Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Resource Management Field Summary for August 26– September 8, 2010
(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)
Due to Hurricane Earl, there was not a weekly report last week. This report, covering the last two weeks is the final report for 2010. The annual species reports will be available in January 2011.
Final Piping Plover (PIPL):
|
Location |
Total Pairs |
Total Nests |
Nests Hatched |
Nests Lost |
Total Chicks Hatched |
Chicks Lost |
Chicks Fledged |
|
Bodie Spit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cape Point |
6 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
21 |
6 |
15 |
|
South Beach |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Hatteras Inlet |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
N. Ocracoke |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
South Point |
4 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
|
CAHA TOTALS |
12 |
15 |
11 |
4 |
33 |
18 |
15 |
Final 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 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
|
Bodie District |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Bodie/Hatteras District |
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
|
Hatteras District |
12 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
22 |
0 |
4 |
18 |
|
Ocracoke District |
6 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
|
CAHA TOTALS |
28 |
0 |
21 |
7 |
48 |
0 |
18 |
30 |
Final Colonial Waterbirds (CWBs):
Final nest numbers will be available in January.
Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests Past Two Weeks):
Bodie District Nests:
None the past two weeks.
Bodie District False Crawls:
None the past two weeks.
Bodie Hatteras District Nests:
8/26- A green sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi S of R23.
9/6- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi N of R27.
Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:
None the past two weeks.
Hatteras District Nests:
8/28 - A green sea turtle nest was found 2.5 mi N of Ramp 55.
8/29 - A green sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi W Ramp 49.
Hatteras District False Crawls:
9/5 – A loggerhead false crawl was found at 2.1 mi N of Ramp 34.
Ocracoke District Nests:
8/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.86 mi S of Ramp 72.
Ocracoke District False Crawl:
None the past two weeks.
New nests past two weeks: 5 (Hatteras – 2, Bodie - 2, Ocracoke - 1)
Total nests to date: 153 (Hatteras – 86, Bodie - 18, Ocracoke - 48)
New false crawls past two weeks: 1 (Hatteras – 1, Bodie - 0, Ocracoke - 0)
Total false crawls to date: 115 (Hatteras – 74, Bodie - 7, Ocracoke - 34)
Nests hatch past two weeks: 20 (Hatteras – 17, Bodie - 2, Ocracoke - 1)
Total nests hatch to date: 75 (Hatteras – 37, Bodie - 11, Ocracoke - 27)
Hurricane Earl
Prior to the Hurricane Earl coming up the East Coast, park staff consulted with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and decided to relocate all sea turtle nests 35 days and older if it appeared they might be in danger from the storm surge.
In Bodie/Hatteras District, one nest out of the eight nests (at that time) in the district was relocated. One nest which had been in the ground less than 35 days was completely washed out. One nest has hatched in the district since Earl.
In Hatteras District, 13 nests out of the 50 nests remaining (at that time) in the district were relocated. Eight nests, including some of the relocated nests, were lost due to the storm. Three nests which had been in the ground less than 35 days were completely washed out, two nests were lost because of a tidal pool which formed behind them raised the water table and drowned the nests. Two nests were lost because of inundation when the overwash pooled over the nests. And the final nest, which was in its hatch window, was lost to over wash. Six nests have hatched in the district since Earl.
In Ocracoke District no nests were relocated. Three nests out of the 21 nests on the beach at that time were lost due to the storm. One nest was completely washed out and two nests were lost because of inundation when the overwash pooled over the nests. One nest has hatched in the district since Earl.
Sea Turtle Strandings:
Bodie District:
9/4- A dead loggerhead sea turtle was discovered 0.3 miles S of Ramp 1.
Hatteras District:
None observed the past two weeks.
Ocracoke District:
9/8 – A dead loggerhead sea turtle was found 0.1 miles N of Ramp 68.
Marine Mammals:
Bodie District:
None observed the past two weeks.
Hatteras District:
None observed the past two weeks.
Ocracoke District:
None observed the past two weeks.
Closures – additions/modifications/removals:
|
Closure # |
Location |
Species |
Date Installed or Removed |
|
Bodie District |
|
|
|
|
BI10-001-R |
Bodie Spit |
LETE/BLSK |
9/08/2010 |
|
WM BI10-001 |
Bodie Spit |
Migratory PIPL |
9/07/2010 |
|
Hatteras District |
|
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
Ocracoke District |
|
|
|
|
OI10-002-R |
South Point |
AMOY |
9/8/2010 |
|
WM OI10-002 |
South Point |
Migratory PIPL |
9/8/2010 |
Closure intrusions:
Bodie District:
8/27- Two sets of pedestrian tracks entered the filter fence and one individual defecated next to the nest marker 1.8 miles N of Ramp 23.
8/28- One stake was broken and the sign was missing. Two signs were removed and laid down on the ground with the string between signs broken. There were some bare footprints around the removed signs 1.8 miles N of Ramp 23. The technicians did not report this as a potential deliberate violation.
8/28- One set of footprints and one set of dog prints were inside the closure 1.9 miles N of Ramp 23.
9/6- One set of footprints were in the closure 1.7 miles N of Ramp 30.
Hatteras District:
8/31 – Two sets of pedestrian and dog tracks observed in sea turtle nest closure 0.1 miles N of Ramp 38.
8/31 – Fifteen sets of pedestrian tracks and dog tracks observed near hatchling tracks inside filter fence at the sea turtle nest closure 1.6 miles N of Ramp 38.
9/6 – Four pedestrian tracks observed in sea turtle nest closure 0.4 miles S of Ramp 38. One of the pedestrians wrote “Jack” in the sand inside the filter fence.
9/8 – One set of pedestrian and two sets of dog tracks observed in the turtle nest closure 1.1 mi S of Ramp 49.
9/8 – Two sets of dog tracks observed in sea turtle nest closure 2.5 mi S of Ramp 49.
9/8 – One set of pedestrian tracks observed inside the sea turtle nest closure 0.4 mi N of Ramp 55.
Ocracoke District:
None observed the past two weeks.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Resource Management Field Summary for August 12– August 18, 2010
(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)
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 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
|
Bodie District |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Bodie/Hatteras District |
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
|
Hatteras District |
12 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
22 |
0 |
4 |
18 |
|
Ocracoke District |
6 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
|
CAHA TOTALS |
28 |
0 |
21 |
7 |
48 |
1 |
18 |
29 |
2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year.
Bodie District: All AMOY breeding activity has ended. 8 pairs fledged 9 chicks.
Hatteras District: All AMOY breeding activity has ended. 11 pair fledged 18 chicks.
Ocracoke District:
- North Ocracoke: One pair has one fledged chick.
- Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72): Two pairs have fledged one chick.
- South Point: A pair hatched one chick on Friday 7/16. The chick has been observed daily along the Ocracoke Inlet shoreline and is 34 days old. The chick was banded on 8/11 and should fledge sometime within the next two weeks.
Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):
Bodie District:
Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE chicks and fledglings. On 8/17, the 3-egg BLSK nest was still being incubated; expected hatch ~8/20.
Bodie Hatteras District:
Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23, active with one LETE chick and fledglings.
Hatteras District:
All LETE colonies have ended.
Ocracoke District:
Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 last activity was observed on 8/10.
Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):
Bodie Island Nests:
None this week.
Bodie Island False Crawls:
None this week.
Bodie Hatteras District Nests:
None this week.
Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:
None this week.
Hatteras District Nests:
8/14 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi E Ramp 49.
8/14 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi S of Ramp 55.
8/17 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.9 mi S of Ramp 44.
8/18 - A green sea turtle nest was found 2.5 mi SW Ramp 49.
Hatteras District False Crawls:
8/14 - A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.24 mi E Ramp 49.
8/15 - A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.3 mi NE Ramp 55.
8/16 - A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.8 mi S of Ramp 44.
8/16 - A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.85 mi S of Ramp 44.
8/16 - A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.87 mi S of Ramp 44.
8/17 - A green sea turtle false crawl was found 0.8 mi SW Ramp 49.
Ocracoke District Nests:
None this week
Ocracoke District False Crawl:
None this week
New nests this week: 4
Total nests to date: 1431
New false crawls this week: 6
Total false crawls to date: 110
Nests hatched this week: 15
Total nests hatched to date: 28
1The most nests ever documented on the seashore
Note: Two training sessions were held for the Sea Turtle “Nest Watch” Volunteer Program. Four nests located in Hatteras, Frisco, and the Tri-Villages are currently being watched. Many tourists have shown an interest in the program and they have been directed to nests with volunteers.
Sea Turtle Strandings:
Bodie District:
None this week
Hatteras District:
A dead loggerhead sea turtle was found on the shoreline at Ramp 38.
Ocracoke District:
None this week
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 |
|
|
|
|
BH10-007-R |
0.3 mi N of Ramp23 |
LETE |
8/12/2010 |
|
BH10-003-C |
0.1 mi N of Ramp 23 |
LETE |
8/13/2010 |
|
BH10-001-R |
0.1 mi S of Ramp 27 |
AMOY/LETE |
8/18/2010 |
|
Hatteras District |
|
|
|
|
HI10-002-M |
.5 mi W of Ramp 45 |
LETE |
8/16/2010 |
|
HI10-007-R |
1.6 mi S Ramp 38 |
LETE |
8/16/2010 |
|
Ocracoke District |
|
|
|
|
|
None this week |
|
|
Closure intrusions:
Bodie District:
8/14 - Two sets of pedestrian tracks followed the waterline in the closure 0.1 mi N of Ramp 23.
8/16 – One set of pedestrian tracks walked throughout the entire resource closure along the high-tide line 0.8 mi south of Ramp 4.
8/18 – Twelve sets of pedestrian tracks went throughout the turtle closure and inside the filter fence 1.7 mi N of Ramp 23.
- Two sets of pedestrian tracks entered the turtle closure above the high tide line 0.6 mi S of Ramp 27.
- One set of ORV tracks entered the turtle closure and drove around the back of the filter fence 1.7 mi S of Ramp 27.
- Six sets of pedestrian tracks and one set of dog tracks went into the bird closure at the high tide line 0.1 mi N of Ramp 23.
Hatteras District:
None observed this week.
Ocracoke District:
8/18 – One set of pedestrian tracks were observed in CWB closure at North Ocracoke along ocean shoreline.
8/18 – One ORV with two people entered the CWB closure at North Ocracoke. Visitors were informed they were in a restricted area and left immediately.
