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 248SOUTHERN ATLANTIC MIGRANT STOPOVERHugh Taylor Birch State Park (180 acres; 72 ha), John U. Lloyd Beach State Park (253 acres; 101ha), and Spanish River Park (94 acres; 37 ha)Broward and Palm Beach counties527 acres (210 ha)LOCATION: various; all three sites are on barrier islands fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Spanish RiverPark is located near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, and extends west to the IntracoastalWaterway. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is immediately east of downtown Fort Lauderdale inBroward County, while John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is about 5 miles (8 km) to the south.DESCRIPTION: all sites are small coastal parks in a massively urbanized region of Florida. These smallhabitat oases offer perhaps the only significant coastal stopover habitats for Neotropical migrants inBroward and Palm Beach counties. The parks are heavily infested with exotic species, which activelyare being removed at Spanish River Park. Annual visitation of the parks are: 265,000 for Birch,600,000 for Lloyd, and 17,500 for Spanish River.OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Recreation and Parks (Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and John U. LloydBeach State Park), City of Boca Raton (Spanish River Park)HABITATS: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: *tropical hammock, *mangrove forest, *freshwater marsh,*coastal strand, fields, artificial. John U. Lloyd Beach State Park: *mangrove forest, coastal strand,tropical hammock, fields, artificial. Spanish River Park: *tropical hammock, mangrove forest,coastal strand, artificialLAND USE: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: *recreation, conservation, John U. Lloyd Beach StatePark: *recreation, conservation, Spanish River Park: *conservation, *recreationIBA CATEGORIES: significant numbers and diversity of Neotropical migrants; and significant naturalhabitats.AVIAN DATA: All sites are used extensively by Neotropical migrants in spring and fall, and some of thesespecies winter in small numbers. The parks also attract various West Indian landbirds (i.e., RuddyQuail-Dove, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Cuban Pewee, Bahama Mockingbird, and Western Spindalis); theBahamas are as few as 65 miles (104 km) away. The beach at Lloyd State Park is used by shorebirdsand larids. Bird diversity for all sites combined is 241 native and 9 exotic species.Hugh Taylor Birch State Park:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSRed-eyed Vireo 18 Sep 2000 >100 birds (M)Northern Parula 18 Sep 2000 >50 birds (M)Blackpoll Warbler 25 Apr 2000 >200 birds (M)Black-throated Blue Warbler 25 Apr 2000 >75 birds (M)Cape May Warbler 25 Apr 2000 >75 birds (M)Ovenbird 18 Sep 2000 >50 birds (M)American Redstart 25 Apr 2000 >100 birds (M)Common Yellowthroat 25 Apr 2000 >250 birds (M)Wood-warbler diversity Mar 2000 list 37 species (M)Overall diversity Mar 2000 list 207 natives9 exoticsObservations of Wally George published in Florida Field Naturalist, diversity data from the park list
The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 249John U. Lloyd Beach State Park:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSOverall diversity156 natives7 exoticsList compiled by Susan Epps, with contributions by Jocie BakerSpanish River Park:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSBlack-and-white Warbler 17 Oct 1995 90 birds (M)Worm-eating Warbler 6 Apr 1995 20 birds (M)Ovenbird 5 Sep 1993 75 birds (M)Vireo diversity 8 species (M)Wood-warbler diversity 38 species (M)Overall diversity182 natives3 exoticsAll data supplied by Brian Hope, much of it published in Florida Field Naturalist.OTHER RESOURCES: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park contains a rare coastal dune–lake community withseveral listed plant species. • Hugh Taylor Birch's former home now houses the park visitor center •John U. Lloyd Beach State Park represents one of the last areas in Broward County with nativecoastal habitats. The beach is important for nesting sea turtles • Spanish River Park supports someof the only remaining coastal strand and tropical hammock habitats along the barrier island in PalmBeach County.THREATS: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: *offsite development, *exotic plants, *feral cats, habitatsuccession, runoff, water quality • John U. Lloyd Beach State Park: *offsite development, *humandisturbance, *exotic plants, habitat succession, erosion • Spanish River Park: *exotic plantsCONSERVATION ISSUES: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: Exotic plants are feral cats are removed • A40-acre (16-ha) mangrove restoration–enhancement project began in January 2001; intense coastaldevelopment has removed most of the mangrove forests that previously occurred in Palm BeachCounty. Storm-water runoff affecting water quality is a minor concern • John U. Lloyd Beach StatePark: Broward County proposes to “claim” the northern third of the park to allow for the expansionof Port Everglades to increase cruise-ship tourism, an attempt strongly opposed by the State andAudubon. • The county also wants to add 250 feet (75 m) of sand to the beach, which is expected toseverely impact the first reef immediately outward of the beach. • Over 90% of the park containsexotic vegetation, mostly Australian-pines and Brazilian pepper. In fall 1999, Australian-pines wereremoved from the beach, which resulted in rapid recruitment of native vegetation. Brazilian pepper iscontrolled as time allows, but control efforts are insufficient. • Spanish River Park: Parts of the parkare infested with Brazilian pepper and Australian-pines. Some areas have already been cleared ofexotics and replanted with native tropical hardwoods species. The program is continuing. • Futuremodifications to the park for maintenance or recreational purposes should be designed for maximumcompatibility with the park's natural resources. A management plan has been created.NOMINATED BY: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: Jim Higgins (Florida Division of Recreation andParks), John U. Lloyd Beach State Park: Susan Epps (____), Spanish River Park: Steve Bass(Gumbo Limbo Nature Center)REVIEWED BY: Jocie Baker and Wally GeorgeWEBSITE: ,
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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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