Re: [CT Birds] terns
I can also back up Chris's observations about the lack of terns. Menunketesuck is usually hopping with terns this time of year and now I often do not see even one. Hammonasset has been dismal as well. I saw only one yesterday. I miss them and also would like to know if there is a cause for this, as if they are nesting elsewhere or if their numbers are way down due to some environmental event. I am wondering how colonies are doing in adjoining states.
M Komara
Terns follow the schools of baitfish so a study should coordinate with
fishermen and boaters who are out on the Sound every day.
On Sat, Jul 14, 2018 at 10:06 AM, MICKY KOMARA via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
I can also back up Chris's observations about the lack of terns.
Menunketesuck is usually hopping with terns this time of year and now I
often do not see even one. Hammonasset has been dismal as well. I saw only
one yesterday. I miss them and also would like to know if there is a cause
for this, as if they are nesting elsewhere or if their numbers are way down
due to some environmental event. I am wondering how colonies are doing in
adjoining states.
M Komara
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for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
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Just an anecdote regarding Falkner Island. Two weeks ago I observed the
island by boat and saw that the terns were commuting to and from the east.
The returning birds held sand lance in their bills. I followed the stream
to the feeding concentration of a few hundred birds (with constant
turnover), which was 11 miles in a straight line to the east, at the
western end of Long Sand Shoal.
We observed Great Gull Island later that day. Frank Gallo reported, via one
of the researchers, that this has been an exceptional year for baitfish
around the island. We observed several feeding flocks of terns catching
sand lance mere yards from the shore of the island.
Nick Bonomo
Wallingford, CT
www.shorebirder.com
On Sat, Jul 14, 2018 at 10:49 AM, Paul Plotnick via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Terns follow the schools of baitfish so a study should coordinate with
fishermen and boaters who are out on the Sound every day.
On Sat, Jul 14, 2018 at 10:06 AM, MICKY KOMARA via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
I can also back up Chris's observations about the lack of terns.
Menunketesuck is usually hopping with terns this time of year and now I
often do not see even one. Hammonasset has been dismal as well. I saw
only
one yesterday. I miss them and also would like to know if there is a
cause
for this, as if they are nesting elsewhere or if their numbers are way
down
due to some environmental event. I am wondering how colonies are doing in
adjoining states.
M Komara
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/
mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/
mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
I suspect it is more than just baitfish, and as Chris says, American Oystercatchers are also having a hard time and there are indications that Piping Plovers are as well. I suspect predators are an issue, and also there was a series of poorly timed very high tides.
Least Terns are a bit more susceptible to mammalian predators than the others because they form denser colonies, the colonies have a scent marker and exclosures are also not practical.
Speaking of baitfish, there have been a few high profile examples of poor productivity of Osprey nests, but it is too early to say if it is anything out of the ordinary.
Patrick Comins, Meriden