New York City Audubon Society's Harbor Herons Project:: 2002 Nesting Survey. New York Audubon Society, New York, N.Y.

Kerlinger, P

A New York City Audubon Society (NYCAS) research team, consisting of Audubon volunteers and staff from various agencies, surveyed 14 islands in the New YorklNew Jersey harbor to determine the population status of herons, egrets, ibis, cormorants, and other nesting species. The surveys were conducted between May 14 and mid-June, 2002, approximately the same dates as in previous years. The islands included Shooters and Prall's islands and Isle of Meadows in the Arthur Kill-Kill van Kull; Hoffinan and Swinburne islands off southern Staten Island; Canarsie Pol and Ruftle Bar in Jamaica Bay; White Island (Salt Marsh Nature Center), Brooklyn; North Brother, South Brother, and U Thant islands and Mill Rock in the East River; Goose Island in the Hutchinson River; and Huckleberry Island in Long Island Sound (Westchester County). White Island, surveyed for the first time in 2002, did not support nesting herons or egrets, but the habitat looks suitable and may someday be colonized. The islands are publicly owned (by the City of New York and the National Park Service, Gateway National Recreation Area) with the exception of South Brother and Huckleberry Islands, which are in private ownership. This year's survey marks the 18th consecutive (l9th nonconsecutive) year of nesting heron surveys conducted by NYCAS. A total of 9 species of herons, egrets, and ibis were documented to nest on 7 islands and Double-crested Cormorants were documented to nest on 6 islands. A total of 1,522 nests were identified with Black-crowned Night-herons being most common (62.0% of nesting birds), after which were Snowy and Great egrets in about equal numbers (204 and 214 nests respectively), Glossy Ibis (141 nests), Little Blue Heron (4 nests), Cattle Egret (3 nests), Yellow-crowned Night-heron (6 nests) and Tri-colored Heron (6 nests). These numbers are similar to the 2000 and 2001 counts, but lower than counts in the early to mid-1990s when about 1,900-2,000 nests present on only five islands. Populations on the Arthur Kill-Kill van Kull islands continued their six-plus year decline and only about a dozen nesting herons remain on these islands. Isle of Meadows was completely abandoned in 2002, after dropping by about one-half in 2001. Numbers on Hoffinan and Goose islands increased, while on Huckleberry Island the number is down slightly. Robust populations remain on North and South Brother, and Canarsie Pol, and these colonies appear to be very pre>ductive. Cattle Egrets have experienced the largest decline with nearly complete extirpation. Glossy Ibis have also experienced a decline over the past 6 years, but the populations of these birds are known to fluctuate dramatically. Overall, the population in the entire harbor remains relatively healthy, but the precipitous decline in the Arthur Kill-Kill van Kull is problematic, especially in light of the abandonment ofIsle of Meadows. Declines of several species were noted and it was concluded that it is time to take action to determine what is causing these declines as well as how these declines can be halted or reversed.