New Jersey BCR 30

8/14/2019 New Jersey BCR 30

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A Plan for Monitoring Shorebirds During the Non-breeding Season inBird Monitoring Region New Jersey - BCR 30

Prepared by: Sandy Chan and Shiloh Schulte

Version *.*

2003

Updated 2008


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Table of Contents

Results - Shorebirds .......................................................................................................................7

Site Descriptions New Jersey .....................................................................................................8

Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Brigantine Division .........................................................................8

Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island .....................................................................................10Two Mile Beach .........................................................................................................................12

Bivalve .......................................................................................................................................14

Delaware Bay ............................................................................................................................16Site 1: Fortescue/Egg Island ..................................................................................................19

Site 2: Thompsons and Moores Beaches ...............................................................................20

Site 3: Reeds Beach to Pierces Point .....................................................................................20Site 4: Pierces Point to Villas .................................................................................................22

References .....................................................................................................................................23

Figures and Tables

Figure 1. Conceptual framework for integrated bird monitoring............................................3

Figure 2. Shorebird Planning and Bird Conservation Regions in Canada and the United

States...............................................................................................................................................4

Figure 3. PRISM sites in BCR 13, 14, 30, 27, and 31...............................................................5

Table 1. Focal shorebird species for BCR 30..............................................................................7

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Introduction

The bird conservation initiatives - waterbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and landbirds - are

cooperating to design a comprehensive integrated bird monitoring (IBM) program for Canada

and the United States. The conceptual framework for IBM (Fig. 1) includes strong emphasis ondetecting species at risk and helping to protect them. These broad goals are achieved byestimating population trends and defining requirements for viable populations. These objectives

in turn are accomplished by population modeling based on population levels, demographic rates

and habitat information. Population trends are estimated by surveying breeding populationswhenever possible, and by surveying the species for which this is not feasible at other times of

year. Surveys of all species are made throughout the year to help identify and monitor use of

suitable habitat.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework for integrated bird monitoring.

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Most surveys in upland habitats are designed at a large spatial scale (e.g., southern

Canada and the United States) and do not require detailed information at the local level. Surveys

of wetland habitats, in contrast, must be carefully designed to insure that the habitat is wellcovered, and different methods may be needed in different environments. A series of regional

assessments is thus being prepared to help design the wetland surveys. Regions were formed by

intersecting a Bird Conservation Region (BCR) map with a Province and State map, deletingsmall polygons and smoothing the borders (Fig. 2). The resulting Bird Monitoring Regions can

be used to scale up results to either BCRs or Provinces and States.

Figure 2. Shorebird Planning and Bird Conservation Regions in Canada and the United States.

Adapted from: USFWS-U.S. Shorebird Plan and CWS-Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan

The regional assessments summarize current information about wetland bird distribution,

abundance, habitat relationships and timing of use within the Region and identify informationneeded to design reliable monitoring programs. These needed pilot studies are then prioritized

by people concerned with monitoring birds in the region and a plan is developed to carry out the

work. Carrying out the pilot studies is expected to take 1-3 years. Long-term surveys will then beimplemented. Additional details are provided in Managers Monitoring Manual available at

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/monmanual/techniques/shorebirdsnonbreedingsites.htm. More

information on regional progress can be found at the U.S. Shorebird Plans Regional

Conservation Plan website (http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird.htm).

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http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/monmanual/techniques/shorebirdsnonbreedingsites.htmhttp://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird.htmhttp://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/monmanual/techniques/shorebirdsnonbreedingsites.htmhttp://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird.htm


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Methods

Focal wetland species of shorebirds were first identified. The initial list included allwetland species of shorebirds that are common or abundant at any time of year within the

Region, according to Brian Harrington and based largely upon data from the International

Shorebird Surveys (ISS). Sites in which any of the focal species are common or abundant at anytime of year were then identified using a list prepared for this project and supplemented by

information provided by birding guides, ornithologists and birders knowledgeable of the Region.

Most sites were single areas, such as a National Wildlife Refuge, but dispersed sites, such aslakes >10 ha, could also be identified.

Figure 3. PRISM sites in BCR 13, 14, 30, 27, and 31.

The

International Shorebird Survey (ISS) provided species numbers for some of the identified sites.

The ISS is a volunteer based survey initiated in 1974 by Brian Harrington. Volunteers selecttheir survey sites and are given guidelines on census frequency and data collection for spring and

fall migration. The ISS guidelines ask volunteers to survey once every 10 days from April 1st toJune 10th for spring migration, and once every 10 days from July 11th to October 31st for fall

migration. ISS records provided the maximum counts recorded for species where the identifiedsite is also an ISS site.

Survey methods for sites include appropriate tide levels for surveys, if that information isavailable. Tide levels for surveys are based on the advice of biologists and birders with

knowledge about the sites. Due to the different geography of the sites, different tide levels

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are recommended to concentrate the birds for a survey. While high tide at one site may bring in

birds that are spread out over an expansive area at low tide, high tide at another site may

completely cover the habitat or food resources and scatter the birds elsewhere. Therefore,different tide levels may be recommended for different sites.

Additional site information may also include information about visibility. Excellent/goodvisibility simply means that the birds can be seen without obstruction clearly enough to identify

to species, either by physically getting close enough or with a good scope or binoculars.

Maps showing land ownership, roads and wetlands were prepared for the region. Maps of

each site were also prepared and information useful in designing surveys for the focal species

was presented. The survey objective was assumed to be estimating the average number of birds

of each focal species present within the site during a specified interval. Up to three types ofhabitat were described for each focal species: Type 1 habitat, outlined in purple on the maps,

included regularly-used areas that should be sampled using a well-defined sampling plan. Type 2

habitat, which was outlined in red, included areas used sparingly by the focal species. Type 2

habitat is not surveyed as often or with rigorously defined methods, but is surveyed less formallyevery few years to document continued low use by the focal species. Type 3 habitat receives

virtually no use by the focal species during the study period and is not surveyed as part of themonitoring program. Requests, however, are circulated for any records of the focal species

occurring in substantial numbers in these areas.

A description of each site was prepared with the following headings:

Boundaries and ownership

Focal species using the site and timing of useLocation of type 1 and 2 habitat within the site

Access to the type 1 and 2 habitat and visibility of the birds

Past and current surveysPotential survey methods

Description

Selection biasMeasurement error and bias

Needed pilot studies

We assume for any survey that the study area and study period (within years) have beendefined. The goal of the survey was assumed to be estimating the trend, across several years, in

the average number of birds present during the study period. Bias means a long-term trend in the

ratio (number recorded)/(average number present). Selection bias ensues when some portion ofType 1 habitat has zero chance of being surveyed, usually due to access problems, and there is a

long-term trend in the proportion of birds using the non-sampled portion. Exclusion of some

Type 1 habitat does not necessarily cause selection bias because trends in the sampled areasmight be the same as trends in the non-sampled areas. Anytime some portion of Type 1 habitat

could not be included in the sampled areas, the potential for selection bias and ways to reduce it

were discussed. Measurement error means not detecting all birds present in the surveyed area at

the time of the survey. Measurement bias is a long term trend in the proportion of birds present at

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the time of the survey that are detected on the survey. Measurement error does not necessarily

cause measurement bias because the proportion of birds detected might not change through time.

Anytime measurement error was probable, its magnitude and probable stability through timewere discussed along with ways to reduce the proportion of birds missed on the surveys.

Results - Shorebirds

Table 1. Focal shorebird species for BCR 30

CODE SPECIES

BBPL Black-bellied Plover

SEPL Semipalmated Plover

AMOY American Oystercatcher GRYE Greater Yellowlegs

LEYE Lesser Yellowlegs

SOSA Solitary Sandpiper

SPSA Spotted Sandpiper

WHIM Whimbrel

RUTU Ruddy Turnstone

REKN Red Knot

SAND Sanderling

SESA Semipalmated Sandpiper

LESA Least Sandpiper

WRSA White-rump Sandpiper

DUNL Dunlin

SBDO Short-billed Dowitcher

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Site Descriptions New Jersey

Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Brigantine Division

Description: The Edwin B. Forysthe National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 44,302 acres along

New Jerseys Atlantic coastal zone. More than 80% of the refuge is tidal salt meadow and marsh,interspersed with shallow coves and bays. The refuge is made up of two divisions, Brigantine

and Barnegat. The Brigantine division is the focus site for migration.

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The Brigantine division is located about 10 miles north of Atlantic City. It has four managed

impoundments containing 1,415 acres of fresh water and brackish water marsh habitat. The

Northwest Pool, Southwest Pool and Lily Lake are fresh; East Pool is brackish. Impoundmentsare drawn down in spring to provide mudflat habitat for shorebirds and wading birds and flooded

in fall for migrants. The impoundments can be viewed from the roadway on the surrounding

dikes. The most numerous shorebird species from maximum ISS counts are: BBPL (2,250),SEPL (1,641), GRYE (2,077), LEYE (1,545), RUTU (1,040) SAND (500), SESA (14,350),

LESA (2,480), DUNL (12,000) and SBDO (11,330).

Access: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. The refuge is

easily accessible from major roadways. The headquarters are located at the Brigantine division in

Oceanville, NJ.

Survey Method: Ground surveys should be conducted at the impoundments during high tide

with a scope and/or binoculars. The birds will concentrate at the impoundments at high tide and

spread out into the marshes at low tide.

Selection Bias: None.

Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ AudubonJorge Coppen, Edwin B. Forsythe NWR

John Danzenbaker, ISS Cooperator

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Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island

Description: Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island are located just north of Hereford Inlet on

the Atlantic side of the Cape May peninsula. Both spots are easily accessible from major roadsleading to and going through the New Jersey barrier islands.

Stone Harbor Point is the southernmost part of the town of Stone Harbor, which is on a barrier

island. It has a sandy shoreline with silty mudflats and little eddies and pools on the inland side

of the island. There is access to the Point from a parking lot with an approximately 200-meterwalk to the beach and flats. The birds spread out at low tide, so surveys should be done at high

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Two Mile Beach

Description: Two Mile Beach is located south of the town of Wildwood on the Atlantic

shoreline of New Jersey. A major section of it became part of the Cape May National Wildlife

Refuge in October 1999 through a transfer from the U.S. Coast Guard. This section is owned andprotected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, while a southern portion remains the property of the U.S.

Coast Guard. Two Mile Beach forms one of the last undeveloped stretches of New Jersey coast

and includes 490 acres of oceanfront beach, sand dunes, maritime forest, and tidal marsh. Thealso site attracts large numbers of spring and fall migrating shorebirds.

The 0.7-mile stretch of Refuge beach is seasonally closed from mid-April to mid-October toreduce pedestrian traffic and provide nesting habitat to birds. The beach is popular with

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fishermen who use it to access Cold Spring Jetty at its southern tip and therefore beach closures

are hotly contested.

The shorebird survey area is the two to three kilometer length of beach, which should be

considered Type 1 habitat. Shorebirds tend to concentrate in fewer numbers near the jetty where

traffic is highest. Surveys at Two Mile Beach were carried out in 2000 and 2001 by NJAS CapeMay Bird Observatory to measure shorebird disturbance. Dave Mizrahi provided list of species

observed: BBPL, DUNL, REKN, RUTU, SAND, SEPL and SESA.

Access to Two Mile Beach is reached from the Garden State Parkway (Exit 4) or US Route 9

(via Route 47) via City of Wildwood. Upon reaching Wildwood, turn south to borough of

Wildwood Crest. Continue south towards Diamond Beach, following Ocean Drive to Raleigh

Avenue near the areas of big condos on the beach. Park along street in designated parking spaces.Access to the beach is obtained via public easements between the condominium buildings. Walk

thru access fence located south of the condo buildings. The walk to the jetty is approximately one

mile.

Survey Method: Ground surveys along the beach with a scope.

Selection Bias: Much of Two Mile Beach is closed to non-USFWS personnel during restricted

months from mid-April and mid-October. Permission will need to be obtained from the Refuge

to conduct surveys during this period.

Measurement error: Negligible. All shorebirds should be identifiable.

Measurement bias: None


Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Cape May National Wildlife Refuge Staff

George Dawson, ISS Cooperator

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Bivalve

Description: Bivalve is located just south of Port Norris on the Maurice River in New Jersey.

It consists of approximately 4,500 acres of expansive salt marsh on a mitigation site owned byPublic Service Electric and Gas. It is three years abreast of a twelve-year restoration project,

which has so far resulted in making mud flats very extensive there. This site supports up to

30,000 shorebirds in both spring and fall.

There are two observation platforms as well as several dikes located within Bivalve marsh.

Shorebird hotspots are dependent on the tide, which flows in variably. According to DaveMizrahi, the birds move in rotations to different compartments of the marsh and using a scope at

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the platforms is the best way to see where birds are concentrating within it. The entire site should

be considered Type 1 habitat.

Four main access roads lead into the marsh southwards off of Route 553 in Port Norris:

Berrytown Rd., Robinstown Rd., Strawberry Lane, and Memorial Ave. Memorial joins Miller

Ave and leads to the Bivalve processing plant. It is possible to drive from one access road to thenext without restrictions. Surveys have been conducted in the past by birder Clay Sutton; species

observed include: BBPL, DUNL, LESA, SBDO, SEPL, SESA, WRSA, YESP.

Survey Method: Ground surveys at viewing points in the marsh with a scope/binoculars on a

falling to early rising tide. The best spot to survey is dynamic depending on the tide. Surveyor

can scan the area from a viewing platform to determine best survey route.

Selection Bias: Not applicable.


Measurement bias: *


Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Dave Mizrahi, VP for Research, NJAS Cape May Bird ObservatoryClay Sutton

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Delaware Bay

Description: The lower Delaware Bay is a major spring migration site for shorebirds on the

Atlantic flyway. The bay shoreline in New Jersey and Delaware provides feeding, resting and

roosting areas for shorebirds during migration. In New Jersey, it stretches from approximatelyCohansey River to Cape May Point. The shoreline is made up primarily of narrow sandy beaches

and low tide flats, including dunes, sandy/muddy mouths of rivers, adjacent tidal salt marshes

and saltwater impoundments. There are extensive freshwater and saltwater wetlands throughoutthe Delaware River and Bay estuary.

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Ownership along the bay shoreline is a mix of private, state and federal land. The bay shoreline

is not heavily developed and many towns along the bay are fishing villages inhabited more

heavily in the summer. Approximately 21,016 hectares (51,910 acres) of New Jersey wetlandsassociated with the bay are in state ownership, mostly as Fish and Wildlife Management Areas

(FWMA). New Jersey Wildlife Management Areas include: Mad Horse Creek, Dix, Nantuxent,

Fortescue, Egg Island, Heislerville, Dennis Creek and Higbee Beach. The one federally protectedarea is Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, a unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Access to the bay shoreline is essentially limited to narrow stretches of beach where there areroads and residential development. Most of the beach areas, such as Fortescue, Reeds Beach and

south of Reeds Beach, are accessible from roads. There is limited access to Moores Beach due to

road washout at high tide. The marshes are largely inaccessible except by air or boat.

The spring migration of shorebirds coincides with horseshoe crab spawning in Delaware Bay.

Shorebirds have been found to feed mostly on horseshoe crab eggs on the bay beaches, but

surveys by NJ Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists indicate some species, such as the

Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, and Short-billed Dowitcher, rely more heavily on marshhabitats. All shorebirds move between the beaches and marshes for feeding, resting and roosting.

The most abundant shorebird species in Delaware Bay during migration are SemipalmatedSandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots, Sanderlings, Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitchers.

Maximum count data from ISS records were available from the following New Jersey sites in

Delaware Bay:

Fortescue Beach/Egg Island: DUNL (510), REKN (675), RUTU (209), SAND (135), and SESA(4,000);

Heislerville: DUNL (1,000), SBDO (54), and SESA (450);

Thompsons Beach: DUNL (6,000), REKN (440), RUTU (580), SAND (623), SBDO (1,800),and SESA (2,002);

Moores Beach: DUNL (785), REKN (1,385), RUTU (730), SAND (555), and SESA (570);

Reeds Beach: DUNL (75), REKN (1,460), RUTU (1,100), SAND (930), and SESA (175).

The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ DFW), in conjunction with the Delaware Department

of Fish and Wildlife - Nongame and Endangered Species Program, conducts annual ground andaerial surveys of shorebird abundance on beaches. The New Jersey groundwork involves ground

counts and cannon netting of shorebirds for color banding and research. Aerial surveys cover the

bay shoreline of New Jersey (Cohansey River to Cape May Canal) and Delaware (Woodland

Beach to Cape Henlopen). These are conducted from an airplane by NJ DFW biologist KathleenClark once every week from the beginning of May to the middle of June.

Survey Method: Ground, boat and aerial surveys are needed to cover extensive area. Aerialsurveys of the NJ (Cohansey River to Cape May Canal) and DE (Woodland Beach to Cape

Henlopen) shorelines are done on the early falling tide when crab eggs are exposed for feeding.

Selection Bias: Spring survey work covers the bay beaches, not the marshes. The bay marshes

are inaccessible except by air or boat. Boat surveys only cover the marsh edges.

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Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: Larry Niles, NJ DFW, conducted Fall 2003 surveys of the New Jersey coastline.

The surveys will help determine what areas shorebirds use during fall migration and to determinejuvenile to adult ratios for selected species. Survey work is being done in conjunction with the

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife and will involve aerial surveys of the entire bay and

Atlantic coasts of both states. In addition, NJ DFW biologist, Amanda Dey, is developing aprotocol for aerial surveys of the bay marshes, possibly for Spring 2004.

Local Contacts: Larry Niles, Chief of Endangered and Nongame Species Program, NJ DFW

Kathleen Clark, Biologist, NJ DFWDave Mizrahi, VP for Research, Cape May Bird Observatory

Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

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Site 1: Fortescue/Egg Island

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Site 2: Thompsons and Moores Beaches

Site 3: Reeds Beach to Pierces Point

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Site 4: Pierces Point to Villas

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References

Burger J., L. Niles, and K. Clark. 1996. Importance of Beach Mudflat and Marsh Habitats to

Migrant Shorebirds on Delaware Bay. Biological Conservation 79:283-292.

Canadian Wildlife Service. Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan. Accessed August 2008.

http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/default.asp?lang=en&n=D1610AB7 .

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Shorebird Plan. Accessed August 2008.

http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird/RegionsMap.asp

Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Website. Manomet Center for

Conservation Sciences
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/default.asp?lang=en&n=D1610AB7http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird/RegionsMap.asphttp://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/default.asp?lang=en&n=D1610AB7http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird/RegionsMap.asp

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