American Oystercatcher American Oystercatcher Management in FloridaManagement in Florida

Ann B. Hodgson, Ph. D., PWSAnn B. Hodgson, Ph. D., PWSGulf Coast Ecosystem Science Coordinator / Gulf Coast Ecosystem Science Coordinator /

Sanctuaries ManagerSanctuaries Manager

Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries ProgramProgram

410 Ware Blvd., Ste. 702410 Ware Blvd., Ste. 702Tampa, FL 33619Tampa, FL 33619

813 623-6826 Phone / 813 376-8663 Field Phone813 623-6826 Phone / 813 376-8663 Field Phone

ahodgson@audubon.orgahodgson@audubon.org

Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries ProgramProgram

StaffStaff Dr. Ann Hodgson, Gulf Coast Dr. Ann Hodgson, Gulf Coast

Ecosystem Science Ecosystem Science Coordinator / Sanctuaries Coordinator / Sanctuaries ManagerManager

Ann PaulAnn PaulTampa Bay Regional Tampa Bay Regional CoordinatorCoordinator

Mark RachalMark RachalField BiologistField Biologist

Carol CasselsCarol CasselsSeasonal WardenSeasonal Warden

Rob HeathRob HeathSpoonbill TechnicianSpoonbill Technician

Project ColonyWatch Project ColonyWatch VolunteersVolunteers

Audubon of Florida’s Audubon of Florida’s organizational plan:organizational plan:

The Gulf Coast Region was The Gulf Coast Region was established in 2005 as one of established in 2005 as one of six Audubon of Florida six Audubon of Florida organizational regions.organizational regions.

FCISP manages 9+ counties FCISP manages 9+ counties on the Gulf Coast, on the Gulf Coast, ANDAND

The 5 historic sanctuaries in The 5 historic sanctuaries in Palm Beach County.Palm Beach County.

FCISP continues (>100 yrs) FCISP continues (>100 yrs) as a FL colonial waterbird as a FL colonial waterbird research center. research center.

FCISP provides technical FCISP provides technical services to public and private services to public and private cooperators. cooperators.

AMOY Conservation IssuesAMOY Conservation Issuesin Tampa Bay, FLin Tampa Bay, FL

Large AMOY breeding population and high CBC Large AMOY breeding population and high CBC counts annually.counts annually.

Shoreline development continues to decrease Shoreline development continues to decrease habitat options for all life history requirements.habitat options for all life history requirements.

Human disturbance from water-based Human disturbance from water-based recreation, residential, commercial and industrial recreation, residential, commercial and industrial development is stressing the AMOY population. development is stressing the AMOY population.

Amplified ship wakes, primarily from the cruise Amplified ship wakes, primarily from the cruise ships and large cargo traffic (Tampa Bay now ships and large cargo traffic (Tampa Bay now allows ‘Panamax’ ships), create impressive bow allows ‘Panamax’ ships), create impressive bow wakes that are over-washing AMOY nests, wakes that are over-washing AMOY nests, particularly with the high spring tides.particularly with the high spring tides.

American Oystercatcher Count by 2003 CBC CircleAmerican Oystercatcher Count by 2003 CBC Circle

CBC FL - number of birds reported per party hour CBC FL - number of birds reported per party hour

Data: Number of birds reported per party hourData: Number of birds reported per party hour

The graph was generated using the number of The graph was generated using the number of birds reported per party hour; a measure of the birds reported per party hour; a measure of the amount of time spent searching for birds or the amount of time spent searching for birds or the amount of effort expended. This is one way to amount of effort expended. This is one way to standardize Christmas Bird Count data over standardize Christmas Bird Count data over time. Some years, there may have been a lot of time. Some years, there may have been a lot of people counting birds, while other years there people counting birds, while other years there may have been fewer participants in the field. As may have been fewer participants in the field. As CBC participation fluctuates (and as the number CBC participation fluctuates (and as the number of CBC Count Circles increases), raw count of CBC Count Circles increases), raw count numbers may also fluctuate (more counters can numbers may also fluctuate (more counters can often lead to more birds reported). often lead to more birds reported).

CBC FL - raw count numbersCBC FL - raw count numbers

Data: Raw count numbersData: Raw count numbers

The graph was generated using raw count The graph was generated using raw count numbers for the species selected. numbers for the species selected. Because of fluctuations in the number of Because of fluctuations in the number of participants on CBC's from year to year, participants on CBC's from year to year, and the growth in the number of CBC and the growth in the number of CBC count circles over the last 100 years, the count circles over the last 100 years, the graph may be misleading.graph may be misleading.

2006 Pairs of AMOY, SNPL, and WIPL on the FL Gulf Coast2006 Pairs of AMOY, SNPL, and WIPL on the FL Gulf Coast

Colony Name Pairs/Nests Bay Region County AMOY SNPL WIPL Cross Florida Barge Canal Islands 20 11 Gulf of Mexico Citrus Anclote Bar 2 8 22 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas Anclote River Mouth Spoil Island 1 Anclote River Pinellas South Anclote Bar 1 2 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas Three Rooker Island 2 2 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas St. Joseph Sound Marker 28 1 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas St. Joseph Sound Marker 26 1 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas Ozona Spoil East 1 St. Joseph Sound Pinellas Clearwater Harbor I-25 3 Clearwater Harbor Pinellas Belleair Beach Bird Island 1 Clearwater Harbor Pinellas Indian Rocks Beach Bird Island 1 Clearwater Harbor Pinellas Darling Key, Marker 20, Boca Ciega Bay 1 Boca Ciega Bay Pinellas Little Bird Key NWR 1 Boca Ciega Bay Pinellas Egmont Key NWR & State Park 3 Tampa Bay mouth Pinellas Tampa Port Authority Spoil Island 2D 35 Hillsborough Bay Hillsborough Alafia Bank Bird Colony 16 Hillsborough Bay Hillsborough Tampa Port Authority Spoil Island 3D 15 Hillsborough Bay Hillsborough Apollo Beach & Fishhook Spoil 7 Hillsborough Bay Hillsborough Passage Key NWR 1 Tampa Bay mouth Hillsborough Port Manatee Key 5 30 East Tampa Bay Manatee Skiers Island 1 Sarasota Bay Sarasota Pelican Cove Point 1 Sarasota Bay Sarasota Little Sarasota Bay Marker 34 1 Sarasota Bay Sarasota Blackburn Bay Marker 20 1 Sarasota Bay Sarasota Total 122 10 65

2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast

Colony Name County 2006 2007

Citrus Co Spoil Islands & Cross FL Canal Citrus 20 10

North Anclote Bar Pasco 2 1

Anclote River Mouth Spoil Islands Pasco 1 1

South Anclote Bar Pinellas 1 1

Three Rooker Bar/Island Pinellas 2 5

St. Joseph Sound Marker 28 Pinellas 1 0

St. Joseph Sound Marker 26 Pinellas 1 1

Ozona Spoil East Pinellas 1 1

Dunedin Sand Key West Pinellas 0 3

I-25 Pinellas 3 1

Marker 10 Pinellas - 1

Indian Rocks/Belleair Beach Bird Island Pinellas 1 1

Indian Rocks Beach South Pinellas 1 1

Darling Key, Marker 20, Boca Ciega Bay Pinellas 1 -

Little Bird Key NWR Pinellas 1 -

Shell Key Pinellas - 3

2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast

Colony Name County 2006 2007

Egmont Key NWR & St. Pk Hillsborough 3 3

Tampa Port Authority 2D Hillsborough 35 37

Alafia Bank Hillsborough 16 16

Tampa Port Authority 3D Hillsborough 15 15

Apollo Beach & Fishhook Spoil Hillsborough 7 14

Passage Key NWR Hillsborough 1 0

Port Manatee Key Manatee 5 3

Skiers Island Sarasota 1 -

Pelican Cove Point Sarasota 1 -

Little Sarasota Bay Marker 34 Sarasota 1 -

Blackburn Bay Marker 20 Sarasota 1 -

Masters Island/Upper Bird Island NWR Lee - 1

Givney key/Matlacha Pass NWR Lee - 1

Fisherman's Island NWR Lee - 1

Big Carlos Pass Marker 43 Lee - 1

Total   122 122

AMOY breeding census 1994-2006, AMOY breeding census 1994-2006, Tampa Bay, FLTampa Bay, FL

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Snowy Plover

Wilson's Plover

American Oystercatcher

Black-necked Stilt

Willet

Gull-billed Tern

Caspian Tern

Least Tern

2007 Pairs of AMOY – Lake Worth Lagoon2007 Pairs of AMOY – Lake Worth Lagoon

S. Lake Worth Lagoon – Snook IslandsS. Lake Worth Lagoon – Snook Islands 1 large feathered young hatched on an 1 large feathered young hatched on an

isolated mangrove island in the south lagoon isolated mangrove island in the south lagoon (local manager photographed the chick).(local manager photographed the chick).

RECAP 2007RECAP 2007 Gulf Coast - all sites – 112 prs; adjusted for Gulf Coast - all sites – 112 prs; adjusted for

unsurveyed and/or new surveys = 122+unsurveyed and/or new surveys = 122+ Tampa Bay - 88 prsTampa Bay - 88 prs Habitat loss – submerging islands & Habitat loss – submerging islands &

disturbancedisturbance

Factors affecting AMOY Reproductive Factors affecting AMOY Reproductive Success in Hillsborough Bay, FLSuccess in Hillsborough Bay, FL

2006 population estimate 2006 population estimate was 68 pairs/nests in was 68 pairs/nests in Hills. Bay, FL.Hills. Bay, FL.

Nesting concentrated on Nesting concentrated on Spoil islands 2D&3D, and Spoil islands 2D&3D, and RTP Alafia Bank Bird RTP Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, and Apollo Sanctuary, and Apollo Beach area.Beach area.

68/(850 birds/2) = 68/425 68/(850 birds/2) = 68/425 = 15+% of the Florida = 15+% of the Florida population.population.

Strong site fidelity – the Strong site fidelity – the same pairs nest at the same pairs nest at the same site every year; same site every year; comparing nest sites comparing nest sites inter-annually, we know inter-annually, we know that pairs come in early that pairs come in early on the same beach sites on the same beach sites annually; the trio always annually; the trio always nests at the same site for nests at the same site for the past 15 yrs.the past 15 yrs.

High fecundity / pair.High fecundity / pair.

Low chick survivorship.Low chick survivorship.

Poor fledging success.Poor fledging success.

Tampa Bay, FLTampa Bay, FL

Hillsborough Bay, FLHillsborough Bay, FL

Apollo Beach, S. Hillsborough Bay, FLApollo Beach, S. Hillsborough Bay, FL

Photo Credits: Southwest Florida Water Management District

Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, 3DRichard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, 3Dand ‘Beer Can Island’and ‘Beer Can Island’

Photo Credit: Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictPhoto Credit: Gandy Aerial Photography, Inc.

Tampa Bay AMOY Nest SitesTampa Bay AMOY Nest Sites

Port Manatee Key, S. Tampa Bay, FL.

AMOY/beach-nesting shorebird protection is labor-intensive!

Adult AMOY are regularly disturbed by recreational boaters

Adult AMOY driven off the nest by a boater

Amoy nests are practically invisible

AMOY chicks are vulnerable to predation regardless of cryptic coloration

Typical oyster bar and mangrove islets habitat

Emergent oyster bars provide shorebird foraging

Hillsborough Bay AMOY Conservation Planning

FCISP participates on the Tampa Bay regional Migratory Bird Protection Committee with agency partners (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tampa Port Authority (TPA)).

FCISP annual conducts AMOY breeding surveys on the Gulf Coast.

The TPA is increasing the dike height 20 ft. on Spoil Island 2D.

TPA proposed to construct a ‘wildlife habitat structure’ as part of the project mitigation - FCISP recommended the site location of the ‘structure’ in front of 7 persistent AMOY territories.

The ‘structure’ will be a revetment of large rip rap, designed to attenuate high waves from large cargo ships in the shipping channel.

FCISP staff seasonally patrols AMOY breeding locations/known nesting areas, especially in Hillsborough Bay, on weekends and holidays – we have distributed 70,000 Hillsborough Bay Boaters’ Guides in the past 5 years to provide public boating education and marine conservation.

FCISP is leading the beach-nesting bird conservation committee to protect AMOY and other beach-nesters along the Gulf Coast region.

FCISP received a TPA grant to analyze 15+ years of AMOY data in Hillsborough Bay.

FCISP submitted a WCS grant to expand Project ColonyWatch and beach-nesting bird protection on the Gulf Coast region.

Spoil Island 2D – the Tampa shipping channel is off the west shore.

Tampa shipping

channel – west shoreline

2D ‘Wildlife Habitat Structure’ Locations

Acknowledgments U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Coastal Program NFWF Pinellas County

Environmental Fund Tampa Port Authority Manatee County Port Authority Environmental Protection

Commission of Hillsborough County

Tampa Bay Estuary Program Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Sarasota County

Environmental Department Mosaic LLC Gulfstream LLC Private Donors

Literature Cited Hodgson, A. B., A. F. Paul, and M.

Rachal. 2007. Bay Environmental Monitoring Report: Chapter 17 – Avian Conservation. Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St. Petersburg, FL.

National Audubon Society. 2006. Internet:http://audubon2.org/birds/cbc. Accessed 2Dec2006.

Questions?Questions?

Photo Credit: Pat Leary

Photo Credit: Lorraine Margeson