Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Resource Management Field Summary for June 24 – June 30, 2010
(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)
Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:
|
Observations |
Thurs 6/24 |
Fri 6/25 |
Sat 6/26 |
Sun 6/27 |
Mon 6/28 |
Tues 6/29 |
Weds 6/30 |
|
Oregon Inlet |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Cape Point |
27 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
South Beach |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Hatteras Inlet |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hatteras Overwash |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
N. Ocracoke1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
S. Ocracoke1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 Does not include incubating adults or broods with chicks.
Bodie District:
Bodie Island: One PIPL has been observed foraging.
Hatteras District:
Cape Point: 27 PIPLs (12 adults and 15 fledglings) were observed foraging on the shoreline of the large Salt Pond. Two male PIPL continue to be observed in territorial disputes and making scrapes at Cape Point.
South Beach: A three-egg PIPL nest from Pair 12 continues to be incubated. One lone male continues to be observed. A total of four PIPLs have been observed at one time.
Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet: No PIPL have been observed.
Other Beaches: No PIPL have been observed.
Ocracoke District:
North Ocracoke: One PIPL has been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines. The PIPL nest on North Ocracoke hatched three chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/25. As of 6/30 two chicks have survived.
South Point: Up to 3 PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats. At least three pairs have had documented nests. One pair has a 4 egg nest, which is a re-nest found 6/3. The hatch date for this nest is 7/3. A second pair hatched three chicks, but all chicks were lost by 6/7. A third pair hatched 4 chicks 6/12-6/13 but lost all of them by 6/16. A nest was found on 6/20 with one egg, but was lost to ghost crab predation by 6/23. It is unknown whether this nest was laid by a new pair or not. A three-egg nest was found 6/29 near where the 6/20 nest had been predated. It is believed that this new nest is a clutch continuation of the nest was predated. There are currently two active PIPL nests on South Point.
PIPL Breeding Summary:
|
Total Nests to Date |
Active Nests |
Total Nests Hatched |
Total Nests Lost |
Total Eggs Hatched |
Unfledged Chicks |
Lost Chicks |
Fledged Chicks |
|
16* |
3 |
8 |
4 |
28 |
0 |
13 |
15 |
* This counts the three egg nest on Ocracoke, found 6/29, as a separate nest, although it is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs 6/23.
Nest/Brood Summary/Expected hatch dates:
Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/13. Four chicks fledged 6/8.
Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point. Two chicks hatched on 5/14. One chick fledged 6/3 and the other chick fledged 6/9.
Nest/Brood 3 & 5 - Cape Point. Three chicks hatched on 5/21. One chick was lost on 5/28 and another on 6/6. The Brood 3 chick fledged on 6/17. Brood 5 chicks fledged on 6/21.
Nest/Brood 4 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and four chicks fledged (three on 6/18) by 6/21.
Nest/Brood 5 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/24. Two chicks were lost on 5/30. Two chicks joined Brood 3 on 6/1.
Nest/Brood 6 - Cape Point. Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and another on 5/28. Two chicks fledged on 6/16.
Nest 7 - South Point. Lost on 5/2.
Nest 8 - South Point. Lost on 5/5.
Nest/Brood 9 - South Point. This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/4, and hatched three chicks 6/5 - 6/6. All three chicks were lost to unknown predation (probably ghost crab or avian) on 6/7. The fourth egg from this nest was abandoned by 6/8.
Nest/Brood 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 lost Nest 7 on South Point. This nest was lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.
Nest/Brood 11 - South Point. This nest was a four-egg nest that was discovered on 5/16 and hatched 4 chicks 6/12 – 6/13. All four chicks were lost between 6/13 and 6/16 (1 chick was lost to a ghost crab, the cause of loss for the other three chicks is unknown).
Nest 12 – North Ocracoke. This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/27 and exclosed on 5/31 as a three-egg nest. Three chicks hatched 6/25, one was lost on or around 6/28. Two chicks were observed on 6/30.
Nest 13 – South Point. This nest was discovered at a one-egg nest on 6/3 and exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/7. This nest is believed to be a re-nest from pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on 5/2 and Nest 10 on 5/26. Hatching should occur on or near 7/3.
Nest 14 – South Beach. A two-egg nest was discovered on 6/15 and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/16. It should hatch on or near 7/12.
Nest 15 – South Point. A one-egg nest was discovered on 6/20 but was predated (presumably by ghost crab) on or before 6/23.
Nest 16 (or Nest 15a) – South Point. A three-egg nest was discovered and immediately exclosed on 6/29 on South Point Spit. It is believed that this nest may be a clutch-continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs on 6/23.
WIPL Update:
WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point (Ocracoke) within the pre-nesting closure. A three egg nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, hatched on 6/6 with three chicks. Although the WIPL chicks are not observed daily, on 6/17 all chicks were present and foraging on the sound-side shoreline of South Point. On 6/19 a new one-egg WIPL nest was found on South Point. This nest became a two-egg nest on 6/22, and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/27.
American Oystercatchers (AMOY):
|
Location |
Total Nests to Date |
Active Nests |
Nests Hatched |
Nests Lost |
Total Chicks Hatched |
Unfledged Chicks |
Chicks Lost |
Fledged Chicks |
|
Green Island |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bodie District |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Bodie/Hatteras District |
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
|
Hatteras District |
12 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
22 |
8 |
2 |
12 |
|
Ocracoke District |
6 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
|
CAHA TOTALS |
28 |
1 |
20 |
7 |
47 |
23 |
9 |
15 |
2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year.
Bodie District:
- Green Island: Two pairs have two broods (locating the chicks is difficult on the island however each brood is believed to still have 3 chicks).
- Bodie Island: No AMOY breeding behavior was observed. The AMOY pair that lost a chick has been observed roosting near its previous nesting area.
- Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30): One pair has three chicks that hatched on 6/26. One pair has three chicks that fledged on 6/21. One pair has one chick that hatched on 5/26.
Hatteras District: There are no active nests remaining in Hatteras District. Five pairs have fledged 12 chicks; three pairs have eight unfledged chicks. The oldest unfledged chicks are 38 days old, but have not been observed in flight and the youngest are two days old.
Ocracoke District:
- North Ocracoke: One pair has two chicks. This pair lost one of three hatched chicks on 6/13 to an unknown cause.
- Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72): The northern-most pair has one chick. This chick is currently flying short distances, but is not yet considered fledged. A second pair hatched two chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/29.
- South Point: One pair continues to be observed in its territory. The other pair lost a two egg nest in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26. A one-egg re-nest was found for this pair on 6/21. The nest became a two egg nest on 6/23.
Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):
Bodie District:
Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.
Green Island:
Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.
Bodie Hatteras District:
Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.
Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.
Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.
Hatteras District:
Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.
Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.
Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Ramp is active with LETE nests, chicks, fledglings and one incubating GBTE nest.
Ocracoke District:
Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 inactive with no nests or scrapes. It is unknown what happened to the few nests that were present.
Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE and COTE nests and chicks.
Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests as well as LETE and COTE chicks.
Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):
Bodie District Nests:
None this week
Bodie District False Crawls:
None this week
Bodie Hatteras District Nests:
6/26- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.5 mi N of Rodanthe Pier.
6/26- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.6 mi S of Ramp 27.
Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:
None this week
Hatteras District Nests:
6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi S of Ramp 44.
6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.05 mi S of Ramp 30.
6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi E of Ramp 45.
6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1 mi N of Ramp 55.
6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 mi N of Ramp 55.
6/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi E of Ramp 45.
6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi N of Ramp 34.
6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2 mi N of Ramp 55.
6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi W of Ramp 45.
6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found at Ramp 44.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 mi S of Ramp 49.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found at Ramp 44.
Hatteras District False Crawls:
6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.2 mi N of Ramp 49.
6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.9 mi S of Ramp 44.
Ocracoke District Nests:
6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was created 0.6 mi SW of Ramp 70 for the eggs that were recovered from the dead loggerhead struck by the ORV.
6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi SW of Ramp 70, but was relocated to 0.6 mi SW of Ramp 70. This nest had been run over by an ORV.
6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.9 mi SW of Ramp 59 but was relocated 2.5 mi SW of Ramp 59.
6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.6 mi NE of Ramp 70.
6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.9 mi NE of Ramp 67.
6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 3.1 mi SW of Ramp 59.
6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.5 mi SW of Ramp 59.
6/30 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 68.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi NE of Ramp 68.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 67.
Ocracoke District False Crawl:
6/18 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.3 mi SW of Ramp 59.
6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.2 mi SW of Ramp 70.
6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 180 ft. NE of Ramp 67.
6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.2 mi NE of Ramp 67.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 68.
6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.2 mi SW of Ramp 59.
New nests this week: 22
Total nests to date: 56
New false crawls this week: 8
Total false crawls to date: 36
Sea Turtle Strandings:
Bodie District:
None this week
Hatteras District:
None this week
Ocracoke District:
6/24 – A nesting female loggerhead sea turtle was struck by an ORV and killed prior to laying a nest. A necropsy was conducted by NPS staff in conjunction with representatives from N.E.S.T. and other turtle professionals.
Marine Mammals:
Bodie District:
None this week.
Hatteras District:
None this week.
Ocracoke District:
None this week.
Closures – additions/modifications/removals:
|
Closure # |
Location |
Species |
Date Installed or Removed |
|
Bodie District |
|
|
|
|
None this week |
|
|
|
|
Hatteras District |
|
|
|
|
HI10-06-R |
Sandy Bay |
AMOY |
6/28/2010-removed |
|
HI10-07-G |
2.3 mi S of Ramp 38 |
AMOY |
6/28/2010 |
|
Ocracoke District |
|
|
|
|
OI10-001-F |
0.1 mi SW of Ramp 59 |
PIPL |
6/25/2010 |
|
OI10-001-G |
0.6 mi NW of Ramp 59 |
PIPL |
6/27/2010 |
Closure intrusions:
Bodie District:
6/25- One pedestrian observed within buffer 0.2 mi N of Ramp 23.
6/27- Six sets of footprints entered the buffer 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23
6/28- 3 sets of footprints and 1 set of dog prints went through the entire closure at the waterline 0.1- 0.3 mile N of Ramp 23.
6/28- One set of ORV tracks went down the middle of Ramp 23, straddling a two-egg LETE nest. LE was contacted.
6/30- Several pedestrians were observed within the closure 0.8 mi N of Ramp 30. Individuals were found with a previously lit bon-fire. Area was checked for resource damage and none was found.
Hatteras District:
6/27 – Pedestrian tracks through a sea turtle nest closure 0.7mi NE of Ramp 55.
6/29 – Pedestrian tracks through a sea turtle nest closure 1 mi N of Ramp 55.
6/29 – One set of pedestrian tracks observed in the Hatteras Inlet pre-nesting closure traveling within 40 m of an AMOY nest.
6/29 – Three sets of pedestrian tracks observed in the Hatteras Inlet pre-nesting closure traveling within 17 m of an AMOY nest.
Ocracoke District:
6/24 – Turtle take incidents as reported in last week’s weekly report.
6/24 – Three sets of barefoot footprints were observed along the ocean shoreline within the AMOY closure 1.7 mi N of Ramp 70.
6/28 – Numerous pedestrian footprints (3+) entering and exiting AMOY closure 1.7 mi N of Ramp 70
6/29 - Two joggers ran through closure as a technician approached. Joggers were contacted and asked to run on the road to get back to the campground. Two additional sets of footprints found in closure. While installing additional signs, 2 new joggers approached and entered the closure. These joggers were also asked to leave the closure. LE was informed about the high number of violations to this closure.