Volusia Shorebird Partnership Post Season Meeting Notes
Wednesday September 16, 2015, 1:30- 3:30
Beach Safety Headquarters, 3rd floor conference room
515 S. Atlantic Ave. Daytona Beach, FL
Meeting Agenda
1:30-1:40: Welcome and Introductions
Partners in attendance:
Naomi Avissar, FWC Florida Shorebird Alliance Coordinator (via phone)
Jennifer Winters, County of Volusia, Volusia Shorebird Partnership Coordinator
Jess Rodriguez, FWC Northeast Region Volunteer Coordinator
Anna Deyle, FWC Northeast Region Assistant Species Conservation Biologist
Lt Steve Van Nortwick, FWC Law Enforcement
Michael Brothers, Marine Science Center Manager
Jason DePue, DEP, Florida Parks Service regional biologist
David Hartgrove, Halifax River Audubon
Mike Cooper, NPS, Canaveral National Seashore (new)
Mike Simmons, County of Volusia, Sea Turtle HCP Field Manager (new)
Brandon Noel with Bethune Cookman University couldn’t make it last minute. no rep from SE Volusia Audubon unfortunately.
1:40-2:30: Partner updates about 2015 routes
Mike Cooper- Apollo Beach Route- turtle monitors are out every day- 1 WIPL nest, by the time he went to cordon it off, it was predated by raccoons. A lot of coyotes in Canaveral. Playalinda-hogs on the beach.
Jennifer Winters- County of Volusia Managed Beaches Route- 9 WIPL nests, 7 of the 9 successfully hatched- one inside Canaveral- 2 chicks hatched from that not sure if they fledged
Beach Safety is doing extra patrols in that area to look for dogs. The monitoring groups have been asked to take pictures of dog activity. This is a somewhat remote area, mostly residential- not a lot of truck patrols. SE Volusia Audubon volunteers-some stewarding with WIPL nests-a lot of volunteers didn’t come to steward training.
Disappearing Island- over-washed around Mother’s Day- pre-posted it in March- surveying it regularly- LETE courtship behavior all summer- no nesting activity. A couple hundred LETE in the inlet regularly but they just weren’t nesting there.
Rattlesnake Island- 1 LETE nest- didn’t make it- we know there are predators out there. We need to double check how this sight is entered and if it should be listed as a route or not. (Was not surveyed each count window)
1 WIPL nest on Rattlesnake did hatch -2 chicks
Mike Simmons- A territorial WIPL was seen in New Smyrna Dunes park but no nest was located.
David Hartgrove- Dunlawton Bridge- AMOY- one nest on N end of rookery island failed- adults were incubating went back a couple days later- completely abandoned.
Replaced by a 2nd pair- 1 adult was banded in SC, a female- defended area around where original nest was. Saw them copulate- never saw any sign of nesting- not sure if moved and nested somewhere else or what.
Another pair on N side of bridge- W side of ICW- successfully fledged 2 chicks out of that nest.
Rookery island a very healthy colony of BRPE this year- still maybe 5 or 6 feathered chicks out there now- extremely late nesting-last week several chicks still being fed by adults in nesting area
Mike Brothers- the two lighthouse point park routes- nothing- he added August visits to the FSD since we made the spreadsheet of route coverage
Jason DePue-North Peninsula State Park (NPSP) North Marsh and NPSP South Marsh- these two routes should be removed from the FSD- new one “N Peninsula State park beachside” is already in there and are planning to continue surveying it. It may have been deleted by accident- talk to Whitney and Naomi about.
NPSP- they were ready to put out coyote traps this year if needed there- last year coyote predated sea turtle nests- but wasn’t a problem there this year- no nesting shorebirds observed this year-continue to see Willets and Willet chicks out on the beach- previous years 30 or 40 chicks on the beach- behind NPSP tons of marsh- were these entered as roving chicks in the FSD this year? Jason said maybe
Frank Quinn, President of Flagler Audubon and Jason alternating the surveys there now-Laura Ostapko not doing them anymore.
Rooftops- David Hartgrove- surveyed all of them up until August-just went to ones he knew were still active in August so didn’t have to drive so far to check them all.
Waterway West Condo (VOR17)- New site down in New Smyrna- the area is usually covered by SE Volusia Audubon- someone let him know in late May they heard birds and saw them calling on roof- new place-president of condo association got him up on roof- took a quick peak- 5 inch parapet, drains covered, elevated A/C units set up on little cement blocks- cover and shade for chicks- no indication of any of them falling off the roof- David did a walk around the parking lot- at least 12 or 14 nests he could see- more out of his line of vision behind A/C units etc, 30 nests estimated based on birds flushing up
Winchester Manor Condos (VOR8)- thinks it has probably been re-roofed-manager won’t answer.
K-mart Ormond Town Mall- nice parapet 12 or 14 in high, drains covered- haven’t nested there in last 3-4 yrs- river rock- large- not gravel- but they used to use it
Ormond Beach Mall- birds nesting above Taste of China restaurant- across from Winchester Manor Condos so maybe the birds moved over there. Nesting activity was observed but success unknown.
Together Unisex Salon- thought we had cooperation from building to put a camera up there in 2014, but then one store owner was not ok with it and no project was pursued. The salon owner saw the birds flying around the roof this year but didn’t think the birds would actually nest- the birds didn’t nest there- a lot of predation from fish crows and boat-tailed grackles.
Seaire Apartments- a little small apt complex- flat gravel roof- 5 or 6 pairs 2004 or 2005- not sure how successful they were
Powerhouse Gym (VOR2)- he suspects it has been reroofed-he will check
Bellaire Bowling Alley and Old Publix- he is surprised there was no nesting there- It is a U shaped shopping center with ideal roofing.
Covidien Building- east side of Deland- Covidien a large health products company-enviro compliance officer on site- he went up on roof two years ago there. At least 30 pairs nesting there this year
BCU Roof- Brandon Noel- it failed he doesn’t know why-has video camera footage that he will review and let us know what he finds.
Naomi-499 S Nova road- Ormond beach- historic nesting rooftop- Naomi has in her notes but it was not checked or known of by David Hartgrove as an active site in his recollection.
2:30- 2:45: FWC preliminary 2015 data summaries (local and statewide)
Please contact for a copy of the presentation. It is a summary of local and statewide data entered into the Florida Shorebird Database as of 9/10/2015.
2:45-3:00: Local Projects- FWC Input (NSB proposed development near Rookery Islands and beach re-nourishment projects)
NSB Proposed Development near Rookery Islands:
Anna Deyle and David Hartgrove gave background on the proposed development:
The name of the project is: Coronado Island Marine Village. A development project proposed for New Smyrna Beach- current drawings for the project show putting in new boat docks very close to two wading bird and brown pelican rookery islands.
Species reported nesting on those islands are: tricolored herons, snowy egrets, brown pelicans, great egrets, cattle egrets, double-crested cormorants, and black-crowned night herons. Michael Brothers indicated there are also Reddish Egrets. All species that nest on the islands are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and State Rules 68A-4.001 and 68A-16.001 F.A.C., which include prohibitions on the taking, killing, capturing, and possession of these species, their eggs, and young without a permit. Additionally, Tricolored herons, snowy egrets and brown pelicans are all state listed Species of Special Concern and are protected by state rules that offer similar protections as the MBTA. However, by the time the project starts snowy egrets and brown pelicans may have come off of the state list, and tricolored herons may have been up listed to state-threatened status. State-designated Threatened species are protected under State Rule 68A-27, which includes prohibitions on harm and harassment of these species without a permit. “Harm” may include significant habitat modification or degradation that actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding or sheltering. “Harass” includes an intentional or negligent act or omission which creates the likelihood of injury to wildlife by annoying it to such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavioral patterns which include, but are not limited to, breeding, feeding or sheltering.
Anna and Alex Kropp with FWC have provided informal technical assistance to the development company about which bird species nest on the islands and their protections.
If the project proceeds as planned the development company will need to obtain permits for dredging from DEP and the Army Corp of Engineers and this should trigger official environmental commenting from FWC.
David was at the Sept 8th City Commission Meeting where developer and city discussed sale of the land to the developer and whether the zoning for the land will need to be changed. Both issues were tabled for now. The city decided they want developer to come back with 3D images of what they expect the development to look like when it is complete before the city commission will vote on whether to sell the land to the developer or not.
At this meeting, the attorney for the developer said they are willing to move the docks that are currently shown to be very close to the two rookery islands in the development drawings further back from the islands.
Michael Brothers raised concern for birds that over-winter on the rookery islands and rest on them at night but do not nest on them. He suggested that someone may want to document them.
Jennifer Winters asked who future concerned citizens should be directed to call. The group consensus was to direct them to call the City.
Beach re-nourishment project:
Anna let the group know about an upcoming project to dredge a side channel of Ponce Inlet and place the dredge spoil as beach renourishment in an area of the beach near Lighthouse Point Park.
FWC is providing environmental commenting for this multi-year maintenance dredging project (15 years). Alex has asked if it would be possible for the dredge spoil to be placed at Smyrna Dunes Park or even Disappearing Island. He is concerned that renourishing the beach near Lighthouse Point Park might attract shorebirds to nest in that area where there are pretty severe feral cat and raccoon predation issues.
If you’d like more information about this project feel free to contact Alex or Anna.
Links to the permitting info and plans can be found here:
ftp://ftp.dep.state.fl.us/pub/ENV-PRMT/volusia/pending/0332937%20PonceInletSideChannelDredging/001-JC/Application/
3:00-3:30: Open Discussion
Marine Discovery Center marsh restoration project was discussed- possibility of trying to bring birds to nest in that area- although the area might not be large enough for shorebird nesting, might be more suitable for foraging-especially for willet.
Could MDC make it a route and check it for shorebirds?
Mike Simmons- MDC oyster recycling program- could there be potential here for making suitable potential AMOY nesting sites? Jeff Beal and Annie Roddenberry would be good to work with on this.
No one from the MDC was present at the meeting to respond to either of the above topic ideas.
Jennifer- mentioned idea of having our 2016 pre-season partnership meeting at the Marine Discover Center to get them more involved in the partnership
Michael Brothers – Canaveral National Seashore Bird Island was not active this year. It is currently not a route but Mike Cooper is trying to get one set up.
Jess Rodriguez (FWC NE Region Volunteer Coordinator)- asked if coverage is good for shorebird monitoring in Volusia County.
One gap mentioned is AMOY surveys along the Halifax River (with the exception of the Dunlawton Bridge area which David Hartgrove monitors)- Michael Brothers has a boat and so does MDC- so they might be able to do more AMOY surveys.
Naomi Avissar- FWC is going to do things a little differently when it comes to responding to emergency repairs on rooftops with actively nesting shorebirds on them.
Trying to train volunteers in each area who could assist and be present to accompany rooftop repair people up on roof and make sure they follow shorebird safe protocols. If you would be interested in doing this, please let Naomi or Jess Rodriguez know!
FWC Lt Steve van Nortwick- any law enforcement problems or issues this past season? One dog walked in the Bethune Beach area while a steward was volunteering. They were non responsive when politely asked to keep the unleashed dog away from the nesting areas. Jennifer also contacted him about complaint she received about a tour boat that was too close to the rookery islands in NSB- Lt Van Nortwick contacted the boat operator. There was an amphibious vehicle used on disappearing Island to help monitor behavior on Disappearing Island during the “Aquapalooza” event. Tracks went directly next to the posted nesting area. Jennifer Winters mentioned that there was no advanced coordination of that activity to reduce bird harassment concerns. Fortunately there was no recorded nesting activity in the area.
Mike Simmons-10 PIPL on Disappearing Island the other day, 3 were banded. It is a major resting and foraging area for shorebirds. The group wondered if the FWC CWA designation process has been revamped. Anna offered to get an update on the current review status.
Adjourn
6