Published: 16 July 2010

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Resource Management Field Summary for July 08– July 14, 2010 

(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)

 

Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:

 

Observations	Thurs 7/8	Fri 7/9	Sat 7/10	Sun 7/11	Mon 7/12	Tues 7/13	Weds 7/14
Oregon Inlet	1	0	1	0	2	0	0
Cape Point	1	1	3	0	0	0	0
South Beach	3	1	2	8	4	1	1
Hatteras Inlet	0	0	3	0	0	0	0
Hatteras Overwash	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N. Ocracoke	1	1	2	4	2	7	7
S. Ocracoke	2	2	9	26	1	3	2

 

Bodie District:

            Bodie Island:  Up to two PIPL has been observed foraging.

 

Hatteras District:

            Cape Point:  Up to three PIPL have been observed foraging.

                                                                                                                       

            South Beach:  The three-egg PIPL nest from Pair 12 was observed to have only one egg on 7/11.  No signs of predation were observed at that time.  Later in the day on 7/11, one chick was observed in nest.  A total of 8 PIPL (including fledglings) have been observed on South Beach at one time.

 

            Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet:  Up to three PIPL have been observed foraging at Hatteras Inlet

 

Other Beaches:  One PIPL observed foraging 1.5 mi North of Buxton Village.

                       

Ocracoke District:

            North Ocracoke:  Up to seven PIPL has been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines.  No new breeding activity observed this week.

           

South Point:  Up to 26 PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats.  At least three pairs have had documented nests.  No chicks have fledged nor are there any chicks on the ground. One active nest remains.  This three-egg nest found on 6/29 and had been reduced to two eggs by 7/10.  Hatching for this nest should occur on or around 7/19.

 

PIPL Breeding Summary: 

 

Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Total Nests Hatched	Total Nests Lost	Total Eggs Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Lost Chicks	Fledged Chicks
16*	Ocracoke-1	11	4	31	1	15	15

* This counts the three egg nest on Ocracoke, found 6/29, as a separate nest, although it is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs 6/23.

 

Nest/Brood Summary/Expected hatch dates:

Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/13.  Four chicks fledged 6/8.

Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point.  Two chicks hatched on 5/14.  One chick fledged 6/3 and the other chick fledged 6/9.

Nest/Brood 3 & 5 - Cape Point.  Three chicks hatched on 5/21.  One chick was lost on 5/28 and another on 6/6.  The Brood 3 chick fledged on 6/17.  Brood 5 chicks (2) fledged on 6/21.

Nest/Brood 4 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and four chicks fledged (three on 6/18) by 6/21.

Nest/Brood 5 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/24.  Two chicks were lost on 5/30.  Two chicks joined Brood 3 on 6/1.

Nest/Brood 6 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and another on 5/28.  Two chicks fledged on 6/16.

Nest 7 - South Point.  Lost on 5/2.

Nest 8 - South Point.  Lost on 5/5.

Nest/Brood 9 - South Point.  Three chicks were lost to unknown predation (probably ghost crab or avian) on 6/7.  The fourth egg from this nest was abandoned by 6/8. 

Nest/Brood 10 - South Point.  Lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.

Nest/Brood 11 - South Point.  Four chicks were lost between 6/13 and 6/16 (1 chick was lost to a ghost crab, the cause of loss for the other three chicks is unknown).

Nest 12 – North Ocracoke.  Three chicks hatched 6/25, one was lost on or around 6/28. The other two were lost on or before 7/1.

Nest 13 – South Point.  This nest was discovered at a one-egg nest on 6/3 and exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/7.  This nest is believed to be a re-nest from pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on 5/2 and Nest 10 on 5/26.  Three chicks hatched 7/1, but only one chick was observed by 7/2.  All chicks were lost by 7/4 to unknown cause.

Nest 14 – South Beach.  Two eggs were lost on 7/11, cause unknown.  One chick hatched on 7/11.

Nest 15 – South Point.  A one-egg nest was discovered on 6/20 but was predated (presumably by ghost crab) on or before 6/23.

Nest 16 (or Nest 15a) – South Point.  A three-egg nest was discovered and immediately exclosed on 6/29 on South Point Spit.  It is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs on 6/23.  This nest lost one egg to a ghost crab on or before 7/10.  Two eggs continue to be incubated.  Hatching should occur on or near 7/19.

 

 

 

WIPL Update:

 

WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point (Ocracoke) within the pre-nesting closure.  A three egg nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, hatched on 6/6 with three chicks.  Although the WIPL chicks are not observed daily, on 7/13 two fledged chicks were present and foraging on the sound-side shoreline of South Point. On 6/19 a one-egg WIPL nest was found on South Point.  This nest became a two-egg nest on 6/22, and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/27.  This nest should hatch on or near 7/16.

 

American Oystercatchers (AMOY):  

 

Location	Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Nests Hatched	Nests Lost	Total Chicks Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Chicks Lost	Fledged Chicks
Green Island	3	0	2	1	6	5	1	0
Bodie District	2	0	1	1	1	0	1	0
Bodie/Hatteras District	5	0	4	1	10	1	5	4
Hatteras District	12	0	9	3	22	3	4	15
Ocracoke District	6	1	4	1	8	0	6	2
CAHA TOTALS	28	1	20	7	47	9	17	21

 

2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs:  Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. 

 

Bodie District:

• Green Island:  Two pairs have two broods (locating the chicks is difficult on the island; however, the southern brood is believed to have 2 chicks and the northern brood is believed to still have 3 chicks).
• Bodie Island:  No AMOY breeding behavior was observed.  The AMOY pair that lost a chick has been observed roosting near its previous nesting area. 
• Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30):  One pair has one chick that hatched on 6/26.  One pair has three chicks that fledged on 6/21.  One pair has one chick that fledged on 7/3.

 

Hatteras District:  There are no active nests remaining in Hatteras District.  There are three unfledged chicks which are 42 days old.  Fledging is overdue, however, no flight has been observed.

 

 

Ocracoke District:  

• North Ocracoke:  One pair has one fledged chick.  Another pair has documented scrapes north of Ramp 59, although no nest has been found.
• Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72):  The northern-most pair has fledged one chick.  A second pair hatched two chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/29, but both chicks were lost on or before 7/1.
• South Point:  One pair continues to be observed in its territory.  The other pair lost a two egg nest in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26.  A one-egg re-nest was found for this pair on 6/21.  The nest became a two egg nest on 6/23 and should hatch on or near 7/16.

 

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):

            Bodie District:  

Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings.

 

Green Island:

Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Bodie Hatteras District:

Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with one incubating LETE.

 

Hatteras District:  

Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Road is active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings. The GBTE nest was depredated by a raccoon on 7/8.

 

Ocracoke District:  

Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 active with LETE scrapes.

Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests and LETE and COTE chicks.

Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests and chicks.

 

 

Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):

Bodie District Nests:

None this week

 

Bodie District False Crawls:

None this week

 

Bodie Hatteras District Nests:

7/9- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi N of Ramp 30.

7/10- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi S of Ramp 23.

7/11- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.9 mi N of Ramp 23.

7/11- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi S of Ramp 27.

7/14- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi S of Ramp 27.

 

Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:

None this week

 

Hatteras District Nests:

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.2 mi W of Ramp 49.

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.6 mi N of Ramp 38. 

7/9 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.0 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/9 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.0 mi W of Ramp 49.

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi N of Ramp 38.

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.2 mi S of Ramp 49.

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 44.

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi S of Ramp 30.

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi W of Ramp 45.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.3 mi E of Ramp 49.

 

Hatteras District False Crawls:

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.3 mi S of Ramp 30.

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.5 mi S of Ramp 30.

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.9 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/8 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.4 mi S of Ramp 34.

7/9 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.8 mi S of Ramp 44.

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.2 mi W of Ramp 45.

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.1 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.5 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.0 mi S of Ramp 44.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.1 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.30 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.33 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.37 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.43 mi E of Ramp 49.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.5 mi E of Ramp 49.

 

Ocracoke District Nests:

7/9 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.3 mi S of Ramp 59

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.3 mi N of Ramp 67

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.41 mi N of Ramp 70

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.3 mi N of Ramp 67

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.51 mi S of Ramp 72, and was relocated to 0.7 mi S of Ramp 70.

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi S of Ramp 70, and was relocated to 0.7 mi S Ramp 70.

 

Ocracoke District False Crawl:

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.9 mi N of Ramp 67

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 3.3 mi N of Ramp 67

7/10 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.7 mi N of Ramp 67

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.8 mi N of Ramp 67

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.6 mi N of Ramp 67

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.0 mi N of Ramp 67

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.8 mi N of Ramp 67

7/11 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 3.8 mi S of Ramp 59

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.6 mi S of Ramp 70

7/12 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 70

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.6 mi N of Ramp 70

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.4 mi S of Ramp 68

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 68

7/13 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi N of Ramp 67

7/14 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.3 mi N of Ramp 68

 

New nests this week: 23

Total nests to date:  89

New false crawls this week: 30

Total false crawls to date:  72

 

 

Sea Turtle Strandings:

 

Bodie District:

            None this week

Hatteras District:

 A dead male loggerhead sea turtle was found 1.3 mi N of Ramp 34.  A necropsy was performed.

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week

 

Marine Mammals:

 

Bodie District:

None this week.

 

Hatteras District:

None this week.

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week.

 

Closures – additions/modifications/removals:

 

Closure #	Location	Species	Date Installed or Removed
Bodie District
BI10-001-J	1.6 mi S of Ramp 4	AMOY	7/9/2010
Hatteras District
HI10-001-I	Cape Point	AMOY	7/7/2010
Ocracoke District
OI10-002-H	0.7 mi SW of Ramp 72	PIPL	7/10/2010

 

Closure intrusions:

 

Bodie District:

7/8-   Three sets of pedestrian tracks entered the pre-nesting closure on Bodie Spit and walked to the Bait Pond area, then returned the same way.

7/9-   An ORV parked outside of the pre-nesting closure on Bodie Spit approximately 0.7 mi S of Ramp 4.  Staff observed three individuals enter the closure and approach the electric fence.  Law enforcement (LE) was contacted.

7/11- Two pedestrians were observed within the closure just S of Ramp 27 and were asked to exit.

7/11- One set of dog tracks entered the closure on Ramp 23, went in ~30 ft., then exited.

7/12- Two sets of bare footprints followed the waterline through the buffer 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23.

 

Hatteras District:

7/8 – Staff observed a truck inside the Cape Point pedestrian corridor (currently closed to ORVs) traveling north at a high speed from the point toward Ramp 44.  LE was contacted.

 7/8 – One set of pedestrian tracks and one set of dog tracks were observed in sea turtle nest closure 0.1 mi N of Ramp 38.

7/8 – One set of pedestrian tracks and one set of dog tracks were observed in sea turtle nest closure 1.3 mi S of Ramp 34.

7/11 – One set of pedestrian tracks were observed in sea turtle nest closure 1.6 mi N of Ramp 38.

7/14 – One set of pedestrian tracks were observed in the sea turtle nest closure 0.2 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/14 – One set of pedestrian tracks and broken string were observed in sea turtle nest closure 2.2 mi S of Ramp 49.

 

Ocracoke District:

7/10 – An individual was observed walking with a cast net along the soundside shoreline of the pre-nesting closure on North Ocracoke.  LE was contacted.  

7/10 – One set of bare footprints was documented coming over the dune and into an AMOY closure 2.7 mi S of Ramp 59. 

7/11 – Two pedestrians were observed running along the ocean shoreline in an AMOY closure 1.7 mi N of Ramp 70.  Both were stopped and informed of closure regulations. 

Published: 09 July 2010

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Resource Management Field Summary for July 01– July 07, 2010 

(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)

 

Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:

 

Observations	Thurs 7/1	Fri 7/2	Sat 7/3	Sun 7/4	Mon 7/5	Tues 7/6	Weds 7/7
Oregon Inlet	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
Cape Point	3	3	2	1	1	6	4
South Beach	0	0	0	3	2	6	5
Hatteras Inlet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hatteras Overwash	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N. Ocracoke1	2	2	2	0	3	2	1
S. Ocracoke1	3	9	4	5	3	6	3

^{1       Does not include incubating adults or broods with chicks.}

Bodie District:

            Bodie Island:  One PIPL has been observed foraging.

 

Hatteras District:

            Cape Point:  Six PIPLs have been observed at one time.  Two male PIPL continue to be observed in territorial disputes and making scrapes at Cape Point.

                                                                                                                       

            South Beach:  A three-egg PIPL nest from Pair 12 continues to be incubated and should hatch next week. A total of six PIPLs (including fledglings) have been observed at one time.

 

            Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet:  No PIPL have been observed.

 

Other Beaches:  No PIPL have been observed.

                       

Ocracoke District:

            North Ocracoke:  Up to three PIPL has been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines.  The PIPL nest on North Ocracoke hatched three chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/25.  The chicks were lost on or before 7/1 to unknown cause(s).

           

South Point:  Up to nine PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats.  At least three pairs have had documented nests.  One pair hatched three chicks from a 4 egg nest on 7/1, but all chicks were lost to an unknown cause by 7/4. A second pair hatched three chicks, but all chicks were lost by 6/7.  A third pair hatched 4 chicks 6/12-6/13 but lost all of them by 6/16. A nest was found on 6/20 with one egg, but was lost to ghost crab predation by 6/23. A three-egg nest was found 6/29 ~260 meters from where the 6/20 nest had been predated. It is believed that this new nest is a clutch continuation of the nest that was predated. There is currently one active PIPL nest on South Point.

 

PIPL Breeding Summary: 

 

Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Total Nests Hatched	Total Nests Lost	Total Eggs Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Lost Chicks	Fledged Chicks
16*	2	10	4	30	0	15	15

* This counts the three egg nest on Ocracoke, found 6/29, as a separate nest, although it is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs 6/23.

 

Nest/Brood Summary/Expected hatch dates:

Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/13.  Four chicks fledged 6/8.

Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point.  Two chicks hatched on 5/14.  One chick fledged 6/3 and the other chick fledged 6/9.

Nest/Brood 3 & 5 - Cape Point.  Three chicks hatched on 5/21.  One chick was lost on 5/28 and another on 6/6.  The Brood 3 chick fledged on 6/17.  Brood 5 chicks fledged on 6/21.

Nest/Brood 4 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and four chicks fledged (three on 6/18) by 6/21.

Nest/Brood 5 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/24. Two chicks were lost on 5/30. Two chicks joined Brood 3 on 6/1.

Nest/Brood 6 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and another on 5/28. Two chicks fledged on 6/16.

Nest 7 - South Point.  Lost on 5/2.

Nest 8 - South Point.  Lost on 5/5.

Nest/Brood 9 - South Point.  Three chicks were lost to unknown predation (probably ghost crab or avian) on 6/7.  The fourth egg from this nest was abandoned by 6/8. 

Nest/Brood 10 - South Point.  Lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.

Nest/Brood 11 - South Point.  Four chicks were lost between 6/13 and 6/16 (1 chick was lost to a ghost crab, the cause of loss for the other three chicks is unknown).

Nest 12 – North Ocracoke.  Three chicks hatched 6/25, one was lost on or around 6/28. The other two were lost on or before 7/1.

Nest 13 – South Point.  This nest was discovered at a one-egg nest on 6/3 and exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/7.  This nest is believed to be a re-nest from pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on 5/2 and Nest 10 on 5/26.  Three chicks hatched 7/1, but only one chick was observed by 7/2. All chicks were lost by 7/4 to unknown cause.

Nest 14 – South Beach. A two-egg nest was discovered on 6/15 and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/16. It should hatch on or near 7/12.

Nest 15 – South Point. A one-egg nest was discovered on 6/20 but was predated (presumably by ghost crab) on or before 6/23.

Nest 16 (or Nest 15a) – South Point. A three-egg nest was discovered and immediately exclosed on 6/29 on South Point Spit. It is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs on 6/23.

 

WIPL Update:

 

WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point (Ocracoke) within the pre-nesting closure.  A three egg nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, hatched on 6/6 with three chicks. Although the WIPL chicks are not observed daily, on 7/4 two nearly fledged chicks were present and foraging on the sound-side shoreline of South Point. On 6/19 a new one-egg WIPL nest was found on South Point. This nest became a two-egg nest on 6/22, and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/27.

 

American Oystercatchers (AMOY):  

 

Location	Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Nests Hatched	Nests Lost	Total Chicks Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Chicks Lost	Fledged Chicks
Green Island	3	0	2	1	6	5	1	0
Bodie District	2	0	1	1	1	0	1	0
Bodie/Hatteras District	5	0	4	1	10	1	5	4
Hatteras District	12	0	9	3	22	3	4	15
Ocracoke District	6	1	4	1	8	1	6	1
CAHA TOTALS	28	1	20	7	47	10	17	20

 

2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. 

 

Bodie District:

• Green Island:  Two pairs have two broods (locating the chicks is difficult on the island however the southern brood is believed to have 2 chicks and the northern brood is believed to still have 3 chicks).
• Bodie Island:  No AMOY breeding behavior was observed. The AMOY pair that lost a chick has been observed roosting near its previous nesting area. 
• Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30):  One pair has one chick that hatched on 6/26.  One pair has three chicks that fledged on 6/21. One pair has one chick that fledged on 7/3.

 

Hatteras District:  There are no active nests remaining in Hatteras District. There are three unfledged chicks which are 36 days old and should fledge anytime. Two chicks were lost at Hatteras Inlet to unknown predator(s) on 7/2 and 7/3.

 

Ocracoke District:  

• North Ocracoke:  One pair has one chick. This pair lost one of three hatched chicks on 6/13 to an unknown cause and a second on or before 7/5 to unknown cause. Another pair has documented scrapes north of Ramp 59, although no nest has been found.
• Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72):  The northern-most pair has fledged one chick. A second pair hatched two chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/29, but both chicks were lost on or before 7/1.
• South Point:  One pair continues to be observed in its territory.  The other pair lost a two egg nest in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26.  A one-egg re-nest was found for this pair on 6/21. The nest became a two egg nest on 6/23.

 

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):

            Bodie District:  

Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings.

 

Green Island:

Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Bodie Hatteras District:

Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.

Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.

 

Hatteras District:  

Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Road is active with LETE nests, chicks, fledglings and one incubating GBTE nest.

 

Ocracoke District:  

Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 inactive with no nests or scrapes. It is unknown what happened to the few nests that were last observed.

Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE and COTE nests and chicks.

Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests and chicks.

 

 

Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):

Bodie District Nests:

None this week

 

Bodie District False Crawls:

None this week

 

Bodie Hatteras District Nests:

7/2- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.3 mi S of Ramp 23.

 

Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:

7/2- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi N of Ramp 23.

 

Hatteras District Nests:

7/1 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.3 mi S Ramp 34.

7/1 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.9 mi N Ramp 38. 

7/2 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi. west of Ramp 45.

7/2 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.6 mi S Ramp 38.

7/6 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found sound-side at Hatteras Inlet and relocated to just N of Ramp 55.

6/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found at Hatteras Inlet and relocated to 1.5 mile S of R55.

 

Hatteras District False Crawls:

7/5 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.4 mi S Ramp 38.

7/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.9 mi N Ramp 43.

7/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found .8 mile S of Ramp 44.

7/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.7 mi S Ramp 44.

 

Ocracoke District Nests:

7/1 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 4.2 mi N of Ramp 67

7/1 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.4 mi S of Ramp 59

7/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.9 mi N of Ramp 67

 

Ocracoke District False Crawl:

7/7 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.0 mi N of Ramp 67

 

 

New nests this week: 10

Total nests to date:  66

New false crawls this week: 6

Total false crawls to date:  42

 

 

Sea Turtle Strandings:

 

Bodie District:

            None this week

Hatteras District:

None this week

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week

 

Marine Mammals:

 

Bodie District:

None this week.

 

Hatteras District:

None this week.

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week.

 

Closures – additions/modifications/removals:

 

Closure #	Location	Species	Date Installed or Removed
Bodie District
BH10-001-G	0.9 mi N of Ramp 30	AMOY	7/2/2010
Hatteras District
HI10-001-I	Cape Point	AMOY	7/7/2010
Ocracoke District
OI10-002-G	0.2 mi SW of Ramp 72	PIPL	7/1/2010
OI10-001-H	0.6 mi NE of Ramp 59	LETE	7/2/2010
OI10-001-I	0.1 mi SW of Ramp 59	AMOY	7/6/2010

 

Closure intrusions:

 

Bodie District:

7/1-  At 0713, a sea turtle nest (NBH04) 1.7 mi N of Ramp 23 was found to have ATV tracks running through the closure.  The string with flagging was broken at the entry and exit points.  The tracks went directly over the nest.  The nest was immediately checked and no direct damage to the eggs was apparent.  Pictures were taken and law enforcement was contacted.

7/4-   Two signs were removed and one was broken at the bird closure 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 (north of the village boundary).  Two sets of footprints entered the closure approximately 15 ft then exited.  The signs were replaced.

7/5-  Three sets of footprints followed the waterline through the closure 0.1- 0.3 mile N of Ramp 23.

Hatteras District:

7/3 – At 0600, while on turtle patrol, staff came across one broken sign and "Eggs (with an arrow pointing towards the nest) a good dozen" written in the sand.  The sign was replaced and the area raked out at the nest, 1.3mi S Ramp 34.

7/3 – Two pedestrians and a dog entered a bird closure, 1 mi S of Ramp 38, at the north boundary and walked 100 yards into the closure and exited over the dunes to NC12.

7/4 – One set of pedestrian tracks was observed in the sea turtle nest closure at Ramp 49.

7/4 – One set of dog tracks documented in the sea turtle nest closure just N of Ramp 55.

7/4 – One set of dog tracks and cat tracks observed in the sea turtle nest closure 0.2 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/4 – One set of dog tracks and cat tracks observed in the sea turtle nest closure just N of Frisco Pier.

7/4 – Four sets of pedestrian tracks observed in the Cape Point pre-nesting closure south of Ramp 44.

7/5 – One set of dog tracks and cat tracks observed in the sea turtle nest closure just N of Frisco Pier.

7/5 – At 1236 a women was observed sunbathing at Ramp 45. Law enforcement made contact.

7/5 – Pedestrian tracks went through a sea turtle nest closure 1 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/5 – Pedestrian tracks were observed in a sea turtle nest closure 1 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/7 – The string was broken and pedestrian footprints were observed in a sea turtle closure 0.7 mi N Ramp 55.

7/7 – One set of dog tracks observed in the sea turtle closure 0.2 mi N of Ramp 55.

 

 

Ocracoke District:

7/1 - Child observed walking S though the South Point closure. Technician approached the child and escorted him out of the closure. While trying to explain the issue to the child's mother she became confrontational and law enforcement was called. 

7/4 – Boat with 10 people found within the South Point closure. The visitors were attempting to get to the limited access area but had ended up in the closure. They were asked to relocate to the open area.  Law enforcement was contacted.

7/7 – Two pedestrians found walking within the North Ocracoke closure in front of the tern colony.  They had walked down Ramp 59 which is now closed pedestrians and ORVs.  The visitors were asked to make their way back to their car.

 

Published: 03 July 2010

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Resource Management Field Summary for June 24 – June 30, 2010 

(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)

 

Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:

 

Observations	Thurs 6/24	Fri 6/25	Sat 6/26	Sun 6/27	Mon 6/28	Tues 6/29	Weds 6/30
Oregon Inlet	0	1	0	1	0	1	0
Cape Point	27	2	3	0	2	2	1
South Beach	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Hatteras Inlet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hatteras Overwash	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N. Ocracoke1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
S. Ocracoke1	0	1	2	0	0	1	3

^{1       Does not include incubating adults or broods with chicks.}

Bodie District:

            Bodie Island:  One PIPL has been observed foraging.

 

Hatteras District:

            Cape Point:  27 PIPLs (12 adults and 15 fledglings) were observed foraging on the shoreline of the large Salt Pond.  Two male PIPL continue to be observed in territorial disputes and making scrapes at Cape Point.

                                                                                                                       

            South Beach:  A three-egg PIPL nest from Pair 12 continues to be incubated. One lone male continues to be observed. A total of four PIPLs have been observed at one time.

 

            Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet:  No PIPL have been observed.

 

Other Beaches:  No PIPL have been observed.

                       

Ocracoke District:

            North Ocracoke:  One PIPL has been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines.  The PIPL nest on North Ocracoke hatched three chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/25.  As of 6/30 two chicks have survived.  

           

South Point:  Up to 3 PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats.  At least three pairs have had documented nests.  One pair has a 4 egg nest, which is a re-nest found 6/3. The hatch date for this nest is 7/3. A second pair hatched three chicks, but all chicks were lost by 6/7.  A third pair hatched 4 chicks 6/12-6/13 but lost all of them by 6/16. A nest was found on 6/20 with one egg, but was lost to ghost crab predation by 6/23. It is unknown whether this nest was laid by a new pair or not. A three-egg nest was found 6/29 near where the 6/20 nest had been predated. It is believed that this new nest is a clutch continuation of the nest was predated. There are currently two active PIPL nests on South Point.

 

PIPL Breeding Summary: 

 

Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Total Nests Hatched	Total Nests Lost	Total Eggs Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Lost Chicks	Fledged Chicks
16*	3	8	4	28	0	13	15

* This counts the three egg nest on Ocracoke, found 6/29, as a separate nest, although it is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs 6/23.

 

Nest/Brood Summary/Expected hatch dates:

Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/13.  Four chicks fledged 6/8.

Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point.  Two chicks hatched on 5/14.  One chick fledged 6/3 and the other chick fledged 6/9.

Nest/Brood 3 & 5 - Cape Point.  Three chicks hatched on 5/21.  One chick was lost on 5/28 and another on 6/6.  The Brood 3 chick fledged on 6/17.  Brood 5 chicks fledged on 6/21.

Nest/Brood 4 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and four chicks fledged (three on 6/18) by 6/21.

Nest/Brood 5 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/24. Two chicks were lost on 5/30. Two chicks joined Brood 3 on 6/1.

Nest/Brood 6 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and another on 5/28. Two chicks fledged on 6/16.

Nest 7 - South Point.  Lost on 5/2.

Nest 8 - South Point.  Lost on 5/5.

Nest/Brood 9 - South Point.  This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/4, and hatched three chicks 6/5 - 6/6.  All three chicks were lost to unknown predation (probably ghost crab or avian) on 6/7.  The fourth egg from this nest was abandoned by 6/8. 

Nest/Brood 10 - South Point.  This nest was discovered as a three-egg nest on 5/16 and exclosed the same day.  The nest was still a three egg nest as of 5/25.  This nest was most likely a re-nest from Pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on South Point.  This nest was lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.

Nest/Brood 11 - South Point.  This nest was a four-egg nest that was discovered on 5/16 and hatched 4 chicks 6/12 – 6/13. All four chicks were lost between 6/13 and 6/16 (1 chick was lost to a ghost crab, the cause of loss for the other three chicks is unknown).

Nest 12 – North Ocracoke.  This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/27 and exclosed on 5/31 as a three-egg nest.  Three chicks hatched 6/25, one was lost on or around 6/28. Two chicks were observed on 6/30.

Nest 13 – South Point.  This nest was discovered at a one-egg nest on 6/3 and exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/7.  This nest is believed to be a re-nest from pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on 5/2 and Nest 10 on 5/26.  Hatching should occur on or near 7/3.

Nest 14 – South Beach. A two-egg nest was discovered on 6/15 and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/16. It should hatch on or near 7/12.

Nest 15 – South Point. A one-egg nest was discovered on 6/20 but was predated (presumably by ghost crab) on or before 6/23.

Nest 16 (or Nest 15a) – South Point. A three-egg nest was discovered and immediately exclosed on 6/29 on South Point Spit. It is believed that this nest may be a clutch-continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs on 6/23.

 

WIPL Update:

 

WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point (Ocracoke) within the pre-nesting closure.  A three egg nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, hatched on 6/6 with three chicks. Although the WIPL chicks are not observed daily, on 6/17 all chicks were present and foraging on the sound-side shoreline of South Point. On 6/19 a new one-egg WIPL nest was found on South Point. This nest became a two-egg nest on 6/22, and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/27.

 

American Oystercatchers (AMOY):  

 

Location	Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Nests Hatched	Nests Lost	Total Chicks Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Chicks Lost	Fledged Chicks
Green Island	3	0	2	1	6	6	0	0
Bodie District	2	0	1	1	1	0	1	0
Bodie/Hatteras District	5	0	4	1	10	4	3	3
Hatteras District	12	0	9	3	22	8	2	12
Ocracoke District	6	1	4	1	8	5	3	0
CAHA TOTALS	28	1	20	7	47	23	9	15

 

2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. 

 

Bodie District:

• Green Island:  Two pairs have two broods (locating the chicks is difficult on the island however each brood is believed to still have 3 chicks).
• Bodie Island:  No AMOY breeding behavior was observed. The AMOY pair that lost a chick has been observed roosting near its previous nesting area. 
• Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30):  One pair has three chicks that hatched on 6/26.  One pair has three chicks that fledged on 6/21. One pair has one chick that hatched on 5/26.

 

Hatteras District:  There are no active nests remaining in Hatteras District. Five pairs have fledged 12 chicks; three pairs have eight unfledged chicks. The oldest unfledged chicks are 38 days old, but have not been observed in flight and the youngest are two days old.  

 

Ocracoke District:  

• North Ocracoke:  One pair has two chicks. This pair lost one of three hatched chicks on 6/13 to an unknown cause.
• Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72):  The northern-most pair has one chick. This chick is currently flying short distances, but is not yet considered fledged. A second pair hatched two chicks from a three-egg nest on 6/29.
• South Point:  One pair continues to be observed in its territory.  The other pair lost a two egg nest in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26.  A one-egg re-nest was found for this pair on 6/21. The nest became a two egg nest on 6/23.

 

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):

            Bodie District:  

Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Green Island:

Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Bodie Hatteras District:

Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.

Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.

Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.

 

Hatteras District:  

Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Ramp is active with LETE nests, chicks, fledglings and one incubating GBTE nest.

 

Ocracoke District:  

Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 inactive with no nests or scrapes. It is unknown what happened to the few nests that were present.

Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE and COTE nests and chicks.

Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests as well as LETE and COTE chicks.

 

 

Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):

Bodie District Nests:

None this week

 

Bodie District False Crawls:

None this week

 

Bodie Hatteras District Nests:

6/26- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.5 mi N of Rodanthe Pier.

6/26- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.6 mi S of Ramp 27.

 

Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:

None this week

 

Hatteras District Nests:

6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi S of Ramp 44.

6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.05 mi S of Ramp 30. 

6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi E of Ramp 45.

6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1 mi N of Ramp 55.

6/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 mi N of Ramp 55.

6/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi E of Ramp 45.

6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.2 mi N of Ramp 34.

6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2 mi N of Ramp 55.

6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi W of Ramp 45.

6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found at Ramp 44.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 mi S of Ramp 49.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found at Ramp 44.

 

 

Hatteras District False Crawls:

6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.2 mi N of Ramp 49.

6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.9 mi S of Ramp 44.

 

Ocracoke District Nests:

6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was created  0.6 mi SW of Ramp 70 for the eggs that were recovered from the dead loggerhead struck by the ORV.

6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi SW of Ramp 70, but was relocated to 0.6 mi SW of Ramp 70. This nest had been run over by an ORV.   

6/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.9 mi SW of Ramp 59 but was relocated 2.5 mi SW of Ramp 59.

6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.6 mi NE of Ramp 70.

6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.9 mi NE of Ramp 67.

6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 3.1 mi SW of Ramp 59.

6/29 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.5 mi SW of Ramp 59.

6/30 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 68.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.5 mi NE of Ramp 68.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 67.

 

Ocracoke District False Crawl:

6/18 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.3 mi SW of Ramp 59.

6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.2 mi SW of Ramp 70.

6/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 180 ft. NE of Ramp 67.

6/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.2 mi NE of Ramp 67.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi SW of Ramp 68.

6/30 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.2 mi SW of Ramp 59.

 

New nests this week: 22

Total nests to date:  56

New false crawls this week: 8

Total false crawls to date:  36

 

 

Sea Turtle Strandings:

 

Bodie District:

            None this week

Hatteras District:

None this week

 

Ocracoke District:

6/24 – A nesting female loggerhead sea turtle was struck by an ORV and killed prior to laying a nest. A necropsy was conducted by NPS staff in conjunction with representatives from N.E.S.T. and other turtle professionals.

 

Marine Mammals:

 

Bodie District:

None this week.

 

Hatteras District:

None this week.

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week.

 

 

Closures – additions/modifications/removals:

 

Closure #	Location	Species	Date Installed or Removed
Bodie District
None this week
Hatteras District
HI10-06-R	Sandy Bay	AMOY	6/28/2010-removed
HI10-07-G	2.3 mi S of Ramp 38	AMOY	6/28/2010
Ocracoke District
OI10-001-F	0.1 mi SW of Ramp 59	PIPL	6/25/2010
OI10-001-G	0.6 mi NW of Ramp 59	PIPL	6/27/2010

 

Closure intrusions:

 

Bodie District:

6/25- One pedestrian observed within buffer 0.2 mi N of Ramp 23.

6/27- Six sets of footprints entered the buffer 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23           

6/28- 3 sets of footprints and 1 set of dog prints went through the entire closure at the waterline 0.1- 0.3 mile N of Ramp 23.           

6/28- One set of ORV tracks went down the middle of Ramp 23, straddling a two-egg LETE nest. LE was contacted.

6/30- Several pedestrians were observed within the closure 0.8 mi N of Ramp 30.  Individuals were found with a previously lit bon-fire.  Area was checked for resource damage and none was found.

 

Hatteras District:

6/27 – Pedestrian tracks through a sea turtle nest closure 0.7mi NE of Ramp 55.

6/29 – Pedestrian tracks through a sea turtle nest closure 1 mi N of Ramp 55.

6/29 – One set of pedestrian tracks observed in the Hatteras Inlet pre-nesting closure traveling within 40 m of an AMOY nest.

6/29 – Three sets of pedestrian tracks observed in the Hatteras Inlet pre-nesting closure traveling within 17 m of an AMOY nest.

 

Ocracoke District:

6/24 – Turtle take incidents as reported in last week’s weekly report.

6/24 – Three sets of barefoot footprints were observed along the ocean shoreline within the AMOY closure 1.7 mi N of Ramp 70.

6/28 – Numerous pedestrian footprints (3+) entering and exiting AMOY closure 1.7 mi N of Ramp 70

6/29 - Two joggers ran through closure as a technician approached. Joggers were contacted and asked to run on the road to get back to the campground. Two additional sets of footprints found in closure. While installing additional signs, 2 new joggers approached and entered the closure. These joggers were also asked to leave the closure. LE was informed about the high number of violations to this closure.

 

Published: 25 June 2010

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Resource Management Field Summary for June 17 – June 23, 2010 

(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)

 

Piping Plover (PIPL) Observations:

 

Observations	Thurs 6/17	Fri 6/18	Sat 6/19	Sun 6/20	Mon 6/21	Tues 6/22	Weds 6/23
Oregon Inlet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cape Point	11	4	1	0	3	1	0
South Beach	1	1	0	4	3	2	0
Hatteras Inlet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hatteras Overwash	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
N. Ocracoke1	1	2	1	2	1	1	0
S. Ocracoke1	1	1	2	2	3	1	2

^{1       Does not include incubating adults.}

Bodie District:

            Bodie Island:  No PIPL have been observed.

 

Hatteras District:

            Cape Point:  Up to 11 PIPLs, including fledglings have been observed at one time, mostly foraging on the shoreline of the upper Salt Pond.  Five broods (two combined into one brood) have fledged 15 chicks.  Six chicks have been lost to unknown causes. At least one pair continues to be observed scraping and performing courtship displays.

                                                                                                                       

            South Beach:  A three-egg PIPL nest from Pair 12 continues to be incubated. One lone male continues to be observed as well as an adult and fledgling PIPL. A total of four PIPLs have been observed at one time.

 

            Hatteras Overwash/Hatteras Inlet:  No PIPL have been observed.

 

Other Beaches:  No PIPL have been observed.

                       

Ocracoke District:

            North Ocracoke:  Up to 2 PIPLs have been observed foraging and/or roosting on the ocean and inlet shorelines.  There is one active three-egg PIPL nest on North Ocracoke.

           

South Point:  Up to 3 PIPLs have been observed along the inlet and oceanside shorelines, as well as within the mudflats.  At least three pairs have had documented nests.  One pair has a 4 egg nest, which is a re-nest found 6/3.  A second pair hatched three chicks, but all chicks were lost by 6/7.  A third pair hatched 4 chicks 6/12-6/13 but lost all of them by 6/16. There are new scrapes documented for this pair, which indicates that they may attempt to re-nest. One new nest was found on 6/20 with one egg, but was lost to ghost crab predation by 6/23. It is unknown whether there will be a clutch-continuation of this nest. There is currently one active PIPL nest on South Point.

 

PIPL Breeding Summary: 

 

Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Total Nests Hatched	Total Nests Lost	Total Eggs Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Lost Chicks	Fledged Chicks
15	3	8	4	28	0	13	15

 

Nest/Brood Summary/Expected hatch dates:

Nest/Brood 1 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/13.  Four chicks fledged 6/8.

Nest/Brood 2 - Cape Point.  Two chicks hatched on 5/14.  One chick fledged 6/3 and the other chick fledged 6/9.

Nest/Brood 3 & 5 - Cape Point.  Three chicks hatched on 5/21.  One chick was lost on 5/28 and another on 6/6.  The Brood 3 chick fledged on 6/17.  Brood 5 chicks fledged on 6/21.

Nest/Brood 4 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21 and four chicks fledged (three on 6/18) by 6/21.

Nest/Brood 5 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/24. Two chicks were lost on 5/30. Two chicks joined Brood 3 on 6/1.

Nest/Brood 6 - Cape Point.  Four chicks hatched on 5/21, one was lost on 5/22 and another on 5/28. Two chicks fledged on 6/16.

Nest 7 - South Point.  Lost on 5/2.

Nest 8 - South Point.  Lost on 5/5.

Nest/Brood 9 - South Point.  This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/4, and hatched three chicks 6/5 - 6/6.  All three chicks were lost to unknown predation (probably ghost crab or avian) on 6/7.  The fourth egg from this nest was abandoned by 6/8. 

Nest/Brood 10 - South Point.  This nest was discovered as a three-egg nest on 5/16 and exclosed the same day.  The nest was still a three egg nest as of 5/25.  This nest was most likely a re-nest from Pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on South Point.  This nest was lost to storm overwash and flooding on 5/26.

Nest/Brood 11 - South Point.  This nest was a four-egg nest that was discovered on 5/16 and hatched 4 chicks 6/12 – 6/13. All four chicks were lost between 6/13 and 6/16 (1 chick was lost to a ghost crab, the cause of loss for the other three chicks is unknown).

Nest 12 – North Ocracoke.  This nest was discovered as a one-egg nest on 5/27 and exclosed on 5/31 as a three-egg nest.  Hatching should occur on or near 6/26.

Nest 13 – South Point.  This nest was discovered at a one-egg nest on 6/3 and exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/7.  This nest is believed to be a re-nest from pair #7, which lost Nest 7 on 5/2 and Nest 10 on 5/26.  Hatching should occur on or near 7/3.

Nest 14 – South Beach. A two-egg nest was discovered on 6/15 and was exclosed as a three-egg nest on 6/16. It should hatch on or near 7/12.

Nest 15 – South Point. A one-egg nest was discovered on 6/20 but was predated (presumably by ghost crab) on or before 6/23. It is unknown whether there will be a clutch continuation of this nest.

 

WIPL Update:

 

WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis on South Point (Ocracoke) within the pre-nesting closure.  A three egg nest, found as a 1 egg nest on 5/10, hatched on 6/6 with three chicks. Although the WIPL chicks are not observed daily, on 6/17 all chicks were present and foraging on the sound-side shoreline of South Point. On 6/19 a new one-egg WIPL nest was found on South Point. This nest became a two-egg nest on 6/22, and will be exclosed when it reaches three eggs.

 

American Oystercatchers (AMOY):  

 

Location	Total Nests to Date	Active Nests	Nests Hatched	Nests Lost	Total Chicks Hatched	Unfledged Chicks	Chicks Lost	Fledged Chicks
Green Island	3	0	2	1	6	6	0	0
Bodie District	2	0	1	1	1	0	1	0
Bodie/Hatteras District	5	1	3	1	7	4	3	0
Hatteras District	12	1	8	3	20	12	2	6
Ocracoke District	6	2	3	1	6	3	3	0
CAHA TOTALS	28	4	17	7	40	25	9	6

 

2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs: Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. 

 

Bodie District:

• Green Island:  Two pairs have two broods (locating the chicks is difficult on the island however each brood is believed to still have 3 chicks).
• Bodie Island:  No AMOY breeding behavior was observed, the AMOY pair that lost a chick is being observed roosting near its previous nesting area. 
• Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30):  One pair has a three egg nest.  One pair has three chicks that hatched on 5/15 and 5/16. One pair has one chick that hatched on 5/26.

 

Hatteras District:  One breeding pair has a three-egg re-nest which should hatch on or before 6/30, another breeding pair which abandoned a nest on 6/6 is still scraping, but has not re-nested.  A third pair has not been observed in the district.

 

Eight nests have hatched and two chicks have been lost.  There are currently seven broods (four with three chicks and three with two chicks) of AMOY chicks.  Eighteen chicks have been banded and six have fledged. Nine chicks should fledge within the next week.

 

Ocracoke District:  

• North Ocracoke:  One pair has two chicks. This pair lost one of three hatched chicks on 6/13 to an unknown cause.
• Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72):  The northern-most pair has one chick.  A second pair is incubating a three-egg re-nest after losing two chicks.
• South Point:  One pair continues to be observed in its territory.  The other pair lost a two egg nest in the high surf and flooding of South Point on 5/26.  A one-egg re-nest was found for this pair on 6/21. The nest became a two egg nest on 6/23.

 

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):

            Bodie District:  

Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Green Island:

Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.

 

Bodie Hatteras District:

Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE scrapes, nests and chicks.

Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.

Colony BHC03- 2.7 mi N of Ramp 27 active with LETE scrapes, nests, and chicks.

 

Hatteras District:  

Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Ramp is active with LETE nests, chicks, fledglings and one incubating GBTE nest.

 

Ocracoke District:  

Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 active with a few LETE scrapes and nests.

Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE and COTE nests and chicks.

Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 active with LETE, COTE, and BLSK nests as well as LETE and COTE chicks.

 

Sea Turtle Nests (New Nests this Week):

Bodie District Nests:

None this week

 

Bodie District False Crawls:

6/19- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.8 mi S of Ramp R4.

 

Bodie Hatteras District Nests:

6/18- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.8 mi N of Ramp 27.

6/20- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.8 mi N of Ramp 23.

6/20- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.7 mi N of Ramp 23.

6/21- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.7 mi S of Ramp 27.

 

Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:

6/18- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 27.

6/18- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.6 mi S of Ramp 27.

6/19- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.5 mi N of Rodanthe Pier.

 

Hatteras District Nests:

6/18 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 3.6 mi S Ramp 38.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.3 mi E Ramp 45. 

6/20 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.8 mi S Ramp 38.

6/21 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi S. Ramp 30.

6/23 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 mi N. Ramp 55.

6/23 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 100 m N of Frisco Pier.

 

Hatteras District False Crawls:

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1 mi E Ramp 45.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1 mi S Ramp 44.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.9 mi E Ramp 45.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.6 mi E Ramp 45.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.7 mi E Ramp 55.

6/21 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.2 mi N. Ramp 34.

 

Ocracoke District Nests:

6/18 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.7 mi NE of Ramp 67.

6/19 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.2 mi SW of Ramp 70.  

6/21 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.9 mi SW of Ramp 59.

6/22 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.9 mi NE of Ramp 67.

6/23 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 658 yards NE of Ramp 70.

 

Ocracoke District False Crawl:

6/18 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.5 mi NE of Ramp 67.

6/23 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 385 yards NE of Ramp 70.

 

New nests this week: 15

Total nests to date:  32

New false crawls this week: 12

Total false crawls to date:  27

 

 

Sea Turtle Strandings:

 

Bodie District:

            None this week

Hatteras District:

None this week

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week

 

Marine Mammals:

 

Bodie District:

None this week.

 

Hatteras District:

None this week.

 

Ocracoke District:

None this week.

 

Closures – additions/modifications/removals:

 

Closure #	Location	Species	Date Installed or Removed
Bodie District
None this week
Hatteras District
HI10-011-R	0.8 mi S of Ramp 30	AMOY	6/21/2010-removed
Ocracoke District
None this week

 

Closure intrusions:

 

Bodie District:

6/18- Several horse tracks were observed entering the buffer 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4.  The tracks followed along the beach to the point of the spit and back.

6/19- Two pedestrians were found walking with a dog on the beach in the buffer 0.1 mi N of  Ramp 23. They were asked to leave and exited.

6/19- Two sets of footprints, one adult and one child, were found coming over Ramp 23 to the beach and back.

6/20- Eight sets of pedestrian footprints and one set of large dog prints were documented along the shoreline through the closure 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23.

 

Hatteras District:

6/22 – 1400- Family of four entered the closure at Ramp 44 and was walking towards Cape Point. They were asked to exit the closure.

6/23 – Woman was jogging in the Cape Point closure and was informed she was in violation. She returned in the direction of Ramp 43.

6/23 – A vehicle entered the pedestrian-only area between Ramps 43 and 44 and parked overnight next to the dunes at Ramp 44. Law enforcement made contact with the two individuals.

 

Ocracoke District:

6/18 – Pedestrian tracks were found within the North Ocracoke pre-nesting closure.

6/19 – Pedestrian tracks and the skid from a boat were found 1.49 mi S of Ramp 72 on the soundside within the South Point pre-nesting closure.

6/20 – Pedestrian tracks and the skid from a boat were found 2.1 mi S of Ramp 72 on the soundside within the South Point pre-nesting closure.

 

Sea Turtle Take Incidents:

 

In the night-time hours between 6/23 and 6/24 a loggerhead sea turtle crawled out of the ocean and attempted to lay a nest between Ramp 70 and 72 on Ocracoke Island. While heading up the beach, the turtle was hit by an ORV and dragged approximately 12 feet. The animal was found dead with extreme injuries to the carapace and plastron by turtle patrol at 6:10 am on 6/24. LE was notified and has investigated the incident. This incident is believed to have occurred during the early morning hours of 6/24 in violation of the night-driving restrictions (from 10 pm to 6 am). Eggs from the turtle were deemed to be potentially viable and were moved to a nest location at the toe of the dune. The turtle will be necropsied by NPS staff on 6/25.

 

 

 

 Pictures dfid not transfer with the report but they are bad! I am sure that NPS web site has pictures included

but I am not as computer savy as I should be at this time to include the pictures and I tried

Frank

 

 

 

At 6:52 am on the same day as the above documented “take” of the nesting loggerhead, a new unmarked turtle nest that was laid just south of Ramp 70 on Ocracoke Island was found to have been driven over by an ORV (or possibly multiple ORVs). Twelve eggs were crushed. The nest was relocated to a new location due to the impacts of the ORV(s). It is unknown when this incident occurred or whether or not the ORV that ran over the nest was in violation of night-driving regulations.