News from Scientists at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Monday, March 18, 2002
USGS
Researcher Spendelow to Report on Impacts of a "Shoreline
Protection Project" on Endangered Roseate Terns
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) Research Wildlife Biologist Jeffrey A. Spendelow will make two presentations at the joint meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists and the Wilson Ornithological Society to be held in Fort Myers, Florida from 11-14 April. Dr. Spendelow will present a poster showing the impact of the construction of a large rock revetment on the north end and east side of Falkner Island on the productivity of the endangered Roseate Terns that nest on this unit of the USFWS's Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Research on ways to reduce negative impacts before further construction takes place at this and other tern colony sites where revetment construction has been, or may be, proposed, is planned for 2002 and 2003. In an oral second presentation, Dr. Spendelow will describe a new method to estimate prebreeding (postfledging-to-first-breeding) survival and age-specific breeding rates in species with delayed maturity, and also show how secondary impacts of predation by Black-crowned Night-Herons are affecting the population dynamics of the Roseate Terns on the refuge. Contact: Jeff Spendelow, USGS-BRD, Laurel, MD 301.497.5665 |
Patuxent
Crane Update
Patuxent Whooping Cranes began the 2002 season March 14 and we now have 4 pairs in production. The Whooper eggs are placed in Sandhill nests for incubation. The first Sandhill led south behind the ultralight aircraft has arrived at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in a snowstorm and the others in that 2001 release are on their way. The five whooping cranes taken to Florida behind an ultralight remain in Florida and we don't expect them to leave until April or May. Whooping Cranes in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population leave for the Breeding Grounds later than the sandhills. A pair of Whoopers from the Florida non-migratory flock hatched their first chicks of the year earlier this week. One was taken by a bald eagle but the other one continues to do well. Predators often take the second chick to hatch. In Wood-Buffalo National Park, ravens often take the second chick. Further information about cranes can be found at: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/cranes.htm Contact: George Gee, USGS-BRD, Laurel, MD 301.497.5750 |
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