Partner Spotlight: Vic Doig of the Nature Coast Shorebird Partnership

For 15 years, Vic Doig has been with the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. Despite his official title of Fire Management Officer, he also wears many other conservation hats. His previous role as an FWC Wildlife Management Area biologist has also allowed him to fill the role of refuge wildlife biologist. When he is not managing prescribed burns on the refuge, traveling around Florida and the rest of the country to support other fire programs, or monitoring gopher tortoises, bald eagles, and wading birds, Vic somehow finds the time to also monitor shorebirds.

Vic has been involved in the Nature Coast Shorebird Partnership since its beginnings in 2009. While the expansive pristine marsh habitat of the Nature Coast provides excellent foraging habitat, there is a limited amount of shorebird nesting habitat. Yet least terns, American oystercatchers, Wilson’s plovers and willets are still able to find hidden pockets to nest. Vic leads the effort to survey the extensive 30-mile coastline that the refuge encompasses during the breeding season!

Additionally, Vic Doig and Deputy Manager Larry Woodward (another FWS employee who wears many hats), undertook a project to create nesting habitat for seabirds, in particular least terns. Nesting seabirds and shorebirds in the Cedar Key area experience regular overwash events, resulting in poor nest success. To combat this, Vic, Larry, and other refuge staff designed a raised nesting platform built on an abandoned dock structure at Atsena Otie Key in the Cedar Keys NWR. Outfitted with nesting substrate, an acoustic playback system, and decoys, this will be the third year the platform is in place. No nesting has occurred yet, but many target species have used the platform as a loafing area.

Even though Vic’s schedule is jam-packed, his dedication to wildlife, positive attitude and amiable nature stand out, making him a pleasure to work with in the Nature Coast. We are fortunate to have him as a partner. Thank you, Vic!

Posting Nest Sites

“Posting” means to install a symbolic fence of signs and twine or rope around a nest or colony.  Posting is often the best tool to protect beach-nesting birds from human disturbance on popular beaches and islands.  “Pre-posting” a section of the beach to give the birds an undisturbed place to initiate nesting is also a great tool, especially if you want to attract birds to a protected spot before they establish nests.

If you find a shorebird nest or seabird colony that has not yet been posted, please notify the local land manager or your FWC regional shorebird contact immediately so that it can be posted.  Parks usually have their own preferred signs and posting materials, but if not (or if the nest is on private property), supplies and assistance can be requested by contacting your FWC regional shorebird biologist. Check out our sign selection – many can be printed off and laminated (remember to obtain landowner’s permission to post on private property).

Detailed posting instructions are available on the FSA website.

Bird Stewarding and Outreach

One of the greatest threats beach-nesting shorebirds face is disturbance from people, pets, and vehicles in the nesting area. Under these circumstances, signs posted around the nests are not enough to prevent people from disturbing nesting birds, and it requires time and effort from caring individuals, or beach stewards, to monitor the nests and chicks.

Shorebird steward programs are organized by shorebird partnerships throughout Florida. Where and when bird stewards will be needed is not fully determined until the birds have started nesting. This usually starts in March and can run into September, depending on the bird species. Stewarding begins after the nests and colonies are located and posted by biologists. Although the greatest needs for stewards is on weekends and holidays, stewarding can be done anytime an area has active shorebird nesting. While out on the beaches, stewards carry out two important tasks: 1) minimizing disturbance to the nests, and 2) informing the public about beach nesting birds.

To volunteer as a bird steward this season, please check this map to see if there is a steward program near you.  If so, please call or email the program contact to get involved.  If there is not a bird steward program near you, contact us about starting one.  In addition to stewards, land managers and private citizens can also do a lot to educate others about beach-nesting birds.  We have outreach materials to help you get the message out to beach drivers, photographers, and pedestrians on the beach.

Bird Stewards photo by Bonnie Samuelsen

Breeding Bird Surveys and Training

Florida’s official shorebird monitoring program begins this month, with the first count window from March 18th – 24th.  Everything you need to know to participate in the monitoring program can be found on the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) website.

The website’s INSTRUCTIONS tab details what the monitoring program involves.  The RESOURCES page contains videos on data entry and the Breeding Bird Protocol (BBP), which explains the monitoring process and includes data sheets.

All volunteers are encouraged to register for a training webinar.  The March 11th webinar is for new volunteers who plan to survey a specific route (usually along the beach).  The March 12th webinar is for returning volunteers and includes important updates to the BBP and FSD interface.  The March 13th webinar is for volunteers who plan to monitor rooftops and includes important updates to the rooftop section of the BBP and FSD interface .

All webinars are from 1-2pm Eastern.  

Details and instructions will be emailed to registered participants prior to the webinars.

Registration is now open for the 2019 webinars!

Photo by Holley Short

Rooftop Monitoring and Outreach

Many seabirds and shorebirds nest on gravel rooftops in Florida, making rooftop monitoring and outreach important components of our work.  There are hundreds of rooftops throughout the state where seabirds have historically nested, and we need your help monitoring them.  If you are willing to check on a nearby rooftop, please contact your local partnership to learn where you can assist.  If you would like to become a monthly rooftop monitor, March - August, please review the rooftop section of the Breeding Bird Protocol. 

If you see shorebirds or seabirds flying to or from a rooftop, the birds are likely nesting on that roof.  It is important to talk to the property owners or managers, to help make them aware of the protected species nesting on their roof.  The building’s residents or employees can alert you if there are falling chicks or other issues, so it’s important to talk to them early in the season and leave a phone number they can call.  We have signs, letters, postcards, and other Rooftop Resources to help you with outreach.

At rooftops where birds nest every year, there may be things you can do to prepare for the upcoming season.  First, please remind the property owner to schedule rooftop repairs or air conditioning maintenance the month before the birds arrive.  Also, some partnerships are “chick-proofing” rooftops, so please contact your local partnership to see if they need help.

If you see chicks falling off the roof, they should be returned to the rooftop as soon as possible.  Please consult the Chick-Checking Manual for further instructions.

"Chick-proofing" photo by Bonnie Samuelsen

Beach Nesting Bonanza: Help Us Report Tagged Horseshoe Crabs!

By Savanna Barry

Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch is a citizen science program focused on collecting important data on nesting horseshoe crabs. Tagging and releasing horseshoe crabs is an important duty of the citizen scientists, as is reporting later sightings of tagged crabs. The program, coordinated jointly by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the University of Florida IFAS Extension, is seeking help from the public to increase reports of tagged horseshoe crabs on Florida’s beaches. Read on for more on how you can help!

Why study the crabs?
Horseshoe crabs are ecologically important, especially for shorebirds. Many marine species eat horseshoe crabs and their eggs, including shorebirds that depend on the eggs for energy during migration. Horseshoe crabs are used as bait (conch and eel fisheries) and are captured live for display in aquaria and for research. Importantly, the blue blood of horseshoe crabs is vital for medical testing – the FDA requires that all injectable medicines, devices used for injection, and internal prosthetics (e.g., heart valves) undergo testing with an extract only found in horseshoe crab blood (Limulus Amebocyte Lysate). If you have ever received a vaccine, horseshoe crabs have helped you!

Their importance in different industries means that there is a demand for wild-caught horseshoe crabs and a moderate fishery for these animals exists in Florida. The FWC is required to collect data on fisheries within the state, but limited resources prevent detailed surveys from being completed by state biologists. Therefore, citizen scientists are providing an important service by helping the state keep track of population numbers and better manage these important marine animals, to ensure that the ecological function of horseshoe crabs is not impacted negatively by harvest.

What can you do?
Keep your eye out for tagged horseshoe crabs the next time you are walking the beach or near the water. If you see a tagged crab, snap a picture of the tag or record the number on the tag. Try to limit disturbance to the crab (try not to pick it up and if you must pick it up, NEVER pick it up by the tail) and DO NOT remove the tag. Make a note of the date and time you saw the crab and the location.

You can report this data using the online form or by calling 1-888-546-8587 (1-888-LIMULUS). This data goes into a national database maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and contributes to knowledge about horseshoe crab movements and population numbers.

If you would like information about how you can be involved in the citizen science surveys, please contact Savanna Barry 

Resources:
Why are Horseshoe Crabs Important?

Horseshoe Crab Tag Resighting Flyer

UF IFAS Publication on Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe Crab Fishery in Florida

Facts & FAQ About Horseshoe Crabs