Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Plum Island Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950

PARKER RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE PLUM ISLAND NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS 01950 (THACHER'S ISLAND REFUGE) ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1991 U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM REVIEW AND APPROVALS PARKER RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Newburyport, Massachusetts ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1990 j- Z y - ? 2- fuge Manager Date Associate Manager Review Date Regional Office/Approval Date INTRODUCTION Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northeast corner of Massachusetts, 38 miles north of Boston on the Atlantic coast and 20 miles south of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The refuge comprises almost all of the southern two-thirds of Plum Island, and extensive salt marshes between the island and the mainland to the west. The 80 acres at the southern tip of Plum Island are owned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, Division of Forests and Parks. The two-acre headquarters/residence area is located at the densely inhabited northern tip of the island, next to an operational (but unstaffed) Coast Guard lighthouse. The refuge portion of Plum Island is one of the few natural barrier island complexes remaining in New England. The 4,662 acres of Parker River Refuge are comprised of 2,994 acres of salt marsh, 1,229 acres of barrier beach/dune, 265 acres of freshwater pools, 88 acres of grasslands, and 86 acres of administrative lands. The refuge was established in 1942 as a migratory waterfowl management area. Two miles of man-made dikes impound three rainfall-dependent freshwater areas which create a diverse and intensively used habitat for numerous wildlife species. Spring migration of waterfowl peaks in March with the fall migration peaking in October. The refuge supports a significant migration of shorebirds such as black-bellied dowitcher, sanderling, simipalmated plover, dunlin, and greater yellowlegs. Migratory birds that nest on the refuge include Canada geese, mallards, black ducks, gadwall, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, piping plovers, and least terns. Resident marsh and wading birds include great blue heron, snowy egret, and great egret. Small numbers of snowy owls winter on the refuge. The refuge also supports a healthy population of deer, rabbits, and red fox. Since a beach closure was instituted during the nesting season for plovers, the number of refuge visitors has decreased from 400,000 to 250,000. Visitor activities include birdwatching, environmental education, surf fishing, hiking, beach use, clamming, hunting, and plum and cranberry picking. In order to lessen the human impacts on the resource, the refuge uses closed areas, permits, signing, law enforcement patrols, and limiting the number of vehicles allowed. From May through September, the visitor capacity is reached virtually every weekend, and most weekdays, and the entrance gate is closed until mid-afternoon. The refuge is used year-round and is especially well-known for its birding opportunities. Thacher's Island NWR in Rockport, Massachusetts is an unstaffed satellite refuge administered by Parker River Refuge. INTRODUCTION - PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS i A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMACTIC CONDITIONS 1 C. LAND ACQUISITION 2 1. Fee Title 2 2. Easements Nothing to Report 3. Other Nothing to Report D. PLANNING 1. Master Plan 2 2. Management Plan 3 3. Public Participation 3 4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates 3 5. Research and Investigations 4 6. Other Nothing to Report E. ADMINISTRATION 1. Personnel 6 2. Youth Programs 8 3. Other Manpower Programs Nothing to Report 4. Volunteer Program 9 5 .« Funding 10 6. Safety 11 7. Technical Assistance Nothing to Report 8. Other 11 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1. General 12 2. Wetlands 12 3. Forests Nothing to Report 4. Croplands Nothing to Report 5. Grasslands 15 6. Other Habitats Nothing to Report 7. Grazing Nothing to Report 8. Haying 15 9. Fire Management 15 10. Pest Control 16 11. Water Rights Nothing to Report 12. Wilderness and Special Areas 16 13. WPA Easement Monitoring Nothing to Report . r G. WILDLIFE 1. Wildlife Diversity 16 2. Endangered and Threatened Species 17 3. Waterfowl 18 4. Marsh and Water Birds 19 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species 20 6. Raptors 20 7. Other Migratory Birds 21 8. Game Mammals 22 9. Marine Mammals 22 10. Other Resident Wildlife 22 11. Fishery Resources Nothing to Report 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to Report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to Report 14. Scientific Collections 23 15. Animal Control 2 3 16. Marking and Banding 23 17. Disease Prevention and Control 24 H. PUBLIC USE 1. General 24 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students 25 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to Report 4. Interpretive Foot, Trails 26 5. Interpretive Tour Routes 26 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations 26 7. Other Interpretive Programs 26 8. Hunting 27 9. Fishing 28 10. Trapping Nothing to Report 11.; Wildlife Observation 29 12. Other Wildlife-Oriented Recreation 31 13. Camping Nothing to Report 14. Picnicking 31 15. Off-Road Vehicling 31 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation 31 17. Law Enforcement 31 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to Report 19. Concessions Nothing to Report I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 1. New Construction 3 5 2. Rehabilitation 35 3. Major Maintenance Nothing to Report 4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement 36 5. Communications Systems 37 6. Energy Conservation Nothing to Report 7. Other Nothing to Report J. OTHER ITEMS Cooperative Programs 37 Other Economic Uses Nothing to Report Items of Interest 38 Credits 39 K. FEEDBACK 39 REFUGE HEADQUARTERS MAIN GATE IS ONLY LEGAL ACCESS BILL FORWARD FOOL BOUNDARY HXIi ND- \ TO MEAN LOW TIDE [X] Parking Lot ••MH Road for Public Access Dike ••o Boardwalk to Beach ooo ORV Access Trail (4WD) (Permit Required) Walking Trail Observation Tower IsM Photography Blind Refuge Boundary A. HIGHLIGHTS An aerial survey indicated that the refuge deer population was close to the carrying capacity range, so it was not necessary to conduct a deer hunt in 1991. The Tract #1100 hazardous waste site investigations went well. The extent of contamination was not as serious as originally thought. A cooperative agreement with the Essex County Mosquito Control Project resulted in the successful completion of an open marsh water management/salt marsh restoration project on refuge. Hurricane Bob brought approximately 4" of rain within a 24-hour period but did not cause any significant damage on the refuge. Piping plover management program was a huge success (produced 2.6 chicks/pair), but extremely controversial. A major coastal storm on October 30-31 battered the coast with high winds and 25-foot waves. Significant damage occurred to the refuge beach, foredunes, and two boardwalks. Two refuge employees were stranded on the island....temporarily. B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS The local weather situation for 1991 included warm temperatures, plenty of sun, and below normal precipitation and snowfall. The average temperature for the year was 48.9 degrees, 1.1 degrees above normal. The high temperature for the year was 96 degrees on July 2 0 and the low temperature was two degrees below zero on January 22. January was the coldest month with an average temperature of 23.2 degrees and August was the warmest with 71 degrees. Overall, eight of the twelve months were warmer than normal. The four months that were below normal were January, July, September and November. Total precipitation for the year was 42.66 inches, 3.34 inches below normal. August was the wettest month with 7.54 inches of precipitation, making this the second wettest August on record. Most of this precipitation was a result of Hurricane Bob which brought 3.98 inches of rain within a 24-hour period setting a record for August 19 for the year. September came in second with 6.26 inches of precipitation. The driest month was October with 1.83 inches, making this the third driest October on record. Snowfall for the year totaled 26.75 inches, 27.45 inches below normal. January was the snowiest month with 11.75 inches. The biggest snow storm brought 10 inches of snow on January 11-12. < 2 A major coastal storm on October 30-31 battered the coast with high winds and 25-foot waves. Foredunes along the entire refuge beach were severely eroded. The southern end of the island suffered the greatest impact with overwash nearly leveling the dunes and extending west of the refuge road to Stage Island tower. Large sections of boardwalks #2 and #7 were destroyed by overwash that extended as much as 500 feet inland. Sev^re erosion at Camp Sea Haven from the October 30-31 storm which battered the coast with high winds and 25 foot waves. (R. Springfield 11/91) C. LAND ACQUISITION 1. Fee Title No land acquisition has occurred since 1985 and none is expected in the immediate future. The total refuge acreage is 4,662. D. PLANNING 1. Master Plan The refuge Master Plan was approved in April, 1986. No significant changes have been made on the plan. 3 2. Management Plan The following management plans were developed or revised in 1991: Animal Control Plan (approved) Public Use Management Plan (approved) 1992 Shorebird Management Plan (submitted) 1991 Shorebird Management Plan (approved) 1991 Hunting Program (submitted) 1991 Prescribed Burn Program (approved) 1992 Prescribed Burn Program (approved) 3. Public Participation During Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the MCP for the hazardous waste site at Tract #1100, four public information meetings were held. Although the meetings were informational in nature, requests from the neighbors of Tract #1100 were reviewed and whenever feasible, were implemented. A public information meeting was held at PITA Hall on Plum Island to explain the beach closure for the nesting piping plover. The Washington Office, held their first 2003 public meeting in Newburyport, MA.

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