MAY 2015
1
In this issue
Events & reminders ………. 2
Events & reminders
•
Upcoming events:
 May 13 – 19: The 3rd count window of the statewide
Breeding Bird survey. Please survey your routes and
check your sites during this week. Be sure to report
your survey/visit, even if you don’t see nesting birds!
 May 15 – 17: Wild Amelia Nature Festival: Info online
at http://www.wildamelia.com.
 May 22 – 25: Memorial Day weekend… Bird stewards
needed statewide! See map and contact your local
coordinator to sign up for a shift.
•
Training opportunities:
 Saturday, May 2 (9am – noon): Lee County steward
training @ Lovers’ Key State Park – park at Tram circle
and take the Tram to the Gazebo. RSVP by emailing
[email protected]. No prior skills needed –
see flyer for more info.
 Saturday, May 9 (9am – noon): Collier County
steward training @ Tigertail Beach on Marco Island –
we will meet at the info kiosk past the restrooms and
snack buildings. RSVP [email protected]. No
prior skills needed – see flyer for more info.
 Anytime: Training webinars for the Florida Shorebird
Database are available to watch online:
- Training for route surveyors (regular patrols):
http://fwc.adobeconnect.com/p2lzagnwswd/
- Training for site stewards & rooftop monitors:
http://fwc.adobeconnect.com/p3423kimomb/
•
Job announcement:
 Audubon Florida seeks shorebird technician in NWFL
with boating skills, band re-sighting and plover nest
searching experience, and ability to conduct wintering
shorebird surveys and engage the public. Year-round,
full time position with benefits, funded through Aug.
2017. Click here to apply. For questions, contact
[email protected].
FSA news ……………….…….. 3
• What’s new?
• National Fish & Wildlife
Foundation funds FSA
• 2015 Winter Shorebird Survey
• Rooftop monitoring
volunteers needed
FSD updates………………….. 8
• Mid-season check-in
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: [email protected]
Content editor: Naomi Avissar
Cover design: Chris Burney
2
Visit our Field Notes at www.FLShorebirdAlliance.org for new
announcements, updates, and opportunities to get involved…
FSA news
Check out the FSA website at
www.FLShorebirdAlliance.org.
 An American Oystercatcher
nest seen along the Tolomato
River in April 2015 (Photo by
Janell Brush).
3
What’s new?
Check out the FSA website for the following new features:
 Minutes for all 2015 spring partnership meetings (see your
local partnership listed under the Field Notes page).
 Updated shorebird/seabird links on Resources – Links page.
 The Breeding Bird Protocol has a new and improved rooftop
monitoring section (see Resources – Instructions & Manuals
page). The monitoring methods haven’t changed, but the
section now outlines both outreach and monitoring steps for
a comprehensive guide to rooftop checking.
FSA news
New GEBF grant will fund
Florida Shorebird Alliance
activities for the next two
years!
National Fish & Wildlife Foundation funds FSA
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) recently
awarded the Florida Shorebird Alliance (FSA) a grant to cover
shorebird monitoring and stewarding activities along the Gulf
Coast for the next two years. This Gulf Environmental Benefits
Fund grant, or GEBF for short, will allow Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) and Audubon Florida to
maintain and improve the FSA program.
NFWF recognizes the dedication and hard work of the FSA’s bird
monitors and stewards as a model for coastal bird protection.
Nevertheless, we still have a long way to go to stabilize and
recover our beach-nesting bird populations. FWC and Audubon
Florida have both invested resources in staff to support this
important work, but funding for many of these positions were in
jeopardy of running out at the end of this year. The GEBF grant
comes at a critical time to continue these essential functions,
funding the FWC and Audubon staff needed to work with and
support FSA partners and volunteers, including:
 FWC’s FSA coordinator, Data Analyst and Shorebird Database
developer positions, to make the best use possible of data
collected by the Florida Shorebird Database.
 An FWC shorebird biologist to help expand trainings in the
Florida Shorebird monitoring protocol, and a seasonal
technician to help manage Little Estero Critical Wildlife Area
in Lee County.
 Continuation of Audubon’s rooftop stewarding program and
Audubon/Florida Park Service team researching the survival
and demography of shorebirds in Northwest Florida parks.
 Providing seasonal Audubon steward coordination in
Sarasota County, full-time Audubon monitoring and steward
coordination in Collier County (in coordination with Rookery
Bay NERR), and continuing the seasonal support for the
Three Rooker bird steward program in Pinellas County.
We thank the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for their
support of this important program. Audubon Florida and FWC
look forward to better serving our monitoring and stewarding
partners, and ultimately, the shorebirds and seabirds we aim to
protect.
4
FSA news
The highlights of February’s
Winter Shorebird Survey are
summarized by Patty Kelly
(Panhandle), Billy Brooks
(North Peninsular Florida),
and Marilyn Knight (South
Florida.
2015 Winter Shorebird Survey
Between February 6-12, 2015, hundreds of birders participated
in the annual Winter Shorebird Survey. The following are
highlights from this year’s survey, reported by the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service (USFWS) Coordinators for Northwest Florida,
Northern Peninsular Florida, and South Florida.
In northwest Florida, 28 shorebird experts, biologists, and bird
lovers surveyed 231 routes, covering almost all major shorelines
used by shorebird and waterbirds within the panhandle’s 8
coastal counties. They reported a total of 17,484 shorebirds and
waterbirds. A total of 117 Piping Plovers were seen in 5 counties
(Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Santa Rosa), 38 of which were
color banded. Two-hundred and sixty-seven Red Knots were
reported in Bay, Franklin, Gulf Counties, 6 of which were color
banded. One hundred American Oystercatchers were reported
in Bay, Franklin, and Gulf Counties. Almost half (47) were
reported from Goose Island within St. George Island State Park.
Six in all were color banded. Surveyors reported 14 Wilson's
Plovers in Bay, Franklin, and Gulf Counties (5 were color
banded). There were 466 Snowy Plover throughout Bay,
Escambia, Frankling, Gulf, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa Counties,
over half (244) of which were banded.
Big Sabine Point and Navarre County Park were surveyed by
multiple surveyors. We counted the highest number for the
targeted species when duplicated surveys occurred. In a few
instances, surveys that took place on different days at different
but nearby locations reported the same birds thanks to color
banding. We counted them once but want their locations
recorded to document their use of multiple sites. Efforts to
survey sites in close proximity on the same days are attempted
but not always feasible.
In North Peninsular, we continue to grow our participant base
and have seen great support of this survey. There are many
participants who have contributed each year since 2007! This
year, more than 140 volunteers surveyed 90 routes in 15 north
peninsular Florida coastal counties and counted over 158,720
shorebirds and seabirds, more than doubling last year’s count.
5
Continued on next page…
FSA news
Continued from previous
page…
2015 Winter Shorebird Survey (continued)
… There were 154 Piping Plovers observed in 5 counties, with a
high of 109 in Pinellas County, 20 in Pasco, 5 in Levy, and 1 in
Manatee on the Gulf Coast; and 14 in Volusia and 5 in Duval on
the Atlantic Coast. There were also over 1,768 Red Knots
observed in eight counties with 503 in Volusia, 604 in Pinellas,
and 538 in Manatee. Forty-seven Snowy Plovers were
documented on the Gulf Coast with 24 in Pinellas, 20 in Pasco, 2
in Manatee and 1 in Levy. The most common sighting was the
Laughing Gull (55,477). Volusia and Pinellas had the highest
total counts of shorebirds and seabirds with 101,871 (of which
95,393 were gull species) and 12,271 respectively.
In south Florida, we had great volunteer turn-out again this
year. Overall, 88 volunteers surveyed 13 south Florida counties
and counted over 28,000 shorebirds and seabirds! In total, 81
Piping Plovers were observed. There were 223 Red Knots, 96
Snowy Plovers, and 88 Wilson's Plovers observed. Bands were
observed on 17 birds (11 Piping Plovers and 3 Red Knots).
Thanks again to all of the many dedicated volunteers who
contributed to the survey this year! The USFWS and Florida Fish
& Wildlife Conservation Commission are very appreciative of
the volunteers who are helping us establish a long-term
database of shorebird and seabird use Florida’s coastal habitats
during the winter!
– Patty Kelly, Billy Brooks, and Marilyn Knight
6
FSA news
Rooftop monitoring volunteers needed
Six species of shorebirds and seabirds have been known to nest
on flat, gravel roofs in Florida. The most common species to
nest on rooftops is Least Terns, but Black Skimmers, Roseate
Terns, Gull-billed Terns, American Oystercatchers, and Killdeer
also occasionally nest on these rooftops.
According to our records, there are 426 suitable rooftops
around the state. We have found partners to monitor the vast
majority of them, but we still have around 40 rooftops left
unmonitored. Would you help us check on these?
Please see this List of Historic Rooftops for rooftops near you
(scroll down to your county; the rooftops highlighted in yellow
still need volunteers, though it doesn't hurt to have multiple
people checking the same roof). Please let us know if you can
check on one or more of these. Contact us at:
[email protected].
Monitoring a rooftop entails the following:
1. Asking the building owner/manager if the roof is still gravel.
If not, let us know. It will no longer need to be monitored.
2. If the rooftop is still gravel, we need volunteers to check on
the site once during each of the remaining count windows:
May 13-19, June 10-16, July 8-14, and August 5-11.
Photos (top to bottom): Least
Tern & Black Skimmer (Jack
Rogers), Roseate Tern (Ricardo
Zambrano), Gull-billed Tern
(James Shadle), Amer. Oystercatcher & Killdeer (Jack Rogers).
7
3. Each rooftop survey only requires a 15-minute visit. The
survey consists of watching the rooftop from the ground,
and counting the number of shorebirds or seabirds flying
above, to, or from the roof. All visits should then be
reported in the Florida Shorebird Database (even if no birds
were present).
No prior experience is necessary, and we have several online
resources to help you learn more, including a detailed protocol
and a training webinar. In some areas, additional training is
available. Please contact us for more information.
FSD updates
Thanks to all partners who
are collecting and entering
data.
As a reminder, data should
be entered in real time –
please don’t wait until the
end of the season!
Mid-season check-in
Now that we are approaching the midpoint of the shorebird
breeding season, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank
everyone who is participating in data collection and keeping up
with data entry.
So far (as of April 29), we have 428 solitary shorebird sites (312 of
which are currently active), 37 colonies, and 15 roving chick
observations reported in the Florida Shorebird Database. Of the
426 rooftops around the state that are still considered suitable for
nesting, 49% (207) have been checked, and 36 are currently
active.
Please enter your data in the database right after it is collected.
There are many important reasons to enter your data on time
(see list below), so if you have not entered your March or April
data yet, please do so at this time.
Thanks again for your continued support of Florida’s shorebird
monitoring program!
5 REASONS TO ENTER YOUR DATA ON TIME:
1. NEST PROTECTION: We need to know nest locations, in real time, so they can be
immediately posted and protected.
2. IMPROVED COVERAGE: On-time data entry lets your colleagues know when an area
has been covered or when additional surveys may be needed.
3. BETTER SURVEY PREPARATION: Entering your data lets others know which new
colonies, nests, and roving chicks to look out for when they prepare to survey an area.
4. QUALITY CONTROL: Entering data early helps us spot any errors early and correct them
before they are repeated.
8
5. DATA ACCURACY: The sooner you enter data after collecting it, the more likely you are
to accurately remember details of your survey. The database works best (and data
entry is simpler) when data are entered in sequence.
Love it? Love it knot?
Share your thoughts and photos with us – email
[email protected] or join our Facebook group!
ebb tidings
End notes from the editor:
It’s hard to believe that the
shorebird nesting season is
almost halfway through…
Already, many shorebird nests,
seabird colonies, active rooftops,
and even chicks are being
reported in the Florida Shorebird
Database. Steward programs all
over the state have geared up to
start protecting colonies where
they pop up.
We have better participation
from volunteers than ever before,
but we could use help
everywhere so please let us know
how you’d like to participate.
 Sandpiper trio: Three different species of sandpipers. Clockwise
from top left: Sanderling, two Least Sandpipers, and a Western
Sandpiper. Note that the Western Sandpiper is slightly larger and
has darker legs and a thicker bill than the Least Sandpipers (Photo
by Lorraine Margeson).
Let’s make the second half of the
season as strong as the first!
Best regards,
Naomi
 Killdeer and nest: (Photo by Brian Garrett).
9
www.FLShorebirdAlliance.org
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.
10
FSA partners coordinate their independent work and collaborate to help identify and address
important research, management, education, outreach, and public policy needs.