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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNorth Fork Audubon - Endangered Species ProjectNORTH FORK AUDUBON SOCIETY ENDANGERED SPECIES PROJECT 2007 MID-YEAR REPORT--SOUTHOLD CONTRACT The North Fork Audubon Society chapter has contracted with the Town of Southold and The Nature Conservancy to monitor 19 sites along the Sound and the Bay to identify and protect those sites which are used for nesting by endangered species of shore birds, specifically Piping Plover and Least Tern. The goal of this project is frequent monitoring of potential nesting sites to determine which are productive, and to provide accurate counts of adults, chicks and fledglings. As of 6/12/07, all sites have been surveyed and a plan for regular visitation has been established for each. Eight pair of Piping Plover are currently being monitored on five different sites. Seven pair have established nests, and six sites have been protected by string fencing or wire exclosures. Two of the pairs have already hatched four chicks each. Although some have been lost (presumably to weather and predation), at least six are still under observation. Least Terns are nesting in significant colonies on at least six sites, in some cases numbering over one hundred individuals and forty to fifty nests. It is still too early for eggs to hatch. THE SITES The following is a brief description of each site being monitored. Our goal is to establish a regular visit schedule for each site, with varying frequency depending on our evaluation of the likelihood of nesting activity. Fencing refers to string fencing. Meadow Beach is a TNC refuge covering a small peninsula at the east end of Cutchogue Harbor, accessible by footpath through woodland on private property. A colony of 50-60 Least Terns has been established on the west end. Monitoring will be done weekly. 1. Conklin Point is a long peninsula curving into the bay just west of Greenport reached by a footpath between several houses, and the area is marked as private. Two pair of Piping Plovers have been observed in courtship behavior, and one two-egg nest located on the site. Some twenty-plus Least Terns are on the site, with many involved in courtship behavior, including scraping and copulation. Several nests were observed. The area occupied by both species is isolated from any housing. In addition, it is so far from the only land access that moving any protective equipment would be difficult, unless done by boat directly onto the beach. I have discussed with DEC a plan for continued weekly monitoring, but fencing will not be erected unless we discover the presence of predators. 2. Paradise Point is a single house at the end of a small point that has been seriously eroded, leaving little appropriate habitat for nesting birds. No birds have been observed there. Monitoring will be continued to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 3. Angel Shores is a very private development, with a shorn-side park included. There is no beach between the high tide line and developed land, thus no apparent possible bird habitat. Monitoring will be done as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 4. Kimonoger Point is a private bungalow community with houses fronting the shore and several groins. The houses are far enough from the water that there seems to be potential habitat, although no birds have been observed. Monitoring will be done as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 5. Maritooka Point is a crowded bungalow community with narrow properties separated by seas walls. In combination with a steep shallow beach, there does not seem to be much available nesting habitat. No birds have been observed here. Monitoring will be done as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 6. Down's Creek is a refuge maintained by the Town of Southold, consisting of a salt marsh separating the shore from New Suffolk Avenue. I was unable to identify beach access through the marsh until recently. Scanning by scope from the road was insufficient. Despite its nearly pristine appearance, no birds were observed on my single visit. Monitoring will be continued as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 7. Mattituck Inlet, also called Breakwater Beach, is a large public area with private housing at both ends and an inlet created by two large jetties in the center. Two large areas on the west side have been fenced as Least Tern habitat, and over 100 individuals were counted there, many nesting. Two pairs of Piping Plover are nesting, and exclosures have been erected. Current monitoring is three times per week, and additional observers are a priority. 8. Little Hog Neck is the narrow peninsula at the southern end of Nassau Point. Weekly monitoring has found no Piping Plover or nesting Least Terns, and will continue as appropriate to confirm the absence of birds. 9. Cutchogue Harbor is a series of beaches separated by inlets and creeks. All are privately owned, with the exception of the TNC land at Meadow Beach. Much of the shore is hardened, but some apparently suitable habitat remains. Weekly monitoring, especially with scopes, has revealed scattered solitary Piping Plover and small groups of Least Terns that move back and forth among the beaches. A newly recruited volunteer will begin weekly monitoring by boat. 10. Little Creek is the NY Sate beach on the causeway to Nassau Point. One Piping Plover nest (the first of the season) was discovered on 5/1 and a second on 6/7. Both are fenced and exclosed. Monitoring will continue twice per week, and will be increased as volunteers can be recruited. 11. Goldsmith's Inlet is a series of beaches on the Sound stretching west from the Horton Light. Volunteers have surveyed the beaches two to three times per week, but have found no Piping Plovers or Least Terns. Monitoring will continue at this rate. 12. Jockey Creek is a small public beach near the mouth of an inlet leading to a marina. Monitoring has been done slightly less than once per week, with no nesting birds observed. Monitoring will be done as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 13. Goose Creek is a spoils island near Jockey Creek. Monitoring by scope across a narrow channel has found no nesting birds other than Canada geese. There appears to be some available habitat, although it is limited. Monitoring will continue as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 14. Gull Pond West, in Greenport, is bordered by a public beach on the east and a stone jetty on the west. A number of houses are set back from the shore, providing a large area with suitable habitat for Piping Plover and Least Terns, much of which is fenced. At least one pair of Piping Plover has been observed displaying courtship behavior, but no nest has been found. Least Terns have begun nesting. Monitoring will continue twice per week, more frequently as volunteers are recruited. 15. Corey Creek is a mostly public beach between the moths of Corey Creek on the east and Richmond Creek on the west. One pair of Piping Plovers and a few Least Terns have nested there. The nesting area is fenced and an exclosure erected. Monitoring has been done three times per week, and this will continue through fledging. 16. Richmond Creek runs west from Richmond Creek, and includes a small bay behind a curving peninsula. While many birds are seen flying back and forth from Corey Creek, no nesting has been observed. Monitoring had been done three times per week and will continue as appropriate. 17. Pipe's Cove is a small town park in Greenport, consisting of several stretches of sandy beach with bays and coves. Private housing is at both ends. Although apparently suitable habitat is abundant, no nesting birds have been observed during weekly monitoring. Monitoring will be continued as appropriate to confirm the absence of nesting birds. 10. Port of Egypt is a small spit of sand bar outside a private marina. It is the one site that has not been visited. However, monitoring by scope across a narrow channel revealed a nesting colony of Greater Black-backed Gulls, which has produced at least eight chicks. This concentration of potential predators makes nesting by Piping Plovers or Least Terns virtually impossible. Monitoring will be continued as appropriate. THE BIRDS The number of Piping Plovers being monitored at any time is variable. Pairs or individuals are observed at a particular site but may then move on or are lost to predation. As of 6/13, eight pairs were being routinely monitored. Some have already hatched chicks, some have only recently produced eggs. String fencing and exclosures protect them all, except as noted. Conklin Point. A nest with two eggs was discovered on 6/7. A second pair was observed in courtship behavior at that time. Because of its remote location, this site has not been fenced. 2. Mattituck Inlet. Pair One is nesting near the jetty, in an area fenced for Least Terns. Pair Two was discovered west of the larger tern area on 6/7. Fencing was erected on 6/8, but the eggs were removed before the exclosure was set up. 3. Little Creek. The first nest of the season was discovered on 5/1, and four chicks were hatched on 5/27. At least two remain. A second nest was discovered on 6/8. 4. Gull Pond. A plover pair has been active on this site, but no nest has been discovered. 5. Corey Creek This pair hatched four chicks on 6/12. Least Terns are seen at almost every site, at least in small numbers feeding. Four sites have attracted nesting colonies, some relatively large. Little Creek has five to ten pair nesting within the area fenced for Piping Plover, and Conklin Point has twice that number. Meadow Beach has up to 60 birds. Gull Pond and Mattituck Inlet are home to the largest colonies, with over 100 birds at each of these sites. THE VOLUNTEERS Consistent, accurate monitoring of a highly mobile population of birds across a widely scattered area requires a large number of observers. To meet this need, NFAS has been recruiting local volunteers to assume responsibility for monitoring specific sites. Teams of volunteers, or individuals are currently monitoring at Matttituck, Cutchogue Harbor, Richmond Creek, Corey Creek, Goldsmith Inlet and Gull Pond. Recruiting efforts will continue, with emphasis on Mattituck and other significant Least Tern sites. NFAS hosted a one-day mining workshop on Piping Plover conservation, presented by the Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Topics included identification of nest sites and appropriate technique to ensure consistent, accurate data collection. PARTNERSHIP WITH DEC One of the major goals of this project is to ensure a consistent and productive partnership with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the state agency responsible for monitoring endangered species. NFAS participates in surveys and census reporting conducted by DEC, and DEC has undertaken responsibility for erecting protective fencing. NFAS and DEC are working to achieve better coordination of monitoring efforts at the sites. COORDINATOR NFAS has contracted for the services of a coordinator of this project, who is responsible for 1. Establishing a schedule for appropriate monitoring of sites 2. Ensuring accurate and consistent observation and reporting Recruiting and training of volunteers 4. Communicating with partnership agencies on a timely basis 5. Developing a data collection system to provide accurate and timely reports to the Board of NFAS~ its contracting bodies and its partner agencies. While all of these are ongoing processes, significant progress has been made on each. Submitted 7/13/2007 NORTH FORK AUDUBON SOCIETY ENDANGERED SPECIES PROJECT 2007 END-YEAR REPORT--SOUTHOLD CONTRACT The North Fork Audubon Society chapter contracted with the Town of Southold and The Nature Conservancy to monitor 19 sites along the Sound and the Bay to identify and protect those sites which were used for nesting by endangered species of shore birds, specifically Piping Plover and Least Tern. The goal of this project was frequent monitoring of potential nesting sites to determine which were productive, and to provide accurate counts of adults, chicks and fledglings. All sites were surveyed by NFAS observers, with one exception: the north side of the Little Creek inlet. This area is on private land, and NFAS was unable to determine an access point. (This area was monitored by NYS Department if Environmental Conservation.) A plan for regular visitation was established for each of the other sites, based on whether nesting birds were discovered, or apparent availability of appropriate habitat. Visits at inactive sites ( those with no nesting Piping Plover) ranged from 25 at Goldsmith Inlet to 4 at Paradise Point. Active sites (those with nesting Piping Plovers) were visited between 8 times (Conkling Point ) and 22 times (Mattituck Inlet, the most frequently visited site). A total of 246 visits were made, 134 to active sites. Eight pair of Piping Plover were monitored on five different sites, and six nests were protected by string fencing or wire exclosures. Twenty-two chicks were hatched from 27 eggs, with 15 confn'med fledged. Least Terns nested in significant colonies on at least four sites. The colony at Mattituck numbered over two hundred individuals at its peak, including some 65 chicks and juveniles. ACTIVE SITES. The following five sites were considered active, with Piping Plover nests or nesting behavior observed on the beach SITE VISITS EGGS HATCHED FLEDGED MATTITUCK t 22 3 2 2 MATTITUCK 2 22 4 0 0 CONKLING 1 8 4 4 3 CONKLING 2 8 4 4 4 LITTLE CREEK 1 15 4 4 2 LITTLE CREEK 3 3 4 4 UNKNOWN GULL POND W 15 0 0 0 COREY CREEK 18 4 4 4 Least Terns were seen at almost every site, at least in small numbers feeding. Four sites attracted nesting colonies, some relatively large. Little Creek had five to ten pair nesting within the area fenced for Piping Plover, and Couldin Point had 50-60. Mattituck Inlet had over 200 Least Terns at its peak, with a one-day high of 225 adults and juveniles. Gull Pond West and Meadow Beach had large numbers of Least Terns (100 and 60, respectively) nesting at the beginning of June. Both sites were abandoned after an extremely high tide on 6/14 flooded the nesting area. No renesting was observed at either site. The same tide displaced at least one pair of Piping Plovers who were beginning nesting at Gull Pond. Mattituck Inlet was a difficult site for Piping Plovers. The first pair, nesting near the lighthouse, had a three egg clutch, and hatched only two chicks. Both, however, survived to fledging. The second pair was discovered with a four egg nest toward the western end of the site, on the beach in front of the first private residence, in the early evening. DEC staffwere able to erect string fencing the following day. They returned the second day to erect an exclosure, but were unable to locate the nest site or any eggs. Although no specific evidence was found, there was a strong suspicion among observers that human action was the cause of this nest loss Little Creek was the site of the first nest of the season, a four egg nest which was fenced and exclosed by DEC staff within three hours of its discovery by NFAS, setting a standard for cooperation between the two organizations which was a major goal of the project. Pair three was seen only three times after appearing abruptly with 4 chicks approximately one week old early in July on the south shore of the inlet. No nest had been discovered in the area. All six birds disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared: none were seen after 7/3. The Conklin Point pairs also produced two families of four chicks each where no nests had been found. Seven of the chicks fledge& At least one other pair were observed on the peninsula apparently involved in nesting behavior, including "broken wing" and other distractive techniques, but no nest was found. Least Terns nested in a small colony on the sand spit at Port of Egypt, with six to eight chicks observed, despite the presence of Greater Black-backed Gulls hatching their own chicks on this very cramped site. THE VOLUNTEERS Consistent, accurate monitoring of a highly mobile population of birds across a widely scattered area required a large number of observers. To meet this need, NFAS recruited local volunteers to assume responsibility for monitoring specific sites. Teams of volunteers, or individuals monitored sites at Matttituck, Cutchogue Harbor, Richmond Creek, Corey Creek, Goldsmith Inlet and Gull Pond. Among those who were particularly active were Ruth Levine, Doug Kalunas, and Rick and Linda Kedenburg, as well as Jody Levin, Carolyn Spilman and Steve Kelner. NFAS hosted a one-day training workshop at the Red House on 6/4 on Piping Plover conservation, presented by the Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Topics included identification of nest sites and appropriate technique to ensure consistent, accurate data collection. The workshop is usually presented at Jones Beach, and having it on the East End allowed many potential and active volunteers to attend, including some fi.om other conservation organizations. PARTNERSHIP WITH DEC One of the major goals of this project was to ensure a consistent and productive partnership with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the state agency responsible for monitoring endangered species. NFAS participated in surveys and census reporting conducted by DEC, and DEC assumed responsibility for erecting protective fencing. NFAS and DEC are working to achieve better coordination of monitoring efforts at the sites. ISSUES Access to all sites needs to be established. Additional observers need to be recruited and trained. Increase routine communication between NFAS and DEC to coordinate monitoring. Develop or adapt a more rigorous protocol for counting Least Terns. INACTIVE SITES The following sites were classified inactive, defined as an area where no Piping Plover nests or nesting behavior were observed on the beach. The number following the site name is the number of visits made to the site by volunteer observers. There were 112 visits to these inactive sites. Angel Shores was the only site visited less than four times between April and July. Each site was visited at least twice in June as part of two DEC population surveys. Goldsmith Inlet 25 Richmond Creek 10 Kimogener Point 5 Little Hog Neck 8 Marmtooka Point 4 Paradise Point 4 Pipes Neck Cove 11 Downs Creek 5 Meadow Beach 6 Cutchogue Harbor 12 Port of Egypt 9 Goose Creek 5 Jockey Creek 5 Angel Shores 3