Cape Cod National Seashore 2020 shorebird monitoring and management report

Whitmore, Jessica; Campbell, Carolyn

doi:10.36967/2296666

Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) manages the protection of federal and state listed beach-nesting shorebirds (piping plover [Charadrius melodus], least tern [Sternula antillarum], and American oystercatcher [Haematopus palliatus]), and various migrating shorebird species following procedures outlined in the 2018 Shorebird Management Plan/EA and associated Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) (NPS 2018). This report summarizes monitoring results from the 2020 field season. Piping plover, least tern, and American oystercatcher nesting and brood-rearing behaviors were monitored over 43 miles of coastline from Provincetown to Orleans, Massachusetts. Piping plover: ● 92 breeding pairs were observed (third highest number of pairs since 2003) ● 171 chicks fledged (highest number of fledged chicks since 2003); 61 pairs successfully fledged at least one chick ● Park-wide average productivity = 1.86 chicks fledged/pair (second highest productivity since 2003); USFWS Northeastern piping plover population annual recovery target rate is 1.5 chicks fledged/pair ● Depredation accounted for 61% of nest failures ● Predominant nest predators were Eastern coyote and corvids (American crow and fish crow) ● Predator exclosures were installed around a total of 82 nests. Exclosures improved nest success from a hatch rate of 13% for unexclosed to 73% for exclosed nests. Exclosures reduced predation rates from 78% for unexclosed nests to 18% for exclosed nests. Least tern: ● Least terns nested at a total of 12 sites from Eastham to Provincetown ● 121 breeding pairs were observed (lowest number of pairs since 2016) ● 35 chicks fledged (lowest number of chicks fledged since 2015) ● Average productivity = 0.29 chicks fledged/breeding pair ● Depredation, mainly by coyote, was the principal cause of egg loss ● Cause of chick loss is difficult to determine, but depredation by coyote was often suspected American oystercatcher: ● Two pairs nested at Jeremy Point, Wellfleet ● Two nests were laid, one per pair, one nest hatched and the second was depredated ● One chick fledged, productivity = 0.5 chicks fledged/breeding pair ● Depredation by crow was the main cause of egg loss ● Cause of chick loss is unknown Staging migrating terns and shorebirds: ● Large mixed-species flocks including those with up to approximately 2,000 individuals of the federally endangered roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) and the state-listed species of concern common tern (Sterna hirundo), were observed throughout the park mid-July through October ● Large mixed flocks of up to 1,000 individuals including red knot, semipalmated sandpipers, piping plovers, black-bellied plovers, semipalmated plovers, sanderlings, and other shorebird species were observed throughout the park mid-July through October Human Disturbance: due to limits in staffing in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 limitations, less data was collected on human violations than in 2019. The following observations are a minimum estimate based off the collection of data on some days, but not all, by shorebird staff in 2020. • 122 pedestrian violations were documented, combination of individuals observed inside the symbolic fenced area and fresh pedestrian tracks from a recent violation. In addition, there were at least 140 observations of people in high tide closures at just one site (Head of the Meadow). • 301 dogs off leash were documented from April through September (72 in the South District and 229 in the North District). Unleashed dogs were encountered most frequently at Longnook (45), Herring Cove (36), and Ballston (34). • 371 pet violations, pets in designated “No Pet” areas, were documented. The majority of the incidents were physically observed or secondarily by observations of fresh pet tracks in “No Pet” areas. Dogs in “No Pets” areas were encountered most frequently at Coast Guard Truro (91), Longnook (51), and Head of the Meadow (44).

Cape Cod National Seashore 2020 shorebird monitoring and management report

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