Last week, I saw a new Killdeer nest in the same spot where the first nest
failed few weeks ago. I am assuming they are the same couple. This time the
nest had three eggs.
Today, I went to check on it and to my displeasure, I saw a feral cat roaming
within 50 feet of the nest area. I immediately suspected the worse. And for
sure, the eggs disappeared and the killdeer no where to be seen.
This is the third failed Killdeer nest I have seen over the last two years in
the same park. Add to it the two failed Oystercatcher nests in the same area,
you can see that feral cats are a huge problem in this park.
I am assuming it is a problem in all of south Brooklyn beaches (like Plumb
beach and Dead Horse Point) because I have seen feral cats everywhere.
In the last two years, 11 killdeer and 15 oystercatcher eggs (of the ones I
have found) have vanished into thin air, or feral cats' stomach.
I wonder if any thing can be done for this issue to help Oystercatchers and
Killdeer thrive here.
Can each park do something on their own to help the situation?
I am hoping.
Gus Keri
---- On Tue, 22 Jun 2021 12:41:30 -0400 Gus Keri <gusk...@zoho.com> wrote ----
> Unfortunately, the Oystercatcher nest that was built over the wrack on top
> of the rocky beach in Shirley Chisholm State Park has gone. No eggs to be
> found this morning. (and no fledglings in the area)
> This is the third Oystercatcher nest that failed this season. The other two
> were at Plumb Beach and Dead Horse Point.
> Also, the Killdeer nest at Shirley Chisholm SP which had 4 eggs has vanished.
> In total, 4 nest with 12 eggs have failed.
> Last year, similar number of nests for the same species in the same areas
> had only two Oystercatcher fledglings and one of them survived to adulthood
> in Dead Horse Point.
> In total, over two years, one out of 25 eggs has reached adulthood.
> This is a really sad situation for these special birds.
> Gus Keri
>
>
> ---- On Thu, 03 Jun 2021 10:58:37 -0400 Smith, Jason Y (DEC)
> <jason.sm...@dec.ny.gov> wrote ----
> > div.zm_6577200324689976142_parse_-3632554252250034675 P { margin-top: 0;
> margin-bottom: 0 }Charadriiformes seem to be willing to keep trying to find
> ways to adapt to the loss of nesting habitat. It's nice to see AMOY are no
> exception. I've even seen reports of AMOY trying to adapt to rooftop nesting
> as the terns and skimmer have too. So, while intriguing it doesn't
> "surprise" me to hear of them trying a different strategy. Wrack, what you
> refer to as straw, is a common nesting substrate available on beaches and
> marsh islands.
> > What would be interesting to know is did the AMOY gather the wrack to
> nest on, or did they capitalize on an existing deposit of wrack.
> > The real question is since they are willing to adapt...are we?
> >
> > Jason C. Smith |Biodiversity Ecologist
> > New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
> > 47-40 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
> > Phone: 718-482-4919 | Fax: 718-482-4502
> > Email: jason.sm...@dec.ny.gov
> > "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when
> we created them" -Einstein
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Gus Keri <gusk...@zoho.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 8:54 PM
> > To: Birding alert, NYSBirds, Birding alert <nysbirds-l@cornell.edu>
> > Subject: Very interesting finding ATTENTION: This email came from an
> external source. Do not open attachments or click on links from unknown
> senders or unexpected emails.
> >
> >
> > While walking the beaches of Shirley Chisholm State Park today checking
> the area where Oystercatchers nested last year, I noticed a
> "nest-protective" behavior by an Oystercatcher, but it wasn't in the same
> area. It was in an area where there is no sand above the tide level. I have
> never seen Oystercatcher nest in areas other then sandy beaches. All the
> nests I have seen over the year were build on sand.
> >
> > Suddenly, another Oystercatcher flew off the rocky area after it saw me
> approaching. When I checked the place, I found a nest built on straws on top
> of rocks. It was very surprising to me. I know Willet build their nests on
> these straws but not oystercatcher.
> >
> > I remember that last year the Oystercatcher nest that was built over the
> very limited sandy area of this beach had failed and most likely because of
> a sea storm, The nest was very close to the high tide line.
> >
> > This year, the Oystercatchers decided to use a Willet method and build a
> nest on straws on top of the rock, way above the high tide line
> > It is a nice way to improvise in harsh conditions and keeping the species
> going. A survival instinct, I guess.
> >
> > You can see photos of this nest on eBird:
> > https://ebird.org/checklist/S89493742
> >
> > Gus Keri
> >
> >
>
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