Field Notes
What's new with FSA- news and announcements are posted below. If you would like to make an announcement or post some news, please contact us, email: shorebird@myfwc.com .
September 2011
September 15 , Deadline for entering data into the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD)
September 6, 2011 2011 Post-season Meetings for Regional FSA Partnerships
Wednesday, September 21 · 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Thursday, September 22 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Thursday, September 29 · 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Thursday, October 6 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Monday, October 3 · 9:00am - 4:00pm
August 2011
Deadline for data entry into the Florida Shorbird Database- September 15, 2011
For partners contributing data to the Florida Shorebird Database , the 2011 nesting season is winding down which means its time to make sure all your data on beach-nesting birds has been entered into the online database. Please get your data entered into the database by September 15, 2011 .
If you have any questions, please contact FWC's Shorebird Partnership Coordinator by email: shorebird@myfwc.com .
Banded Semipalmated Sandpiper from AK resighted in Alachua County on July 28, 2011
A Florida birder, Rob Norton, observed a Semipalmated Sandpiper wearing color bands and a flag on July 28, 2011 in Alachua County. He wrote down the color combination and a week later heard back from the researchers who'd banded the bird on the northern shore of Alaska little more than a month previously.
FSA Update
August 11th marks the last day of the last count window, capturing the summer nesting season.
We will need to close the Florida Shorebird Database in order to perform Quality Control/Assurance, so the last day to enter your data is September 15th. If you have not already done so, please enter your data from the 2011 nesting season.
-Naomi Avissar shorebird@myfwc.com
JULY 2011
JUNE 2011
FSA Update
Hopefully you are all enjoying your summer and getting out in the field. Thanks to those entering data in the Florida Shorebird Database, we can now monitor nesting activity across the state in real time! We also have many partners on the ground, taking care of issues on a daily basis to keep our birds safe. Keep up the great work everybody!
1) The next count window for route surveys is coming up on June 10-16th (one extra day added).
2) If you're a bird steward, our partners still need volunteers, especially for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Please contact your local volunteer coordinator or ask me if you're not sure who that is.
1) Rooftop nesting section almost ready… stay tuned!
2) Please be sure to review our new video on Reporting Route Surveys when you log in, as well as any other video if you need a refresher- they are short tutorials that answer many of the questions we've been getting about data collection/entry.
3) I encourage folks to browse through the protocol again too, because it also answers many of the common questions we receive.
-Naomi Avissar shorebird@myfwc.com
MAY 2011
Florida Shorebird Database launched
We are thrilled to announce that the Florida Shorebird Database is live and ready to go at: http://www.flshorebirddatabase.org
After creating a new log in and password (your info from the test site does not carry over), you will have the opportunity to enter the data you have collected during the past 3 count windows. Please review the Breeding Bird Protocol (https://public.myfwc.com/CrossDOI/Shorebirds/instructions-pages/step_4-breeding.html ) before entering data- it answers many of the questions that come up about using the system.
Once you are ready to enter data, a good place to start is to search for the routes that were created for your area. You can click on "+ add existing route to my data" under the "my routes" section, and search for routes to add to your profile by region or county. If the route(s) you have surveyed are not already in the system, you can establish your own. For a refresher on how to use the FSD, please see the videos on the Resources tab of the FSD website. The Resources page also has the protocol, datasheets, and survey schedule: https://public.myfwc.com/CrossDOI/Shorebirds/links.html .
If you still have questions after reviewing the protocol and videos, please feel free to contact our FSD helpdesk at flshorebirddatabase@myfwc.com .
Thank you so much for your patience, and we look forward to your participation in this statewide monitoring effort!
-Naomi Avissar shorebird@myfwc.com
FSA Update
It's that time again… the May count window starts this Friday the 13th… let's hope the surveys aren't a horrifying experience ;) Several of our Partners have requested that we extend our count windows from 6 days to a full week, and so we have decided to add an extra day to the end of each count window. We will make the changes to the website and protocol, but for now, the updated count windows are:
May 13-19
June 10-16
July 8-14
August 5-11
The Florida Shorebird Database is in its final testing phase, so please hold off on entering your surveys and site visits for just a few more days. I will send an email as soon as it is ready, and I promise it will be worth the wait!
In other news, bird stewardship programs across the state are gearing up for Memorial Day weekend and have called for volunteers for the season. If you are interested in helping them and do not have a local contact, please email me and I'll be happy to help you find your local group.
-Naomi Avissar shorebird@myfwc.com
APRIL 2011
FSA Update
The nesting season is officially upon us and I just wanted to send you a few quick updates and reminders:
1) The next breeding shorebird count window is coming up on April 15-20th. Please see https://publictest.myfwc.com/CrossDOI/Shorebirds/links.html for the survey protocol and printable datasheets. If you want to get involved and have not been set up with a route, please let me know and I will put you in touch with regional partners in your area.
2) West coast partners: The annual Florida Snowy Plover survey also happens this month. The count window established for the SNPL survey is April 15-30th. Please let me know if you plan to survey SNPLs (either during your normal window count or separately) so I can be sure we have adequate coverage statewide.
3)The Florida Shorebird Database is undergoing final security testing before release. We will send out an announcement when it is ready to use, so please hold on to your monitoring data until then.
Thanks, and stay tuned for the database launch announcement!
-Naomi Avissar shorebird@myfwc.com
MARCH 2011
New FWC Shorebird Partnership Coordinator
Naomi Avissar is replacing Chris Burney, who as many of you know, has left the position for an opportunity to travel in Asia. Chris will continue to provide support for the program as webmaster for the Florida Shorebird Alliance website.
Naomi earned her B.S. in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University and her Master's of Environmental Management from Duke University. She has a wide range of shorebird and seabird experience, from working with red knots in Delaware Bay to monitoring beach-nesters on Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In addition to her biological expertise, organizational skills, and project management experience, Naomi brings a sense of humor guaranteed to keep us entertained!
Naomi will be working out of the Fish and Wildlife Commission's Lakeland office. You may reach her at 863-648-3200 or Naomi.Avissar@MyFWC.com beginning March 14.
FEBRUARY 2011
JANUARY 2011
Winter Shorebird Survey & International Piping Plover Census- January 24-February 6, 2011
The primary objective of the Winter Shorebird Survey is to develop a
better understanding of the winter distribution of waterbirds, primarily shorebirds
and seabirds, in Florida. Conducted annually, this survey will enable
us to recognize long-term trends or changes in winter population sizes and
distribution, and identify key wintering sites- information that is much needed
to guide future conservation efforts.
The Piping Plover International Census is conducted every five years
to assess progress towards population recovery for the federally listed Piping
Plover. Population numbers of this small, migratory shorebird have declined
primarily as a result of habitat change and disturbance from increasing human
use at important sites throughout their range. The 2011 International Piping Plover Census will be the fifth inventory,
providing distribution and abundance data since 1991. The total number of Piping Plovers estimated during the 2006
Census of Florida was 454 (Total for the entire winter census was 3,884 Piping
Plovers at 546 sites), with 321 reported on the Gulf coast and 133 on the
Atlantic Coast. Additionally, 312 Snowy Plovers and 394 Wilson's Plovers were
sighted on Florida beaches during the 2006 Census.
Please join us! Learn how you can do a survey and contribute observations, go here .
DECEMBER 2010
NOVEMBER 2010
OCTOBER 2010
SEPTEMBER 2010
AUGUST 2010
JULY 2010
Rehabilitated Birds- Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center requests reports of banded birds associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, learn more, go here .
JUNE 2010
Map Update- 2010 FWC Beach-nesting Bird Database
Species maps using FWC's Beach-nesting Bird database will be updated every two weeks, view the Google maps- go here .
Map Update- 2010 FWC Beach-nesting Bird Database
Species maps using FWC's Beach-nesting Bird database will be updated every two weeks, view the Google maps- go here .
MAY 2010
Map Update- 2010 FWC Beach-nesting Bird Database
Species maps using FWC's Beach-nesting Bird database will be updated every two weeks, view the Google maps- go here .
New maps available- 2010 FWC Beach-nesting Bird Database
In response to the Deep Horizon Oil Spill, we are urging partners to survey all historic shorebird and seabird sites, and get this data entered into FWC's Beach-nesting Bird Database as soon as possible. We are working closely with the oil spill Incident Command Center (ICC) to ensure they have the most current information regarding our must sensitive coastal wildlife resources- including active nests and colonies of shorebirds and seabirds.
To help identify gaps in the database, we have created a series of Google maps that can be accessed from the maps section of the Florida Shorebird Alliance website, go here .
APRIL 2010
April 23-25 , FOS Meeting
April 16-May 2 , 2010 Snowy Plover Survey
MARCH 2010
2010 Florida Snowy Plover Survey- April 16-May 2, 2010
The purpose of this annual survey is to develop a long-term dataset on the total population of Snowy Plovers in Florida in order to determine population trends and changes in distribution. The survey began in 2008 so this will be our 3rd count.
Since Snowy Plovers only breed along the Gulf Coast in Florida, surveys are restricted to sections of the Panhandle and the Southwest. Most routes for this survey have been selected, and we now need folks who can ID Snowy Plovers and Wilson's Plovers to help us complete the routes during the two week survey period.
If you are interested, learn how you can get involved, go here .
Spring Meeting of the Florida Ornithological Society (FOS)- April 23-25, Vero Beach
FOS meetings provide a chance to interact with Florida’s most dedicated amateur and professional birders as well as visit some of the State’s interesting birding sites. There will be additional scientific presentations on Saturday as well as the ever-popular Friday night flocking where FOS members share photos of rare birds as well as recent travels to distant lands. The meeting also includes a special banquet presentation on the Everglades by Sonny Bass.
Find more detailed information and registration instructions, visit the FOS website .
March 18, 2010 Bahamas Piping Plover spotted in Florida on March 12, 2010
A Piping Plover that was recently banded (2/17/10) in the Bahamas was found less than a month later at Little Talbot State Park in Duval County by Doris and Pat Leary. The bird was banded at South Blanket Sound Flats on North Andros Island which is roughly 440 miles from Little Talbot.
Piping Plovers primarily winter along coasts in the Southeastern United States and the Bahamas, and this bird was found with a flock that is steadily migrating north to breeding grounds in the Midwest or along the Atlantic Coast (Nova Scotia to North Carolina).
See previous post (2/24) to learn more about the banding project.
FEBRUARY 2010
February 28, 2010 Flight of the Kuaka
An international team of shorebird scientists has determined the migratory pathway of Alaska's population of Bar-tailed Godwits using satellite transmitters.
The journey covers approximately 7,250 miles and is the longest nonstop migratory flight documented for any bird.
See the full story at Cornell's All About Birds website, go here .
February 24, 2010 Piping Plovers banded in the Bahamas
In an effort to determine where Piping Plovers wintering in The Bahamas are staging during migration, and breeding, 57 birds were uniquely color-marked this winter in The Bahamas for Environment Canada by Sidney Maddock and Peter Doherty, with help from The Bahamas National Trust.
Each bird has a black flag (band with a tab sticking out slightly) on the upper left leg, nothing on the upper right, a single color band on one lower leg, and two color bands (which can be the same color on top of each other) on the other lower leg. Colors used included: red, orange, yellow, white, light green, dark green, dark blue, and black.
Carefully note the color and location of each band on the bird, location and behaviour of the bird (on nest or brood, foraging at migratory stop-over, etc.), and the sex of the bird if possible. For additional tips on resighting banded birds, go here .
Please report all sightings to the following emails: Cheri Gratto-Trevor (cheri.gratto-trevor@ec.gc.ca ) and piping.plover@usace.army.mil .
CCB reports on Red Knots
The Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) released two interesting reports on Red Knots late in 2009. The first report discusses the conservation conflict between Peregrine Falcons vs. Red Knots (go here ), and second report presents new findings from band resighting about migration patterns along the mid-Atlantic Coast (go here ).
February 19 , Community Meeting on Gasparilla Island
Lee County Shorebird Partnership established
The Florida Shorebird Alliance is extremely excited to welcome a new partnership, Lee County Shorebird Partnership, to the network. Learn more about the partnership, go here .
February 5-7 , Winter Shorebird Survey
JANUARY 2010
Community Meeting on Gasparilla Island, 2-5PM on February 19, 2010
We strongly encourage everyone from Gasparilla Island to participate in a community meeting that will cover important issues related to beach-nesting birds and sea turtles, and what you can do to assist with local conservation efforts.
Meeting will be held at the Boca Grande Community Center (131 First St.). For more information call (941) 964-0097.
DECEMBER 2009
Upcoming Winter Shorebird Survey- February 5-7, 2010
The primary objective of this survey is to develop an understanding
of the winter distribution of waterbirds in Florida. Initially, this survey only included the northeast portion of Florida and functioned as an extension of the statewide count for Georgia. Last year, the scope of the survey expanded
to the rest of Florida. This year, we are continuing our efforts to make this a comprehensive survey for Florida, and invite anyone interested in participating.
Conducted annually, this survey will enable us to recognize long-term trends or
changes in winter pop-ulation sizes and distribution, and identify key wintering
sites- information that is much needed to guide future conservation efforts.
Please join us! Learn how you can do a survey and contribute observations, go here .
december 28, 2009 History of banded Caspian Tern in Duval County determined
On December 8, a banded Caspian Tern was observed on Bird Island in Duval County by Doris and Pat Leary. While Caspian Terns breed at a few locations in Florida, there have been no banding efforts in Florida for this species so this individual was definitely from somewhere else. Doris and Pat received confirmation of this from the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL). This tern was banded as a chick on June 17, 2009 on Little Galloo Island in Lake Ontario- 10 miles west of Henderson Harbor, New York.
Please report your observations of banded birds. These observations are extremely important as researchers try to piece together the movement and distribution of our shorebirds and seabirds. For Snowy Plovers in the Southeastern U.S., please report bands here . Others species of shorebirds can be reported to bandedbirds.org .
december 15, 2009 Ancient Murrelet found in Volusia County- first record for Florida and the Southeastern U.S.
An Ancient Murrelet was found stranded at the Ponce Inlet boat ramp by two Ponce Inlet firemen on December 15, 2009. The bird was immediately taken to the Marine Science Center Bird Rehabilitation Center. Unfortunately, the bird was extremely underweight and died later that night.
Ancient Murrelets (Synthiliboramphus antiquus ) are members of the Family Alcidae (Puffins, Auks, Auklets, and Murres)- a group of oceanic seabirds that very rarely gets to Florida. Ancient Murrelet breed and winter along rugged coastlines in the North Pacific. However, there are sporadic records throughout North America for this species.
Other Alcids that have occurred in Florida include: Dovekie (Alle alle ), Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia ), Razorbill (Alca torda ), Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix ), and Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica ).
NOVEMBER 2009
OCTOBER 2009
October 15 , Deadline for FWC BNB Database
October 13 , Florida Panhandle Shorebird Working Group (FPSWG) Meeting
October 2-4 , FOS Meeting
SEPTEMBER 2009
Fall Meeting of the Florida Panhandle Shorebird Working Group (FPSWG)- October 13, Panama City
The next FPSWG meeting is scheduled for October 13th, 2009. If you are interested in attending, please contact the NW Regional WLI biologist, Shea Armstrong, at Shea.Armstrong@MyFWC.com for more details.
September 9 , Deadline for comments on FWC's draft rules for imperiled species
Please report your observations of banded Least Terns
Nearly 200 juvenile Least Terns from rooftop-colonies in Pinellas County were banded for a study looking at several aspects of the species' life history.
All banded juveniles have a yellow band on one leg or the other. The majority of the birds also have either a red, green, or orange color band beneath the yellow band. The yellow color signifies the bird was banded as a chick in 2009. The other color, when present, signifies the building from which the bird fledged.
The fledglings began their southward migration in late July though birds may still be around, to see an example of a banded fledgling, click here .
Please email your reports to Marianne Korosy (mkorosy@gmail.com ).
Report banded Snowy Plovers to the FSA website
Several research projects along the Gulf Coast of Florida have banded adult and juvenile Snowy Plovers (Click here to see an example of a banded individual).
Please help us track these banded birds by contributing your observations using the online form located in the resource section of the FSA website (go here ). Each observation is very important since it provides a new time and location for a specific individual which is valuable data as researchers try to learn more about the movements, habitat requirements, and survival rates of Snowy Plovers in Florida.
Please report observations of marked Magnificent Frigatebirds
Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens ) from Barbuda in the Lesser Antilles have been marked with yellow wing tags, one on each wing, and black numbering using a number-number-letter combination. Marked birds have turned up in Venezuela and French Guyana- so these birds could turn up anywhere.
If you see a frigatebird with wing tags, please contact s.trefry@unb.ca . Collect the following if possible: 1) the tag como, 2) note whether it is a male or female, and 3) take a photo.
AUGUST 2009
Public comment period for FWC's draft rules on Imperiled Species- ends Sept. 9, 2009
FWC welcomes public input and comment on the draft rules for imperiled species. Staff will present an update to the Commission in September about progress made in developing the rules. The current draft will be revised based on stakeholder and public input and may be presented to the Commission in December. Adoption of the rules will occur at a later meeting.
To check out the draft rules, and learn how to submit comments, visit FWC-Florida's Imperiled Species .
Fall Meeting of the Florida Ornithological Society (FOS)- October 2-4, Gainesville
FOS meetings provide a chance to interact with Florida’s most dedicated amateur and professional birders as well as visit some of the State’s interesting birding sites. There will be additional scientific presentations on Saturday as well as the ever-popular Friday night flocking where FOS members share photos of rare birds as well as recent travels to distant lands. The meeting also includes a special banquet presentation on the conservation legacy of Archie Carr provided by Dr. Frederick "Fritz" R. Davis (Florida State University).
Find more detailed information and registration instructions, visit the FOS website .
Deadline for data entry into the Florida Beach-nesting Birds Website- October 15, 2009
For partners contributing data to FWC's Beach-nesting Birds Website , the 2009 nesting season is winding down which means its time to make sure all your data on beach-nesting birds has been entered into the online database. Please get your data entered into the database by October 15, 2009 .
If you have forgotten your username or password, contact Chris Burney, FWC's Shorebird Partnership Coordinator by email: chris.burney@myfwc.com .
August 17, 2009 New website for reporting observations of banded Red Knots
Florida is one of three important wintering areas for Red Knots along the Western Atlantic Flyway of the Americas and apparently the one, we know the least about.
A team of biologists from around the world working with FWC has surveyed and banded red knots throughout southwest Florida over the last three years. Over 700 birds have been banded with light green flags with unique alpha-numeric IDs that can be spotted at a distance with a spotting scope (See below).
The Florida project is part of a much larger effort aimed at developing reliable estimates of the flyway-wide population of Red Knots, understanding their migration patterns, and determining their current status. You can help by submitting your observations of banded Red Knots to bandedbirds.org .
August 17, 2009 Two shorebirds, Greater Sand-Plover and Common Greenshank, added to Florida's Official State List
The Greater Sand-Plover, an Asian species that was recently seen for the first time in Florida and only the second time in the Western Hemisphere has recently been added to Florida's official state list of birds by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC).
The bird was found at Huguenot Memorial State Park on May 14, 2009, and remained there until May 26th. During the bird's brief stay, hundreds of birders from all over the United States descended on the park to get a look at the bird.
Another shorbird from the opposite side of the world, Common Greenshank, was added to the list as well. The record for Florida was based on a museum specimen from May 23, 1882 of a bird found in the Tampa area. See the rest of Florida's official state list and learn more about the Florida Ornithological Society (FOS) and the Records Committee by visiting their website, click here .
