SNOWY PLOVER & LEAST TERN SURVEY TRAINING

Thomas Ryan Cheryl Egger

Ross Griswold Susan Sheakley Stacey Vigallon

PROJECT TEAM

• Nancy Frost, California Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Sandy Vissaman, Katy Kudgens, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Thomas Ryan, Ryan Ecological Consulting, Lead Biologist

• Ross Griswold & Bettina Eastman, Sea & Sage Audubon, Biologists

• Cheryl Egger & Susan Sheakley, Sea & Sage Audubon, Coordinators

• Stacey Vigallon, Los Angeles Audubon, LA Volunteer Coordinator & Biologist

• Garry George, Los Angeles Audubon

& You!!!

Plover Study Goals

1. Document Orange County roosting locations 2. Document the size and location of these roosts 3. Generate year round population estimate 4. Estimate the overall population in OC, 5. Document whether Snowy Plovers are

attempting to nest in OC 6. Generate management recommendations for

protecting winter roosts and improving conditions for Snowy Plover in OC

7. Use community outreach to educate the public about the presence of plovers on the beach

Tern Study Goals

• Evaluate beaches potential for nesting

• Document non-breeding roosting

• Document off-colony nesting attempts

• Document post-breeding movements

• Read alphanumeric color bands at tern roosts

Methods

• Surveys by trained community volunteers

• Surveys by project biologists

• Mapped each plover sighting and recorded information about the plovers

• Recorded human use information

Training

– Biology, ecology, and behavior of Snowy Plovers and Least Terns

– Identification of adult plovers and terns, their young, and their eggs

– Threats to plovers and their habitats

– Survey objectives, protocols, and techniques

– Regulations governing the salvage of carcasses or eggs

– Special conditions of the existing recovery permit

– Other activities (e.g., reading color bands, tracking, predator identification)

Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)

Habitat

Lack of Public Awareness

Ongoing Beach Maintenance & Resulting Habitat Removal

Beach Driving

Beach Driving

Off-leash Dogs & Predators

Construction Projects

Month

Average

Count SEM

No. of

Surveys

January 192.2 13.47 5

February 128.3 17.25 6

March 99.7 8.50 10

April 23.8 6.58 8

May 2.5 0.25 4

June 1.5 0.56 4

July 42.0 19.49 4

August 155.0 7.57 4

September 164.2 15.42 5

October 184.8 12.65 5

November 171.6 25.74 5

December 186.8 25.20 5

Symbolic Fencing

Volunteers at Malibu

Enclosure 2007 (~100 x 600 ft)

Recommendations: Protected Areas

Local beach management agencies consider protecting areas approximately 70-75 m wide and 275-320 m long and approximately 0.9 ha (2.2 ac) from July to April. Keys to proper placement • The local geographic features. • Human beach use patterns. • Fencing type. - symbolic fencing • The location occupied by the plovers. • Surrounding uses. • Access to foraging resources.

California Least Tern

• Nests on Sandy Beaches and islands in estuaries: Seal Beach NWR, Huntington SB, Bolsa Chica ER, Upper Newport Back Bay, Santa Ana River.

• Arrives early April, departs late September – early October.

• Lays 1-3 eggs in a depression in the sand.

• Main predators: American Crows, raptors, cats, dogs, coyotes, skunks, and raccoons.

Least Tern Range

Snowy Plover

1. Bill - app. 1.5” at the tip on the Sanderling but a stubby 5/8” on the Snowy Plover. – On the Sanderling it is longer than the head is wide – On the plover it is about ½ the width of the head

2. Legs - Sanderling seem longer, 3. Body Shape - the overall “look” of the Sanderling is longer, that of the plover is

rounder. 4. In the fall, Sanderlings lose almost all their brown and reddish breeding plumage

feathers and take on a “scaly” gray and white appearance. The plover when not in flight has a uniform color on the back and wings, of a light brown shade, not gray.

5. Sounds. Little sound is heard from these birds, but when flushed, Sanderlings emit a (not loud) “kip” sound that is noticeably sharper than the whispered, lisped “kweep” communication of the alarmed plover.

6. Stance: The plover is chest- heavy, closer to the sand with relatively short legs. The Sanderling runs and browses on stilts— reminiscent of Willets or Godwits.

7. When resting, Sanderlings often stand on only one foot. The Snowy Plover seeks small depressions in the sand and rests with feathers down on the sand sometimes invisible until an observer is less than 20 feet away.

8. Roosting - Sanderlings roost, fly, and often feed closely. Snowy Plovers require more personal space.

9. Feeding habits. Snowy Plovers are primarily interested in surface invertebrates and rarely probe like the Sanderling and almost never “chase” the foamy waterline.

10. Snowy Plovers tend to take 5-15 steps and then pause, often with one leg “cocked”. Sanderling may run 50-100 feet between stops.

Sanderling

Sanderling

Semipalmated Plover

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Snowy Plover Nest & Eggs

Willet

Marbled Godwit

Whimbrel

California Least Tern

Least Tern

Juvenile Least Tern

Forster’s Tern

Royal Tern

Elegant Tern

Caspian Tern

Black Skimmer

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull

Western Gull

Heerman’s Gull

American Crow & Common Raven

Beach Raptors

Volunteer safety is the most important factor

• Sites may be difficult to access, and particularly during winter high tides as waves often can sweep over the entire beach create dangerous situations.

• Therefore, surveys should not be attempted if the surveyor’s safety is in jeopardy

– Narrow, rocky beaches

– Large waves

– Urban area & associated weirdness.

• Volunteers should not confront anyone engaging in illegal activity on the beach. Instead, volunteers should leave the area and contact local law enforcement when it is safe to do so.

Threatened & Endangered Species

• Protected by the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

• You are allowed to survey for plovers under these methods.

• You may not intentionally chase or flush them.

• If a nest or young are encountered you must call the lead biologist or coordinator immediately.

Equipment

• Required equipment – a good pair of binoculars (magnification at least 8x) – clipboard and data sheets & site map, – Pencil/Pen – Timepiece – GPS Optional – Camera – FRS radios – spotting scope, cell phone, contact list, rain jacket,

and rain pants

Methods • Surveys should be conducted during good weather and visibility.

– Avoid Excessive Cold Snaps (<40 F), steady or driving rain, or steady strong wind (>15 mph sustained, no fuzzy sand!)

– overcast, fog, light drizzle, or breezy (5-10 mph) is OK – Best conducted in the morning on a rising tide to high tide (before the

crowds!) – Survey with the sun at your back (from east to west).

• All beaches should be covered in the same manner - in one pass. • Surveyors should walk in unison along the entire length of site as

designated on the survey map. • Narrow beaches can be covered by 1-2 surveyors walking together at

the top of the beach slope, wider beaches may need an observer at mid-beach, surveyor may need to zigzag

• Only survey to the public access trails • Walk in unison, stopped every 50 m to scan approximately 100 m ahead. • If dunes are encountered that are low and/or gently sloping, hummocky

areas with little or no vegetation should also be checked for plovers.

Methods – data collection • Field data should be collected on a datasheet

• Location of plovers and area covered must be marked on a map, or aerial photo

• Data should sent to Sea and Sage Audubon immediately following the survey.

Data Collection – Section 1

Data Collection – Section 2

• One easy way to estimate vehicle speed is to observe how far the vehicle travels during a one second interval to do this:

• – Start when the front end of the vehicle passes a fixed object on the

beach such as a trash can or lifeguard tower. – Count, "One thousand and one" (takes about one second). – If more than half of the vehicle passes the object, estimate it as a fast-

moving vehicle (10 mph or faster). If less than half of the vehicle passes the object, estimate it as a slow-moving vehicle (less than 10 mph). [Adapted from U.S. Military Training Exercise]

Data Collection – Section 3

Reading Color Bands

• Color bands are read top down from the belly to the foot of the bird

• Colors on the birds left leg are read first, and then the colors on the right leg are read. – Ex. two aqua bands on its right leg

and a white band on top of a red band on its left, its combination would be: white, red, aqua, aqua. This combination would be recorded wr: aa

• The surveyor(s) may attempt to read bands only after birds at a given location on the survey route have been accurately counted and recorded.

• Do not harass the bird in an attempt to read color bands!!!!

Alphanumeric Bands

• If you see a tern with a white band record the location.

• If you can read the letter and or numbers record them as well.

Volunteer Outreach

• People will ask what you are doing.

• Just talk to them and tell them what you know about the plovers and why you are doing the survey.

• You are an ambassador for the plovers and remember most people do not even know they are there, much less endangered.

• You are not the Plover Police – do not attempt to enforce beach rules or confront anyone. If the activity is illegal back off and call the authorities.

Encountering Beached Marine Mammals and Birds

• Remain at least 50 feet away. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits members of public from approaching or touching marine mammals. Good intentions may actually be viewed as "harassment" under this law.

• Alert a lifeguard and/or beach agency employee. • Call The Pacific Marine Mammal Rescue Center. • Seal pups that appear abandoned may not be. • You also do not have to get involved and are

welcome to let nature take its course.

Dead and Live Birds

• We encourage you to keep counts of live birds.

• Record dead birds, if you wish, check their legs for bands.

• If you encounter something rare or fresh, you may collect it for transport to the nearest permitted facility.

Oil or Oiled Birds

• Oiled Wildlife Care Network 1-877-823-6926

• California Department of Fish and Game Office of Spill Response 1-800-852-7550

Beach Segments Beach Name Jurisdiction Length (km)

Seal Beach City of Seal Beach 1.9

Seal Beach NWS US Navy NS

Surfside City of Seal Beach 1.8

Sunset County 1.3

Bolsa Chica SB 1 CDPR 2.2

Bolsa Chica SB 2 1.9

Bolsa Chica ER/wetlands State Lands Commission NS

Huntington City Beach 1 City of Huntington B. 2.3

Huntington City Beach 2 City of Huntington B. 1.9

Huntington City Beach 3 City of Huntington B. 1.7

Huntington SB CDPR 3.4

Newport Beach 1 City of Newport B. 2.0

Newport Beach 2 City of Newport B. 1.7

Upper Newport Bay CDFG NS

Balboa Beach 1 City of Newport B. 2.8

Balboa Beach 2 City of Newport B. 1.9

Corona Del Mar CDPR 0.6

Crystal Cove State Park 1 CDPR 2.5

Crystal Cove State Park 2 CDPR 2.5

Laguna Beach 1 City of Laguna Beach 3.2

Laguna Beach 2 City of Laguna Beach 1.7

Laguna Beach 3 City of Laguna Beach 3.5

Laguna Beach 4 City of Laguna Beach 3.0

Salt Creek County 2.5

Doheny SB CDPR 2.1

Capistrano Beach 1 County 1.6

Capistrano Beach 2 County 1.5

San Clemente City City of San Clemente 1.7

San Clemente City City of San Clemente 2.0

San Clemente SB CDPR 2.4

Total 57.55

Beach Maps

Dates 2017

• March 18-25

• May 20-26

• September 16-22