Recent ucsb_nrs_copr items

Western Snowy Plover Reproductive Effects Associated with the Refugio Beach Oil Spill

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

During the May 2015 Refugio Beach oil spill, federally threatened western snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) were feeding with their recently hatched chicks on southern California beaches. They primarily forage on invertebrates in the wrack and wave-washed swash zone and were directly threatened by both the oil and the actions of the clean-up crews. During the spill, the extent and location of oiling observed on western snowy plovers at Coal Oil Point Reserve, in Santa Barbara, were documented. In addition, annual monitoring of reproductive success was conducted (i.e., number of nests, number of eggs laid, number of chicks fledged, etc.), contributing to data collected on this population since 2001. Although no direct mortality of western snowy plovers was observed during the spill, a spike in the percentage of infertile eggs was observed in the year following the spill. As part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment, estimated oil ingestion rates were compared to exposures...

2020 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plover

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2020, we continued with the monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover (WSP) population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The number of breeding adults this year (51) was higher than the average (36) for our site. The wintering population size (34) was the lowest on record since monitoring began at COPR in 2001. This year, one fifth of all nests were washed out by high tides. Wind and predation by crows also had a large impact on the fate of nests and chicks. In early April, we implemented the use of predator exclosures to prevent further predation of nests by crows. While COPR had a higher than average hatching rate (55%), predation on chicks by gulls and crows resulted in a low fledging rate of 38%. The number of fledged chicks per male (0.9) was less than half the average for our site. 91% of nests (69) were initiated on the beach, and 9% (7) were initiated on the mudflats of the slough (delta).

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2014

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2014.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2019

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2019.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2016

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2016.

2009 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2009 we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We were able to estimate chicks until fledged age. This year we had predator control during most of the breeding season. The predator control focused on trapping skunks in the nesting habitat. Another highlight of 2009 was the sucessfull use of the Devereux Slough mudflats as nesting area. This has happened before but not in significant numbers. 2009 had the best fledgling rate of all years so far.

2023 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plover

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

2023 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plover

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2018

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2018.

2018 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2018, we continued with the monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The number of breeding adults (54), hatched nests (61), and fledged chicks (82) were the highest observed since monitoring began in 2001. The wintering population remained around the average (182) for this site. This year, predation affected nest fate slightly more than weather. 86% of nests were initiated on the beach, and 14% were initiated on the mudflats of the slough (delta). The rate of infertile eggs has returned to normal levels after an four-fold increase in infertility in 2016.

2017 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2017, we continued with the monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The count of wintering plovers was the second lowest recorded since monitoring began in 2001. The breeding population remained stable at approximately 20 pairs and the number of chicks that fledged was higher than average. This year, weather affected nest fate more than predation. The rate of infertile eggs was higher than average. All plover nesting activity occurred on the beach. For the first time since 2007, there were no nests on the mudflats of the slough.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2020

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2020.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2013

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2013.

2005 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2005 we continued with the management of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous year. I addition, we started a predator management program and raised chicks from destroyed or abandoned nests. 30 chicks were fledged by their fathers and another 17 were fledged in our hand-raising nursery. 2005 was a year of high predation by skunks, but the plovers re-nested for a third time and were able to successfully raise chicks after we trapped skunks and reduced access of skunks to the beach.

2013 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2013 we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We had predator control during most of the breeding season and the loss of nests from mammalian predators was low. However, chick predation from unknown predators was high. Nesting on the mud flats was also the highest on record.

2019 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2019, we continued with the monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover (WSP) population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The number of breeding adults (68) was the highest observed since monitoring began in 2001. The wintering population (132) was below the average for this site. This year, predation, particularly by crows, had a large impact on the fate of nests and chicks, as did high tides. The rate of fledged chicks per male (0.2) was the lowest on record for our site since the program began in 2001. 96% of nests (93) were initiated on the beach, and 4% (4) were initiated on the mudflats of theslough (delta).

2014 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2014 we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We had predator control during most of the breeding season, but nest predation by mammalian predators was high. However, chick fledge rates were higher than average. Nesting on the mud flats was also the highest on record.

2016 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2016, we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The count of wintering plovers was the lowest ever recorded since monitoring began in 2001. This year, the number of chicks that fledged was higher than average. Nest predation by skunks was a problem until predator control was initiated in late March. The rate of infertile eggs was higher than average. Nesting activity on the mudflats was low.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2017

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2017.

2022 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plover

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2022, we monitored the Western Snowy Plover (WSP) population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. The number of breeding adults was 52, higher than the average of 37 for our site. The wintering population size was 183, also above the average of 167. Skunk predation was the primary cause of nest failure. In response to the high levels of predation by skunks and the failure to trap them, all nests present on or laid after April 29th and before May 31st were collected, incubated until near the hatching date, and then returned to the parents. The real eggs were replaced with wooden eggs so that the parents would continue incubating. 35 nests (34%) of nests this season were replaced using this method. The hatching and fledging success rates in this report reflect those that hatched and fledged naturally and exclude nests that had eggs replaced. Hatching rate (28%) was lower than average (53%) and the fledging rate (74%) was higher than average (62%). The number of fledged...

2010 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2010 we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We estimated chicks until fledged age. We had predator control during most of the breeding season and the loss of nests from skunk predation was greatly reduced. However chick predation from unknown predators was higher than normal. The beach was the narrowest we have observed during the breeding since 2001.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2021

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2021.

2015 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2015, we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. This year's chick fledge count was higher than average. Nest predation by skunks was a problem until predator control was initiated in early May. The rate of infertile eggs was higher than average. Nesting activity on the mudflats was the lowest it has been since 2007.

2001-2004 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Sands beach at Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR) has a wintering and a breeding population of the Western Snowy Plover. The beach is open to the public all year, but a portion of the dry sandy beach, which is the plover habitat, has been protected since Spring 2001. The population of wintering plovers increased and a growing breeding population has been established. Although Sands beach is relatively small, it has the largest population of wintering plovers in US. We believe that the high abundance of kelp wrack all year provides abundant food and contributes to the high quality habitat for plovers.

Lafferty et al (2005) show the positive effects of beach management on the numbers of plovers at COPR. This report provides additional detailed information about the breeding population of plovers on Sands beach.

2006 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2006 we continued with the management of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous year. We abandoned the use of mini-exclosures after Great Horned owls cued in the exclosure to pursue adult plovers. We continued to raise chicks from destroyed or abandoned nests and banded the 10 chicks that fledged in captivity. 48 chicks fledged at the beach and another 11 fledged in our nursery. This was the largest number of fledglings since management started in 2001.

2011 and 2012 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2011 and 2012 we continued with the monitoring of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We had predator control during most of the breeding seasons and the loss of nests from skunk predation was greatly reduced. However, chick predation from unknown predators was higher than normal. The beach was the narrowest we have observed during the breeding since 2001, and the number of nests lost to tide during 2012 was the highest on record. Hatching success on the mudflats was also the highest on record.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2022

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2022.

2021 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plover

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2021, we continued with the monitoring of the Western Snowy Plover (WSP) population at Coal OilPoint Reserve as in previous years. The number of breeding adults this year (56) was higher than theaverage (37) for our site. The wintering population size (175) was just over the average (167). This year,predation was the primary cause of nest failure. There were three cases of take by people on Sands Beach. The eggs from 3 nests were removed and in 2 of the nests that had exclosures, the exclosure wasremoved and vandalized. Implementation of Australian crow traps this year prevented crow predation.However, one quarter of all nests were predated by skunks and an additional 8% were lost to unknownpredators. In response to the high levels of predation by skunks, all nests present on or laid after July 13thwere collected, incubated until near the hatching date, and then returned to the parents. The real eggswere replaced with wooden eggs so that the parents would continue incubating....

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2023

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2023.

2007 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2007 we continued with the management of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous year. We were not able to track chicks until fledged age as in previous years. I attribute this to the more complex beach profile that prevented a clear view of the beach and the large number of simultaneous broods that hatched in the beginning and again at the end of the breeding season. We experimented with replacing plover eggs with wood eggs and then returning the hatching egg to the plover nest. This was s successful way to improve hatchability during a high skunk predation time but it was very laborious.

2008 Final Report on the Western Snowy Plovers

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2008 we continued with the management of the WSP population at Coal Oil Point Reserve as in previous years. We were able to estimate chicks until fledged age. We experimented with replacing plover eggs with wood eggs and then returning the hatching egg to the plover nest. This was s successful way to improve hatchability during a high skunk predation time but it was very laborious.

Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter 2015

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Coal Oil Point Reserve Annual Newsletter highlights the conservation, restoration, and research projects at the reserve in 2015.