Nearly 1,800 Caspian terns have arrived in the Columbia River estuary
as of this week, but most are favoring Rice Island over the newly-prepared
habitat of East Sand Island. A count of terns earlier this week found that
1,400 terns have made their home at Rice Island, while only 300 to 400
terns have chosen the new site.
Although it’s too early to know for sure, a National Marine Fisheries
Service biologist believes the plan to move most of the terns from Rice
Island to East Sand Island