APRIL 2014 1
In this issue Events & reminders. 2 FSA news... 3 Highlights from the 2014 Winter Shorebird Survey Expanded shorebird monitoring in the panhandle FSD updates.. 7 2014 Breeding Season begins! Events & reminders Upcoming events : April 15 21: Shorebird monitoring - statewide count window (Breeding Bird Protocol). April 19: Wakulla Wildlife Festival @ Wakulla Springs State Park, Tallahassee. Includes guided tours, living history demonstrators, children's activities, and wildlife exhibits. Visit www.wakullawildlifefestival.org. April 28 May 1: The Wildlife Society (Florida Chapter) spring conference @ Safety Harbor Resort & Spa (105 N. Bayshore Dr., Safety Harbor). This year s theme is Breaking Bad in Florida: Gaining Ground on Invasive Plants and Animals in the 21 st Century. For details, visit www.fltws.org/2014springconference. Ebb tidings........ 9 The Wrack Line is the official e-newsletter of the Florida Shorebird Alliance (FSA). In addition to providing news and updates, the Wrack Line is a vehicle for partners across the state to share experiences, information, and ideas. Do you have news to share? Write us: shorebird@myfwc.com Content editor: Naomi Avissar Cover design: Chris Burney Shorebird Partnership meetings: Tuesday, April 8 (1:30 3:30pm): Southeast Florida Shorebird Partnership @ Forman building (room 120) at Nova Univ./John U. Lloyd State Park (8000 N. Ocean Dr., Dania). Contact: naomi.avissar@myfwc.com. Wednesday, April 9 (1 4pm): CWCI NE Work Group Meeting & Nassau/Duval Shorebird Partnership @ the Ribault Club (11241 Fort George Road, Fort George Island). Contact: Blair.Hayman@myfwc.com. Wednesday, April 9 (1:30 3:30pm): Florida Keys Shorebird Partnership @ 1 st floor conference room of the state government building (2796 Overseas Hwy., Marathon). Contact: naomi.avissar@myfwc.com. Training opportunities: Training videos on the Breeding Bird Protocol and Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) are now online! You can watch the full Introduction course, the 2014 Refresher course, or the short data entry videos anytime by going to the RESOURCES tab on the FSD website: www.flshorebirddatabase.org. Visit the Field Notes on the FSA website for newest events, updates, job announcements, and opportunities to get involved 2
FSA news Billy Brooks, Marilyn Knight, and Patty Kelly (USFWS) report the highlights from North, South, and NW Florida, respectively Highlights from the 2014 Winter Shorebird Survey Thanks to all the FSA partners who went out to survey shorebirds and seabirds during the annual Winter Shorebird Survey (a.k.a., the First Friday in February Survey) this year! Below are the summaries of their efforts, as reported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) coordinators in each region. North (Peninsular) Florida It s hard to believe that we initiated the first of these surveys in NE Florida in 2007. We continue to have great support from many of the original participants, and now we have an extensive network of volunteers surveying a significant portion of north Florida s coastal habitats. During February 7-16, 165 volunteers surveyed 98 routes in 13 North Florida coastal counties and counted over 74,500 birds. There were 176 Piping Plovers observed in 6 counties, with a high count of 65 at Anclote Key. There were also over 1,100 Red Knots observed in eight counties, with peaks in Volusia County on the Atlantic Coast and Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast. Volusia and Pinellas Counties also had the peak total counts of shorebirds and seabirds with 15,588 and 14,700, respectively. We are very appreciative of the volunteers who are helping us establish a long-term database of shorebird and seabird use of Florida s coastal habitats during the winter! In South Florida, we also had a significant increase in volunteers participating in the Winter Shorebird Survey this year. Overall, 105 volunteers participated in 14 south Florida counties, surveying approximately 109 routes and counting over 33,000 shorebirds! A total of 93 Piping Plovers were observed, with 37 observed at Crandon Park in Miami-Dade County. There were over 300 Red Knots observed in the 14 counties, including more than 200 on south Longboat Key in Sarasota County. Bands were observed on 41 birds (11 Piping Plovers and 6 Red Knots). The largest total number of shorebirds observed during a single survey was at Big Marco Pass, where over 3,000 shorebirds were recorded! Many thanks to all of the volunteers who contributed to the survey this year! 3 In Northwest Florida's coastal counties, 46 surveyors covered over 200 shoreline miles (not including the 7 islands also covered). Public and private conservation lands were covered, Continued on next page
FSA news Continued from previous page Highlights from the 2014 Winter Shorebird Survey (continued) as were some private lands with high potential for birds. Thirty-eight of the targeted 50 species were documented. Our total count of targeted species came to 23,263 birds, 24% of which were Dunlin (5,613). Ninety-four Piping Plovers were observed in 6 counties. All 274 Red Knots reported were within Franklin County. Only 12 Wilson's Plovers were reported, though that is an all-time high for winter surveys, with 4-12 being the range. Nearly half (52) of the 106 American Oystercatchers reported were found in Lanark Reef (Franklin County). Oystercatchers were present in 3 counties total. Our bragging rights for this year s winter survey are the 418 Snowy Plovers reported from 7 of the 8 surveyed counties. This is a large increase from the 175 Snowy Plovers counted in NW Florida during the 2006 Plover Inter-national Census, and the 313 reported in 2011. Some of the plovers this year were beginning to set up territories. At least two routes reported the same banded bird. We attempted to survey adjacent properties on the same days to avoid duplication but it was not always possible. Banded bird reports and breeding surveys should confirm if this increase in numbers is true or if we possibly double-counted birds as they moved between areas. This year s count in the panhandle suggests that we are seeing positive results from the cohesive protective measures applied by our fantastic land managers, volunteers, NGOs, and other partners! Billy Brooks, Marilyn Knight, and Patty Kelly (USFWS) Panhandle/ NW Florida North FL South FL 4
FSA news Amy Raybuck (FWC) and Julie Wraithmell (Audubon Florida) report Expanded shorebird monitoring in the panhandle The Florida Panhandle s coast supports a tremendous diversity of shorebirds. However, shorebirds and their habitats are under serious threat from development, disturbance, predators, pollution, littering, and tropical storms. To address these threats and mitigate for losses to shorebirds and their habitat, Audubon Florida began an extensive monitoring and stewardship effort in 2013 through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Early Restoration Project (yellow sites in picture on next page). However, several coastal sites in the central Florida Panhandle still lack the resources and volunteers to monitor and steward shorebirds. To address these shortages, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in collaboration with Audubon Florida, Florida Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Defense applied for a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant for shorebird and habitat protection, monitoring, and stewardship in Walton, Bay, and Gulf counties. This grant, which was awarded last fall, will fund two technicians to conduct the following monitoring and outreach activities in 2014-2015: Monitor nesting, migratory and wintering shorebirds and seabirds on Tyndall Air Force Base and 10 private properties (purple sites in picture on next page). Monitor shorebird areas for unauthorized entry, disturbance, or vandalism, particularly in posted areas. Increase posting efforts to protect nesting and non-nesting shorebirds and their habitat. Increase the number of volunteers to assist with posting and shorebird monitoring. Develop and expand outreach, education, and technical assistance activities and programs. Implement and enforce best management practices for operating vehicles on the beach to the fullest extent practicable. Audubon Florida also received notice last fall that NFWF would support additional efforts to monitor and manage shorebirds in the Florida Panhandle through the first round of its Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund implementation. In addition to... 5 Continued on next page
FSA news Below: Map of project areas. Key: Yellow: 2013 monitoring & stewardship sites. Purple: new monitoring sites. Green: expanded monitoring & stewardship sites. Expanded shorebird monitoring in the panhandle (Continued) expanding monitoring and stewardship in the Panhandle (green sites in picture below) over the next two years, this funding will: Continue banding and monitoring research. Complete research on Snowy Plovers at Gulf Islands National Seashore. Implement a monitoring and stewardship program for rooftop colonies in the Panhandle. Restore and manage vegetation at the St. George Island Relic Causeway (Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve) to better serve the island's nesting seabirds. Create signage for local boat ramps to educate boaters on coastal birds that nest on offshore islands. Provide workshops for law enforcement and other beach professionals (lifeguards, concessionaires, maintenance staff, etc.) to enlist their help in protecting posted areas. Study winter bird use of these sites to improve protections to wintering and passage shorebirds. The Gulf's waterbirds suffered substantial impacts as a result of Deepwater Horizon. For restoration to be meaningful and to recover these vulnerable species, these kinds of activities must be funded perpetually and Gulf-wide. We are excited to demonstrate what can be accomplished for the Gulf's birds through these projects, and are grateful for the help and vision of our partners. Amy Raybuck (FWC) and Julie Wraithmell (Audubon Florida) 6
FSD updates Training videos (including recorded versions of the latest webinars) are available on the FSD website. 2014 Breeding Season begins Calling all FSA partners The shorebird and seabird nesting season has officially kicked off, and it s time to monitor them! To get started, please read the revised Breeding Bird Protocol and check out the training videos on the Florida Shorebird Database website (RESOURCES tab): Beginners can watch the Introduction Video (~90 minutes), which is a full course covering everything you need to know to get started. The rooftop data entry tutorial begins about an hour into the Introduction Video (Exact time is 1:00:42 - you can slide the time bar to start there if you re only interested in watching that section). Returning volunteers can watch the Refresher Video (~47 minutes) for a briefing on this year s updates. There are five shorter video tutorials on data entry as well. If you are new to the FSA partnership and are unsure which routes near you need to be monitored, please contact us. To find out which rooftops near you may need to be checked, please see our list of Historic Rooftops (sorted by county). For further assistance or questions, please contact FLShorebirdDatabase@myfwc.com. 7
FSD updates Gravel rooftops where shorebird have historically nested are being re-roofed with new materials, resulting in loss of nesting habitat Retiring rooftops In Florida, seabirds and shorebirds often nest on flat gravel roofs, laying their eggs in the gravel as they would in sand. During the last statewide survey in 2010, more than half of the state s breeding Least Terns nested on rooftops instead of beaches (see Zambrano and Warraich report). A compiled list of these historic rooftops, as well as those reported in the old Beach-Nesting Bird Database and the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD), is available online (sorted by county). Unfortunately for these birds, gravel roofs are being phased out, as more buildings are replacing their roofs with newer roofing materials. We would like to quantify this unique type of habitat loss by identifying how many of these buildings have been converted to new roofing materials or have been demolished. If you know of a historic rooftop that is no longer suitable for nesting (the building has been re-roofed or torn down), please notify us at FLShorebirdDatabase@myfwc.com. We plan to retire these rooftops from the FSD so that our volunteers know that they no longer need to be monitored. Keep in mind that birds may nest on new rooftops as well, so it is worth checking buildings around historic rooftops (even unsuitable ones) and keeping an eye out for these birds. Right: A Least Tern incubates an egg on a gravel rooftop (photo by David Kandz). 8
Love it? Love it knot? Share your thoughts and photos with us email shorebird@myfwc.com or join our Facebook group! ebb tidings End notes from the editor: Ready or not, the birds have started nesting which means that our partners are gearing up all over the state to monitor and protect them. Find out how you can help with local monitoring by emailing shorebird@myfwc.com, and join a Bird Steward program near you by contacting its Coordinator (listed on the map here). Stay tuned for the re-opening of the Florida Shorebird Database We will let you know as soon as it is ready to accept your monitoring data. Wilson s Plover: One of seven pairs of Wilson s Plovers spotted at Fort Desoto Bird Sanctuary (Photo by Lorraine Margeson). Best regards, Naomi Feeding frenzy: Shorebirds aren t the only animals nesting this time of year these birds are feeding on horseshoe crab eggs in Nassau Sound (Photo by Pat Leary). 9
www.flshorebirdalliance.or g www.flshorebirdalliance.org The Florida Shorebird Alliance (FSA) is a statewide partnership of entities, non-government organizations, and individuals committed to advancing shorebird and seabird conservation in Florida. FSA partners coordinate their independent work and collaborate to help identify and address 10 important research, management, education, outreach, and public policy needs.