Snowy plover monitoring protocol for Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Version 2.4
Merkle B, Press D, Townsend R, Adams D, Koenen M. 2014. Snowy plover monitoring protocol for Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Version 2.4. Natural Resource Report. NPS/SFAN/NRR—2014/896. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This document describes the National Park Service’s (NPS) monitoring program for western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) populations that occur at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GOGA) within the San Francisco Bay Area Network (SFAN) of parks in central California. This protocol refines the standard monitoring methodology for snowy plovers first developed by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory with park staff in 1995 (Stenzel et al. 1995). The monitoring protocol, including standard operating procedures and appendices, describes the background, monitoring objectives, sampling design, field methods, data management, annual and long-term reporting and analyses, and operational requirements to monitor snowy plovers during the non-breeding season at GOGA. There are no records of snowy plovers breeding on GOGA beaches. The annual monitoring period (July 1 – May 15) is designed to detect any potential snowy plovers nesting activity during the early breeding season (March through September). The main purpose of the program is to monitor snowy plover population status and trends and to adaptively guide management actions. Primary objectives for monitoring are to: 1. Determine trends in snowy plover winter season average population size at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field. 2. Determine trends in the spatial distribution of snowy plovers during the winter season at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field. The overall management objective for the GOGA snowy plover monitoring program is to reduce human-caused disturbance to over wintering plovers. The monitoring objectives in support of that management objective are to: 3. Determine the phenology of snowy plover arrival and departure dates from Ocean Beach and Crissy Field. 4. Monitor number and distribution of people and dogs at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field. 5. Monitor compliance rates for seasonal restrictions requiring pets to be on-leash in the Snowy Plover Protection Area and Wildlife Protection Area from July 1 through May 15. 6. Monitor the rates of dogs chasing snowy plovers or other shorebirds at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Merkle, Bill; Press, David; Townsend, Rachel; Adams, Dawn; Koenen, Marcus
- Date of Issue
- 2014-12
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GOGA , NRSS , SFAN
- Keywords
- Monitoring, Protocol, snowy plovers
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Birds , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | At-risk Biota | T&E Species and Communities