1. American Oystercatcher Research and Monitoring 2004 Status Report North Carolina’s Outer Banks and Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, MA

2. Monomoy NWR Northernmost AMOY study site Monomoy is one of the highest density nesting site for AMOY in the Northeast Well protected site (from humans) – potential production site for the Northeast region Supports the largest fall staging flock of AMOY in the Northeast

3. Monomoy NWR The Refuge consists of two primary islands, North and South Monomoy, a small sandbar accreting to the west, “Minimoy” and a small portion of the mainland

4. Monomoy NWR Second year of research Collaborative effort between Monomoy NWR and NCSU Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Advisory support in 2004 from Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

5. Monomoy NWR No. Breeding Pairs No. of Clutches % Nests Hatching Young No. of Chicks Fledged Fecundity (# Chicks Fledged/ Pair) 200333573512.3636 2004345238.514.4118 Productivity from 2003 - 2004

6. Monomoy NWR Causes of Nest Failure 2003-2004 109 Nests monitored 69 Failed to Hatch – Coyotes 1724.6% – Avian 1217.4% – Weather 10 14.5% – Failed to Hatch 6 8.7% – Unknown 2418.7%

7. Monomoy NWR Expanded on banding efforts begun in 2003 Banded 21 adults and 9 chicks Monitored banded birds through the breeding season and into fall staging flocks

8. Monomoy Resightings

9. North Carolina NC Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Shiloh Schulte Ted Simons US National Park Service Jeff Cordes Marcia Lyons National Audubon Society Walker Golder

10. Methods and Study Sites Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores Over 160 km of barrier island habitat Locate nests and track their status every 3 to 4 days Determine causes of failure Monitor chick survival Trap and band adults and chicks

11. Productivity from 1995 through 2004 18734719.1280.15 213339.460.29 16230414.7190.12 263080.0361.39 No. of Breeding Pairs No. of Clutches % Nests Hatching Young No. of Chicks Fledged Fecundity (No. chicks/ pair/year) South Core Banks 1995-2003 North Core Banks 1998-2003 South Core Banks 2004 North Core Banks 2004

12. Productivity – continued 141811.130.21 5728.620.4 10613528.2190.18 141776.490.64 607941.7270.45 91163.680.89 52988320.8960.18 759860.2610.81 Bodie Island 1999-2003 Hatteras Island 1999-2003 Ocracoke Island 1999-2003 Total 1995-2003 Ocracoke Island 2004 Hatteras Island 2004 Bodie Island 2004 Total 2004 No. of Breeding Pairs No. of Clutches % Nests Hatching Young No. of Chicks Fledged Fecundity (No. chicks/ pair/year)

13. North Carolina

14. Productivity spike in 2004 Exploring the use of habitat models to interpret pre and post Hurricane Isabel conditions in terms of their value to breeding AMOY Possible explanations –Significantly improved nesting habitat –Rejuvenated foraging areas –Reduction in predators –Larger buffer between humans and nests due to increased habitat (NCB primarily)

15. North Carolina Banding –95 Oystercatchers banded in NC this summer! –62 chicks and 33 adults –Adults were trapped using the decoy and noose carpet method –Chicks were captured between ages 21 and 37 days

16. North Carolina resightings