Challenging Conditions for the Colony But Our Birds Persevere!

Our Wrightsville Beach South End nesting colony has been facing extreme challenges this year as a result of the dredge project removal of last year’s nesting area and predation by crows and gulls.  Nesting has been delayed because of consistent disturbance, but the birds are very committed to successfully nesting this year and continue to persevere.

Lindsay Addison, our friend and Coastal Biologist for Audubon NC conducted a nest check on Tuesday night (5/29) and here are the latest results…

The Common Terns have already lost two nests to avian predation (probably crows).  We now have three Common Tern nests.  Our most visible Common Tern nest is on the top of the dune right in the middle of the sandy opening between the dunes at the inlet as you look into the posting from the string.

photos by Mary-Ann Walton

Our three American Oystercatcher nests that were right around hatching appear to have failed. Avian predation is exacerbated by disturbance because when adults are flushed, crows or gulls will take the opportunity to come in and grab eggs or young chicks.  We thought one of the nests had hatched a chick, but we have not seen an adult Oystercatcher returning to the nesting colony with food for the chick.  If you notice an Oystercatcher returning to the colony with food, please let us know right away!

photos by Mary-Ann Walton

The Black Skimmer nesting was a little delayed this year, likely due to the changes to their habitat, and we don’t want disturbance to delay them further. As a result, we are working hard to minimize disturbance to the colony.  Black Skimmers have just started laying eggs, so incubation will last approximately three weeks.  Lindsay counted approximately 25 nests so far on Tuesday and marked 12 nests to monitor productivity.  So far, our high count of adult Black Skimmers is 246, so it will again be one of the larger colonies in the state.

Least Terns are not nesting on the South End this year but a nice nesting colony is easily viewed and photographed on the north end of Wrightsville Beach by the Shell Island Resort and Mason Inlet.

photos by Mary-Ann Walton

A Memorial Day Weekend Preview

Common Terns are incubating eggs and a new couple has chosen a spot to nest right in the “emergency” driveway just up from the police cones by the inlet.  They are easy to see and have been active with couple bonding, i.e., “feeding” activity.

Common Terns on nest exhibiting couple bonding activity (pair feeding).
photo by Bill Segur

Common Terns on nest
photo by Bill Segur

Another Common Tern nest can be seen if you look closely to the left in the dunes.

Oystercatchers are incubating eggs and two nests are visible from outside the posting.  One by the inlet and one ocean/jetty side.  Scan the tops of dunes!

photo by Bill Segur

We had Black Skimmers hanging out with the decoys this week!  There were 40+ Black Skimmers hanging out in the front by access 43.

An occasional Least Tern has been seen checking out the decoys as well!

One of these birds is NOT like the others!

Black Skimmers continue courtship and scraping on the beach and in the posted area by the inlet. 

There is a good chance that Willet chicks will soon be seen walking along the beach.  There are several Willet pairs who are making themselves HEARD as they dive at people walking near the dunes.

And if the Memorial Day crowds keep you from the beach this weekend, here is a short video of what is happening!

A Virtual Visit to the South End of Wrightsville Beach

(click link to see video)

Viewing Guide for Our Beach Guests

There is a lot of "bird action" to see out at the south end of Wrightsville Beach right now.  Here are some pictures of what is waiting for you and a guide to help you find the American Oystercatcher and Common Tern nests in the dunes. 

Hope to see you out on the beach soon.

About halfway around the beach you will find these cones and posts that will help you locate a Common Tern and an American Oystercatcher nest.  Both are easily visible with binoculars!
Notice the Black Skimmers in the center.  We have scrapes and are eagerly waiting for nests.

American Oystercatcher Nest

Common Tern Nest

Black Skimmer Action

Black Skimmer courting behavior is encouraging!
(photo by Renee Tevelow)

Beachside Views

American Oystercatcher hanging out on the beachside with the Black Skimmers

Common Tern on guard duty 

Other Guests Include...

Least Terns

Least Terns were seen courting in the area.
(photo by Renee Tevelow)

 Willets

(photo by Renee Tevelow)

..... and Ruddy Turnstones

THE GOOD NEWS -- We have eggs!!

Yesterday was a cool day on the beach, and Lindsay Addison, Audubon NC Coastal Biologist, thought it was a perfect day for her to go into the nesting colony to do her first nest check of the season.  

Cool and cloudy days are perfect for this important work because as she enters the colony the parent birds take flight because of the disturbance.  Cool and cloudy days reduce the likelihood that heat stress would be a factor in viability of eggs.

Shorebird Lesson of the Day....

Beach nesting birds make scrapes in the sand as part of the courtship "routine" in addition to the fish presentations to the females.  These "scrapes" become "nests" only when we see an egg in the scrape.

We are excited to announce that during Lindsay's nest check on Tuesday, May 8th, she discovered and confirmed that we have two American Oystercatcher nests and a Common Tern nest. 

American Oystercatcher eggs in nests
 (photo by Lindsay Addison)

Common Tern eggs in nest
 (photo by Lindsay Addison)

Notice how the eggs are camouflaged to blend with their surroundings.  These photos are a great opportunity to see the difference in American Oystercatcher and Common Tern nests. The Common Tern nest is often lined or edged with whatever debris (or tide wrack) is available while the American Oystercatcher nest is a shallow scrape in sand, sometimes lined with pebbles, shells.

We have been watching (and you can too with just your binoculars!) what appeared to be nesting behavior and it has been confirmed!  Keep scanning those dunes!

Photo by Lindsay Addison

Common Terns and American Oystercatchers Appear to Be Nesting

American Oystercatchers

Five oystercatchers were seen during our bird walk Monday, May 8, including one banded with CT4.  On Saturday (5/5) an oystercatcher was seen on a nest using binoculars -- didn’t even need to use a scope!  The oystercatcher was there again Monday morning!  Stand outside the posting at access 43 about half way to the water and scan the highest dunes towards the inlet with your binoculars…going towards the coast guard station. 

photo by Jacquelyn Lindner

photo by Jacquelyn Lindner

Common Terns

Two pairs of Common Terns are in the area and one pair appears to have a nest on one of the back dunes which is visible with binoculars from the access 43 area. Keep scanning those dunes!!

Black Skimmers 

The skimmers are “courting” and roosting by the inlet and across the inlet from the South End.  They appear to like an area of open sand between the dunes which makes them difficult to see from outside the posting unless you are by the inlet and watching them fly into the posted area.  Approximately 300 Black Skimmers were counted on Friday hanging out by the inlet.  Over 100 mobbed four Fish Crows on Saturday.

Least Terns 

We have not seen Least Terns courting or nesting on the South End.  We believe they are leaving the South End to go elsewhere where there is sand that has better camouflage, i.e., more shells!  Lea-Hutaff Island has Least Terns incubating eggs!

Weekly Monday Bird Walks

Hope you can join us on one of our Bird Walks.  

The 2018 Shore Bird Nesting Season BEGINS

The postings are up at the south end of Wrightsville Beach and the FREE weekly Audubon Bird Walks started on Monday, April 30! We had a great group of new volunteers as well as interested guests join us to kick off our season.

The first thing people notice as they walk in access 43 by the gazebo are the Wrightsville Beach 5th grade student's signs and then the decoys (they think they are live birds).  

Least Tern and Black Skimmer decoys are already attracting birds to the area.

The birds are just arriving -- flying up the Atlantic coast and stopping at inlets along the way as a rest stop and for fast food (lots of bait fish in the inlet!).  Masonboro Inlet (SWB) is a favorite place as well as Mason Inlet (NWB) in our area.  We anticipated their arrival to our area by placing the posting so that when they are in our area, they will have a place to feed and then rest without disturbance.  If they are not disturbed, the birds will decide this is a good place to nest.

Signs, scopes, and books of pictures help share the activity in the posting area.
(photos by Garold Carlisle)

 In the past after a dredging project, we had over 200 Least Terns and Black Skimmers nesting in the large sandy space by the gazebo and along the "highway".  There may be less successful nesting on the inlet side because of the high tides...but birds will hang out there and cool off and meet up.  We saw some courtship activity this week by the inlet.

Nesting is just a little delayed because of the project and tides, but the birds will be roosting by the inlet and cooling by the water.  There were 220 Black Skimmers in the inlet last Sunday.

The advantage of the potential nesting by the gazebo is that people who are unable to walk a mile on sand will be able to do some bird watching in the gazebo....and enjoy the breezes and shade.

Several beach "treasures" were found by our group this week .....

 

..........as well as some other surprises!

It also is a narrower walk way to the beach which gives us all an opportunity to stop and look!