Delaware Bay Shorebird Season – Update 3

Dr. Larry Niles

May 21, 2021

Dear Team,

The situation improved today.  Meghan Kolk, one of our resighters this year, found a flock of 2000 with new flag codes at Moores Beach. The morning recce showed the lowest numbers of the previous four days. Less than a thousand from Reeds to Pierces. Meghan’s discovery may point to more birds.

Meghan also found 2000+ birds missing from the low tide flats at Norbury after leaving Cooks and Bay Cove because of repeated peregrine attacks. From Norburys they flew north to the shoreline between Norburys and the Rutgers Lab. It is a heavily eroded and isolated sand island with a big flat, made inaccessible by two deep tidal creeks and open in almost directions.

We caught birds yesterday and today both at Thompsons Beach, south of the eroded bulkhead. Yesterday we made a catch of 63 knots, 38 ruddy turnstones, and about 55 sanderlings. Today we caught about 88 turnstones and another 50 sanderlings. So altogether, we are keeping track of all three species. The knots seemed in satisfactory condition, several above 180 grams but only ten above the 160-gram threshold. So it seems the birds that are here are gaining even in the cool early May.  The weather is warming so the sea is getting more suitable and the high tides are getting better so conditions should be good for new arrivals.

Katie Mitchell estimates that she gets one horseshoe crab cluster per sample in North Reeds and the shoals, which is about 25/sq meter. The pre-overharvest number in 1986 was 60/sq meter, but a good year now is 25/sq meter, so that we might surpass the average egg cluster densities of previous years. Last year’s egg densities were similar to previous years, but in June.

Stephanie and Theo attached nine satellite transmitters yesterday. Movement data will be available in 3 days.  We hope to attach the other 8 in the next catch, possibly Saturday.

Check out  this new Article on Charles River, a mulitnational bleeding crabs from a variety of places including Delaware Bay.

Tomorrow’s recce might bring more birds.

Larry and the NJ Delaware Bay Team.