The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

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The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 180minor threats. Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge: 97 acres (38.8 ha), including some beaches,are set aside as a Wildlife Sanctuary where human intrusion is prohibited year-round. • Australianpineshave been removed from most of the key. Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge: The site isunder control of Refuge staff at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, nearly 100 miles (160 km)to the north. Trespassing is frequent, and although enforcement is necessary during the nestingseason, it occurs infrequently. The island continues to erode, and in 2001, most of its breeding birdsmoved to Egmont Key. Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge: Patrol is minimal. • In 2000, cordgrasswas planted to stabilize eroding shorelines. • Raccoons are regularly removed from the islands, butsome remain, and these have contributed to the decline in the number of breeding Brown Pelicans. •Some control of exotic plants is needed. Shell Key Preserve is used heavily by boaters; managing thepreserve for its natural resources while allowing public access and day-use will be a challenge. Adraft management plan (dated 15 February 2000) designates 82 acres (32.8 ha; 46%) of the island forpublic use and 98 acres (39.2 ha; 54%) closed to human access. Human access is planned for thenorthern and southern thirds of the island, with the bird protection area in the center; fencing will beplaced in an attempt to exclude dogs from the bird area. Outside of this area, dogs may be unleashedbut are required to be under voice control at all times, which is impossible to enforce. • Breedingsuccess of shorebirds and larids has been monitored by St. Petersburg Audubon Society members andFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff, and will continue under coordination ofPinellas County Environmental Lands Division staff. • Some Australian-pines exist on Shell Key andthese will be gradually removed and replaced with native trees. • In 2001, raccoons invaded the islandand caused a near-total collapse of breeding shorebirds and larids; only 21 pairs of birds attempted tonest. Ten raccoons were removed from the Preserve in spring 2001.NOMINATED BY: Paul Blair (St. Petersburg Audubon Society), Ann and Rich Paul (Audubon of Florida),Bill Pranty (Audubon of Florida), and Jerry Shrewsbury (St. Petersburg Audubon Society)REVIEWED BY: Hugh Fagan (Pinellas County Parks and Recreation), Lyn Atherton (____)REFERENCES: +Department of Environmental Management. 2000. Shell Key Preserve ManagementPlan. Draft plan submitted to the Board of County Commissioners, Pinellas County, FL. • +Gore,J.A., and C.A. Chase, III. 1989. Snowy Plover breeding distribution. Final performance report,Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. Tallahassee, FL. • +Sprandel, G.L., J.A. Gore, andD.T. Cobb. 1997. Winter shorebird survey. Final performance report, Florida Game and Fresh WaterFish Commission. Tallahassee, FL.WEBSITES: ,,
The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 181MYAKKA RIVER WATERSHEDMyakka River State Park (37,124 acres; 14,849 ha), Myakka State Forest (8532 acres; 3340 ha),Pinelands Reserve (6151 acres; 2460 ha), T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve (24,565 acres;9826 ha), and the Myakka River Watershed SOR project (28,774 acres [11,509 ha], with 3993acres [1597 ha] acquired)De Soto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties105,146 acres (42,058), with 80,365 acres (32,146 ha) acquiredLOCATION: in extreme southeastern Manatee County, much of Sarasota County, and extreme western DeSoto County, east of Interstate 75 between County Road 780 and the Sarasota–Charlotte county line.Near the Oscar Scherer State Park IBA to the west.DESCRIPTION: a large area of public and private lands surrounding the Myakka River, from UpperMyakka Lake to within 10 miles (16 km) of Charlotte Harbor. The centerpiece is Myakka RiverState Park, established in 1936 as one of Florida's first conservation areas. The Park receives ____recreationists annually. In recent years, the Southwest Florida Water Management District andSarasota County have been purchasing extensive acreage around the park to buffer it from massivedevelopment encroaching from the north and west. Further development likely will affect this IBA inthe future. All the other sites within this IBA are recent acquisitions, and limited avian data areavailable. T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve also functions as a county wellfield, providing5–7 million gallons (18.9–26.4 million liters) of water per day, while Pinelands Reserve contains acounty landfill. Myakka State Forest was purchased in 1995; no data were provided for this site, norfor the Myakka River Watershed SOR Project. [Is visitation known for any other site?]OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Forestry (Myakka State Forest), Florida Division of Recreation andParks (Myakka River State Park), Southwest Florida Water Management District (Myakka RiverState Park and Myakka River Watershed SOR Project), Sarasota County Resource Management(Pinelands Reserve and T. Mabry Carleton, Jr. Memorial Reserve), and private owners (conservationeasements and remaining acreage of the Myakka River Watershed SOR Project)HABITATS: *slash pine flatwoods, *temperate hammock, *dry prairie, *freshwater marsh, *riverine,*lacustrine, longleaf pine flatwoods, xeric oak scrub, fields, non-native pasture, hardwood swamp,bayhead, sawgrass marsh, artificialLAND USE: *conservation, *recreation, *county landfill (Pinelands Reserve only), *wellfield (CarltonReserve only)IBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of FCREPA and Watch List species; significant numbers ofwading birds and wintering Sandhill Cranes; and significant natural habitatsAVIAN DATA: These sites contain breeding species typical of pine flatwoods, and the wetlands supportsignificant numbers of wading birds. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are not known to occur currently(they are included on the Myakka River State Park checklist from historical reports), but the extensiveacreage of pine flatwoods within this IBA suggests that relocation may be an option in the future.Extensive acreage of dry prairie habitat at Myakka River State Park may be suitable for translocating“Florida” Grasshopper Sparrows to better ensure the survival of this Endangered subspecies. Birddiversity of all sites combined is ___ native species. [Are bird lists available for any site other thanMyakka River State Park?].
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MemorandumBill Pranty, Florida IBA
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The Important Bird Areas of Florida
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THE IMPORTANTBIRD AREAS OFFLORIDA:
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(25) *pickerelweed (Pontedaria cord
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“Southeastern” American Kestrel
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Purple Martin (Progne subis)Tree Sw
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The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

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