R. Griswold Snowy Plover/Least Tern Monitoring Project 2009

Transcription

1 R. Griswold Snowy Plover/Least Tern Monitoring Project 2009

2 Identification California Least Tern Endangered 9-10 Nests in colonies Dives from air for fish Parents feed young Nesting colony can be fenced Western Snowy Plover Threatened 5-7 Nests in loose colonies or singly Feeds on invertebrates at wrack line Parents do not feed young Nesting area cannot be fenced

3 History of the Natural Preserve Established in 1973 Location: At the mouth of the Santa Ana River at Huntington State Beach 1 st fully protected (fenced) Least Tern colony in California At that time there were only 600 nesting pairs in California As of 2008 there were ~7,400 nesting pairs in California The reserve was originally ~1.5 acres Now it is close to 13 acres total

4 Least Tern Preserve 8.9 acres Front Yard 3.25 acres

5 California Least Tern Listed as Endangered in 1970 Historically nested along west coast beaches from Monterey, CA to southern Baja Currently 5 nesting areas in OC Huntington State Beach Natural Preserve Seal Beach NWR Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve Burris Sand Pit Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve

6 California Least Tern at the Natural Preserve Success 7 pairs nested in the early 1970s 445 pairs nested in 2008 Disruptions Predation and disturbances caused variations in breeding success, year to year

7 CA State Parks and the Natural Preserve Maintain the Natural Preserve Non-native plant removal Plant native plants Maintain fencing Move sand and remove debris and trash Provide Protection Enforce regulations Predator management Snowy Plover/Least Tern Project Lead Project Provide orientations for Monitors Provide manuals and supplies Work with USFWS

8 Current Success of CLTs at the Preserve CLT nest counts at the Preserve 2005 ~ 310 nests 2006 ~ 420 nests 2007 ~ 485 nests 2008 ~ 454 nests Actual Production Counting of fledglings is difficult Disperse quickly Migratory

9 Western Snowy Plover (Pacific Population) Listed as Threatened in 1993 under Endangered Species Act Historically nested at the SARM and along west coast beaches from southern Washington to southern Baja Separate population from interior nesters Only current Orange County nesting is at Bolsa Chica Reserve Only ~1500 birds total remain in the U.S. and population is declining

10 Great Habitat, Poor Success LEAST TERN PRESERVE 8.9 acres FRONT YARD 3.25 acres Snowy Plover Area

11 Current Success of WSPs at the Preserve No nesting at the Preserve Beach is heavily used during their breeding season Popular surfing spot State Parks must balance public recreation with protection of the birds Not enough room Not colonial nesters like terns Only enough space for 2.5 nests at the Preserve WSPs do use the beaches during the winter Not migratory, but do disperse WSPs found at preserve or beaches may not be local Bolsa Chica breeders Helpful to report color bands

12 Monitoring Project Begins in 2005 In 2005, USFWS and CA State Parks hoped to develop a safe and desirable area for the WSP to nest at the Natural Preserve while maintaining the success of the Least Terns In partnership with Sea and Sage Audubon, the volunteer Monitoring Project was created for the 2005 breeding season

13 Volunteer Monitoring of the Preserve by Trained Docents C. Egger

14 Monitoring; A tough job, but someone has to do it! R. Griswold

15 Predators and Problems at The Natural Preserve American Crow

16 Common Raven

17 Beach Primrose (native) Sea Rocket (introduced)

18 California Ground Squirrel

19 Peregrine Falcon

20 Loggerhead Shrike American Kestrel Great Blue Heron And other Herons and Egrets

21 Red-tailed Hawk

22 Gull-billed Tern Predated CLT chicks in San Diego County in 2009 and SNPL chicks in Orange County in 2009

23 Beach Activities & Recreation R. Griswold

24 Beach Activities & Recreation R. Griswold

25 Frisbee Motorized Hang Glider Beach Tar Kites and Kite Surfing

26 Dogs (on or off leash) R. Griswold

27 Tampering/Destruction of Signs B. Seabourn

28 Helicopters B. Seabourn

29 2009 Event

30 Still, the terns return, court, mate, nest, and raise their young.

31 R. Griswold

32 Both have bands - from another colony G. Price

33 R. Griswold

34

35 R. Griswold

36 C. Kam

37 R. Griswold

38 C. Kam

39 C. Kam

40 C. Kam

41 H. Fuhrer

42 H. Fuhrer

43 R. Griswold

44 R. Griswold

45 R. Griswold

46 H. Fuhrer

47 H. Fuhrer

48 R. Griswold

49 R. Griswold

50 R. Griswold

51 R. Griswold

52

53 R. Griswold

54 R. Griswold

55 H. Fuhrer

56 H. Fuhrer

57 H. Fuhrer

58 R. Griswold

59 H. Fuhrer

60 H. Fuhrer

61 H. Fuhrer

62 H. Fuhrer

63 H. Fuhrer

64 H. Fuhrer

65 H. Fuhrer

66 H. Fuhrer

67 H. Fuhrer

68 H. Fuhrer

69 H. Fuhrer

70 H. Fuhrer

71 H. Fuhrer

72 H. Fuhrer

73 H. Fuhrer

74 H. Fuhrer

75 H. Fuhrer

76 Other interesting scenes and birds as seen and photographed by monitors.

77 Inside the preserve counts - using blinds R. Griswold

78 R. Griswold

79 R. Griswold

80 R. Griswold

81 Dodo sighted at the Preserve in 2007! B. Seabourn

82 R. Griswold

83 R. Griswold

84 R. Griswold

85 R. Griswold

86 Snowy Plovers come back to the Preserve area July/August and stay through the winter months.

87 Photo: Sam Hung They breed at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

88 Bolsa Chica Photo: SamHung

89 H. Fuhrer

90 H. Fuhrer

91 H. Fuhrer

92 H. Fuhrer

93 ~ 1-2 days old C. Egger In 2009, nine rescued Snow Plover chicks were successfully raised and released by the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center.

94 Snowy Plover chicks, ~ 2 weeks old C. Egger

95 C. Egger Chicks were banded before release

96 C. Egger A Snowy Plover chick at release in HB Released SNPL have been seen locally at Bolsa Chica Reserve, and at San Diego, and Santa Barbara

97 Presentation by: Cheryl Egger Photographers Cheryl Egger Holly Fuhrer Ross Griswold Sam Hung Robert Harrington Cyndie Kam Nicole Peltier Glenn Price James Salywoda Thanks to all the monitors, volunteers and staff. We have had 5 years of a successful program. Keep watching for Snowy Plovers!