2025 Shorebird Nesting Season Summary
Charlotte County – Zachary Zampella, Charlotte Harbor
Challenges:
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- Predation was an issue, used USDA trappers to help
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Milton Pass has issues with boaters and public, along with motorized paragliders ongoing issue
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Were able to find out where they were taking off from and LE spoke to them
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Record nesting this year
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Three AMOY fledged from Bird Island
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71 BLSK fledge at Palm Island Resort/Knight Island North
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118 fledge LETE from the county!
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Other nesting success
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3 WIPL fledged from Stump Pass
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109 LETE chicks fledged from Knight Island North
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9 LETE fledged from Gasparilla
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- Predation was an issue, used USDA trappers to help
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Click to see documents
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Wilson Plover WIPL
Least Tern LETE
Story of a Least Tern Chick that hatched.
The adult took the egg shell off.
The chick hid in a track of a human.
It spent 16 days hiding in wrack debris.
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Video shows a Great Egret chasing chicks.
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Photo shows a Great Egret catching a chick
Black Skimmers BLSK
Peace River Audubon is concerned about our Gulf Coast nesting shorebirds.
Four PRAS members (Cathy Olson, Bren Curtis, Mike Weisensee, Brant Julius and Robert Kraft have contractual agreements to monitor shorebirds on Manasota Key (Stump Pass State Park) and Palm Island for the 2025 nesting season.
Perils of the LETE and BLSK colony nesters & solitary nesters like the WIPL include:
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storms and hurricanes
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tidal surges & nest over washes
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climate induced heat
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mammal predators (coyote, raccoons, armadillos, bobcats, unleashed pets)
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avian predators - Fish Crows, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Great Egrets
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human disturbances (shell collectors, beach walkers, boats with dogs, motorized hang gliders).
Volunteer Beach Stewards increased nesting success in 2022-23.