california least tern & western snowy plover monitoring ......holly fuhrer . geolocators were...
TRANSCRIPT
California Least Tern &
Western Snowy Plover
Monitoring Project
Huntington State Beach
Least Tern Natural Preserve
A Partnership Since 2005
California Least Tern - CLTE
Endangered
9-10”
Nests in colonies
Dives from air for fish
Parents feed young
Nesting colony can be fenced
Western Snowy Plover - WSPL
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
Identification
History of the
Least Tern Natural Preserve
Established in 1973
Location: At the mouth of the Santa Ana River at Huntington State Beach
1st fully protected (fenced) California Least Tern colony in California
At that time there were only 5 nesting pairs in the Preserve
In recent years there have been 300 – 600 pairs
History of the Natural Preserve
The Preserve was originally ~1.5 acres
Now it is just over 12 acres
California Least Tern
Listed as Endangered in 1970
Historically nested along west coast beaches
from Monterey, CA to southern Baja
Currently 6 nesting areas in OC
Huntington State Beach Natural Preserve
Seal Beach NWR
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Burris Sand Pit/Burris Basin
Upper Newport Bay Ecological
Reserve
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
Native Beach Primrose Introduced Sea Rocket
New Fencing 2016
2016
Moving Sand!
CA State Parks and the Natural Preserve
Least Tern Monitoring Project
Partnership with CA State Parks & Sea & Sage Audubon
Provide orientation and training for Docents
Provide manuals and supplies
Work with Santa Ana Watershed Association (SAWA) and USFWS
Tina Coombe
SAWA Biologists use blinds to monitor the colony.
CA State Parks and the Natural Preserve
Provide Protection Enforce regulations
Predator management
Current Success of Least Terns
at the Preserve CLTE nest counts at the Preserve
2005 ~ 310 nests
2006 ~ 420 nests
2007 ~ 485 nests
2008 ~ 454 nests
2009 ~ 434 nests
2010 ~ 433 nests
2011 ~ 712 nests
2012 ~ 542 nests
2013 ~ 347 nests
2014 ~ 516 nests
2015 ~ 524 nests
Actual productivity difficult to count Disperse quickly, in waves
Migratory
Productivity can vary, year to year
*
2015 Results - Least Tern Productivity
Estimated # Breeding Pairs 411 – 506.5
# of Nests 524
Estimated # of Fledglings 125 – 125
Fledglings per pair Ratio 0.25 – 0.30
Full report available on website
Huntington State Beach *
Western Snowy Plover
(Pacific Population)
Listed as Threatened in 1993 under Endangered Species Act
Historically nested at the Santa Ana River mouth and along west coast beaches from southern Washington to southern Baja
Separate population from interior nesters
Western Snowy Plover
(Pacific Population), Cont.
Only current regular Orange County nesting is
at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve but
nesting attempts have been documented on
Balboa Peninsula in 2010-2013
Only ~2000 birds are
in the U.S. Pacific
Population and their
population is not
stable
Current Success of
Western Snowy Plovers
at the Preserve
No Nesting at the Preserve
Beach is heavily used during their breeding season
State Parks must balance public recreation with protection of the birds
Not enough room
Not colonial nesters like terns
Cannot be fenced in like terns
Western Snowy Plovers
Use the Beach by the Preserve
Snowy Plovers do use OC beaches
Especially from July, through winter
Not all are migratory, but they do disperse
Record sightings on data sheet
Helpful to report color bands
Monitoring Project
Began in 2005
In 2005, USFWS & California State Parks
hoped to develop a safe and desirable
area for the Western Snowy Plover to nest
at the Natural Preserve while maintaining
the success of the California Least Terns
In partnership with Sea & Sage Audubon,
the volunteer docent project was created
for the 2005 breeding season
What is the Role of the Docent/Monitor?
We EDUCATE by:
Providing beach goers with accurate
information on the natural history and
biology of terns & plovers
Helping to identify birds through a
scope or binoculars
Interpreting State Park rules for
visitors
Encouraging questions and learning
on all levels
Bettina Eastman
Talk to the public about potential problems
What is the Role of the Docent/Monitor?
We PROTECT by watching for disturbances and predators to the terns
Dogs on beach
Trespassing inside Preserve fence
Sitting along fence
Predators
Tina Coombe
What is the Role of the Docent/Monitor?
Rules and Regulations
Not the Docent’s job to enforce them
See manual for details
Public Relations
Make a positive contact every time
Observe & Record
Behavior & breeding status of the terns
Predators
Docents keeping their eyes
on the Tern Preserve
Tina Coombe
Tina Coombe
Surf Camp
Tina Coombe
Dogs-Water Play in the S.A. River
Near the Preserve
Predators and Problems at
The Natural Preserve
American Crow
Common Raven
Tina Coombe
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Tina Coombe
California Ground Squirrel
Peregrine Falcon Population is increasing
in our area.
American Kestrel
Coyote
Rats
Red-tailed Hawk
Gull-billed Tern Terrestrial Feeder
Depredated both Least Tern and Snowy Plover chicks.
Gull-billed Tern
Ross Griswold
Beach Activities & Recreation
Surround the Preserve
Beach Activities & Recreation
Ross Griswold
Kites
and Kite
Surfing
Beach Tar
Motorized Hang Glider
Frisbee
Helicopters Make a note of agency & numbers
Bob Seabourn
This big bird landed
in the Preserve in 2012
Holly Fuhrer
Geolocators were placed
on Least Terns last year.
Please watch for terns with
them attached to a leg.
Call Lana Nguyen
immediately if you see one
and try to get a nest
number or location if it is
nesting.
If the tern is recaptured,
the data on the instrument
may tell the researcher
where the bird spent the
winter!
Geolocators
Tina Coombe
Biologists trying to capture
a tern and attach a geolocator
Least Tern from another colony with geolocator attached in 2012.
Several were recovered in 2013 through 2015.
This study continues.
Ross Griswold
The terns return mid-April, & court,
mate, nest, and raise their young.
Bob Hodgin
Jodi Newell
Courtship, Breeding, Chick Rearing & Fledging
Wendy Miller
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Ross Griswold
Ross Griswold
C. Kam
Ross Griswold
C. Kam
C. Kam
C. Kam
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Holly Fuhrer
Wendy Miller
Wendy Miller
Holly Fuhrer
Juveniles have a short tail
Wendy Miller
Wendy Miller
Wendy Miller
Wendy Miller
Western Snowy Plovers
Wendy Miller
Wendy Miller
S
Ross Griswold
Holly Fuhrer
Available on the website
www.seaandsageaudubon.org
1. Docent Manual (Rev. 5/14)
2. Volunteer Shift Schedule by month
3. Aging Classification Sheet for Chicks & Fledglings
4. 2015 CLTE Productivity Report
5. Chronological list of email announcements
Go to: Least Tern/Snowy Plover Project, 2016 Nesting Season
Presentation & Graphics ©Cheryl Egger
Images contained in this presentation belong to each of
the photographers as noted and may not be reproduced
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permission of the photographer. Thank you.