Remote Sensing, Simplified: Air, Land & Sea
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Salish Sea Gull Colony Census
Salish Sea Gull Colony Census
High-resolution aerial survey for wildlife population assessment.
Client:
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Location:
Salish Sea, British Columbia
Species
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens
Methodology and Field Operations
The methodology combines technologies and field surveys following approved ECCC methodologies. The aerial portion of the census used a drone equipped with a high resolution optical camera, providing imagery necessary for accurate post-flight counting of nests and adult birds.
Flight planning and protocol development was crucial to ensuring both data quality and minimal impact. Flights were timed to coincide with low tide to maximize visible colony area and minimize water obscuring nests. All flights adhered to strict altitude and speed limits to maintain image resolution and minimize disturbance.
Disturbance Mitigation and Ethical Standards
Minimizing disturbance to breeding colonies was a paramount concern and core principle. Drone flights maintained a minimum altitude of 120 metres over active colonies, and all launch/recovery operations took place outside the 100-metre bird and marine mammal buffer zone.
A ground team was positioned with binoculars to monitor colonies for any signs of disturbance. If gulls showed signs of agitation - increased noise, flushing, or flying off nests - the flight was immediately terminated. All aerial operations were conducted by certified personnel experienced in wildlife and sensitive ecosystem surveying, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and ethical guidelines.
Services:
Wildlife census, aerial population surveys, ECCC methodology compliance, disturbance protocol development, seabird monitoring
Aeria Solutions partnered with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to conduct a comprehensive colony census of Glaucous-winged Gulls breeding in the Salish Sea. The primary objective was accurately counting gulls in selected colonies - critical work because past monitoring efforts have been sporadic, with the last census conducted over a decade ago.
The data collected informs emergency response protocols, tracks population trends, and determines whether the population has stabilized or continues to decline compared to historical values.
