2008 Annual Monitoring Report (pdf 10.9MB) - Bolsa Chica ...

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Bolsa Chica Lowlands Restoration Monitoring 2008 Annual Report but includes more diverse habitats in a more balanced distribution. The Huntington Beach Wetlands are located roughly five miles to the south of Bolsa Chica and have been monitored for the past 2 years in anticipation of the restoration of tidal influence to Brookhurst and Magnolia Marshes, part of the overall wetland complex. From January 2007 to January 2009 a total of 115 bird species were documented in quarterly saturation surveys of Brookhurst, Magnolia, and Talbert Marshes. These marshes contain similar expanses of non-tidal pickleweed marsh. Surveys conducted following restoration of tidal influence to Brookhurst Marsh in 2009 and Magnolia Marsh in 2010 will provide better comparisons for Bolsa Chica. Recommendations • Continue modified avian monitoring schedule, expanding the monthly Year 5 monitoring called for in the Monitoring Plan to instead conduct the surveys every other month, distributed over a period of two years (monitoring Years 5 and 6). Light-footed Clapper Rail Monitoring Surveys for the light-footed clapper rail (Rallus longirostris levipes) will not be initiated until suitable cordgrass habitat has developed to an extent and quality to attract clapper rails. The status of the cordgrass transplants was detailed in the vegetation section of this report. Belding’s Savannah Sparrow Monitoring Methodology Two complete surveys for the state endangered Belding's Savannah sparrow were performed in 2008. The number of surveys was increased from one survey in 2007 to two in 2008 in order to improve the reliability of the number of territories recorded. The results of both 2008 surveys will be reported. The first survey was conducted on April 21 and 22, 2008 and the second on May 12 and 13, 2008. At this time the sparrows were well into their breeding season and therefore displaying territorial and breeding behavior. All areas with potentially suitable breeding habitat for the Belding's Savannah sparrow (pickleweed-dominated salt marsh) were surveyed. The site was surveyed on foot by qualified biologists using binoculars and spotting scopes. Surveys were performed between 0530 hours and 1100 hours, but generally ended by about 0930. Weather conditions including air temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and approximate wind speed were recorded regularly throughout the survey. Photo: Laura Gorman Belding’s Savannah sparrow. In 2007 the survey program included a calibration training period with Dick Zembal prior to conducting the surveys so that data collected would be consistent between individuals and in comparison to past surveys conducted at the site and throughout the state (Zembal et al, 2006). This method gives a rapid estimate of the number of territories and their locations. The same team conducted the surveys in 2008 to minimize further surveyor bias. Surveys will continue to be conducted annually in the future to document changes over time and space. The site was surveyed over the two-day period by assigning each surveyor a series of zones. Each zone was surveyed only once per survey; two days were needed to cover all of the zones. The surveys would have been discontinued for the day if wind, visibility, rain, or other factors were deemed to be Merkel & Associates, Inc. 87
Bolsa Chica Lowlands Restoration Monitoring 2008 Annual Report unsuitable for accurate and effective data collection, including an absence of territorial behavior by the sparrows. No such problems were encountered during these two surveys. All survey data were initially recorded in the field on hard copy maps of each zone and then transferred in the office to GIS database files. The location of each Belding’s Savannah sparrow territory observed was plotted on a map based on the behavior observed which included: singing by a perched male, extended perching together of mates, territorial defensive behavior demonstrated by circular chasing of birds from a territory, scolding, carrying nesting material or food, feeding young, extended high and fully exposed perching of individuals, and scolding. All behaviors were marked on the field map of the zone being assessed. At the completion of the survey of each zone, the biologist reviewed the notes, assessed the significance of each behavior noted, and wrote down a tally of the total number of territories assessed in that zone. Biologists were careful to keep track of birds within a zone to avoid over counting territories and did not spend too much time in a particular zone to avoid confusion. The ranking of behavior used to determine a territory, listed from most-certain to least-certain, was: extended perching of a pair, singing male, territory by chase, and extended exposed perching by a male. If the biologist mapped a male as perched for an extended period of time, but it later began singing, the singing would supersede the perching in making the determination and the final map would show a single singing male. From these breeding and territorial behaviors, the number and approximate locations of territories within each zone were estimated. This method has been used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Game when the scope of the surveys does not include precise determination of the number of territories present. This technique has been used for statewide surveys (Zembal et al., 2006). However, a clearly defined, written protocol for surveys of this type does not exist and there will therefore be some unavoidable variation in technique and judgment between survey programs. Results The location of the Belding’s Savannah sparrow territories estimated by the observed breeding and territorial behaviors is shown in Figure 1-19. A total of 177 territories were identified within the study site in April 2008 and 208 territories in May 2008. The majority of territories were determined by observation of a singing male (65%), followed by extended perching of pairs (14%), and extended perching by a male (12%), with the other behaviors making up roughly 9% of the territories determinations. Territories appeared to be relatively evenly dispersed throughout areas where pickleweed-dominated salt marsh occurred. Nearly all areas of non-flooded pickleweed that appeared to be of high quality but had no territorial birds in it were observed to be occupied by Belding’s Savannah sparrows, though they were engaged in non-territorial behaviors such as foraging or moving about in groups. The Future Full Tidal Basin supported the most territories, followed by the Muted Tidal Basins, then the Seasonal Ponds (Table 1-21). The number of territories did not correlate with the amount of salt marsh available. The number of territories recorded was about 50% of what was counted in 2007 and was similar to the count in 2006 (Zembal et al., 2006). The Seasonal Ponds supported 52%-59% of the territories in 2008 as it did in 2007. The salt panne in this area was flooded throughout the breeding season and in some cases this flooding also entered into areas of pickleweed. The FFTB also had Merkel & Associates, Inc. 88
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