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Kayakers and Shorebirds Vie for Beach
Research was conducted on kayaker
and camper interaction with Black Oystercatchers
to determine nest disturbance.
The shorebirds’ reactions to a
number of activities at varying distances
to the nesting site, such as floating by the
site on kayak, walking on the beach, and
camping near nests were observed.
A study in Kenai Fjords National Park
showed that the Black Oystercatcher acby
Julie Speegle and Michael Goldstein
Kayaking in the fiords of Prince
William Sound, Alaska, is arguably
as good as it gets. Calm
seas, sheltered from the stormy Gulf of
Alaska, make the Sound one of the best,
and most beautiful, sea-kayaking destinations
in the world.
Located in the heart of the Chugach
National Forest, the Sound sports some
of the most diverse wildlife habitat along
the northern Pacific Coast. Tourists and
kayakers flocked to Whittier, Alaska, the
gateway to the western Sound, when
a train tunnel was modified to allow
ground vehicular access to the town in
2000. That influx resulted in a dramatic
increase in Sound recreation. More
visitors, especially kayakers, may lead
to decreased reproductive rates for an
important shorebird—the Black Oystercatcher.
REASON FOR CONCERN
Because of its small numbers (8,000
–11,000 range-wide) and its susceptibility
to human-caused disturbances,
shorebird conservation plans from Oregon,
north through British Columbia
and into Alaska designate the bird as a
“species of high concern.” It is also on
Audubon Alaska’s Watchlist and is one
of nine U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Focal
Species.
The Black Oystercatcher is a harmed
species from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil
spill. And, although considered to be recovered
from the disaster, oil residue is
Photos courtesy of Chugach National Forest and the Alaska Region Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
still found in and around nests. The birds
are an intertidal zone management indicator
species for the Chugach National
Forest. If the Black Oystercatcher population
decreases, it’s an indication that
other shorebirds may decrease as well.
RECREATION AND NESTS
There is renewed concern that increased
recreation, the so-called “people-spill,”
could cause habitat loss or
breeding disturbance for Black Oystercatchers.
About 65-percent of the birds
nest along Alaska’s coastlines. The primary
nesting season is between May 15
and July 15—which is also a prime time
for kayaking.
One of the hottest spots in Prince
William Sound for kayakers and Black
Oystercatchers alike is Harriman Fiord.
The fiord has the highest density of the
shorebird than any mainland area scientists
have studied. Here, the likelihood of
kayaker-Black Oystercatcher interaction
approaches 100%.
THE RESEARCH
The U.S. Forest Service is collaborating
with other agencies and organizations
to identify challenges Black Oystercatchers
face, and to seek solutions.
Over the past three years, scientists
completed a comprehensive Black Oystercatcher
productivity study along Alaska
and British Columbia shorelines. Late
this spring the Forest Service, along with
other agencies, will deploy satellite and
conventional radios on the birds at six
sites from Prince William Sound, Alaska,
to Puget Sound, Washington. This
research will determine interseasonal
movements and the linkage between
breeding and wintering areas. Conservation
measures at highly populated sites
could become critical for development
plans, or in the event of a disaster such
as an oil spill.
14 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007