A Plan for Monitoring Shorebirds During the Non-breeding Season in

Bird Monitoring Region New Jersey - BCR 30

Prepared by: Sandy Chan and Shiloh Schulte

Version *.*

2003
Updated 2008
 Table of Contents
Results - Shorebirds.......................................................................................................................7
Site Descriptions – New Jersey.....................................................................................................8
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Brigantine Division.........................................................................8
Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island.....................................................................................10
Two Mile Beach.........................................................................................................................12
Bivalve.......................................................................................................................................14
Delaware Bay ............................................................................................................................16
Site 1: Fortescue/Egg Island..................................................................................................19
Site 2: Thompsons and Moores Beaches...............................................................................20
Site 3: Reeds Beach to Pierces Point.....................................................................................20
Site 4: Pierces Point to Villas.................................................................................................22
References.....................................................................................................................................23

Figures and Tables

Figure 1. Conceptual framework for integrated bird monitoring............................................3

Figure 2. Shorebird Planning and Bird Conservation Regions in Canada and the United
States...............................................................................................................................................4
Figure 3. PRISM sites in BCR 13, 14, 30, 27, and 31...............................................................5
Table 1. Focal shorebird species for BCR 30..............................................................................7

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Introduction

The bird conservation initiatives - waterbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and landbirds - are
cooperating to design a comprehensive “integrated bird monitoring” (IBM) program for Canada
and the United States. The conceptual framework for IBM (Fig. 1) includes strong emphasis on
detecting species at risk and helping to protect them. These broad goals are achieved by
estimating population trends and defining requirements for viable populations. These objectives
in turn are accomplished by population modeling based on population levels, demographic rates
and habitat information. Population trends are estimated by surveying breeding populations
whenever possible, and by surveying the species for which this is not feasible at other times of
year. Surveys of all species are made throughout the year to help identify and monitor use of
suitable habitat.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework for integrated bird monitoring.

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 Most surveys in upland habitats are designed at a large spatial scale (e.g., southern
Canada and the United States) and do not require detailed information at the local level. Surveys
of wetland habitats, in contrast, must be carefully designed to insure that the habitat is well
covered, and different methods may be needed in different environments. A series of “regional
assessments” is thus being prepared to help design the wetland surveys. Regions were formed by
intersecting a Bird Conservation Region (BCR) map with a Province and State map, deleting
small polygons and smoothing the borders (Fig. 2). The resulting “Bird Monitoring Regions” can
be used to scale up results to either BCRs or Provinces and States.

Figure 2. Shorebird Planning and Bird Conservation Regions in Canada and the United States.

Adapted from: USFWS-U.S. Shorebird Plan and CWS-Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan

The regional assessments summarize current information about wetland bird distribution,
abundance, habitat relationships and timing of use within the Region and identify information
needed to design reliable monitoring programs. These “needed pilot studies” are then prioritized
by people concerned with monitoring birds in the region and a plan is developed to carry out the
work. Carrying out the pilot studies is expected to take 1-3 years. Long-term surveys will then be
implemented. Additional details are provided in “Managers Monitoring Manual” available at
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/monmanual/techniques/shorebirdsnonbreedingsites.htm. More
information on regional progress can be found at the U.S. Shorebird Plan’s Regional
Conservation Plan website (http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird.htm).

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 Methods
Focal wetland species of shorebirds were first identified. The initial list included all
wetland species of shorebirds that are common or abundant at any time of year within the
Region, according to Brian Harrington and based largely upon data from the International
Shorebird Surveys (ISS). Sites in which any of the focal species are common or abundant at any
time of year were then identified using a list prepared for this project and supplemented by
information provided by birding guides, ornithologists and birders knowledgeable of the Region.
Most sites were single areas, such as a National Wildlife Refuge, but dispersed sites, such as
“lakes >10 ha”, could also be identified.

Figure 3. PRISM sites in BCR 13, 14, 30, 27, and 31.

The

International Shorebird Survey (ISS) provided species numbers for some of the identified sites.
The ISS is a volunteer based survey initiated in 1974 by Brian Harrington. Volunteers select
their survey sites and are given guidelines on census frequency and data collection for spring and
fall migration. The ISS guidelines ask volunteers to survey once every 10 days from April 1st to
June 10th for spring migration, and once every 10 days from July 11th to October 31st for fall
migration. ISS records provided the maximum counts recorded for species where the identified
site is also an ISS site.

Survey methods for sites include appropriate tide levels for surveys, if that information is
available. Tide levels for surveys are based on the advice of biologists and birders with
knowledge about the sites. Due to the different geography of the sites, different tide levels

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are recommended to concentrate the birds for a survey. While high tide at one site may bring in
birds that are spread out over an expansive area at low tide, high tide at another site may
completely cover the habitat or food resources and scatter the birds elsewhere. Therefore,
different tide levels may be recommended for different sites.

Additional site information may also include information about visibility. Excellent/good
visibility simply means that the birds can be seen without obstruction clearly enough to identify
to species, either by physically getting close enough or with a good scope or binoculars.

Maps showing land ownership, roads and wetlands were prepared for the region. Maps of
each site were also prepared and information useful in designing surveys for the focal species
was presented. The survey objective was assumed to be estimating the average number of birds
of each focal species present within the site during a specified interval. Up to three types of
habitat were described for each focal species: Type 1 habitat, outlined in purple on the maps,
included regularly-used areas that should be sampled using a well-defined sampling plan. Type 2
habitat, which was outlined in red, included areas used sparingly by the focal species. Type 2
habitat is not surveyed as often or with rigorously defined methods, but is surveyed less formally
every few years to document continued low use by the focal species. Type 3 habitat receives
virtually no use by the focal species during the study period and is not surveyed as part of the
monitoring program. Requests, however, are circulated for any records of the focal species
occurring in substantial numbers in these areas.

A description of each site was prepared with the following headings:

Boundaries and ownership

Focal species using the site and timing of use
Location of type 1 and 2 habitat within the site
Access to the type 1 and 2 habitat and visibility of the birds
Past and current surveys
Potential survey methods
Description
Selection bias
Measurement error and bias
Needed pilot studies

We assume for any survey that the study area and study period (within years) have been
defined. The goal of the survey was assumed to be estimating the trend, across several years, in
the average number of birds present during the study period. Bias means a long-term trend in the
ratio (number recorded)/(average number present). Selection bias ensues when some portion of
Type 1 habitat has zero chance of being surveyed, usually due to access problems, and there is a
long-term trend in the proportion of birds using the non-sampled portion. Exclusion of some
Type 1 habitat does not necessarily cause selection bias because trends in the sampled areas
might be the same as trends in the non-sampled areas. Anytime some portion of Type 1 habitat
could not be included in the sampled areas, the potential for selection bias and ways to reduce it
were discussed. Measurement error means not detecting all birds present in the surveyed area at
the time of the survey. Measurement bias is a long term trend in the proportion of birds present at

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the time of the survey that are detected on the survey. Measurement error does not necessarily
cause measurement bias because the proportion of birds detected might not change through time.
Anytime measurement error was probable, its magnitude and probable stability through time
were discussed along with ways to reduce the proportion of birds missed on the surveys.

Results - Shorebirds
Table 1. Focal shorebird species for BCR 30

CODE SPECIES
BBPL Black-bellied Plover
SEPL Semipalmated Plover
AMOY American Oystercatcher
GRYE Greater Yellowlegs
LEYE Lesser Yellowlegs
SOSA Solitary Sandpiper
SPSA Spotted Sandpiper
WHIM Whimbrel
RUTU Ruddy Turnstone
REKN Red Knot
SAND Sanderling
SESA Semipalmated Sandpiper
LESA Least Sandpiper
WRSA White-rump Sandpiper
DUNL Dunlin
SBDO Short-billed Dowitcher

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Site Descriptions – New Jersey
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Brigantine Division

Description: The Edwin B. Forysthe National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 44,302 acres along
New Jersey’s Atlantic coastal zone. More than 80% of the refuge is tidal salt meadow and marsh,
interspersed with shallow coves and bays. The refuge is made up of two divisions, Brigantine
and Barnegat. The Brigantine division is the focus site for migration.

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The Brigantine division is located about 10 miles north of Atlantic City. It has four managed
impoundments containing 1,415 acres of fresh water and brackish water marsh habitat. The
Northwest Pool, Southwest Pool and Lily Lake are fresh; East Pool is brackish. Impoundments
are drawn down in spring to provide mudflat habitat for shorebirds and wading birds and flooded
in fall for migrants. The impoundments can be viewed from the roadway on the surrounding
dikes. The most numerous shorebird species from maximum ISS counts are: BBPL (2,250),
SEPL (1,641), GRYE (2,077), LEYE (1,545), RUTU (1,040) SAND (500), SESA (14,350),
LESA (2,480), DUNL (12,000) and SBDO (11,330).

Access: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. The refuge is
easily accessible from major roadways. The headquarters are located at the Brigantine division in
Oceanville, NJ.

Survey Method: Ground surveys should be conducted at the impoundments during high tide
with a scope and/or binoculars. The birds will concentrate at the impoundments at high tide and
spread out into the marshes at low tide.

Selection Bias: None.

Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Jorge Coppen, Edwin B. Forsythe NWR
John Danzenbaker, ISS Cooperator

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Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island

Description: Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island are located just north of Hereford Inlet on
the Atlantic side of the Cape May peninsula. Both spots are easily accessible from major roads
leading to and going through the New Jersey barrier islands.

Stone Harbor Point is the southernmost part of the town of Stone Harbor, which is on a barrier
island. It has a sandy shoreline with silty mudflats and little eddies and pools on the inland side
of the island. There is access to the Point from a parking lot with an approximately 200-meter
walk to the beach and flats. The birds spread out at low tide, so surveys should be done at high

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tide. The most numerous species from ISS maximum count data are: SAND (1,634), SESA
(100), REKN (47), RUTU (34) and SBDO (35).

Nummy Island is an undeveloped island in the salt marsh system that lies just behind Stone
Harbor Point. It consists of about 350 acres of mostly salt marsh with mixed sand and mud flats
and pools. It also includes an intermittent sandbar (underwater at high tide) near the intra-coastal
waterway channel between itself and Stone Harbor. Shorebirds use the site for feeding and
resting. They can be found on the channel sandbar, salt marsh pool areas and spartina fields.
Major shorebird habitats are on the tidal thoroughfare sandbar and salt marsh. Nummy Island is
owned by Lower Township and the channel sandbar is state marine property. Ocean Drive
provides easy access to the island. Most numerous species from ISS maximum count data are:
AMOY (254), BBPL (222), DUNL (2,241), REKN (125), SBDO (135) and SESA (184).

Survey Method: Ground surveys on Nummy Island and Stone Harbor Point. Survey Stone
Harbor Point at high tide by walking to the flats and beach. Nummy Island can be accessed from
Ocean Drive, but there is no place to park. Pull off to side of road to survey and be careful of
traffic.

Selection Bias: None.

Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Dave Mizrahi, VP for Research, NJAS Cape May Bird Observatory
George Dawson, ISS Cooperator

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Two Mile Beach

Description: Two Mile Beach is located south of the town of Wildwood on the Atlantic
shoreline of New Jersey. A major section of it became part of the Cape May National Wildlife
Refuge in October 1999 through a transfer from the U.S. Coast Guard. This section is owned and
protected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, while a southern portion remains the property of the U.S.
Coast Guard. Two Mile Beach forms one of the last undeveloped stretches of New Jersey coast
and includes 490 acres of oceanfront beach, sand dunes, maritime forest, and tidal marsh. The
also site attracts large numbers of spring and fall migrating shorebirds.

The 0.7-mile stretch of Refuge beach is seasonally closed from mid-April to mid-October to
reduce pedestrian traffic and provide nesting habitat to birds. The beach is popular with

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fishermen who use it to access Cold Spring Jetty at its southern tip and therefore beach closures
are hotly contested.

The shorebird survey area is the two to three kilometer length of beach, which should be
considered Type 1 habitat. Shorebirds tend to concentrate in fewer numbers near the jetty where
traffic is highest. Surveys at Two Mile Beach were carried out in 2000 and 2001 by NJAS Cape
May Bird Observatory to measure shorebird disturbance. Dave Mizrahi provided list of species
observed: BBPL, DUNL, REKN, RUTU, SAND, SEPL and SESA.

Access to Two Mile Beach is reached from the Garden State Parkway (Exit 4) or US Route 9
(via Route 47) via City of Wildwood. Upon reaching Wildwood, turn south to borough of
Wildwood Crest. Continue south towards Diamond Beach, following Ocean Drive to Raleigh
Avenue near the areas of big condos on the beach. Park along street in designated parking spaces.
Access to the beach is obtained via public easements between the condominium buildings. Walk
thru access fence located south of the condo buildings. The walk to the jetty is approximately one
mile.

Survey Method: Ground surveys along the beach with a scope.

Selection Bias: Much of Two Mile Beach is closed to non-USFWS personnel during restricted
months from mid-April and mid-October. Permission will need to be obtained from the Refuge
to conduct surveys during this period.

Measurement error: Negligible. All shorebirds should be identifiable.

Measurement bias: None

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Cape May National Wildlife Refuge Staff
George Dawson, ISS Cooperator

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Bivalve

Description: Bivalve is located just south of Port Norris on the Maurice River in New Jersey.
It consists of approximately 4,500 acres of expansive salt marsh on a mitigation site owned by
Public Service Electric and Gas. It is three years abreast of a twelve-year restoration project,
which has so far resulted in making mud flats very extensive there. This site supports up to
30,000 shorebirds in both spring and fall.

There are two observation platforms as well as several dikes located within Bivalve marsh.
Shorebird hotspots are dependent on the tide, which flows in variably. According to Dave
Mizrahi, the birds move in rotations to different compartments of the marsh and using a scope at

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the platforms is the best way to see where birds are concentrating within it. The entire site should
be considered Type 1 habitat.

Four main access roads lead into the marsh southwards off of Route 553 in Port Norris:
Berrytown Rd., Robinstown Rd., Strawberry Lane, and Memorial Ave. Memorial joins Miller
Ave and leads to the Bivalve processing plant. It is possible to drive from one access road to the
next without restrictions. Surveys have been conducted in the past by birder Clay Sutton; species
observed include: BBPL, DUNL, LESA, SBDO, SEPL, SESA, WRSA, YESP.

Survey Method: Ground surveys at viewing points in the marsh with a scope/binoculars on a
falling to early rising tide. The best spot to survey is dynamic depending on the tide. Surveyor
can scan the area from a viewing platform to determine best survey route.

Selection Bias: Not applicable.

Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

Dave Mizrahi, VP for Research, NJAS Cape May Bird Observatory
Clay Sutton

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Delaware Bay

Description: The lower Delaware Bay is a major spring migration site for shorebirds on the
Atlantic flyway. The bay shoreline in New Jersey and Delaware provides feeding, resting and
roosting areas for shorebirds during migration. In New Jersey, it stretches from approximately
Cohansey River to Cape May Point. The shoreline is made up primarily of narrow sandy beaches
and low tide flats, including dunes, sandy/muddy mouths of rivers, adjacent tidal salt marshes
and saltwater impoundments. There are extensive freshwater and saltwater wetlands throughout
the Delaware River and Bay estuary.

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Ownership along the bay shoreline is a mix of private, state and federal land. The bay shoreline
is not heavily developed and many towns along the bay are fishing villages inhabited more
heavily in the summer. Approximately 21,016 hectares (51,910 acres) of New Jersey wetlands
associated with the bay are in state ownership, mostly as Fish and Wildlife Management Areas
(FWMA). New Jersey Wildlife Management Areas include: Mad Horse Creek, Dix, Nantuxent,
Fortescue, Egg Island, Heislerville, Dennis Creek and Higbee Beach. The one federally protected
area is Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, a unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Access to the bay shoreline is essentially limited to narrow stretches of beach where there are
roads and residential development. Most of the beach areas, such as Fortescue, Reeds Beach and
south of Reeds Beach, are accessible from roads. There is limited access to Moores Beach due to
road washout at high tide. The marshes are largely inaccessible except by air or boat.

The spring migration of shorebirds coincides with horseshoe crab spawning in Delaware Bay.
Shorebirds have been found to feed mostly on horseshoe crab eggs on the bay beaches, but
surveys by NJ Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists indicate some species, such as the
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, and Short-billed Dowitcher, rely more heavily on marsh
habitats. All shorebirds move between the beaches and marshes for feeding, resting and roosting.
The most abundant shorebird species in Delaware Bay during migration are Semipalmated
Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots, Sanderlings, Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitchers.
Maximum count data from ISS records were available from the following New Jersey sites in
Delaware Bay:
Fortescue Beach/Egg Island: DUNL (510), REKN (675), RUTU (209), SAND (135), and SESA
(4,000);
Heislerville: DUNL (1,000), SBDO (54), and SESA (450);
Thompsons Beach: DUNL (6,000), REKN (440), RUTU (580), SAND (623), SBDO (1,800),
and SESA (2,002);
Moores Beach: DUNL (785), REKN (1,385), RUTU (730), SAND (555), and SESA (570);
Reeds Beach: DUNL (75), REKN (1,460), RUTU (1,100), SAND (930), and SESA (175).

The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ DFW), in conjunction with the Delaware Department
of Fish and Wildlife - Nongame and Endangered Species Program, conducts annual ground and
aerial surveys of shorebird abundance on beaches. The New Jersey groundwork involves ground
counts and cannon netting of shorebirds for color banding and research. Aerial surveys cover the
bay shoreline of New Jersey (Cohansey River to Cape May Canal) and Delaware (Woodland
Beach to Cape Henlopen). These are conducted from an airplane by NJ DFW biologist Kathleen
Clark once every week from the beginning of May to the middle of June.

Survey Method: Ground, boat and aerial surveys are needed to cover extensive area. Aerial
surveys of the NJ (Cohansey River to Cape May Canal) and DE (Woodland Beach to Cape
Henlopen) shorelines are done on the early falling tide when crab eggs are exposed for feeding.

Selection Bias: Spring survey work covers the bay beaches, not the marshes. The bay marshes
are inaccessible except by air or boat. Boat surveys only cover the marsh edges.

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Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: Larry Niles, NJ DFW, conducted Fall 2003 surveys of the New Jersey coastline.
The surveys will help determine what areas shorebirds use during fall migration and to determine
juvenile to adult ratios for selected species. Survey work is being done in conjunction with the
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife and will involve aerial surveys of the entire bay and
Atlantic coasts of both states. In addition, NJ DFW biologist, Amanda Dey, is developing a
protocol for aerial surveys of the bay marshes, possibly for Spring 2004.

Local Contacts: Larry Niles, Chief of Endangered and Nongame Species Program, NJ DFW
Kathleen Clark, Biologist, NJ DFW
Dave Mizrahi, VP for Research, Cape May Bird Observatory
Nellie Tsipoura, Director of Citizen Science, NJ Audubon

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Site 1: Fortescue/Egg Island

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Site 2: Thompsons and Moores Beaches

Site 3: Reeds Beach to Pierces Point

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Site 4: Pierces Point to Villas

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 References
Burger J., L. Niles, and K. Clark. 1996. Importance of Beach Mudflat and Marsh Habitats to
Migrant Shorebirds on Delaware Bay. Biological Conservation 79:283-292.

Canadian Wildlife Service. Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan. Accessed August 2008.
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/default.asp?lang=en&n=D1610AB7 .

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Shorebird Plan. Accessed August 2008.
http://www.fws.gov/shorebirdplan/RegionalShorebird/RegionsMap.asp

Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Website. Manomet Center for
Conservation Sciences

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