Threatened and endangered birds begin nesting season on Long Island

Piping Plovers are one of many earliest migrants to reach in New York, they usually rapidly start pairing off and looking for appropriate nesting habitat. As of early Could, our workers have recognized 5 lively nests inside the 5 websites we monitor on Lengthy Island.

Workers and volunteers rapidly mobilized to exclose three of these nests to guard the eggs from predators, as there are cats, racoons, and different animals on our seashores.

Frequent and Least Terns have additionally been arriving however haven’t paired off but.

This 12 months, Audubon is working throughout 14 websites: We’re the principle monitoring group for 5 websites, and we’re conducting analysis at two further websites. We lead monitoring for American Oystercatchers at Jones Seashore, on behalf of New York State Parks, and take part within the New York State Lengthy Island Colonial Waterbird surveys at six further websites. Partnerships throughout the island are stronger than ever, and we’re collaborating in a protracted record of state and town-sponsored occasions and actions this summer time.

Excitingly, we’ve got recognized seven lively American Oystercatcher nests to this point, and we’re ready on 4 further pairs to choose a last spot.

Matthew Bauer, seasonal shorebird technician, is monitoring nearly all of these nests. “I discovered my first American Oystercatcher nest at Jones Seashore. There’s plenty of seaside to cowl for only one particular person, so I used to be nervous I used to be lacking them! There was a pair I had noticed a number of instances in the identical space, so I used to be going slower than standard to attempt to spot them sitting down – and never disturb them. I saved my eye on the place they had been sitting and finally made it to that spot, the place I discovered two eggs. Finally they did make a full clutch of three eggs. Now we’re simply ready to see in the event that they hatch,” he explains.

Matthew beforehand labored at Cape Cod Nationwide Seashore, the place he first realized about shorebird monitoring. He’s considered one of 4 seasonal workers monitoring the seashores this summer time.

“We’re very excited to have noticed a number of banded American Oystercatchers on new seashores, versus the seashores the place they initially nested and had been banded,” experiences Shelby Casas, coastal program supervisor for Audubon in New York. “It is a nice signal that monitoring and stewardship is making an affect, and the birds are exploring new areas past the place they hatched as a result of they’re secure areas for nesting.”

“Final 12 months At Tobay Seashore and Jones Seashore, for the primary time in 4 years on every seaside, we had American Oystercatcher pairs nest and hatch a complete of six chicks. Two totally profitable nests per seaside was an enormous success, and a sign that we’re heading in the right direction. It’s unbelievable to see these birds flourish in locations the place they had been beforehand declining,” provides Shelby.

Thanks to our new seasonal subject and outreach technicians who’ve been out monitoring for a month already! And thanks to our funders, together with the Schumann Basis and the Nationwide Fish and Wildlife Basis Lengthy Island Sound Futures Fund grant , each which helped us rent and practice younger professionals who maintain our seashores safer for birds.