Western grebes are a tourist attraction at Salmon Arm Bay. Three to four weeks ago you may have heard, and seen, a chorus of western grebes just east of the bandstand in the area which was filled with tall grass and water. You may have noticed that the grebes are not nesting in that area now. SABNES members monitoring the grebes’ activities counted 47 nests at that time, and about 90 grebes. Two days after that count, the rising lake water levels and possibly wind, destroyed all the nests. Some nests had contained eggs.
Now, the grebes are nesting again, and likely their nests will survive as the lake water levels stabilize. But, SABNES members have seen people in kayaks and other people-powered boats going into the grebes’ nesting areas.
SABNES requests that everyone ensure they are not disturbing the nesting birds. If the birds move away when approached, you are too close. Please refrain from bothering the nesting grebes, and their young.
Salmon Arm Bay is one of very few places in B.C. where a western grebe colony has success raising families. Please help to make their efforts successful. Mother nature has been giving the grebes enough challenges. They don’t need more.
Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society is the custodian of the Bay and its wildlife populations for the Ministry of the Environment and Nature Trust. Please respect the grebes, and their nesting sites.
Ed Dahl,
SABNES