Created By: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Questions? Please contact

Transcription

1 Breeding Bird Protocol for Florida s Seabirds and Shorebirds For use with the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) Created By: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Questions? Please contact FLShorebirdDatabase@MyFWC.com

2 Table of Contents Key Concepts... 3 Routes... 3 Sites... 3 Visits... 3 Route Surveys... 4 Establishing Sites... 4 Colony Counts (Seabirds)... 5 Nesting Chronology... 5 Conducting Counts (Count Types)... 8 Solitary Nest Counts (Shorebirds)... 9 Counting Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Shorebird Chicks Seabird Young Rooftop-Nesting Seabirds and Shorebirds Seabirds Shorebirds Banded birds When to Conduct your Counts Forms & Instructions Route Form Colony Form (Seabirds) Solitary Nest Form (Shorebirds) Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Count Form Rooftop Nesting Form Rooftop Nesting Optional Form... 23

3 3 Breeding Bird Protocol for Florida s Seabirds and Shorebirds Florida s beach-nesting birds fall into two categories; colonial nesting seabirds and solitary nesting shorebirds. Colonial nesting seabirds nest together in large groups. Solitary nesting shorebirds nest individually or in very loose aggregations. te that the term shorebird is also often used in a generic sense to refer to all shorebirds and seabirds in Florida. Only six species of shorebirds nest in Florida: snowy plovers, Wilson s plovers, killdeer, American oystercatchers, willets, and black-necked stilts. All of Florida s other beach-nesting birds are colonial nesting seabirds including species such as laughing gulls, royal terns, least terns, and black skimmers. This document provides instructions on how to count nesting shorebirds and seabirds in Florida using specific procedures. We refer to these procedures as the Breeding Bird Protocol (BBP). By following this standardized protocol, your counts can be combined with others to provide valuable insights on population status and trends, and help guide management activities for these species. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission designed the BBP with input from partners of the Florida Shorebird Alliance. Data collected using this protocol should be entered into the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) using the online website ( Key Concepts The first step in understanding the protocol is learning the difference between routes, sites, and visits. Routes Think of a route as a path along which you will survey for nesting birds. When you survey a route, you begin at a designated starting point and travel to the end point, counting all nesting birds and young you see along the way. Routes vary in distance and how they are surveyed (by foot, boat or ATV where permitted). Routes may be surveyed alone or with other observers. Routes are helpful in organizing your survey efforts and provide a valuable mechanism for determining survey coverage within the state. Sites A site is a specific location where birds are nesting and consists of either a seabird colony or a single shorebird nest. All sites include a site name and at least one GPS point (latitude/longitude location). During the nesting season, you may find and establish many sites along a single route. Rooftops with nesting shorebirds and seabirds are also considered sites, but are not associated with routes. Visits Each trip you make to a site is a site visit. The first time a site is discovered is considered the first visit, followed by any subsequent visits to check on the nest(s) or conduct a count.

4 Route Surveys Routes should be short enough to complete in one day, and should be surveyed at least six times each season during the specified count windows. Your Regional Florida Shorebird Alliance Partnership (if one exists in your area) may have designated pre-determined routes to ensure the most efficient and comprehensive coverage of the coast. Be sure to coordinate your efforts with other partners in your area. If a route has not already been established in your area, you can create your own. Each time you survey your route, record this information in the FSD, even if you do not observe nesting birds. Records of where birds are absent are just as important as records of where they are present. These surveys provide important information about when and how much of Florida s coastline is getting covered. Use the Route Form to record your surveys. 4 Establishing Sites Each season, when you first encounter a new nest or colony along your route, you should record the latitude and longitude for that nesting site using a GPS unit. Make sure your GPS unit is set to the WGS 84 datum (most GPS units default to this). You only need a single GPS point to record a solitary site, while at least four GPS points are recommended to outline the boundary of a colony site (you may record as many as ten points). If you do not have a GPS unit, you may pinpoint locations for your sites by viewing aerial maps on the Florida Shorebird Database website and zooming in as far as possible to ensure correct placement ( Capture Click method). Keep in mind that beaches and barrier islands are very dynamic and the aerial photographs depicted on the website may not reflect recent changes if the site has eroded or accreted. Therefore, the use of GPS coordinates is preferable, even if your mapped locations appear to be off once they are entered into the FSD. See rooftop section for instructions on establishing roof sites. It is very important not to disturb birds when taking GPS locations. Be sure to GPS colony boundaries or solitary nests from outside posted areas (areas posted to protect nesting birds from human disturbance). Solitary nesting shorebirds may occur inside a seabird colony. Never enter a colony or approach a nesting shorebird close enough to cause disturbance. Record the GPS location(s) far enough away to prevent disturbance to the birds. You will be able to adjust your coordinates when mapping the site on the FSD if needed. Remember, if birds flush off their nests, you are too close.

5 To avoid the very serious problem of double-counting nests or colonies (creating duplicate entries for the same sites in the FSD, which may lead to overestimating population size) it is critical that partners entering data into the FSD ensure that their site has not already been established by someone else. The mapping functions built into the FSD allow users to search the area for sites recorded by other partners. If the site has already been established by another partner, you will be able to add that site to your route and to enter your count data. You may want to contact the partner who established the site to coordinate future site visits to ensure the best coverage. If you are the first to report a new site, please create a site name describing the location (use place names or landmarks that are not likely to change over time), species (AOU abbreviations preferred) for solitary nesters, and a nest/colony number if your local partnership follows a numbering system. Here are some examples: Bird Island AMOY Nest #1 Honeymoon Island State Park Beach Access 7 Colony #2 Your local partnership may follow additional site-naming conventions, so it is best to check nearby sites in the FSD for naming consistency. te: A two-letter county code is automatically appended to the site name you enter in the FSD. In some cases, birds may nest at the same (or similar) location for many years. When entering your data into the FSD you have the option of selecting a site name from a previous year. Even if you select an old site name, you ll still need to enter a new latitude and longitude each year to show location changes (if any). 5 Colony Counts (Seabirds) This section describes how to count seabirds as you progress through the nesting season. A detailed explanation of where you enter site and count information is provided on the back of the Colony Form. This section only applies to colonies nesting on beaches. For instructions on counting rooftop colonies, see the section on rooftop nesting. Colonies should be visited a minimum of six times each season during specific count windows. More frequent (e.g., weekly) site visits provide valuable details about the fate and productivity of the colony. Colony visits may be made as part of a route survey or may be visited independently. Nesting Chronology Early in the season you may see birds engaged in pre-nesting behavior. Pre-nesting adults may be mating, exhibiting courtship behavior (such as courtship feeding), or digging out nest scrapes (small depressions in the sand where birds lay their eggs). Where these behaviors are seen, but nesting cannot be confirmed by observation of nests or adults in incubating posture (see picture below), label the status of the site as Pre-nesting on your Colony Form. In these situations, you will be counting adults only. If you see birds exhibiting alarm behaviors, such as dive-bombing predators or observers, active nests are most likely nearby, and you should move away from the area and watch for the birds to settle back down on their nests. As the season progresses, many birds will be sitting in nest scrapes, incubating eggs. At this stage, focus on counting nests. Since most nests are difficult to see from a distance, you should count nests by counting adult birds in incubating posture. Each adult in incubating posture is counted as one nest. Be sure that you are only counting adults in incubating posture as nests and not those loafing within the colony. Do not conduct your count when birds are flying up above their nests due to disturbance. These upflights can occur if you are too close to the colony or other sources of disturbance are present. Birds may take five minutes or more to settle back onto nests after being disturbed.

6 6 As eggs hatch, adults shift from incubation to brooding (shading) their young. When seabird chicks are very young (2-3 days old) and still in the nest scrape (nestlings), it can be difficult to tell whether adults are incubating or brooding. In either case, you can still count the brooding/incubating adult as one nest. Most chicks will become mobile and move away from the nest 2-3 days after hatching, and may seek shade or cover inside the colony or walk to the water s edge to cool off. t all nests will hatch synchronously (at the same time), so you will be counting both nests and chicks during this time. Chicks/young are classified into three age classes in this count protocol: downy chicks, feathered chicks, and flightcapable (fledged) juveniles. Downy chicks still retain their downy feathers while feathered chicks have grown true body and wing feathers. Especially for smaller species, you will find that feathered chicks are the easiest to detect. They are larger and more active than younger downy chicks. Feathered chicks often leave the boundaries of the colony for a time and walk to the water s edge where they are more visible.

7 Later in the season, chicks will grow their wing feathers and become flight-capable juveniles. At this time, you may see some adults still incubating, some downy chicks, some feathered chicks, and flight-capable juveniles. At this late stage count any nests, chicks, and flight-capable juveniles you observe on the Colony Form. It is very important to conduct counts of chicks and flight-capable juveniles. Counting nest numbers alone provides no information on colony success or productivity. 7 A colony site is considered Active as soon as any nest (of any species) is present, and until the last nest is complete (and all nesting adults, chicks/juveniles have left the area). The site should still be marked Active as long as any birds are still nesting or caring for young, even if other birds have completed or abandoned. In some cases, colonies may still be active, but part of the colony has been lost. If this is the case, note that partial colony loss has occurred and write in the cause, if known. Even when birds have finished nesting, a colony is still considered to have an Active status if flightcapable juveniles are in the vicinity (i.e., you can still see them from the nesting site). Once all juveniles and nesting birds have left the area, the colony site can be marked as Complete (see Colony Form). Future observations of flight-capable seabird juveniles away from the colonial nest site can be reported in the Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Form. If a previously-active site is found vacant, try to determine if the site had successfully produced chicks (Complete) or not (Abandoned), and if you cannot determine the final outcome you can mark the site status as Unknown. Once a colony site has been marked as Completed/Vacant or Abandoned, there is no need to record subsequent visits to the site unless the birds re-nest in this area. Then the site status can be re-listed as Active. Special te about Second-Year Birds: Advanced users can sometimes identify second-year birds (one-year old colonial seabirds, or yearlings, that fledged the year before) by their appearance. Those yearlings should be counted as adults and noted in the Comments section of the appropriate form(s) (e.g., 4 of 55 LETE adults counted were 2 nd -year birds ).

8 8 Conducting Counts (Count Types) Direct Counts For colonies of roughly 400 nests or less, you should conduct a direct count by surveying from outside the posted area from one end of the colony to the other. Count every nest, chick, and flight-capable juvenile you see in the colony. You will need binoculars to do this. For larger colonies, or colonies with vegetation or topography (e.g., dunes) that impede full visibility, you may not be able to count all nests from one observation point outside the colony. Instead you will need to count part of the colony from one observation point and then move to additional observation points outside the colony, while keeping track of what nests you have already counted. It can take some practice before you are able to conduct such counts accurately. In some cases, where pre-nesting season preparations have been made, small posts are used to divide the colony into separate sections to make counting easier and more accurate. Landmarks in and around the colony may be used similarly as a visual reference. Conduct at least two counts of all nests in the colony and average the counts for a final nest number to record on your data form. If you are the only observer, count twice and average your counts. If two observers are available (this is the preferred method), each observer can conduct just one count. If the counts are significantly different, you may want to conduct another count. Use the same protocol mentioned above to count downy chicks, feathered chicks, and flight-capable juveniles, if they are present. Do not try to count nests and chicks at the same time; it is best to conduct separate counts for each. Keep in mind that chicks (especially downy chicks) of some species (e.g., least terns) can be very small and difficult to locate within large colonies. Chick counts can vary greatly between observers, especially if one observer inadvertently flushes chicks into cover where they are no longer detectable by the other observer. To prevent this, conduct your counts simultaneously from the same locations. If you observed chicks moving into cover before another observer could see them, you may select your first count (the higher count) as your final chick count. However, this method should only be employed if you observed the chicks move. Otherwise, use the previous method of averaging the two observers counts. Estimate Counts For colonies larger than about 400 nests, you may want to make an estimate of the total colony size if you do not have time to conduct a direct count. You can also conduct an Estimate Count in situations where a large portion of the colony simply isn t visible due to a large sand dune, vegetation, or other obstruction. Position yourself in an area where you can view a large portion of the colony and delineate this section as your count area. Conduct a Direct Count in this area (as

9 described above). Determine approximately what percentage of the entire colony is encompassed within the count area (for example, 20% or 25%) and multiply your count by the appropriate value (in our example, 5 or 4, respectively) to estimate the size of 100% of the colony. Estimate Counts can be conducted for nests or chicks. Presence/Absence and Count When visiting a large colony, you may not have enough time to conduct counts of nests and/or chicks. If you see nests and/or chicks but do not have time to count them, you can still list them as being Present on the data sheet. Chicks can be very cryptic, however, so do not assume chicks are absent from a colony unless you are able to conduct a direct count of the entire colony and verify that no chicks have hatched and are hiding in the vicinity. If you do not have time to count or verify presence/absence of chicks, please enter NC or Count on your data sheet (entering NC instead of zero for a count is the correct way to note that birds were present but not counted). 9 Solitary Nest Counts (Shorebirds) Solitary nest sites obviously do not take as long to count as colonial sites, considering only one nest should be present! However, conducting counts of these species can be just as challenging. Nests are spread out over much larger areas and adults can be very secretive. There may also be cases where you cannot find a shorebird nest because it is hidden from view behind dunes, vegetation, or other posted/protected areas you should not enter. This is OK. Simply observe birds from a safe distance without flushing them, and be alert for behaviors which might indicate a nest is present. Since shorebird nests are often detected by looking for birds exhibiting breeding behavior, the Solitary Nest Form asks for this information. Similar to colonial nesters, you may see solitary nesters engaged in pre-nesting behavior. Pre-nesting adults may be mating, exhibiting courtship behavior, digging nest scrapes, or displaying territorial aggression towards other shorebirds. Alarm calls or other behaviors may also suggest that a potential nesting site is nearby. Birds may pay close attention to your actions if you are near the nest, and avoid approaching the nest themselves until you have left the immediate area. Where these behaviors are seen but nesting cannot be confirmed (by finding the nest, observing adults in incubating posture, or observing broken wing displays see next paragraph), label the site status as Pre-nesting/Potential nesting on the Solitary Nest Form. If you see a bird sitting in a nest or find a nest with eggs/nestlings, mark the site status as Active and check the Brooding/Incubating box. Many solitary shorebirds will perform a broken wing display (picture below) to lead intruders and predators away from their nests, which is also an indication of an active nest. If you cannot find the nest, but see an adult perform a broken wing display, mark the site status as Active and check the Broken Wing box. As you become more experienced in observing shorebirds, you will learn to better recognize which behaviors are signs of active nesting. Shorebird chicks are precocial (develop very quickly). They usually leave the nest within a day of hatching and begin to forage on their own. Unlike colonial seabirds, shorebirds may travel long distances (miles) away from their original nest location within days of hatching. Because shorebird chicks spend such little time in the nest, it is rare to observe nestlings still in the nest scrape. However, if you do find shorebird nestlings inside the nest scrape, record them on the Solitary Nest Form (nest site status: Active). If you see chicks near the nest scrape or other evidence that the nest hatched chicks, mark nest status as Complete on the Solitary Nest Form. Mobile shorebird chicks found outside the nest scrape must be reported on the Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Form (see next section).

10 10 As with seabird colonies, previously active shorebird sites that are found vacant can be marked Complete, Abandoned, or Unknown, depending on their final status. Once a solitary nest site has been marked as Completed or Abandoned, there is no need to record subsequent visits to that site. If the same pair re-nests, please create a new nest site for it (you can use a similar nest name if you wish; e.g., Sanibel SNPL Nest #1_renest1). The same count types (Direct, Estimate, Present/Absent, and Count) also apply to shorebird nest sites, but since these sites are solitary, in most cases you can conduct direct counts of adults and young at these sites. Counting Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young It is very important to count shorebird and seabird chicks and juveniles in order to assess productivity. However, it is important to note that reporting is done somewhat differently for solitary nesting shorebirds versus colonial seabirds. Shorebird Chicks As stated above, observers should only record shorebird chicks on the Solitary Nest Form when these nestlings are observed inside the nest scrape. Once chicks are mobile and observed outside the nest scrape, they should be recorded on the Roving Shorebird Chick/Staging Seabird Young Form. You must record a longitude and latitude on this form, but you are not required to associate young observed with a particular nest unless you are confident of this association. If you know which nest the chick came from, note the natal nest name on the Roving Shorebird Chick/Staging Seabird Young Form (and remember to mark the original nest site as Complete). Oftentimes, these young birds move far from their nest sites and observers may not know which nest they came from. Seabird Young For colonial seabirds, young birds are recorded on the Colony Form as long as they are still within visible range of the colony. This is because seabird chicks and even flight-capable juveniles will stay near the colony after they leave the nest (often congregating near the shoreline adjacent to the colony site once they are flight-capable). The site status on the Colony Form should be recorded as Active until the site is vacant with no nesting birds, chicks, or flight-capable juveniles within visible range of the colony. Flight-capable seabirds will eventually leave the area around the colony and congregate in staging areas along the beach or shoreline. At this point, you will need to fill out the Roving Chick/Staging Seabird Form to record these juveniles, if these staging areas are outside visible range of the colony.

11 Rooftop-Nesting Seabirds and Shorebirds Some seabirds and shorebirds will nest on gravel rooftops. In Florida, rooftop nesting has been documented in least terns, roseate terns, gull-billed terns, black skimmers, American oystercatchers, and killdeer. Birds create nest scrapes in the gravel, similar to nest scrapes made in the sand. Occasionally, solitary-nesting shorebirds will nest among colonial seabirds on a rooftop. When this occurs, the rooftop site should be surveyed as one site for nesting birds, a variation from how solitary and colonial ground nests are treated. The Rooftop Nesting Form and corresponding FSD application allows you to enter multiple species of both shorebirds and seabirds at a single rooftop site. As with ground colonies, the entire rooftop site is considered Active as long as any young of any species are still present on the roof, even if others have completed nesting and left the rooftop. Complete, Abandoned, and Unknown sites are also defined similarly to ground colony sites. However, an additional status category exists for rooftops: Inactive rooftop sites are those that were used by shorebirds or seabirds for nesting in previous years, but are no longer being used in current year. Unless you are working with other Regional Partners on a special rooftop monitoring project, you should NOT attempt to go onto the roof of a building to count nesting birds. Instead, please safely monitor shorebirds and seabirds from the ground or from a higher vantage point if available (i.e., a nearby building). When creating a new rooftop nest site in the FSD, use the Capture Click mapping feature to position the site on the rooftop used by the birds (not the location where you conducted your count). Seabirds In most cases, you will be counting adult seabirds from the ground. Wait for an upflight of the colony, then estimate the number of adults flying above the roof. This is called a Flush Count. If possible, conduct several flush counts and record the highest one. Record this as a flush count (F) on your Rooftop Nesting Form. In some cases, you may have the opportunity to view a rooftop where seabirds are nesting from a taller, adjacent building. In these cases, where you can see the entire roof clearly, you can conduct Direct Counts of nests, chicks, and flight-capable juveniles similar to counts you conduct for ground colonies. If you can only view part of the roof from an adjacent building, you can conduct an Estimate Count just as you do for ground colonies. If adults do not flush while you are there, but some birds can be seen perched on the edge of the roof, or flying above the roof, you can still count adults as being Present (P) on your data sheet. Shorebirds Shorebirds nesting on rooftops are more difficult to document from the ground. Solitary nesters like American oystercatchers typically have one adult standing guard on the edge of the roof (or an adjacent roof). Look for these sentinel birds and record these species as Present (P) on your count form. If you have a vantage point from which you can view the entire roof you can conduct a direct count. If you can only view part of the roof, record any shorebirds you observe as Present (P). 11 Banded birds Banding birds is an important method used in avian research to track movement of individual birds. Many projects use combinations of color bands, flags, and/or bands with alpha-numeric codes to allow individuals to be distinguished from a distance with binoculars, therefore preventing the need for the bird to be captured again. Each observation of a

12 12 banded bird is extremely important since it provides scientists with a time and location for that specific bird. These sightings help scientists better understand movement patterns relating to migration, nesting, wintering, and foraging. As you conduct your surveys, you may observe shorebirds or seabirds that have been leg-banded. Carefully note the color and position of each band (left or right leg, upper or lower leg), and be aware that the lower leg can have two bands stacked on top of one another be sure to note which is on top. One of the bands should be a metal USFWC band. If you see a flag leg-band, please record its alpha-numeric code. Please report band combinations in the Comments section of any form applicable to your observation, and online at When to Conduct your Counts Most shorebirds and seabirds nest and raise their young between February and August each year. At minimum, we ask partners to survey all established routes and check all sites (ground and rooftops) at least six times each season according to these count windows: COUNT WINDOW CALENDAR Count Dates Primary purpose Reason 1 March Locate early shorebird nests. Many plovers and American oystercatchers are on nests by mid-march. 2 April May June July 8-14 Locate early seabird colonies; check status of shorebird nests. Locate new nests & colonies and check status of existing ones. Locate shorebird chicks. Check the status of all nests & colonies. Count shorebird and seabird chicks. Locate new nests & colonies and check status of existing ones. Count chicks and fledglings. 6 August 5-11 Count chicks and fledglings. Some seabird colonies begin forming in early April. Plover, willet, American oystercatcher chicks begin to appear. May and June represent the peak of nesting season. Seabird chicks present at most colonies by June. July is often the time when second clutches and re-nesting attempts are initiated. August represents the tail end of the nesting season when recent fledges are most apparent. Counts conducted statewide during these dates will give researchers a general idea of overall trends in seabird and shorebird populations in Florida. However, more frequent surveys are recommended for partnerships with greater resources. Weekly counts of seabird colonies allow observers to estimate peak numbers of nests, chicks, and flightcapable juveniles, which can help determine colony size, nesting success, and productivity. More frequent visits to individual shorebird nests also allow for better tracking of nest success and productivity of these species. Check with your regional partnership for specific recommendations.

13 Depending on the species you expect to see, you may want to adjust the time of day of your survey or visit. If you are looking for solitary-nesting shorebird nests, you should conduct your survey during the cooler parts of the day. Adult shorebirds will likely run off their nests as soon as they see you, so an early morning or evening survey (i.e., within two hours of sunrise or after 5 P.M.) minimizes exposure of their eggs or chicks to the hot sun. For colonial seabirds, the best time to conduct counts changes throughout the season, depending on nesting stage. Early in the season, while adults are incubating eggs, the best time to conduct nest counts at seabird colonies is during the hottest part of the day (9 A.M. to 4 P.M.), when seabirds are more likely to be sitting on their eggs to protect them from the sun. Later in the season, when chicks hatch, it may be best to conduct counts during early morning or evening hours, when chicks may be more active and more visible. Important te: When conducting your counts, make sure you are aware of nearby nest predators (coyotes, raccoons, ghost crabs, crows, gulls, snakes, etc.). Many predators are most active in the early morning or early evening hours. Flushing adults when predators are nearby could result in chick predation. 13 Forms & Instructions Route Form Route Name: Enter the route name. Routes are usually established by regional shorebird partnerships but may be established by individuals in areas where partnerships are not actively coordinating routes. Observer(s): Enter your name and any additional observers who accompanied you on the route. Date: Enter the date you conducted the route survey. Start Time: Enter the time you started the route survey. End Time: Enter the time you finished the route survey, or the time you stopped if you did not complete the survey. Route Completed: Enter if you finished surveying the entire route; if only partially completed. Nesting Birds/Chicks/Juveniles Observed: If you filled out any count forms while surveying your route (Colony Form, Solitary Nest Form, or Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Form), select. If no nesting birds/chicks/juveniles were observed on the entire route, select. Route surveyed by: Select the mode of transportation you used while conducting your survey.

14 Route Form Use this form each time you survey your route. Route Name Observer(s) Date MM DD YY Start Time : AM PM End Time :: AM PM Route completed? Nesting Birds/Chicks/Juveniles Observed? Route surveyed by: Walking Motorboat Personal Watercraft ATV Car/Truck n-motorized Vessel Other REQUIRED OPTIONAL Site Checklist Fill out the checklist before your survey to ensure all sites along your route are counted. Colony (Seabirds) Solitary Nest (Shorebirds) Comments

15 15 Colony Form (Seabirds) Use the Colony Form for recording site visits to ground colonies. Colony Name: This is the unique Site name for the colony. Observer(s): Enter all observers who actually conducted a count. Date: Enter the date you visited the site. Start Time: Enter the time you started conducting your count. Posted: If the site has been posted to protect birds, note whether it is posted with signs only or with signs and rope. Status: Choose one: o Pre-nest Only: Applies to sites where seabirds are exhibiting pre-nesting behaviors (copulating, courtship feeding, digging scrapes). o Active: Nest(s) with eggs or nestlings found or birds exhibiting clear nesting behavior (brooding/incubating). If the colony contains active nests, chicks, or flight-capable young of any seabird species, check this box. The site should still be marked Active as long as any birds are still nesting or caring for young, even if other birds have completed or abandoned. In some cases, colonies may still be active, but part of the colony has been lost. If this is the case, check next to Partial colony loss and write in the cause, if known. o Completed/Vacant*: Applies to vacant sites where nesting adults, chicks, and juveniles of any seabird species are no longer present (visible from the site), but there is history of (or evidence that) the site produced fledges. o Abandoned: If you visit a site that was documented as active in the current nesting season and no birds of any species are observed, the site may be abandoned. Only mark the site Abandoned if the site has been monitored regularly and no previous Visits recorded feathered chicks or flight-capable young. o Unknown: You may be unable to determine if the colony was abandoned or if nesting was completed. If this is the case, select Unknown. *Once a site has been marked as Completed/Vacant or Abandoned, there is no need to re-enter subsequent visits in the FSD unless the birds re-nest in this area. Then you can re-list the site status as Active. Count Table: o Enter the species observed and the number of nests, chicks, flight-capable young, and adults as applicable. o Enter the count type you conducted (Present, Estimated, Direct, or Count). Location: Enter latitude and longitude of 4-10 GPS points outlining the boundaries of the colony, obtained with GPS unit or FSD aerial maps. Disturbance: If you see a disturbance which causes birds to flush (run or fly away), then check the appropriate boxes or explain in the Other section. Do not record potential sources of disturbance. Tracks: If you see tracks within 30 feet of posted area around colony, check appropriate boxes or explain in Other. Dogs Leashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed on leashes within 200 feet of the colony. Dogs Unleashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed off leashes within 200 feet of the colony. Beach Raking: If there is recent evidence of beach raking (beach cleaning) within 300 feet of the colony, select. Wrack: If wet wrack (fresh wrack) is present within 300 feet of the colony, select. If wrack is discontinuous or you can see through wrack to the beach below, select Sparse. If wrack is mostly continuous and you cannot see through the wrack to the beach below, select Dense. Comments: You may want to enter additional information about disturbance you observed, directions to the site, or other information. If you are counting the colony as part of a route you are surveying, enter the route name.

16 Colony Form (Seabirds) Colony Name Observer(s) Date MM DD YY Start Time : AM PM Posted? Signs Only Signs & Rope Status Pre-nest Only Active Completed/Vacant Abandoned Applies to sites where a colony may become established as suggested by pre-nesting behavior in the area. Partial colony loss? If, describe cause : If entire colony lost, describe cause: (e.g., predation by crow. If no cause is certain, write unknown ) Applies to vacant sites where nesting adults, chicks, and juveniles are no longer present, but fledges were produced. (e.g., predation by crow. If no cause is certain, write unknown ) Unknown Applies only to sites where it could not be determined whether the colony was abandoned or nesting was completed. Please specify whether you checked for presence only (P), estimated the numbers (E), or did a direct count (D). Enter 0, if no birds/nests present, and enter NC if no count was conducted. NESTS CHICKS/ YOUNG SPECIES ADULTS P E D Number P E D Downy Feathered Flight-Capable Counts new sites only Location: GPS coordinates in any format, collect additional GPS points to map site in database Lat. Lon. REQUIRED OPTIONAL Disturbance (caused birds to flush) Tracks (within 30 ft of colony) Walker/Runner/Cyclist Kite Surfer/Landboarder Powered Water Craft Aircraft Dog- leashed Vehicles Ghost Crab UNKNOWN Dog- unleashed n-powered Water Craft Avian Predator Other: Dog/Canid Raccoon People Cats Vehicle Snake Ghost Crab UNKNOWN Other: # Dogs (200 ft) Leashed Unleashed Beach Raking (300 ft) Wet Wrack (300 ft) If yes, how much? Abundant Sparse Comments Route Name:

17 17 Solitary Nest Form (Shorebirds) Use the Solitary Nest Form for recording site visits to solitary nests. Nest Name: This is the unique solitary nest site name. Observer(s): Enter all observers who helped you observe the nest/birds. Date: Enter the date you visited the site. Start Time: Enter the time you started monitoring the nest. Posted: If the site has been posted to protect birds, note whether it is posted with signs only or signs and rope. Status (Choose one): o Pre-nesting/Potential nesting: Applies to sites where a pair is exhibiting pre-nesting behavior (copulating, courtship feeding, digging scrapes, territorial displays) or behaviors (alarm calls) that indicate that an potential nest site is nearby but could not be confirmed. o Active: Nest with eggs or nestlings found or birds exhibiting clear nesting behavior (brooding/incubating or broken wing display). o Nesting Completed*: If you believe the nest has successfully hatched chicks, and/or you see young nearby, select this status. In many situations, you will not be able to confirm this. o Abandoned*: If you believe the nest was abandoned prior to successful hatching of the eggs, choose this status and list the reason, if known, for nest abandonment. o Unknown: You may revisit a previously active nest, and not be able to determine if it was abandoned or if nesting was completed. If this is the case, select Unknown. *Once a site has been marked as Completed or Abandoned, there is no need to re-enter subsequent visits in the FSD. If the pair re-nests, a new site can be created. Count Table: o Enter the species name. o Select the nesting behavior you observed (Active sites only). o In rare situations where you are close enough to the nest to observe eggs or nestlings in the nest, enter these numbers. DO NOT record mobile chicks here that have left the nest scrape. Use the Roving Chicks/Staging Seabird Young form for this. o Enter the number of adults you see in and around the nest (usually 2). Location: Enter latitude and longitude obtained with GPS unit or FSD aerial maps. Disturbance: If you see a disturbance which causes birds to flush (run or fly away) then check the appropriate boxes or explain in the Other section. Do not record potential sources of disturbance. Tracks: If you see tracks within 30 feet of the nest then check the appropriate boxes or explain in the Other section. Dogs Leashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed on leashes within 200 feet of the nest. Dogs Unleashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed off leashes within 200 feet of the nest. Beach Raking: If there is recent evidence of beach raking (beach cleaning) within 300 feet of the nest, select. Wrack: If wet wrack (fresh wrack) is present within 300 feet of the colony, select. If wrack is discontinuous or you can see through wrack to the beach below, select Sparse. If wrack is mostly continuous and you cannot see through the wrack to the beach below, select Dense. Comments: You may want to enter additional information about disturbance you observed, directions to the site, or other information. If you are observing the nest as part of a route you are conducting, enter the name of the route here.

18 Solitary Nest Form (Shorebirds) Nest Name Observer(s) Date MM DD YY Start Time : AM PM Posted? Signs Only Signs & Rope Pre-nesting/Potential Nesting Pre-nesting behavior or potential nesting site observed, but nesting is not confirmed. Active Nest with eggs found, birds seen incubating/brooding, or broken wing display observed. Status Nesting Completed Abandoned Applies to sites where chicks have left the nest. (e.g., predation by crow. If no cause is certain, write unknown ) If nest was lost, describe cause: Unknown Applies only to sites where it could not be determined whether the nest was abandoned or nesting was completed. Count SPECIES Incubating/Brooding Broken Wing 1 EGGS 2 3 ADULTS 1 Nests can be difficult to pinpoint, and behaviors such as incubating/brooding or broken wing displays may be your only indication a nest is nearby. 2 Opportunistic observations only, do not disturb nests or chicks. Enter U for unknown. 3 Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young- Count Form. new sites only Location: GPS coordinates in any format Lat. Lon. REQUIRED OPTIONAL Disturbance (caused birds to flush) Tracks (within 30 ft of nest) Walker/Runner/Cyclist Kite Surfer/Landboarder Powered Water Craft Aircraft Dog- leashed Vehicles Ghost Crab UNKNOWN Dog- unleashed n-powered Water Craft Avian Predator Other: Dog/Canid Raccoon People Cats Vehicle Snake Ghost Crab UNKNOWN Other: # Dogs (200 ft) Leashed Unleashed Beach Raking (300 ft) Wet Wrack (300 ft) If yes, how much? Abundant Sparse Comments (For color-banded birds use band forms) Route Name:

19 Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Count Form Date: Enter the date you observed the chicks/young. Observers: Enter names of observers who helped with the count. Start Time: Enter the time you started counting chicks/young. Posted: If the site has been posted to protect birds, note whether it is posted with signs only or if symbolic fencing using twine or rope is present. Location: Enter latitude and longitude obtained with GPS unit or FSD aerial maps. Count Table: o Enter the species present. o For shorebirds, enter the nest name where the chicks were hatched, if known. o Enter the number of downy, feathered, and/ or flight-capable young observed. o Enter the number of adults observed, if any. o Enter the habitat type where you first saw the birds (shoreline, shell rake, etc.). 19 Disturbance: If you see a disturbance which causes birds to flush (run or fly away) then enter the appropriate codes, or use the OTH code to explain other types of disturbance. Tracks: If you see tracks within 300 feet of chicks/young then record the appropriate codes. If the appropriate code is not listed, record the kind of tracks observed. Dogs Leashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed on leashes within 200 feet of the nest. Dogs Unleashed: Enter the total number of dogs observed off leashes within 200 feet of the nest. Beach Raking: If there is recent evidence of beach raking (beach cleaning) within 300 feet of chicks/young, select. Wrack: If wet wrack (fresh wrack) is present within 300 feet of chicks/young, select. If wrack is discontinuous or you can see through wrack to the beach below, select Sparse. If wrack is mostly continuous and you cannot see through the wrack to the beach below, select Dense. Comments: You may want to enter additional information about disturbance you observed, directions to the site, or other information. If you are counting chicks/young as part of a route you are conducting, enter the name of the route.

20 Roving Shorebird Chicks/Staging Seabird Young Count Form Date MM DD YY *This count form is specifically for shorebird chicks found away from nest or for juvenile seabirds at staging areas. Observer(s) Location: GPS coordinates in any format Lat. Lon. Posted? StartTime : Signs Only AM PM Signs & Rope Counts SPECIES CHICKS/ YOUNG Downy Feathered Flight-Capable ADULTS HABITAT (see below) REQUIRED OPTIONAL Disturbance (use codes below) Tracks (use codes below) # Dogs (200 ft) Leashed Unleashed Beach Raking (300 ft) Wet Wrack (300 ft) If yes, how much? Abundant Sparse Comments Route Name: Location: GPS coordinates in any format Lat. Lon. Posted? StartTime : Signs Only AM PM Signs & Rope Counts SPECIES CHICKS/ YOUNG Downy Feathered Flight-Capable ADULTS HABITAT (see below) REQUIRED OPTIONAL Disturbance (use codes below) Tracks (use codes below) # Dogs (200 ft) Leashed Unleashed Beach Raking (300 ft) Wet Wrack (300 ft) If yes, how much? Abundant Sparse Comments Route Name: Disturbance Codes (caused birds to flush): Walkers/Runner/Cyclist (WALK), Dog- leashed (DOG-L), Dog- unleashed (DOG-U), Kite surfer/landboarder (KITE), Vehicles (VEH), n-powered watercraft (NPWC), Powered water craft (PWC), Ghost Crab (CRAB), Avian Predator (AVPR), Aircraft (AIR), Unknown (UNK), and Other (OTH). Tracks: Dog/Canid (DOCA), Vehicle (VEH), Raccoon (RAC), Snake (SNA), People (PEO), Ghost Crab (CRAB), Cats (CAT), Unknown (UNK), and Other (OTH). Habitats: Artificial (ART), Shoreline (SHORE), Flats (FLAT), Tidal/Ephemeral pond (TIDE), Beach/dunes (BEACH), Shell rake (SHELL), Spoil island (SPOIL).

21 Rooftop Nesting Form Rooftop Name: Enter the rooftop site name. When you enter a new rooftop site into the website, you will be asked to check for historic sites first. Observers: Enter names of observers who helped with the count. Date: Enter the date you conducted the count. Start Time: Enter time you started your count. Status (Choose one): o Active: If the rooftop contains active nests, chicks, or flight-capable young of any solitary OR colonial species, check this box. If nesting has been completed or failed for one species, while others are still nesting or caring for young, still mark the site as Active. If you believe some nests were lost due to predation, disturbance, or abandonment, select next to Partial colony loss and describe the cause, if known. If you are unable to comfortably count the birds and cannot determine if any loss has occurred, check Unknown/NA. o Completed/Vacant*: Applies to vacant sites where nesting adults, chicks, and juveniles of any seabird species are no longer present, but there is history of (or evidence that) the site produced fledges of any species. o Abandoned*: If you visit a site that was documented as active in the current nesting season and no birds of any solitary OR colonial species are observed, the site may be abandoned. Only use this status if the site has been monitored regularly and no previous visits recorded feathered chicks or flight-capable young. o Unknown: You may be unable to determine if the rooftop was abandoned or if nesting was completed. If this is the case, select Unknown. o Inactive: You may monitor a rooftop that was listed as active in a previous year, but is not being used in the current year. If you check such a site and no birds are present, select this status. If a building has been reroofed (gravel no longer present) or demolished, and the site is no longer suitable for nesting, provide an explanation (e.g., Re-roofed; unsuitable for nesting ) in the Comments section. *Once a site has been marked as Completed/Vacant or Abandoned, there is no need to re-enter subsequent visits in the FSD unless the birds re-nest on this rooftop. Then you can re-list the site status as Active. Count Table: o Enter the species observed and the number of adults counted during your Flush Count. If you can view the rooftop from a higher vantage point, you can enter the number of nests, chicks, and flight-capable young as well. o Enter the count type as applicable (Present, Estimated, Direct, Flush Count, or Count). Building/Business Name: Enter the building/business name. Bldg. Contact tified: If you have spoken with a building contact (manager, owner, staff), select and provide contact information (name, title, phone number, and ). Bldg. Address: Enter the address of the building. Location: Enter latitude and longitude of rooftop, obtained with GPS unit or FSD aerial maps. Building Type: Check the building type or enter it in the Other box. Comments: You may want to enter additional information about disturbance you observed, directions to the site, or the condition of the building here. You may also enter the fate of individual species nesting on the rooftop site, if known. 21

22 Rooftop Nesting Form Rooftop Name Observer(s) Date MM DD YY Start Time : AM PM If, describe (e.g., predation by crow. If no cause is certain, write unknown ) Active Any nests lost? cause: Unknown Completed/Vacant Applies to vacant sites where nesting adults, chicks, and juveniles are no longer present, but fledges were produced. Status Abandoned Unknown Inactive (e.g., predation by crow. If no cause is certain, write unknown ) If all nests lost, describe cause: Applies only to sites where it could not be determined whether the rooftop site was abandoned or nesting was completed. Applies only to sites where rooftop nesting was observed in previous years, but not re-attempted in current year. Counts Please specify whether you checked for presence only (P), estimated the numbers (E), did a direct count (D), or conducted a flush count (F). Enter 0, if no birds/nests present, and enter NC if no count was conducted. SPECIES NESTS CHICKS/ YOUNG ADULTS P E D Number P E D Downy Feathered Flight-Capable P F Number new sites only Building/Business Name Bldg. Contact notified? Name Title Phone Number Bldg. Address Street Address City Zip Location: GPS coordinates in any format Lat. Lon. Building Type Warehouse Residential Gov. Building Supermarket Store Hotel Other Comments

23 Rooftop Nesting Optional Form This optional form allows observers to enter additional information about disturbance, chick checking programs, and building information. 23 Rooftop Name: Enter the rooftop site name. When you enter a new rooftop site into the FSD, you will be asked to check for historic sites first. Disturbance: If you see a disturbance which causes birds to flush (run or fly away) then enter the appropriate codes, or use the box labeled other to explain other types of disturbance. Chicks falling off roof: Many partnerships rescue chicks which have fallen off rooftops. Check around the entire building. If you see fallen chicks, check. Select Unknown if you didn t check for fallen chicks or if you saw no chicks but couldn t check around the entire building (limited access). Returned to roof: If you rescued chicks, check if they were returned to the roof or taken to a rehabilitator. In most cases, immediately returning chicks to the roof is the best option. Birds that are sick or injured should be taken to a rehabilitator. Chick checking program in place for this rooftop: Some partnerships have organized chick checking programs. Partners rescue chicks which have fallen off rooftops and place them back on the roof using a special device. If this rooftop is checked regularly each year for fallen chicks, select. Building Information: o Is there an edge (parapet) around the entire building preventing chicks from falling off? Select or. If you do not have access to see around the entire building, select Unknown. o Have all drains on the roof been covered to prevent chicks from falling in? In most cases, you won t be allowed access to the roof and must check Unknown. Some regional partnerships have special rooftop monitoring programs and can verify if drains are covered. Comments: You may want to enter additional information about disturbance you observed, directions to the site, or the condition of the building here.