, Nuechterlein, and Buitron. 2008a. Bulrush mediation effects on wave action: implications for over-water nesting birds. 31(3): 411-416. Published by The Waterbird Society.

• Time period
  2004, 2005
• Source
  Journal Article
• Both Western and Clarks?
  N

Count Type	Range	Max	Year
Max Adults	N/A	N/A	N/A
Most Recent Adults	N/A	N/A	N/A
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:

No surveys conducted. Artificial nest colony was established and wave action and reach was measured through bulrush stands of various densities. Western grebes at this lake nested in dense bulrush stands with open pools and channels. Clumps of bulrush with variable stem densities compose older bulrush stands that provide both protection from waves and water access for nesting grebes.

Survey Citation:
Allen, Nuechterlein, and Buitron. 2008b. Weathering the Storm: How wind and waves impact Western grebe nest placement and sucess. 31(3): 402-410. Published by The Waterbird Society.

• Type
  boat
• Time period
  2004, July 2006
• Source
  Journal Article
• Both Western and Clarks?
  N

Count Type	Range	Max	Year
Max Adults	101 to 500	324	2005
Most Recent Adults	101 to 500	242	2006
Max Nests	101 to 500	315 (98 initial)	2005
Most Recent Nests	101 to 500	121 (initial)	2006
Max Chicks	N/A	N/A	N/A
Most Recent Chicks	N/A	N/A	N/A

Comments:

Approximately 162 pairs, unpaired adults were not counted, maximum adults entered as 162 X 2 for 2005. For 2006, entered estimated 242 adults from multiplying 121 nests by 2. Total nests were not reported for 2006 so entered the 121 nests marked on 18 June 2006. 2006 was a year with greater storm activity than 2005 and had 48% nest success compared to 66% nest success in 2005. Nests were also more successful when placed where there was more wave attenuating vegetation between the nest and the colony edge exposed to waves. Wave action was responsible for most nest failure during this study. Predation risk was rare and water level remained mostly constant.

Survey Citation:
Allen, Nuechterlein, and Buitron. 2007. Resident nongame waterbird use following biomanipulation of a shallow lake. 71(4): 1158-1162. Published by The Journal of Wildlife Management.

• Type
  shore; boat
• Time period
  2004, 2005
• Source
  Journal Article
• Both Western and Clarks?
  Y

Count Type	Range	Max	Year
Max Adults	101 to 500	325	2005
Most Recent Adults	101 to 500	325	2005
Max Nests	101 to 500	315	2005
Most Recent Nests	101 to 500	315	2005
Max Chicks	1 to 100	1	2005
Most Recent Chicks	1 to 100	1	2005

Comments:

Since late 1960s, western grebes regularly nested in colonies of 6 to 177 nests on Lake Christina (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, unpublished data). The lake was treated with Rotenone in late 2003, to remove the fish community though many picsivorous birds are resident there. Thus, fish density was low in 2004 but recovered in 2005. The Western grebes staging at Lake Christina in May 2004 declined by >50% in early June while counts increased on Pelican Lake to >100 in June and July. This contrasts with 2005 where grebe numbers were higher at Lake Christina than at Pelican Lake. One Clark's grebe observed feeding a chick in 2005, noted as one chick in this entry though there was not a brood survey. There were 63% of 315 nests hatching >=1 egg in 2005, however. Minimum total population estimate is 215 pairs (430 individuals) but I entered the survey number counted from Table 1. This study documents the abandonment of a lake after biomanipulation of the fish community and the subsequent recolonization.

Survey Citation:
Henderson, Carroll L. 1977. Minnesota Colonial Bird Nesting Site Inventory. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/projects/consgrant_reports/1977/1977_colonial_birds.pdf. AND Henderson, Carroll L. 1978. Minnesota Colonial Bird Nesting Site Inventory. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

• Time period
  1977, August 1980
• Source
  Report
• Both Western and Clarks?
  N

Count Type	Range	Max	Year
Max Adults	101 to 500	287	1978
Most Recent Adults	101 to 500	287	1978
Max Nests	1 to 100	presence	1977, 1978
Most Recent Nests	1 to 100	presence	1978
Max Chicks	N/A	N/A	N/A
Most Recent Chicks	N/A	N/A	N/A

Comments:

The Minnesota Colonial Waterbird Nesting Inventory was conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from 1977 to 1980. The reports include Western grebe colony counts of each year (except 1979) but only 1977 and 1978 have individual breeding lake survey numbers. This record just states this lake as a breeding lake in 1977 with no numbers. The 1980 report summarizes colony status for 5 colonies but does not name them so is entered here as a statewide entry with no breeding lakes named.