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Welcome
Graphs Explained
Data Visuals
Regional differences
Trends in time
Species composition
Tables
COASST Top 10
Species List
Oiled Birds
Entanglements
Welcome to COASSTs explore data App!
This App allows you to view/explore different representations of COASSTs data.
At the top of the screen you should see four navigation tabs;
Welcome, Graphs Explained, Data Visuals, and Tables
that can be used to navigate among the interactive visuals and tables we have available
Drop-down menus and other interactive controls are located in the grey box on the left-hand side of each page, allowing you to select how/what data is viewed.
COASST regions
The map to the right shows the COASST regions. Colored polygons on the map show the extent of each COASST region. By clicking on a polygon, summary information for that region will be displayed in the table attached to the map.
More Info
View Outer Coast (WA,OR,CA), Salish Sea, or AK
Outer Coast (WA,OR,CA)
Salish Sea
Alaska
Region Summary
Click colored polygons to show region info
More/Less info
What's in a Graph?
The example figure below highlights the major components shown on many of COASSTs data visuals.
COASST takes beached bird abundance and calculates an
Encounter Rate
(ER), which is the number of beached birds per km surveyed. For each of the
Data Visuals
ER from individual surveys are averaged monthly (
Trends-in-Time
) or seasonally (
Regional differences
) by COASST region (see map) for
Species
of interest, which can be selected within data views from drop-down menus.
In this example figure we show month-averaged ER plotted through time (see
Trends in Time
), as well as the
Baseline
that represents the long-term average, or expected ER for a specific species, location and time of year.
More Info
Explore regional differences in COASST Beached Bird Data
The information presented here is the regional baselines of beached bird encounter rates* expressed for Summer (May-Oct) and Winter (Nov-Apr) months.
Each region has different patterns of species abundance, and some regions are naturally more 'birdy' than others due to environmental and/or food patterns extant in that area. There are also broad differences between summer (breeding birds plus arctic migrants in the North) and winter (winterkill and arctic migrants in the South) months in terms of dead bird abundance
Data for different species (as well as All species) can be viewed by selecting from the dropdown menu below.
Species:
All
Black-legged Kittiwake
Short-tailed Shearwater
Common Murre
Northern Fulmar
Glaucous-winged Gull
Sooty Shearwater
Large Immature Gull
Rhinoceros Auklet
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Cassin's Auklet
Glaucous Gull
Western Gull
Brandt's Cormorant
Common Loon
* Encounter rate is the number of carcasses counted per km of beach walked.
More Info
Explore trends in time of COASST Beached Bird Data
DISCLAIMER:
If you would like to request the use of the data underlying these graphics contact
coasst@uw.edu
The information presented here is the regional average encounter rates* for each month that COASST has been collecting data. By interacting with the plot you can see how beached bird carcass numbers collected by COASST varied through time.
The natural history patterns of beached birds create seasonal patterns in carcass abundance. We illustrate this by calculating a baseline, which represents what we would normally expect at a given time.
Data for different regions/species can be viewed by selecting from the dropdown menus below.
Region:
Chukchi Sea
Bering Sea
Aleutian Islands
Gulf of AK
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Northern WA
Southern WA
Northern OR
Southern OR
Northern CA: Humboldt
Northern CA: Mendocino
A specific period of time can be viewed by moving the sliders below
* Encounter rate is the number of carcasses counted per km of beach walked.
More Info
Explore species composition characteristics of COASST Beached Bird Data
The information presented here is the regional baselines of beached bird encounter rates* throughout the year.
At different times of year the baseline consists of different species depending on the natural history patterns of the birds in that region. These patterns are created by natural events such as migration, breeding and molt cycles.
Data for different regions can be viewed by selecting from the dropdown menu below.
Region:
Northern WA
Southern WA
Northern OR
Southern OR
Northern CA: Humboldt
Northern CA: Mendocino
Up to four species-specific baselines can be added so that you can see what species contribute to the seasonal pattern in that region.
Species specific baselines are plotted seperately, but to get a better idea of the cumulative composition, baselines can be stacked on top of each other. This can be turned on and off below
Stack baselines
* Encounter rate is the number of carcasses counted per km of beach walked.
More Info
COASST Top-10 birds by abundance
DISCLAIMER:
Counts represented here represent gross counts across all surveys and therefore do not take into account differences in survey effort (for example among years). For effort-controlled data please contact
coasst@uw.edu
This is a list of the top-10 species by total number of carcasses counted
Choose a Year and Region, or select All to see data across all years/all regions
Region:
All
Chukchi Sea
Bering Sea
Aleutian Islands
Gulf of AK
Southeast AK
San Juan Islands
Puget Sound
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Northern WA
Southern WA
Northern OR
Southern OR
Northern CA: Humboldt
Northern CA: Mendocino
* indicates individuals could not be identified to species and were identified to the highest taxonomic level possible
More Info
COASST List of all species encountered
DISCLAIMER:
Counts represented here represent gross counts across all surveys and therefore do not take into account differences in survey effort (for example among years). For effort-controlled data please contact
coasst@uw.edu
Region specific total abundances can be viewed by selecting regions from the dropdown below. Note that some species are only found in certain regions
Region
All
Chukchi Sea
Bering Sea
Aleutian Islands
Gulf of AK
Southeast AK
San Juan Islands
Puget Sound
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Northern WA
Southern WA
Northern OR
Southern OR
Northern CA: Humboldt
Northern CA: Mendocino
* indicates individuals could not be identified to species and were identified to the highest taxonomic level possible
More Info
COASST observations of oiled birds and locations
DISCLAIMER:
Counts represented here represent gross counts across all surveys and therefore do not take into account differences in survey effort (for example among years). For effort-controlled data please contact
coasst@uw.edu
Occasionally, COASST finds dead oiled birds on the beach. Very rarely, these birds are associated with a known spill in the area. In most cases, these oiling events are the only evidence of a mystery release of oil somewhere in the coastal environment. By documenting incidents of oiled birds, COASST is able to track the rate of chronic oiling. Fortunately, chronic oiling rates are low in all areas that COASST currently monitors.
Data on oiled birds are presented in two ways:
First, by beach, including the total number of oiled birds found on each beach and as a percentage of the total number of oiled birds found across all beaches.
Second, by species, including the total number of birds of each species that was found oiled and the percent of all oiled birds represented by each species.
Beach|Species:
Beach
Species
For a breakdown of oiling data by year, please select a year from the drop-down menu
Year:
All
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
* indicates individuals could not be identified to species and were identified to the highest taxonomic level possible
More Info
COASST observations of entangled birds and locations
DISCLAIMER:
Counts represented here represent gross counts across all surveys and therefore do not take into account differences in survey effort (for example among years). For effort-controlled data please contact
coasst@uw.edu
Occasionally, COASST finds dead birds that are entangled in fishing line, hooks, net, or some other man-made substance. Fortunately, these are rare occurrences, but it is important to document these incidents of human disturbance.
Data on entangled birds are presented by entanglement type, which can be viewed in two ways:
First, by beach, including the number of entangled birds found on each beach by entanglement type as well as the total for each beach.
Second, by species, including the number of birds of each species that was found entangled, split by entanglement type, as well as the total for each species.
Beach|Species:
Beach
Species
For a breakdown of entanglement data by year, please select a year from the drop-down menu
Year:
All
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
* indicates individuals could not be identified to species and were identified to the highest taxonomic level possible
More Info