A banded red knot searches for food on a Delaware Bay beach.
Bandedbirds.org is an effort to collect data on shorebirds throughout their range from the southern tip of Chile to the Canadian arctic. This effort has been underway for many years and has an international network of volunteers reporting re-sightings data on shorebirds.
The following was shared with the shorebird community by Jeannine Parvin, administrator for bandedbirds.org.
The bird being discussed was banded in NJ in May 2005. It seemed to return to NJ each year, having been resighted most years up to 2010. The bird seemed to be heading back up to NJ for the 2011 Spring shorebird season, when it was shot and killed in French Guiana. Illegal hunting is still a big issue for shorebirds. Paired with loss and degradation of habitat, and pollution, these birds face major threats. Read more about CWF’s work to monitor and protect shorebirds here.
A red knot identified as FL(PPM) was shot in French Guiana by a hunter.
The data was submitted by Alexandre Vinot from French Guiana. He regularly reports to bandedbirds.org and is a volunteer with GEPOG.
His comments state: “shot in Mana Ricefield – flag given to Antoine Hausselman, who gave me the data”.
Scientists today released a report announcing that a decrease of at least 5,000 red knots was observed at key wintering grounds in Tierra del Fuego, Chile from the previous year. Scientists reported population counts of wintering knots in other locations declined as well. The estimated current total population for the migratory shorebird is now unlikely to be more than 25,000.
The decline in red knot numbers elevates the importance of implementing stronger protections at Delaware Bay, a key U.S. stopover where migrating knots depend on an abundant supply of horseshoe crab eggs to fuel the final leg of their migration to breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic.
The scientists’ report concludes that despite horseshoe crab harvest restrictions put in place by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission over the past decade “there is still no evidence of recovery of the horseshoe crab population, either in numbers of spawning females or in all sub-adult age groups including juveniles.” Restrictions to date have only been enough to stop the population from declining further, are insufficient to recover the population and will continue to be insufficient unless the harvest is greatly reduced.
WASHINGTON (May 23, 2011) – Conservation groups are calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to take immediate steps to list the red knot under the Endangered Species Act. A listing would initiate the development of a recovery plan and require federal agencies whose actions affect red knots to consult with the FWS. A listing would also require the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, housed under the National Marine Fisheries Service, to consult with the FWS on the regulations it establishes for the horseshoe crab fishery. The following are statements from groups pursuing an endangered species listing:
“It’s simple, to halt this decline and imminent extinction, we must list the red knot now and view all shorebird protection through the same lens,” said Margaret O’Gorman, executive director for Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
“This year’s huge decline in wintering red knots provides clear evidence that the status quo is not working. Unless action is taken now, red knots may be on an irreversible slide to extinction,” said Bob Irvin, senior vice president for conservation programs at Defenders of Wildlife. “The U.S. has a responsibility to the global community to protect this migratory shorebird, which stops along our coast to rest and feed while making one of the longest migrations in nature, from the tip of South America to the Arctic.”
“The bad news demands we redouble our efforts to rebuild the horseshoe crab population of Delaware Bay,” said Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the American Littoral Society. “A listing of the red knot under the ESA will allow for management of the horseshoe crab population to be directed toward recovery of the shorebird populations, and not simply the local fishing interests. We urge the USFWS to make this a priority.”
“Until recently, the Delaware Bay resplendent with spawning horseshoe crabs and over a million shorebirds was the land of plenty – our Serengeti,” said Eric Stiles, vice president for Conservation and Stewardship for New Jersey Audubon Society. “The red knot is one of the shorebirds whose very existence is teetering on the brink of survival. Unlike special interest naysayers, we have full faith in the Endangered Species Act. Only through listing will the robin-sized, chestnut colored shorebird be enjoyed by future generations.”
“The decline of the shorebirds and the horseshoe crabs that sustain them is not speculation; it is a proven reality documented by science and history. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Counsel, among those charged with protecting the species, has ignored the science and the harm in order to assuage their political allies. In the absence of strong and earnest action from the ASMFC, we need strong action from our states. While New Jersey has taken that strong action to protect the crabs and the birds, Delaware’s actions leave a lot to be desired when the politics heats up” expresses Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper.
“The rufa red knot, which once darkened the skies during their migration, now stands on the very knife-edge of extinction. The states along the east coast, with the exception of New Jersey, dithered for decades and now the only way to save this subspecies is for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place it on the Endangered Species List. With this new report, it is clear that if the federal government doesn’t act soon, the next generation of Americans will never see this amazing long-distance migrant. People who want to see this bird in the wild best make plans in the near future because the way things are going, it will be gone sooner rather than later,” said Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy for ABC.
“A population decline this large and this rapid is almost unequalled in our lifetime,” said Greg Butcher, Director of Bird Conservation for National Audubon Society. “Surely such a bird requires the immediate protection of the Endangered Species Act and needs to be a top conservation priority for all of us.”
The Delaware Bay beaches are a busy place right now and not with sunbathers and beach goers, but with horseshoe crabs and birds! The horseshoe crabs are coming up onto the beaches to spawn and the shorebirds are arriving to feed on their eggs. It’s a great time to take a trip to the beaches to watch all the activity. The Delaware Bay is the Western Hemisphere’s second-largest spring concentration of shorebirds. The shorebirds arriving on the beaches include red knots, sanderlings, ruddy trunstones and semipalmated sandpipers. People come from all over the world to view this natural phenomenon taking place right here in NJ.
Beach access is restricted on critical beaches from May 8th through June 4th to allow the shorebirds to feed undisturbed. But there are still plenty of viewing areas. In Cape May County Reed’s Beach has a viewing platform that has a great view down the entire beach. Cook’s, Kimbells, Norburys and the Villas beaches all provide areas for viewing the shorebirds. In Cumberland County, Fortescue is another wonderful viewing spot. Please use the designated viewing areas and bring binoculars or a telescope so you can get a good look at the birds.
While you are out visiting the beaches you might run into one of CWF’s shorebird stewards. These dedicated volunteers are located at the closed beaches educating the public about the shorebirds. CWF had a new brochure printed this year, Spotting Shorebirds, Along the Delaware Bay, be sure to ask the steward for a copy of this so you can practice your shorebird ID. The stewards can also let you know on which beaches shorebirds have recently been spotted.
It really is worth the trip to see this spring migration, you won’t be disappointed. To find out the best beaches to view migratory shorebirds, check out our exclusive Wildlife Viewing Map.
If you enjoy spending time on the beach, bird watching, and interacting with people while helping to make a difference, then the shorebird steward project might be the right volunteer opportunity for you! The Delaware Bay in the spring time is a great place to be!
In 2003, New Jersey began restricting beach access on critical shorebird feeding beaches. With fewer horseshoe crab eggs available it is more important than ever to protect shorebirds as they search for food on Delaware Bay beaches. Shorebirds are very
sensitive to disturbance. If birds are disturbed while they are resting on the beach or feeding, they may not build-up the necessary fat reserves to make it to their Arctic breeding grounds.
Shorebirds at Fortescue Beach on the Delaware Bay, Cumberland County. (Monica Pepe)
The shorebird steward project was put in place to have a presence at these closed beaches during the three-week closure period in May through early June. In 2009 thirty-three stewards patrolled nine beaches along the Delaware Bay in Cape May and Cumberland Counties. Their main goal was to ensure that resting and foraging shorebirds were not disturbed. As beach goers are encountered, stewards engage them in conversation, and distribute brochures and other educational materials. Stewards direct people to designated viewing areas. People visiting the Delaware Bay leave with a better understanding of biodiversity, species interaction, and an understanding of what they can do to help.
In 2010, stewards will be needed the following dates: May 8th, 9th & May 15th through 31st.
Interested applicants must be available to work at least two full days, 7-8 hours a day. A shorebird steward training will be held on May 1st.
If you are interested in learning more about the program please contact Larissa Smith at (609) 628-0402 or Email.
