1. American Oystercatcher Management in Florida Ann B. Hodgson, Ph. D., PWS Gulf Coast Ecosystem Science Coordinator / Sanctuaries Manager Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program 410 Ware Blvd., Ste. 702 Tampa, FL 33619 813 623-6826 Phone / 813 376-8663 Field Phone ahodgson@audubon.org

2. Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program  Staff Dr. Ann Hodgson, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Science Coordinator / Sanctuaries Manager Dr. Ann Hodgson, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Science Coordinator / Sanctuaries Manager Ann Paul Ann Paul Tampa Bay Regional Coordinator Mark Rachal Mark Rachal Field Biologist Carol Cassels Carol Cassels Seasonal Warden Rob Heath Rob Heath Spoonbill Technician Project ColonyWatch Volunteers Project ColonyWatch Volunteers  Audubon of Florida’s organizational plan: The Gulf Coast Region was established in 2005 as one of six Audubon of Florida organizational regions. FCISP manages 9+ counties on the Gulf Coast, AND The 5 historic sanctuaries in Palm Beach County. FCISP continues (>100 yrs) as a FL colonial waterbird research center. FCISP provides technical services to public and private cooperators.

3. AMOY Conservation Issues in Tampa Bay, FL  Large AMOY breeding population and high CBC counts annually.  Shoreline development continues to decrease habitat options for all life history requirements.  Human disturbance from water-based recreation, residential, commercial and industrial development is stressing the AMOY population.  Amplified ship wakes, primarily from the cruise ships and large cargo traffic (Tampa Bay now allows ‘Panamax’ ships), create impressive bow wakes that are over-washing AMOY nests, particularly with the high spring tides.

4. American Oystercatcher Count by 2003 CBC Circle

5. CBC FL - number of birds reported per party hour

6. Data: Number of birds reported per party hour  The graph was generated using the number of birds reported per party hour; a measure of the amount of time spent searching for birds or the amount of effort expended. This is one way to standardize Christmas Bird Count data over time. Some years, there may have been a lot of people counting birds, while other years there may have been fewer participants in the field. As CBC participation fluctuates (and as the number of CBC Count Circles increases), raw count numbers may also fluctuate (more counters can often lead to more birds reported).

7. CBC FL - raw count numbers

8. Data: Raw count numbers  The graph was generated using raw count numbers for the species selected. Because of fluctuations in the number of participants on CBC's from year to year, and the growth in the number of CBC count circles over the last 100 years, the graph may be misleading.

9. 2006 Pairs of AMOY, SNPL, and WIPL on the FL Gulf Coast 2006 Pairs of AMOY, SNPL, and WIPL on the FL Gulf Coast

10. 2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast 2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast Colony NameCounty20062007 Citrus Co Spoil Islands & Cross FL CanalCitrus2010 North Anclote BarPasco21 Anclote River Mouth Spoil IslandsPasco11 South Anclote BarPinellas11 Three Rooker Bar/IslandPinellas25 St. Joseph Sound Marker 28Pinellas10 St. Joseph Sound Marker 26Pinellas11 Ozona Spoil EastPinellas11 Dunedin Sand Key WestPinellas03 I-25Pinellas31 Marker 10Pinellas-1 Indian Rocks/Belleair Beach Bird IslandPinellas11 Indian Rocks Beach SouthPinellas11 Darling Key, Marker 20, Boca Ciega BayPinellas1- Little Bird Key NWRPinellas1- Shell KeyPinellas-3

11. 2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast 2007 Pairs of AMOY on the FL Gulf Coast Colony NameCounty20062007 Egmont Key NWR & St. PkHillsborough33 Tampa Port Authority 2DHillsborough3537 Alafia BankHillsborough16 Tampa Port Authority 3DHillsborough15 Apollo Beach & Fishhook SpoilHillsborough714 Passage Key NWRHillsborough10 Port Manatee KeyManatee53 Skiers IslandSarasota1- Pelican Cove PointSarasota1- Little Sarasota Bay Marker 34Sarasota1- Blackburn Bay Marker 20Sarasota1- Masters Island/Upper Bird Island NWRLee-1 Givney key/Matlacha Pass NWRLee-1 Fisherman's Island NWRLee-1 Big Carlos Pass Marker 43Lee-1 Total 122

12. AMOY breeding census 1994-2006, Tampa Bay, FL

13. 2007 Pairs of AMOY – Lake Worth Lagoon 2007 Pairs of AMOY – Lake Worth Lagoon  S. Lake Worth Lagoon – Snook Islands 1 large feathered young hatched on an isolated mangrove island in the south lagoon (local manager photographed the chick). 1 large feathered young hatched on an isolated mangrove island in the south lagoon (local manager photographed the chick).  RECAP 2007 Gulf Coast - all sites – 112 prs; adjusted for unsurveyed and/or new surveys = 122+ Gulf Coast - all sites – 112 prs; adjusted for unsurveyed and/or new surveys = 122+ Tampa Bay - 88 prs Tampa Bay - 88 prs Habitat loss – submerging islands & disturbance Habitat loss – submerging islands & disturbance

14. Factors affecting AMOY Reproductive Success in Hillsborough Bay, FL  2006 population estimate was 68 pairs/nests in Hills. Bay, FL.  Nesting concentrated on Spoil islands 2D&3D, and RTP Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, and Apollo Beach area.  68/(850 birds/2) = 68/425 = 15+% of the Florida population.  Strong site fidelity – the same pairs nest at the same site every year; comparing nest sites inter-annually, we know that pairs come in early on the same beach sites annually; the trio always nests at the same site for the past 15 yrs.  High fecundity / pair.  Low chick survivorship.  Poor fledging success.

15. Tampa Bay, FL

16. Hillsborough Bay, FL

17. Apollo Beach, S. Hillsborough Bay, FL Photo Credits: Southwest Florida Water Management District

18. Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, 3D and ‘Beer Can Island’ Photo Credit: Southwest Florida Water Management District Photo Credit: Gandy Aerial Photography, Inc.

19. Tampa Bay AMOY Nest Sites

20. Port Manatee Key, S. Tampa Bay, FL.

21. AMOY/beach-nesting shorebird protection is labor-intensive!

22. Adult AMOY are regularly disturbed by recreational boaters Adult AMOY driven off the nest by a boater

23. Amoy nests are practically invisible

24. AMOY chicks are vulnerable to predation regardless of cryptic coloration

25. Typical oyster bar and mangrove islets habitat

26. Emergent oyster bars provide shorebird foraging

27. Hillsborough Bay AMOY Conservation Planning   FCISP participates on the Tampa Bay regional Migratory Bird Protection Committee with agency partners (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tampa Port Authority (TPA)).   FCISP annual conducts AMOY breeding surveys on the Gulf Coast.   The TPA is increasing the dike height 20 ft. on Spoil Island 2D.   TPA proposed to construct a ‘wildlife habitat structure’ as part of the project mitigation - FCISP recommended the site location of the ‘structure’ in front of 7 persistent AMOY territories.   The ‘structure’ will be a revetment of large rip rap, designed to attenuate high waves from large cargo ships in the shipping channel.   FCISP staff seasonally patrols AMOY breeding locations/known nesting areas, especially in Hillsborough Bay, on weekends and holidays – we have distributed 70,000 Hillsborough Bay Boaters’ Guides in the past 5 years to provide public boating education and marine conservation.   FCISP is leading the beach-nesting bird conservation committee to protect AMOY and other beach-nesters along the Gulf Coast region.   FCISP received a TPA grant to analyze 15+ years of AMOY data in Hillsborough Bay.   FCISP submitted a WCS grant to expand Project ColonyWatch and beach-nesting bird protection on the Gulf Coast region.

28. Spoil Island 2D – the Tampa shipping channel is off the west shore. Tampa shipping channel – west shoreline

29. 2D ‘Wildlife Habitat Structure’ Locations

30. Acknowledgments   U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program   NFWF Pinellas County Environmental Fund   Tampa Port Authority   Manatee County Port Authority   Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County   Tampa Bay Estuary Program   Sarasota Bay Estuary Program   Sarasota County Environmental Department   Mosaic LLC   Gulfstream LLC   Private Donors Literature Cited   Hodgson, A. B., A. F. Paul, and M. Rachal. 2007. Bay Environmental Monitoring Report: Chapter 17 – Avian Conservation. Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St. Petersburg, FL.   National Audubon Society. 2006. Internet:http://audubon2.org/birds/ cbc. Accessed 2Dec2006.

31. Questions? Photo Credit: Pat Leary Photo Credit: Lorraine Margeson