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Los Angeles & Orange County
Western Snowy Plover
Monthly Report for April 2015
Prepared for
Nancy Frost
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
3883 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123
Prepared by:
Los Angeles Audubon
P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, California 90093
Contact: Thomas Ryan
April 25, 2015
Los Angeles County
During April 2015 biologist Thomas Ryan detected one snowy plover at the roost sites in Los Angeles
County on April 22, 2015. It was a female located in front of the enclosure at Dockweiler LT 47. This is
typical for Los Angeles County, with none reported during April roost surveys in 2013 and 2014 (Ryan
and Vigallon 2009).
The biologist noted the continued presence of a volleyball court placed in the historic roosting area of
the snowy plovers at Zuma, north of lifeguard tower 9 (see November 2014 report). No plovers were
present at Malibu although the enclosure was installed by LA Audubon Volunteers. The enclosures at
Santa Monica and Dockweiler LT 47 were intact.
Table 1. Number of Snowy Plovers Observed in Los Angeles County
April March April
Notes
2014 2015 2015
0
10
0
Volleyball court placed near historic roost.
Zuma
0
0
0
Malibu
0
38
0
Santa Monica
0
9
1
Fresh vehicle tracks in front of enclosure
DSB 47
0
27
0
DSB 58
0
34
0
Hermosa
0
118*
1
Total
*a total of 126 snowy plovers were observed at all beaches in March 2015
Location
Orange County
In Orange County, biologists Ross Griswold, Rich Boulter, and Josh Weinik detected 16 plovers on April
15 and 17, 2015. This is lower than the number detected in April 2014 (35). This was due to fewer
plovers detected at Huntington SB in 2015, although this was considered unusual when they were
observed this late into breeding season in 2014
Table 2. Number of Snowy Plovers Observed in Orange County
Location
Surfside
Bolsa Chica SB
Huntington SB
Balboa
Crystal Cove
Salt Creek
Trestles/San
Clemente SB
Total
April
2014
0
2
32
1
NS
0
March
2015
2
28
6
19
36
36
April
2015
0
0
2
8
2
4
0
26
0
35
153*
16
Notes
*a total of 158 snowy plovers were detected at all beaches during March 2015 Beachwide Surveys.
Roost Maps.
Figure 1. Map of the location of the plover on DSB 47.
Figure 2. Map of Balboa roost location.
Figure 3. Map of Crystal Cove roost location.
Figure 4. Map of Salt Creek roost location.