Wilson's Plover Upswing - Census of these Birds Shows Surge in Nesting Pairs

With more than 350 nesting pairs, Wilson’s plovers in Georgia are doing much better than 10 years ago, according to a survey led by the state Department of Natural Resources.

The survey in May and June found three times as many nesting pairs as in 2000. The increase for these shorebirds state-listed as rare in Georgia is credited mostly to improved habitat, according to wildlife biologist Tim Keyes of the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.

Of 19 islands surveyed, Cumberland led with 106 nesting pairs, followed by St. Catherines and Ossabaw with 49 and 44 pairs, respectively. All accretional beach and dune areas considered potential nesting habitat, including terraced sand and wrack flats, embryonic and developed dune fields, and beach wash-over plumes not subjected to regular tidal flooding, were surveyed on foot.

“The high numbers of Wilson’s plover this year, coupled with observing many chicks at a number of locations, was an exciting find,” Keyes said. “Beach nesting birds face so many challenges, ranging from storms and high tides to avian and terrestrial predators and human and canine disturbances, it often seems remarkable that they ever successfully fledge young.”

Wilson’s plover is a medium-sized shorebird once numerous on south Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches. Following declines, the species is now listed among high-priority animals in the Georgia Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy that guides efforts statewide to conserve biological diversity.

Apart from counting nesting pairs of Wilson’s plovers, workers placed signs in areas of high nesting concentrations to warn beach-goers of the birds’ presence. When faced with close human approach, adult birds will flush off the nest and, using distraction displays, attempt to lure people away from the nest. If the birds are kept from the nest too long, the eggs may overheat or be eaten by gulls, crabs and other predators.

Keyes said survey participants included Jen Hilburn of the St. Catherines Island Foundation, Scott Coleman of Little St. Simons Island and several volunteers who also help monitor sea turtle nesting. The National Park Service on Cumberland and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also provided assistance.

Keyes thanked all who helped. “This survey would not have been possible without the full cooperation and at times participation of people working on all of Georgia’s barrier islands, and we are very grateful to them for their assistance.”

His goal is to repeat the survey every five years, depending on manpower.

This year’s census of Wilson’s plovers follows estimates of 107 nesting pairs in 2000, 360 in 1980 and 200-250 in 1986-1987.

The survey is an example of how buying a nongame license plate or donating to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund supports wildlife conservation. Contributions benefit the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in the state.

How can you help?

Donate online at www.georgiawildlife.com. Click “Donate to the Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund” and follow directions. The process is secure. Donations are tax-deductible.
Buy a license plate featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird, available for a $35 fee at tag offices, by checking the wildlife license plate box on mail-in registrations and through online renewals (http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags).
Contribute through the Give Wildlife a Chance checkoff. Fill in an amount more than $1 on line 27 of the long state income tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ). Contributions can be deducted from refunds or added to payments.

For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). Call the Forsyth office or go to http://tern.homestead.com/ for details on The Environmental Resources Network. TERN is a nonprofit advocacy group for the Nongame Conservation Section.



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USAID Works With Private Sector To Encourage Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts

/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a diverse group of private sector representatives in San Salvador today, encouraging them to join the sea turtle conservation effort. Sea turtles, which are an endangered species, nest along the Salvadoran coastline.

U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Robert Blau and representatives from USAID participated in a breakfast with business leaders and members of environmental conservation groups, along with two special guests: Biologist Wallace J. Nichols and Oceanographer and Environmental Economist Fabien Cousteau (grandson of Jacques Cousteau, the celebrated French sailor and researcher).

"The U.S. Government is pleased to support the efforts to protect and restore these important natural and economic resources," Blau said. "With the financial support of USAID, studies have been carried out which reveal that this country is the most important country in all of Latin America for the survival of the Hawksbill turtle."

The goal is to establish public-private partnerships to finance both the management of marine resources and the conservation of the turtle species, by raising $1.2 million over the next five years. These funds will aid in the collection, incubation, and release of at least 80 percent of the sea turtle eggs laid on the beaches in El Salvador.

Even just two years ago, human beings had consumed more than 95 percent of the turtle eggs in El Salvador. In February 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources established a complete and permanent ban on the sale and consumption of sea turtles and sea turtle products. As a result, diverse sectors of society are working together more effectively to increase the number of hatcheries in the country. These USAID-supported actions have resulted in the incubation of more than one million turtle eggs. Nevertheless, the challenges continue. Experts estimate that the species remains on the brink of extinction.

Within the sea turtle conservation component of the USAID Improved Management and Conservation of Critical Watersheds Project, USAID has supported the setup and operation of more than 30 hatcheries on beaches which are crucial for sea turtle reproduction. The program's achievements include: the protection of over 120 kilometers of coastline, the release of 900,000 newborn turtles, the development of ecotourism, and the awarding of a $400,000 direct economic incentive to tortugueros (poachers) who now work as beach keepers and are paid for egg collection and beach protection services. Additionally, the project has contributed to diminishing the demand for turtle eggs though a mass media campaign and has promoted a national strategy for the conservation of El Salvador's sea turtles.

It is because of these efforts that Fabien Cousteau is visiting the country. He forms part of the third generation of explorers in his family. Cousteau has proposed innovative solutions to achieve a balance between regional environmental problems and market realities. Together with his father, Jean-Michel Cousteau, he works to explore the oceans and raise awareness about the need to conserve the planet. Cousteau has also launched the Nature Entertainment program to share conservation efforts via the media. This year, he will support sea turtle conservation, motivating various countries to participate in order to release one billion baby turtles into the ocean. El Salvador will be the starting point of this effort, beginning with the inauguration of the hatchery season that is planned for May 7 at San Diego Beach, La Libertad.

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Online Database Helps Track Nesting Sea Turtles

Nesting numbers are rising and residents and sea turtle enthusiasts alike are anxious to know which of Georgia’s barrier islands will be in the lead this year. A new online database will now make this friendly competition simpler to follow.

The database housed at Seaturtle.org tracks nests in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Visitors to the site can see the number of nests by location as well as other information including nest losses and false crawls, where a female turtle comes ashore and then leaves without nesting. Information is updated in real-time as members of Georgia’s Sea Turtle Cooperative enter their findings.

2008 marked the 20th anniversary of the cooperative, a milestone for sea turtle conservation. Coordinated by the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the group of volunteers, researchers and biologists from various agencies monitor turtle nesting activities on Georgia beaches. The new database will make it easier for the cooperators to share their information.

“The new database management system is exciting because it allows us to monitor sea turtle nesting in real-time and make more timely management decisions,” said Mark Dodd, Senior wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Conservation Section and Sea Turtle Coordinator. “ In addition, it allows cooperators who are often isolated on barrier islands to see what is happening on nearby beaches.”

Sea turtle nesting data is crucial in monitoring populations, formulating protective regulations, making management decisions, and maximizing reproduction for recovery.

To view the new database visit: http://www.seaturtle.org/nestdb/index.shtml?view=3&t=1243875719

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Georgia Has First Sea Turtle Nest of the Season

AAA Note: The official start of the sea turtle nesting season is barely a week old. The first nest was just spotted on Sea Island. Hopes are high for another record season.


First turtle nest of season recorded
Mary Landers


Georgia's sea turtle nesting season began Monday with the discovery of the first nest of the year on Sea Island.

The nest was that of a leatherback turtle, which is larger than the more common loggerhead sea turtle.....http://savannahnow.com/node/718941

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Another Great Year for Loggerheads Waiting?

Sea turtles' nesting season nears
State biologists worry about effects of dredging on the loggerheads

By Teresa Stepzinski


A mass of hard-shelled mothers to be are waiting off the Georgia coast.

Loggerhead sea turtles - many believed to be nesting females - have been sighted offshore, prompting cautious optimism among state wildlife biologists that it could be another good year for the protected species.

"We expect them to move in and start nesting beginning next week. We're kind of expecting it will be.....http://www.jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2009-04-25/story/sea_turtles_nesting_season_nears

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Despite Storms, Georgia Sea Turtle Nest Counts Top Record

Cooler weather has come to Georgia’s coast and with it the close of a record-breaking nesting season for loggerhead sea turtles. Due to storm impacts, however, a nest success rate slightly lower than normal is expected for the federally threatened species.

The good news is that 1,646 loggerhead nests were counted on barrier island beaches this summer. Cumberland and Blackbeard islands recorded the highest number of nests at 336 and 261, respectively. The season total represents a record year in Georgia, breaking the previous mark of 1,504 nests set in 2003. Last year’s total dipped to 688, the third lowest since daily monitoring effort began in 1989.

Federal criteria require at least 2,000 nests a year for a 25-year period for the species to be considered recovered.

In August, Tropical Storm Fay swept through the waters off coastal Georgia, creating a tidal surge that inundated and washed away some nests. The lack of a direct hit on the barrier islands tempered the storm’s effect. However, loggerhead nests still felt the impact.

Researchers and volunteers reported that high tides from Fay damaged approximately 8 percent of the nests. Probably another 25 percent were inundated multiple times, which can affect nest success.

“Generally we have about a 70 percent success rate,” said Mark Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section. “We expect that this year it will be a little lower than normal. Luckily, approximately 50 percent of the nests had already hatched at the time of the storm, so we expect to still have a pretty good year for hatchling production.”

Final nest success numbers are tallied from multiple databases and will be released by early 2009.

Loggerheads, the most common sea turtle on Georgia’s coast, are state-listed as endangered. The nesting season runs from May through September.

Georgians can help conserve sea turtles and other animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants and habitats, through buying wildlife license plates that feature a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds.

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