Richland Creek Water Bird Survey

Transcription

1 PRESENTD BY Richland Creek Water Bird Survey Volunteer Training Guide 2015 Great Blue Heron, Richland Creek, RCWA 2015

2 About the water bird survey project partnership The Richland Creek Watershed Alliance (RCWA) and Nashville State Community College (NSCC) formed a partnership in 2014 to develop a monitoring project for water birds in the Richland Creek ecosystem. Water birds depend on aquatic habitats, and the Richland Creek ecosystem serves as a home and migratory stop for them. In addition to water birds, freshwater habitats (streams, rivers & wetlands) can contain a striking amount of biodiversity. While only 0.1% of the world s water is freshwater and freshwater only covers 0.8% of the world s surface, 6% of all described species on Earth depend on a freshwater habitat (Dudgeon et al., 2006). However, the biodiversity of freshwater habitats around the world are at risk. The species in sixty-five percent of freshwater habitats globally are moderately to highly threatened (Vörösmarty et al., 2010). The loss of biodiversity in freshwater habitats is greater than in neighboring terrestrial habitats due to the degree of exploitation, pollution, flow modification, habitat degradation, and exotic species invasion these habitats experience (Dudgeon et al., 2006). In urban streams like Richland Creek, habitat loss is high and as a result can cause irreversible harm to the resource. Richland Creek drains, approximately a 28.5 square-mile urban area that is located in southwestern Davidson County in Nashville, Tennessee. Documenting the water birds in this urban ecosystem will serve six-project-goals, listed below: 1. Design a citizen-study to estimate the number and kind of water birds that utilize Richland Creek. 2. Engage 25 student and citizen volunteers with our survey, interested in aquatic habitats and wildlife conservation to participate, recording observations of water birds feeding from Richland Creek. 3. Provide citizens with an in-creek, hands-on, fun experience that will also help the public better comprehend what kinds of scientific data are useful for wildlife conservation and policy decisions. 4. Generate data to help protect Richland Creek and its wildlife. 5. Generate data for the RCWA Wildlife Monitoring Initiative, and share data with researchers conducting related studies. 6. Produce an informative training guide for participants and provide an outdoor-learning experience to students. In preparation for the water bird study, RCWA conducted fieldwork in the Richland Creek ecosystem, identifying viable habitats that are accessible for this project partnership. After the survey project is completed, RCWA will prepare and publish a booklet about the study, including a map. This is a pilot-study for similar projects to be conducted in the future.

3 What is expected from participants of the Water Bird Survey? 1. Family and friends encouraged to partner-up as volunteers. Each Survey Station needs 2 volunteers to do a survey. We will assign a partner if you have not already provide us with one. 2. Volunteers sign and return the Waiver of Liability to participant (here). This was your pledge of participation that we needed as a count before printing field books that we will provide to participant-partners, one to each team. Waivers/pledges ed (rcwa@comcast net) or mailed (RCWA P. O. Box Nashville, TN 37209). NSCC students return pledges to their biology professor. 3. Each participant is expected to review the photos, species traits and survey card included in this training guide. 4. Be sure to bring the RCWA field book and two pens, which we provide you, along with a cell phone that has a clock function with you to do the Survey (April 30). Field books include Survey Card, photos and list of traits for each species being counted for the survey to help you make identifications. 5. Each Survey Team (two volunteers) is assigned a Survey Station. One is the Observer and the other the Recorder, and team decides. Observer whispers each observation to the Recorder, who then enters the information into the Survey Card. 6. Participants need to arrive 6:15 p.m. at their assigned Survey Station, 15-minutes before the survey begins. When you first arrive, relax and prepare to begin the hour-long survey. Its important your team remains still, and as quiet as possible. 7. Survey time is from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The Observer whispers each observation (number and kind of species) to the Recorder, who then records that data, with time Observer saw onto the Survey Card, with each observation. Please include how long the birds stayed (duration) and the direction they flew or swam away, if they did. Use the following terms to indicate the direction they fly or swim away: upstream US, downstream DS. Downstream is the direction the stream flows. 8. Complete and return your Survey Card to RCWA, or to your NSCC professor. Be sure all the information is completed on the Survey Card (Team s Station Number, names, contact, etc). If you plan to come to the RCWA AFTER PARTY at Coco s Italian Market, st Ave. North, 7:45 until 9:00 PM with pizza, on us, you can return your Survey Card to us then. Please send it to us if you cannot attend. Students can return the card to their professors. 9. We hope you have fun helping with this survey, watching water birds feed from Richland Creek. We have no idea how many utilize the creek, so your help is much appreciated! Ten of the species in this survey, we ve seen feeding from Richland Creek. 10.Tip: Find a tree or bush to set by to be less distracting, and stay as quiet and still as possible to increase your chances of seeing these birds. Whisper to each other and please don t talk on your cell phone, unless it s an emergency. Do not wear whitecolored clothes because its distracting and birds see you quickly. Wearing darker and earthly colors are best? 11. Questions: rcwa@comcast.net Many thanks for participating and Contact making and this emergency Richland Creek phone Water numbers Bird Survey will be included possible! in your field book.

4 Richland Creek Water Bird Survey Volunteer Training Guide Species most likely seen feeding from Richland Creek Wood Duck Black-Crown Night-Heron Yellow-Crown Night-Heron Mallard Green Heron Great Blue Heron RCWA, courtesy of A. Dooley,, Vaughn's Gap; Richland Creek RCWA, Richland Creek, Nashville, TN

5 Although hawk and owl are not considered water birds, we will still count them because they feed on aquatic, sub-aquatic and other types of species associated with freshwater habitat. RCWA frequently sees them feeding from Richland Creek. In the years we have been working for Richland Creek, 10 of the 13 species listed for this survey have been seen feeding from the Creek. More species you may see feeding from Richland Creek Killdeer Richland Creek Water Bird Survey Volunteer Training Guide Canada Goose Osprey Belted Kingfisher Barred Owl Spotted Sandpiper Redshouldered Hawk Being quiet and still as possible increases you chances of seeing birds feeding. Imagine you are part of the environment, invisible. Good luck!

6 Why conduct a water bird survey for Richland Creek? Richland Creek is a spring-fed urban stream, providing wildlife with food and habitat for more than a thousand years. Named by the Father of Nashville, James Robertson, who saw Richland Creek as a mecca for wildlife, with valuable waters and fertile soil. Much has changed since then and Richland Creek is threatened by urbanization, but the resource still attracts and supports a litany of wildlife, including water birds. We are counting water birds because they frequently feed on fish and other aquatic life; and the vegetation and critters of the riparian area (vegetated riverbank). These foods include: fish, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals; and acorns, seeds, grains and grasses. RCWA aims to help restore, enhance and protect Richland Creek habitats so fish & other aquatic life may thrive. This survey project is part of the RCWA Wildlife Monitoring Initiative, and a pilot-study for future, similar projects. The quality of Richland Creek habitat & waters, and its associated riparian area determines how well water birds are supported in the future. Streams are life flowing, need connectivity and biodiversity of its aquatic and riparian habitats to support the ecosystem, including water birds. But like so many urban streams, the ecosystems have been degraded, fragmented, stressed by urbanization. Decisions about more intense development on Richland Creek will determine its fate. RCWA and NSCC are conducting this survey to bring awareness to the dependency water birds have on Richland Creek habitats, by developing a fun, and educational experience for all ages, that will help bring value to this historic freshwater resource and provide useful conservation data.

7 Study some traits about each species to help with identification. (TWRA, 2015) Common Name Latin Name Size Characteristic Food Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 46 (height) 72 wingspan Weight 5.3 lbs Mostly gray, with plume at back of neck, long legs, S-shaped neck & long yellowish bill. Both sexes look about the same. Fish, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds & small mammals. Green Heron Butorides virescens 18 (height) 26 wingspan Weight 7 oz. Females smaller A small heron, dark cap on head, with iridescent, greenish, blue-black & rust colored neck, yellowish legs, long and pointed bill. Small fish, invertebrates, insects, frogs & other small animals. Yellow-Crown Night-Heron Black-Crown Night- Heron Mallard Nyctanassa violacea Nycticorax nycticorax Anas platyrhynchos 24 (height) 44: wingspan 1.5 lbs Females similar. 25 (height) 44 wingspan 1.9 lbs. Female slightly smaller. 23 (length) 35 wingspan 2.4 lbs. Wood Duck Aix sponsa 18.5 (length) 30 wingspan 1.3 lbs. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 45 (length) 60 wingspan 9.8 lbs. Females similar. Stocky with black head, white cheek patch, yellowish patch at top of head, bill thick & black, red eyes and body gray, Immature is brown with tiny white spots on wings & indistinct streaks on underparts. Stocky, short-necked, black on top of head and body, with gray wings, white belly and thick black bill. Immature is brown with white spots on wings, mostly yellow bill & indistinct, broad streaks on underparts. Female molted brown. Male, iridescent green head, bright yellow bill. with unique curled short central black tail feathers. Male is bright iridescent green & white head with long crest, red bill & eyes, black back, reddish chest and pale-golden sides. Female gray-brown, with white eye patch. Black heads and necks marked with long white chinstrap, brown back, chest & belly pale and the tail is black with a white rump band. Crustaceans, especially crayfish, fish, aquatic invertebrates & insects. Aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, lizards, snakes, rodents & bird eggs. Aquatic invertebrates & vegetation, insects, acorns, seeds & grains. Seeds, acorns, aquatic and terrestrial insects & other invertebrates. Aquatic vegetation, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, grains, grasses & occasionally small fish. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 13 (length) 20 wingspan 5 oz. Medium-size bird with large head, thick bill, and shaggy crest. Head, back and wings bluish, the underparts are white with bluish chest band. Female with additional rustcolored band & rusty flanks. Primarily eats fish, but also consume aquatic invertebrates, insects and small vertebrates.

8 Traits of species, continued (TWRA, 2015) Common Name. Latin Name Size Characteristic Food Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 10.5 (length) 24 wingspan 3.3 oz. Males & females look alike. Osprey Pandion haliaetus 23 (length) 63 wingspan 3.5 lbs. Males, females, and juveniles look similar. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 7.5 (length) 15 wingspan 1.4 oz. Sexes are alike in plumage, but female is larger. Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 17 (length) 40 wingspan 1.4 lbs. Sexes look alike but the female is larger. Barred Owl Strix varia 17.5 (length) 40 wingspan 1.3 lbs. Sexes look alike in plumage, but female is larger. This is a medium-sized shorebird that is brown above, white below, with two conspicuous black bands across the chest, and a bright orange rump visible in flight. It has a round head, large eye, short neck, and moderately long legs. The raptor is dark brown above, white below, with a white head that has a prominent dark stripe through the eye. In flight, the long narrow wings are bent at the wrist, and patterned brown and white. Males, females, and juveniles look similar. The constant tail-bobbing and stiff shallow wing beats make this medium-sized sandpiper easy to identify. In spring and summer the white breast and belly have distinct black spots, the back is brown with faint black bars, and the bill is orange with a black tip. Fairly large hawk, with black and white striped wings and tail, mottled brown back, and orange barring on the breast. The "red-shoulder" is actually rust colored, not always obvious. In flight from above, the rusty wing-coverts contrast with the black-and-white striped flight feathers; from below when backlit, there is a translucent crescent-shaped panel in the outer primaries of the wing. This stocky, round-headed, medium-sized graybrown owl has no ear tufts and dark eyes. The underparts are whitish with dark streaks, and the bill is dull yellow. The female is larger, even though the male has the lower-pitched voice. Terrestrial invertebrates, especially earthworms, grasshoppers, beetles and snails. Live fish, fresh or salt-water, is 99% of the Osprey s diet. Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. Small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and crayfish. Small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates.

9 SPECIES Great Blue Heron 6:20/ 1/ 15 min/ US Green Heron Yellow-Crown Night-Heron Black-Crown Night-Heron Mallard 6:30/ 1M,1F/ 10 min/ US Wood Duck Belted Kingfisher Canada Goose Osprey Spotted Piper Red-shouldered Hawk Barred Owl Familiarize yourself with the Survey Card 7:00/ 1/ 5 min/ DS Be sure you are at the correct Survey Station. Each Station is marked with colorful flag tape. During survey, you and a partner will record each observation during an hour-long survey (6:30-7:30 p.m.). Include for each entry the time, count of the species observed, the duration bird was there, and the direction the bird flew or swam upstream or downstream (US or DS), if they did. If the bird stays there the entire time, put an hour (1hr). Decide who will be Observer and the Recorder. Surveys are being conducted during the birds feeding time. You arrive at 6:15 p.m. to prepare and relax before the survey begins. At 6:30 p.m. your survey starts. One volunteer Observer whispers each observation to the Recorder, who enters data onto the Survey Card. Return your Survey Card to RCWA, or your NSCC professor after the survey is over.. In the examples shown above, volunteers recorded one Great Blue Heron at 6:20, staying around for 15 minutes (duration) that then flew upstream, and saw another Great Blue Heron at 7:00 p.m. that flew downstream, after 5 minutes. The second example volunteers saw one male and one female Mallard together, at 6:30 p.m. that stayed for 10 minutes, then floated out of sight in the upstream direction. It s important for success that volunteers remain still and quiet gathering data for surveys, so as not to disturb feeding. Identify sex when able: M = Male F = Female. Indicate the direction the bird flew or swam away, if they did : US=upstream, DS=downstream

10 Observers are assigned a specific Survey Station for the study project. Be sure to be at your Station, 15-minutes before survey time, 6:15 p.m. Each Station will be posted with it s number, and RCWA will provide directions to Stations when mailing Fieldbook. Map of Water Bird Survey Stations Stations are approximated on map. The number of volunteer-participants will determine how many Survey Stations are used. Protocols call for Stations to be consecutive and connected. This is why we are assigning Stations after volunteer-pledges. A minimum of ten Stations will be surveyed, each requiring two volunteers. Each Survey Team needs to bring their field book, two pens and a cell phone, with clock function You may want a blanket to set on, hat, jacket, or bottle of water with you. Check weather forecast! 1

11 We need to help build the aquatic population to keep water birds fishing Richland Creek Thank you for making this water bird survey possible. This project was funded through resources received from the Dan & Margaret Maddox Charitable Fund, and from Richland Creek Watershed Alliance donors. We would like to recognize two RCWA donors who gave generously and specifically to this study project: John R. Ingram James W. Perkins, Jr. Much appreciation to those that donated their time and expertise for planning of this water bird survey project: Jeff Green, NSCC biology professor Jessica Rabb, NSCC biology professor Michael Lee Bierly, Tennessee ornithologist Work cited Great Blue Heron, Richland Creek, RCWA 2015 Dudgeon, D., Arthington, A. H., & Gessner, M. O. (2006). Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biological Reviews Of The Cambridge Philosophical Society, 81(2), Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (2015).Tennessee s Watchable Wildlife. < Vörösmarty, C.J., McIntyre, P.B., & Gessner, M. O. (2010). Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Nature, 467,