Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Resource Management Field Summary for May 20 – May 26, 2010
(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)
Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:
|
Observations |
Thurs 5/20 |
Fri 5/21 |
Sat 5/22 |
Sun 5/23 |
Mon 5/24 |
Tues 5/25 |
Weds 5/26 |
|
Oregon Inlet |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Cape Point1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
South Beach |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hatteras Inlet |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hatteras Overwash |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
N. Ocracoke |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
S. Ocracoke |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 Does not include chick totals.
Bodie District:
Bodie Island: PIPLs have been observed this week. No breeding activity was observed.
Hatteras District:
Cape Point: Up to seven PIPLs have been observed at one time. Six broods have 20 chicks.
South Beach: A lone PIPL was observed on 5/23 and 5/24.
Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet: No PIPL have been observed.
Other Beaches: No PIPL have been observed.
Ocracoke District:
North Ocracoke: Up to 2 PIPLs have been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines. On 5/20 a PIPL was observed scraping in the shell beds within colonial waterbird colony 2A.
South Point: Up to 2 PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats. Four pairs have had documented nests. Two pairs have 4 egg nests. The third pair lost its 3-egg re-nest on 5/26 due to high surf and flooding of South Point. The forth pair lost its previous nest and has not re-nested. In addition, there is one 3-egg Wilson’s plover nest. In total, there are two active PIPL nests and one active WIPL nest.
PIPL Breeding Summary:
|
Total Nests to Date |
Active Nests |
Total Nests Hatched |
Total Nests Lost |
Total Eggs Hatched |
Unfledged Chicks |
Lost Chicks |
Fledged Chicks |
|
11 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
21 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
Nest Summary/Expected hatch dates:
Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/13. The four chicks are 14 days old and should fledge sometime after 6/9.
Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point. Two chicks hatched on 5/14 and are 13 days old and should fledge sometime after 6/10.
Nest 3 - Cape Point. Three chicks hatched on 5/21 and are six days old and should fledge sometime after 6/17.
Nest 4 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and are six days old and should fledge sometime after 6/17.
Nest 5 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/24 and are three days old and should fledge sometime after 6/20.
Nest 6 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and the three remaining chicks are six days old, and should fledge sometime after 6/17.
Nest 7 - South Point. Lost on 5/2.
Nest 8 - South Point. Lost on 5/5.
Nest 9 - South Point. This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/4, exclosed as a three-egg nest on 5/8, and was a four egg nest on 5/12. Hatching should occur on or near 6/3.
Nest 10 - South Point. This nest was discovered as a three-egg nest on 5/16 and exclosed the same day. The nest was still a three egg nest as of 5/25. This nest was most likely a re-nest from pair #7, which laid Nest 7 on South Point. This nest was lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.
Nest 11 - South Point. This nest was discovered as a three-egg nest on 5/16 and exclosed the same day. The nest became a four-egg nest on 5/17. Hatching should occur on or near 6/11.
WIPL Update:
WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point Ocracoke within the pre-nesting closure. One nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, has been confirmed as a WIPL nest. The nest is currently a 3 egg nest.
American Oystercatchers (AMOY): Pairs continue to be observed on scrape territories in all districts.
|
Location |
Total Nests to Date |
Active Nests |
Nests Hatched |
Nests Lost |
Total Chicks Hatched |
Unfledged Chicks |
Chicks Lost |
Fledged Chicks |
|
Green Island |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bodie District |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bodie/Hatteras District |
4 |
0 |
31 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hatteras District |
11 |
4 |
62 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
|
Ocracoke District |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
CAHA TOTALS |
24 |
8 |
11 |
5 |
24 |
20 |
4 |
0 |
1Partial hatch. As of 5/26 one of two eggs had hatched.
2One nest with one chick and two eggs was lost.
3A single-egg nest was abandoned and depredated by a great black-backed gull.
2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-two confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. Four “potential” pairs, for which scraping and breeding was observed, continue to be monitored although the potential for nesting has diminished. Infrequent observations of single birds in one of the “potential” pairs territories leads us to believe they may be nesting soundside or on an offshore island.
Bodie District:
- Green Island: Two breeding pairs have nests (both three-eggs).
- Bodie Island: A one-egg AMOY nest is being incubated. This nest is a clutch continuation and the first two eggs laid in different locations have been lost.
- Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30): One breeding pair has a nest (one chick and one egg). One pair has lost its one egg nest on 5/20. One pair has three chicks that hatched on 5/15 and 5/16. One pair has two chicks that hatched on 5/22.
Hatteras District: Four breeding pairs have four three-egg nests. Six nests have hatched and two chicks have been lost. One nest was abandoned and subsequently depredated.
Ocracoke District:
- North Ocracoke: One pair is incubating a three-egg nest. This nest should hatch on or near 5/28.
- Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72): The northern most pair hatched one chick on 5/25. The second and third eggs were lost. A second AMOY pair has documented breeding behavior, but no nest. The third pair hatched two chicks from a three-egg nest on 5/17. The third egg was pipped but never hatched. These two chicks were lost on or just prior to 5/21 to an unknown cause.
- South Point: Two pairs of AMOYs are occupying the area south of Ramp 72. One pair is scraping on the east side of the pre-nesting closure and the sound-side spit. The other pair had lost two eggs due to weather (one on 4/29 and another on 5/2), but was incubating a two egg nest (clutch-continuation) on the east side of South Point. This two-egg nest was lost in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26.
Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):
Bodie District:
Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE nests and scrapes.
Green Island:
Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE nests and scrapes, and BLSK scrapes.
Bodie Hatteras District:
Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes.
Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE nests and scrapes.
Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes.
Colony BHC04- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 27 area abandoned, closure removed 5/25.
Colony BHC05- 1.0 mi N of Ramp 27 area abandoned, closure removed 5/25.
Hatteras District:
Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests and scrapes.
Colony HIC02 - 0.6 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests and scrapes.
Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with a LETE nest.
Colony HIC04 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Ramp active with LETE nests.
Ocracoke District:
Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests and scrapes as of 5/25. Area heavily impacted by high surf and flooding on 5/26. It is unknown how many nests remain.
Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE nests.
Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests and scrapes.
Sea turtle nests: None
Sea Turtle Strandings:
Bodie District:
- None this week
Hatteras District:
- None this week.
Ocracoke District:
- 5/20 – A severely decomposed female loggerhead sea turtle was found dead 1.7 mi S of Ramp 59.
- 5/24 – A severely decomposed loggerhead sea turtle was found dead 0.7 mi N of Ramp 59.
Marine Mammals:
Bodie District:
- 5/25- A live pygmy sperm whale was discovered 0.2 mi S of Ramp 1. The animal was euthanized under guidance from NOAA and in consultation with NC State Vet School. A full necropsy was conducted by NPS and UNCW. Findings included a very high parasite load and a heart deformation.
Hatteras District:
- None this week.
Ocracoke District:
- None this week.
Closures – additions/modifications/removals:
|
Closure # |
Location |
Species |
Date Installed or Removed |
|
Bodie District |
|
|
|
|
BH10-002-B |
0.7 mi N of Ramp 30 |
AMOY |
5/20/2010 |
|
BH10-005-R |
0.07 mi N of Ramp 27 |
LETE |
5/25/2010-removed |
|
BH10-006-R |
1.0 mi N of Ramp 27 |
LETE |
5/25/2010-removed |
|
BI10-002-R |
N side of Bait Pond under bridge. |
AMOY |
5/25/2010-removed |
|
Hatteras District |
|
|
|
|
HI10-004-D |
Hatteras Inlet Spit |
AMOY |
5/19/2010 |
|
HI10-005-C |
Between Ramp 43 & Ramp 44 |
AMOY |
5/21/2010 |
|
HI10-001-E |
Cape Point |
AMOY, PIPL |
5/25/2010 |
|
HI10-005-R |
Between Ramp 43 & Ramp 44 |
AMOY |
5/25/2010-removed |
|
Ocracoke District |
|
|
|
|
OI10-003-C |
0.4 mi N. of Ramp 70 |
AMOY |
5/22/2010 |
Closure intrusions:
Bodie District:
5/20- High tide had taken out carsonite signs 0.1 mi N R23, multiple pedestrians observed near tide line, signs were replaced and individuals were escorted out of the closure.
5/23- Three sets of footprints and one set of dog tracks observed within the LETE closure at R23.
5/23- Three pedestrians were inside the closure 0.1 mi N R23; individuals were escorted out of the closure.
Hatteras District:
None observed this week.
Ocracoke District:
None observed this week.