The Birds of Project Greenshores
Bird Monitoring Report
The Audubon Society of Florida cites loss of habitat as
the “most important factor in the decline of birds and wildlife throughout
Florida.”
Shorelines, tidal mudflats, and wetland estuaries offer a variety of
mollusks, crustaceans, aquatic insects, larvae, marine worms and aquatic
life that are necessary to sustain local and migratory bird fauna. The Project Greenshores oyster reef and salt marsh restoration efforts
within the Pensacola Bay ecosystem will provide a resting stop and food
source to Florida’s vast migratory bird population and support resident bird
populations. Bird surveys monitor the
restoration process and provide a current species list in accordance with
the "Checklist of Birds of North America, 7th ed., American Ornithologists'
Union, 1998".
The Project GreenShores restoration
areas have been included in the Panhandle Section of the Great Florida
Birding Trail, a birding trail guide for birdwatchers by the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission (see
The Great
Florida Birding Trail
) and trail signs marking this designation should
be accomplished in the summer of 2008. For a current checklist, see
the
Project Greenshores Site Checklists.
|
Project GreenShores Site 1 Project GreenShores Site 2 |
Monitoring along the Pensacola bayfront began in March
2001.
Bird surveys are conducted with notations documenting tide stages, named
storms, approximate temperature and wind conditions. Volunteers from the
Francis M. Weston Audubon Society supplement routine monitoring with notable
bird reports.
Annually, participants in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count report the species
counted at the Project Greenshores restoration area and these reports are
added to the bird monitoring database.
For the 107th Christmas Bird Counts (CBC), Francis M. Weston Audubon Society members
Betsy Tetlow,
Ann Ziccardi, Lynn Gould, and Mary Newman provided data from restoration Sites 1 and 2
and reported a total of 21 bird species in the area on December 16, 2006.
While the numbers are still out for the 2008 Christmas Bird Count, weather
conditions were reported to be "white-out", a term used when rainfall is so
extreme that visibility is inhibited.
While background monitoring of Site 1 revealed 10 species of interest
prior to Project Greenshores, today the
species count
has reached approximately 65 bird species for this area. On April 28, 2008,
Bob and Lucy Duncan reported that the
Clapper Rail species was still present at the restoration
site and in June chicks were documented during routine monitoring. This report is significant because the Clapper Rail population in
Florida has, according to the Audubon of Florida's "State of the Birds
Report Summer 2007", declined by 81% since 1967 and this "decline has
mirrored the decline in quantity and quality of our coastal wetlands".
Project GreenShores Site 2 checklist documented 57 species
prior to restoration efforts. The checklist now totals 59 species which
includes a rare Canvasback duck on February 4, 2008 and two Caspian
Terns observed in April during routine monitoring.
On August 28, 2007 an immature White Ibis was observed by Jim McKinley and
photo documentation was submitted (see below). This wading bird was a new
addition to the Site 1 checklist.
White Ibis (in center) with Snowy Egrets - Photo by Jim McKinley
Another new species for the checklist was reported on December 1, 2007 by Will
Duncan of Gulf Breeze who heard the distinct call of the
Clapper Rail,
a secretive marsh bird. Listed on the National Audubon Society's 2007 Watchlist, the Clapper Rail is within the "Yellow" category which includes
species that are declining or rare and of nationwide conservation concern. The
Clapper Rail diet includes crabs, mollusks and insects.
On April 11, 2006 an American Oystercatcher was observed during routine
monitoring activity at Project Greenshores Site 1. This bird has been
rarely documented in Escambia County and enjoys a popular status among
birdwatchers due to its large orange-red beak and bright yellow eye accented
with a red orbital ring. The American Oystercatcher is listed on the Audubon
'Watchlist" which identifies those birds that have notable habitat
conservation needs. The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan has also identified
the American Oystercatcher as a "Species of High Concern" in Florida.
The Brown Pelican is
the earliest species recorded along Pensacola Bay for Project Greenshores
Site 1 bird survey.
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Brown Pelican
Rare along the gulf coast in the 1960's,
when its eggshells exhibited the affects of DDT exposure, their numbers have
rebounded in the annual Christmas Bird Count. On April 25, 2003 a Brown
Pelican was observed with a green band. The number and description of
the band was recorded to the North American Bird Banding Program and their
report included that this pelican was born in Louisiana. Despite the now
familiar presence of Brown Pelicans they do not breed locally.
Following Hurricane Isidora,
the restoration site was filled with approximately 200
pelicans feeding on baitfish with enthusiastic plunging dives. A Magnificent
Frigatebird was reported on the same day.
The tern
population, from the Family Larida, has been documented for the fall
migration and resident populations. A
variety of Terns have slowly found their way to the constructed reef of Site
1, in minimal yet historically proportional numbers.
Common Terns
(see photo above)
arrived with the Sandwich Tern and their numbers peaked with eight present
in October and they returned in May of 2003. Forster's
Terns have been recorded in good numbers and a Caspian Tern was
spotted during monitoring and added to the species list on October 5, 2002. Sandwich Tern
(see photo below)
arrived following the last rock addition to the reef and it was recorded in
monitoring surveys on August 30th through September 13th of 2002. Sightings
of this unique tern, which sports a yellow-tipped bill, have been occasional
for 2003.
Common Tern
Sandwich Tern
On April 11, 2003 Francis Weston Audubon Society member Lucy Duncan
reported two Caspian Terns in the Site 1 restoration site.
September 31, 2003 brought a return of these terns with an additional
species to add to the Site 1 checklist when three Black Terns were
observed. One Black Skimmer was
stationary on the reef in the morning of September 28, 2002 and recorded
again in the evening count on the 29th.
Royal Tern
Least Tern
The Least Tern is listed as a threatened
species for our area by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission and the Federal Endangered Species List and breeds in the Pensacola area. This small and acrobatic tern has been observed
feeding within the restoration waters (see photo, above
right of Least Tern perched on area piling) of Site 1 and populated
Site 2 restoration area in July of 2008. On July 25, 2008, 63 Least Terns,
adult and immature were documented loafing on the inter-tidal islands along
with three Black Terns. A Royal
Tern
(see photo, above left)
was recorded on January 19, 2002 after the first row of limestone
rock was placed on December 30th of 2001. They are considered common to this
area and have been erratically present, ranging from only an occasional
species to a peak of 37 recorded in March of 2003. The previous peak of 16
was recorded in March of 2002. This represents a notable increase from the
two previous years.
An upland waterfowl, the Belted
Kingfisher, watched the restoration project while nesting in the eastern
bank of Muscogee Wharf, a
jetty adjacent the restoration site. Background counts of Double-crested Cormorants and Brown
Pelicans for Muscogee Wharf have been also been recorded for this site and are included in the survey
database.
Documentation on wading
birds for the bayfront restoration areas has included the Great Blue Heron,
Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret,
Black-necked Stilt
and Tricolored Heron (2004).
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Black-necked Stilt
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egrets
Shorebirds, also known as "peeps", have been few with the Semipalmated Plover,
Sanderlings, Spotted Sandpiper (2002 and 2003-see
photo, below right) and
Semipalmated Sandpipers (May 2003) included on the species list.
The Spotted Sandpiper is known as a "pioneering species" that is quick to
colonize a new site.
Ruddy Turnstone Spotted Sandpiper
As the tidal marsh areas develop more benthic life, its role as a feeding
ground for migratory shorebirds is expected to become more prominent in this
monitoring.
Ruddy Turnstones (see photo, above left) have been a steady visitor
often
found foraging for marine invertebrates.
Killdeer hatchling-Photo by Nicole Hetzel
Plover sightings have included a juvenile Black-bellied Plover and the Killdeer
for both Sites 1 and 2. On June 6 of 2008 Nicole Hetzel reported and
photographed the hatching of baby Killdeers (see photo above) along the
shoreline at the Site 2 restoration area. Three chicks, closely guarded by
two adult Killdeers, were observed on June 19 during routine monitoring. November of 2005 the Semipalmated Plover
was added to the Site 2 bird species checklist and in February of 2006 the
Black-bellied Plover was also documented at the East storm drainage area
adjacent Hawkshaw Lagoon. These probing shorebirds dine primarily on aquatic
invertebrates. The Black-bellied Plover breeds on the Arctic tundra in
north-central Russia, northern Siberia and Alaska and is a winter migrant to
the gulf coast. In May of 2005 photo
documentation of a spring Killdeer chick was recorded along with two adults
Killdeers on the northern shoreline of Site 1.
Whimbrels Yellowlegs
Project GreenShores provides needed habitat to resident and migrant
shorebirds that depend on coastal habitats for their survival. Yellowlegs
(see photo, above right), and Willet
(documented occasionally in the monitoring) are larger shorebirds than the
"peeps" but all are in the Sandpiper family Scolopacidae.
The Whimbrels
(see photo, above left)
are
a species of concern on the Audubon Watchlist
and on June 5,
2003 two Whimbrels were recorded and photographed in Site 1 of Project
Greenshores. These shorebirds are not normally observed in the month of June
within the state of Florida, which gives this report a "Rare" status.
Locally, this species is also noted as rare and has been noted to be
declining in population in recent years (The Birds of Escambia, Santa
Rosa and Okaloosa Counties by Robert and Lucy Duncan). In
September and October of 2003 a
Lesser Yellowlegs was observed and photographed. This species nest in
Canada and Alaska and most winter in South America and through to the West
Indies. A small percentage of the population will stay along the southern
coastline of the United States during this same time period with their diet
mainly dependent upon insects, aquatic invertebrates and fish.
Horned Grebes
Red-breasted Merganser
Representing the
goose-sized swimmers are the Double-crested Cormorants, Common Loons,
Pied-bill Grebe, and Snow
Goose (two) recorded. A late Common Loon was reported for July 1,
2002 with winter counts increasing for 2003. The first Horned Grebe
(see photo, above left) was recorded on February 18, 2002 and seven
Red-breasted Mergansers (see photo, above right)
were first present in the restoration area on March 6, 2002,
representing the duck-sized swimmers. Red-breasted Mergansers were
documented again this year in representative numbers. On
April 8,
2005, a Mottled Duck (see below) was observed during routine
monitoring with Francis M. Weston Audubon volunteers Maria Trimble and Mary
Jones. This observation was a first April record for the Western Panhandle
and included in the "Alabama Birdlife", Journal of the Alabama
Ornithological Society, as a significant sighting.
Mottled Duck
Lesser Scaup
(see photo, below left) made an
appearance last winter in moderate numbers. In February 2004, Alan
Knothe, bird guide for Nature Tours by Alan in Fort Walton Beach, reported
Black Scoter in the project area Site 1.
Lesser Scaup
Red-headed Duck
The winter of 2002-2003
brought some new additions to the Project
Greenshores checklist with the appearance of a Redheaded Duck
(see photo, above right)
and a new gull species, the Bonaparte's Gull (see photo, below
left).
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gulls are
the most predominant gull species and present year-round with additional
populations joining the Ring-billed Gulls (see photo, above right) with a fall appearance.
Winter migration also brings the Herring Gull (see photo below), a relatively large
gull that offers a variety of plumages during its first four years of life.
Herring Gull
On January 22, 2003, an Osprey was first observed
studying the project area adjacent a newly created inter-tidal saltmarsh. Ospreys
continue to be documented along the bayfront project areas. An Osprey was
photographed in November 2003, perched upon a project information sign (see
photo below) located in the restoration area of Site 1.
Osprey
Some species observed near
the shoreline that have been included in the monitoring data are the Eastern Phoebe,
Eastern Kingbird, Gray Kingbird (June 2004, breeding),
Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, and Loggerhead Shrike
(see photo, below).
Photos presented on this webpage are copyright to Cheryl Bunch,
unless otherwise credited, and
available for educational use.
For use of other photographs presented, please email contact
person below for specific permissions.
Source References:
Audubon Christmas
Bird Count
The Audubon
Watchlist
The
Birds of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties Florida by Robert
and Lucy Duncan
All
the Birds of North America by
Jack Griggs
The
Sibley’s Guide to Birds by
David Allen Sibley
Florida's Birds by Herbert W. Kale, II, and David S. Maehr
Related
information:
Project
Greenshores Bird Checklist
Return
to Project Greenshores
For more information, contact:
cheryl.bunch@dep.state.fl.us
Northwest District - Project GreenShores Bird Monitoring Report
