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Birding 2009 June Galleries

2009 Endangered Interior Least Tern Nesting Barge Project : Experimental Least Tern Nesting Barge Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Please add a comment (scroll to bottom of page to see comments) with your observations of the Least Terns, happenings or any other birds/critters using/harassing the barge. . . . . . . . . . See Project FAQ sheet here More Least Tern photos here, here, here and here Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009 Endangered Interior Least Tern Nesting Barge Project

Experimental Least Tern Nesting Barge Riverlands Migratory Bir ...

Updated: Sep 07, 2009 8:59pm PST

2009-06-22 Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary : Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Least Terns nesting on barge. See this gallery for on going nesting progress. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-22 Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Least Terns nesting on barge. ...

Updated: Jun 23, 2009 1:25pm PST

2009-06-17 Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary : Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Least Terns nesting on barge. See this gallery for on going nesting progress. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-17 Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Least Terns nesting on barge. ...

Updated: Jun 22, 2009 4:28pm PST

2009-06-10 North Dakota Horsehead-Chase Loop : North of Steel North Dakota a long the Horeshead and Chase lake Loop See the pdf on this page for maps of each loop. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-10 North Dakota Horsehead-Chase Loop

North of Steel North Dakota a long the Horeshead and Chase lak ...

Updated: Jun 15, 2009 4:18pm PST

2009-06-10 North Dakota Long Lake NWR : South of Steel North Dakota at the Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge See the pdf on this page for maps of each loop. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010

2009-06-10 North Dakota Long Lake NWR

South of Steel North Dakota at the Long Lake National Wildlife Ref ...

Updated: Jun 15, 2009 4:23pm PST

2009-06-09 North Dakota Slade Loop : East of Steel North Dakota a long the Slade Loop See the pdf on this page for maps of each loop. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-09 North Dakota Slade Loop

East of Steel North Dakota a long the Slade Loop See the pdf on ...

Updated: Jun 17, 2009 8:55am PST

2009-06-08 North Dakota Long Lake Loop : South of Steel North Dakota a long the Southern part of the Long lake Loop See the pdf on this page for maps of each loop. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-08 North Dakota Long Lake Loop

South of Steel North Dakota a long the Southern part of the Long l ...

Updated: Jun 14, 2009 2:02pm PST

2009-06-07 Squaw Creek NWR : Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-07 Squaw Creek NWR

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • ...

Updated: Jun 14, 2009 4:49pm PST

2009-06-06 Jeff City - Eagle Bluffs : Stopped on way to North Dakota to see the Painted Bunting and Sandhill Cranes. Also stopped on way back on June 12th and found an American Golden Plover with an injured right wing at the north end of 1st one way loop. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-06 Jeff City - Eagle Bluffs

Stopped on way to North Dakota to see the Painted Bunting and Sand ...

Updated: Jun 16, 2009 11:20pm PST

2009-06-03 Otter Slough : The Mottled Duck was just outside Otter Slough on private property on. both sides of road below pool 28. Photos are for documentation only. Jump to >> Dec 2008 • Jan 2009 • Feb • Mar • Apr • May Jun • Jul • Aug • Sept • Oct • Nov • Dec • Jan 2010 Click on main photo for larger version

2009-06-03 Otter Slough

The Mottled Duck was just outside Otter Slough on private property ...

Updated: Jun 04, 2009 8:00am PST

Experimental Least Tern Nesting Barge FAQ : 10/16/2009 Interior Least Tern Floating Habitat Project US Army Corps of Engineers Rivers Project Office Upper Mississippi River River Mile 201-203 Location: Ellis Bay is located in Pool 26 along the right bank of the Mississippi River at river miles 201 to 203, directly across the river from Alton, Illinois, immediately downstream of the Clark Bridge, and immediately upstream of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. The project area is separated from the main channel of the Mississippi River by Ellis Island and US Highway 67. The project area is managed directly by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, within the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Management of the project area will be directed through the Environmental Stewardship Program for enhancement of habitat for species of federal interest and to enhance the recovery of migratory species. This is also done as part of compliance with the Endangered Species Act and USFWS Biological Opinion for the Operation and Maintenance of the Nine-Foot Navigation Channel on the Upper Mississippi River System for nesting habitat creation for the endangered interior Least Tern, Sterna antillarum. Resource Problem: The loss and virtual elimination of sandbar habitat type in the lower downstream segments of hinge point navigation pools is evident. This habitat loss is substantially caused by the continued absence of the dynamic physical changes that take place within natural river processes that create this type of habitat over time. The loss of sandbar habitat is primarily due to the regulated hydrology of a hinge point navigation pool. During increased river flows, the flat water surface elevations at the pool areas adjacent to the navigation dams are first lowered as much as five to six feet, progressing to an “open river” flow condition with inclined water surface elevations. At this “open river” flow condition with inclined water surface elevations, a natural river hydrology begins to takes place, and water surface elevations begin rise proportionately with increased river flows. Not until surface waters again rise five to six feet in elevation, do the shorelines of the stable navigation pools become again inundated or experience sediment accretion. This time interval during increased river flows between stable flat navigation pools and open river conditions meeting the navigation pool shorelines historically had provided for both the natural accretion and formation of new sandbar islands and the natural accretion and denuding of the sandbar toes of natural river islands. This dynamic process for natural sandbar habitat creation has evidently been lost in the immediate pool areas above navigation dams. Spring draw downs of the pool from the Melvin Price Locks & Dam provides abundant habitat for the Least Tern. This drawdown is only a temporary effect of managing the navigation pools. When the pool returns to its summer level, the sand bars are inundated and the Least Tern cannot complete their nesting cycle. Over the years, many options for increasing Least Tern habitat have been considered. It was decided that a permanent island would be build to provide nesting habitat for the Least Tern at the tip of Ellis Island within the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. This is known as Ellis Island Least Tern Habitat Project and was completed in 2002. St. Louis Audubon Society was involved in this project and after its completion, monitored the island for Least Tern nesting activity during the first nesting season. Although several terns have been observed in the area, none have nested on the permanent island. The established island is attached to Ellis Island through a low water access. This allows land based access for maintenance of the island. It is possible that since this access area is not always inundated, the sand bar does not meet the Least Tern criteria for nesting habitat. Project Goals and Objectives: The project goal is to restore the sandbar habitat to this stretch of the Mississippi River. It is expected that this habitat will provide ideal nesting conditions for breeding Least Terns. This type of floating habitat will be used for sighting of future permanent habitat locations. Project Features: The direct benefit from this project will be creation and protection of sandbar nesting habitat for the endangered Least Tern and other shorebirds. The uniqueness of this project also provides for demonstration and education opportunities since it is easily viewable from Riverlands Way. The project consists of two floating pontoon barges anchored in Ellis Bay (no wake area), Mississippi River Mile 201.7. The two barges are lashed together for a combined 1,500 ft2 of temporary nesting habitat. These barges are topped with approximately 5” of a sand/gravel mix, to simulate a sandbar habitat. Timbers (6’x6’) are used to edge the barges, so the sand/gravel mix will stay on barges, but allow rain water to drain off. Conspecific attraction equipment (call boxes and decoys) are also used on the barges in an attempt to interest the birds in this particular site. There are a total of 20 decoys located on the barges; most of them are in pairs. The call box recordings run intermittently for 24hours. The main power source for the call boxes is a marine battery, which is connected to a solar panel to maintain a full charge. The call box will be stopped if and when the Least Tern eggs hatch. Agency Stakeholders: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Illinois Natural History Survey (IHNS) for this project. IDNR and INHS have provided technical expertise on barge placement, call box and decoy set-up, and may conduct future studies if successful breeding occurs. Project Updates: The barges were pushed into place and anchored on April 30, 2009. The first reported sighting of least terns in the area and landing on the barge was May 14. On May 29, an intern with the National Great River Research and Education Center began daily monitoring of the island from shore. On June 19, it was confirmed that there was one nest on the island with three eggs. On July 7, an additional 11 nests were confirmed with two hatchlings in the first nest, bringing the total nests to 12 with a total of 30 eggs in all the combined nests. On July 24 and August 6, biologist from the Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Illinois Natural History Survey banded a total of 20 hatchlings. It was suspected that an additional 3 hatchlings had fledged before the crew could arrive to band the young terns. The season totals were as follows: Approximately 16 nests total with 2 to 3 eggs per nest Approximately 32-36 adults Approximately 26-31 fledglings Total of 20 fledglings banded The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to repeat the effort at this same location in the 2010 nesting season. We also plan to increase monitoring efforts to learn more about this federally endangered species. If you would like further information on the project please contact Sarah Miller, Biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386, (636) 899-2600. Figure 1. Approximate barge placement shown by red box. (See this gallery for the latest nesting barge observations.) For more information please contact: Sarah Miller Biologist Rivers Project Office 301 Riverlands Way West Alton, MO 63386 Phone: 636.899.0078 Sarah.B.Miller@usace.army.mil

Experimental Least Tern Nesting Barge FAQ

10/16/2009 Interior Least Tern Floating Habitat Project ...

Updated: Jun 29, 2009 11:35am PST