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Tag: least terns

Least tern colony leaves Bradenton Beach

Least tern colony leaves Bradenton Beach

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – The strong winds, high tides and storm surge of then-Tropical Storm Debby were too much for the Island’s least tern colony on Aug. 4-5. A visit by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers on Aug. 5 indicated all birds had left the area to seek shelter elsewhere.

“The Bradenton Beach colony flourished for 88 days and produced 16 chicks,” according to an Aug. 9 press release from Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella. “Nine of those chicks fledged, which means they could fly but their parents still provided food. In contrast, the 2021 least tern colony produced only two fledged birds.”

The colony produced 29 nests, 18 of which were either abandoned or predated by birds or animals. There were 16 chicks produced in the remaining 11 nests. Four of the birds were banded and numbered.

Least terns are a threatened species in Florida.

Mazzarella wrote that the success of the 2024 colony can be attributed to partnerships with the City of Bradenton Beach and Manatee County officials and law enforcement, the Florida Audubon Society, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, residents of the Anna Maria Island Club and volunteers from the Manatee County Audubon Society and Turtle Watch.

“Our thanks to Shorebird Coordinator Kathy Doddridge who managed these partnerships, took actions to mitigate predation and educated beachgoers on a daily basis. We look forward to applying the knowledge gained to next year’s least tern colony,” she wrote.

Least tern chicks fitted with tracking bands

Least tern chicks fitted with tracking bands

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – Four least tern chicks in a local nesting colony have been outfitted with color-coded bands to help researchers study their migration patterns along with population and breeding success.

On July 15, Dr. Elizabeth Forys of Eckerd College fitted the four chicks with tracking bands under her master band permit #25258 and additional state permits. The chicks ranged in age from three to four weeks and had not yet begun to fly.

During the banding process, each bird was weighed, the length of their bill and wing were measured, and all data recorded in a state and federal database. The tracking bands include a silver, pre-stamped federal band along with a white band on the left leg and two colored bands on the left leg which are specific to the individual bird.

The chicks are identified as follows: Chick 11A – Blue-Blue/White Silver; Chick 11B – Blue-Red/White Silver; Chick 12 “Marilyn” – Blue-Green/White Silver and Chick 15 “StumbleBum” – Blue-Orange/White Silver

If you see a banded bird, report it to reportband.gov, noting

• Date, time and location;

• Species;

• Which leg or legs have bands;

• Color and order of bands; and

• Whether the band has an alphanumeric code, and, if so, the code.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring first reported the colony of least terns the week of May 6. Since then, the colony has grown to 45 birds. Of the 22 nests, there are still two birds sitting on eggs which are expected to hatch by the end of July.

Growing least tern colony vulnerable to firework

Growing least tern colony vulnerable to fireworks

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Audubon Florida remind beachgoers to avoid disturbing nesting shorebirds with fireworks.

Setting off fireworks on AMI beaches is illegal, according to local law enforcement officials.

Turtle Watch has been monitoring a colony of least terns in Bradenton Beach since early May. The colony has grown to 45 birds and 22 nests, six of which are expected to hatch shortly. Six chicks already have hatched, ranging in age from one to two weeks.

Growing least tern colony vulnerable to firework
Signs and enclosures protect least tern chicks in Bradenton Beach from beachgoers. – Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

“The adults are highly agitated by people coming too close to the buffer area, dogs on the beach and fireworks,” according to an email from Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella. “Fireworks have been known to cause an entire colony of nesting birds to abandon their eggs and chicks.”

Local law prohibits dogs on AMI beaches.

The least tern chicks are using both washed-up seaweed and chick huts as shelter. The chick huts also protect them from predators such as fish crows and laughing gulls. Fish crow effigies have been placed to reduce predation from the crows.

“Chick Crossing” signs have been placed around the colony and beachgoers are asked to watch for chicks outside the posted area. Do not pick them up and move them. Allow the least tern adults to call the chicks back into the enclosure.

Volunteer bird stewards will be at the colony throughout the holiday weekend to educate the public and respond to questions.

According to a press release from Audubon Florida, nesting shorebirds seen on Anna Maria Island beaches can include least terns, black skimmers, Wilson’s plovers, snowy plovers and American oystercatchers.

“Debris left from the fireworks litter on beaches and in near-shore waters and can be easily mistaken for food by sea turtles and other marine animals. Chicks nibble on plastic refuse, even ingesting some of the smallest pieces,” according to Audubon.

Audubon recommends that people attend a municipal fireworks show versus deploying store-bought fireworks on the beach.

“Nesting birds face threats from vehicular traffic, kites, off-leash dogs, getting stepped on and firework displays on crowded beaches. These disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon their nests or chicks, which can ultimately lead to chicks starving, getting eaten by a predator or overheating in the sun,” according to Audubon.

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – Since a colony of least terns began nesting the week of May 6, their numbers have grown to include 45 birds, with 20 of them sitting on eggs, along with five new hatchlings.

Rainfall during the week of June 10 raised concerns about the colony’s survival. At that time many of the eggs had been incubating for more than 25 days and were expected to be close to hatching.

Not only did the colony survive the storms, but throughout the weekend five chicks could be seen peering out from under their parents, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach
A least tern chick is learning to stand. – Submitted | Kathy Doddridge

“Least tern chicks are highly mobile within a day of hatching. The adults can be seen using fish to coax the chicks to stand, open their bills and experience a fish in their mouth,” Mazzarella said in a press release. “At two days the adults lead the chicks around the colony to strengthen their legs and may leave the chicks unattended.”

Eventually, the chicks will use chick huts, upside-down V-shaped shade structures, as shelter, allowing the adults to forage offshore and feed fish to the chicks. The chick huts protect the chicks from predators such as fish crows and laughing gulls.

“Chick Crossing” signs have been placed at the north and south ends of the colony. In addition, chick fencing has been placed to deter chicks from going into the beach access area.

Beachgoers are asked to watch for chicks that may decide to explore outside the posted area and allow the least tern adults to call the chicks back into the enclosure.

Mazzarella offered the following tips to keep the colony safe:

• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or leave their nests you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet away from a nest.

• Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nests and resting areas and use designated walkways.

• Never intentionally force birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use energy they need to reserve for nesting and migration.

• Pets are not allowed on AMI beaches. Keep cats indoors.

• Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds.

• Spread the word. If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently remind them how their actions may hurt birds’ survival. If they continue to disturb nesting birds, please call and report their activities to FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

For more information or ways to help protect nesting shorebirds and seabirds, visit islandturtlewatch.com.

Shorebird season scant on AMI

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

Shorebird nesting season on Anna Maria Island ends this month with only two least tern chicks surviving out of 30 – cats preyed on the rest, according to photographer Kathy Doddridge, a volunteer with Audubon Florida and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. The two chicks, banded for identification and tracking by Florida Audubon, were a product of the first least tern colony on the Island since May 2016. Least terns, a threatened species in Florida, laid 64 nests this year on AMI.

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

- Kathy Doddridge | Submitted

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Birds, Featured, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been a long time, longer than Suzi Fox can remember, since least terns nested on the Island’s Gulf beaches.

Reel Time: For the Birds
A threatened least tern stands over its egg. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

“I’m very excited,” said Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, describing 26 terns that have paired off and laid eggs in nests on the sand beach in an undisclosed, staked-off location.

The bird species is threatened and protected by state and federal law.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI
A least tern tries to impress a prospective mate with a fish. The threatened species is nesting on AMI for the first time in recent memory. – Cindy Lane | Sun

A least tern nesting colony was unsuccessful in 2013 across from Bradenton Beach City Hall, she said, recalling that the last successful nesting colony was 15 or 16 years ago at Bean Point.

Since then, a few pairs have sporadically nested on AMI, only to have their nests destroyed by cats, dogs and wild predators such as raccoons.

When the chicks hatch, they will be able to hide under palettes that will be placed in their nesting area to keep them safer from bird predators, including the ubiquitous osprey, she said.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI
Least tern chicks hide under palettes placed in their nesting areas to keep them safe from winged predators. – Cindy Lane | Sun

People can also cause nests to fail. Some nests are abandoned when beachgoers, often children, chase birds, exposing the eggs to the heat and predators.

Parent birds need to rest and conserve energy to find food, even if they are not sitting on a nest, Fox said.

“If everyone could just go the extra mile and help us get these eggs off to a good start,” she said, asking beachgoers to steer clear of birds on the beach, especially if they’re screeching or are in posted nesting areas, and keep pets off the beach, which is the law in Manatee County.

Fox credits the larger nesting area created by the beach renourishment that was completed this spring for attracting the birds.

“It’s great news,” Fox said, “for a change.”