Osprey Report 2018

Audubon Society of Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND OSPREY REPORT Volume 9 · 2018 The Rhode Island Osprey Monitoring Program Inside this Issue: The Osprey Monitoring Program was who have observed all known Osprey initiated in 1977 by the Rhode Island nests in Rhode Island and carefully re- RI Osprey Program 1 Department of Environmental corded data on the number of checks Management (RIDEM). The goal was to fledged and status of each nest. Summary of Results 2-3 carefully follow the state Osprey In 2009 no results were available and in population as it recovered from the ef- Osprey Monitors 4 2010 RIDEM passed management of the fects of the pesticide DDT used from the project to the Audubon Society of Rhode 2018 RI Program Results 5-15 1940s through the 60s in Rhode Island. Island. Today, nearly 100 volunteer RI Osprey Distribution 16 Although DDT had been banned in 1972, monitors continue to observe the state’s 2018 MA Program Results 16 the chemical was still having a negative Osprey population. effect on the raptor population. In 1976 By watching these sentinels, we learn Osprey Program 17 Osprey were designated as an endangered more about wildlife and natural habitats species. The first statewide count by About Audubon 17 as well as the level of human impact on RIDEM in 1977 yielded only 12 active these special places and unique species. nests. In the 1940s, before DDT, it was estimated that there were over a thousand It is a great testament to the dedication of nests between Boston and New York. Audubon’s volunteer monitors that this citizen-science program continues to DDT had taken a major toll on the thrive. population of this fish-eating bird. The poison worked its way through the food If you have questions regarding this re- chain, bio-accumulating in Osprey. The port or the program please direct them to result was very weak eggshells which Jon Scoones, manager of the RI Osprey easily broke when incubated. Monitoring Program. Since 1977 the Osprey Monitoring Program has been made possible by ef- forts of biologists, donors and volunteers Photo #1: Whiterock Rd, Charlestown, 7/2018 M. Bonafede Photo #2: Barrington, 7/2018 R. Abdullah Rhode Island Osprey Report 2018 Summary of Monitoring Results Throughout the 2018 Osprey breeding 2017 & 2018 RI Osprey Data 2017 2018 Change season, Audubon Society Osprey monitors Monitors 110 93 -17 volunteered over 1,000 hours observing Hours Monitored 1340 1,066 -274 193 nests across 30 communities in Rhode Nest Sites with Insufficient Data 38 42 +4 Island. Nest Sites with Data 267 193 -71 An additional 42 nests were not monitored Inactive Nest Sites 57 21 -36 or not enough data was obtained to be Housekeeping Nests 24 6 -18 conclusive. Six nests were classified as housekeeping and another 21 were classi- Active Nests 145 166 +21 fied as inactive. Of the 166 nests deemed Successful Nests *Subset of Active Nests 121 144 +23 active, 144 were successful, producing at Fledglings in Rhode Island 226 275 +49 least one fledgling. The number of nests termed active and successful continue the gradual increase shown over the life of the program. The number of fledglings in 2018 has risen dramatically since 2014, supporting the hypothesis that Rhode Island provides the habitat and food necessary to support Osprey. For details regarding nests in Rhode Island refer to pages 5-15. Photo #3: Breach Dr. 7/2018 M. Bonafede Photo #4: Tiverton DPW 8/2018 L. Mendes Massachussetts: A total of 11 nest sites were monitored in Seekonk and Swansea, Massachusetts. Of the 11 sites, one was classified as active, one had no nest and nine were classified as successful. A total of 14 fledglings were observed from these nests. For details regarding these nests refer to page 15. Glossary of Monitoring Terms Insufficient Data: Observations were inconclusive or no observations were made. Inactive: No breeding-related behavior was observed Housekeeping: Osprey pair observed at nest but breeding behavior not sustained. Active Nests: Mating and/or incubation behavior observed Successful: Fledgling (s) observed. This category is a subset of Active nests. Photo #5: Colt State Park, Bristol 8/2018 L. Mendes Fledgling: Young bird with flight feathers Page 2 Rhode Island Osprey Report Osprey Nest Status One goal of the Osprey Monitoring program is to determine the breeding status of Osprey nests across Rhode Island. Graph #1 below shows the breakdown of the nests in 2018 while graph # 2 shows the breakdown of active versus successful nests. 2018 RI OSPREY NEST STATUS 2018 ACTIVE VS. SUCCESSFUL NESTS IN RI Not Active = 21 9% 18% 3% Housekeeping = 6 9% 13% Successful = 144 Active Not Successful = 22 Active But Not Successful = 144 Successful = 22 Insufficient Data = 42 61% 87% Graph #1: 2018 Status of Osprey Nests in Rhode Island Graph #2: Active versus Successful Osprey Nests 1977 - 2018 Rhode Island Osprey Nest Data 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 1983 1997 2011 # OF ALL ACTIVE NESTS # OF SUCCESSFUL NESTS # FLEDGLINGS Graph #3: Osprey Observations 1977-2018 Graph #3 above compares Osprey nest observations over the life of the monitoring program. The number of active nests, successful nests and number of fledged young are included in the comparison. Since the program is based on citizen science, one must be careful when making assumptions from the data. Several factors (e.g. number of monitors, their time in the field and knowledge level) can impact the amount and accuracy of the data captured. That said, the longevity of the program, monitor training and consistent results indicate a clear pattern regarding the breeding success of the Osprey population. in Rhode Island. Page 3 Rhode Island Osprey Report Osprey Fledglings Tracking the number of fledglings produced from year to year is vital. Studies have estimated that the breeding rate needed to balance adult mortality in New England is between 0.8 and 1.0 fledged young per active nest. In 2018 nests monitored in Rhode Island had 1.66 fledglings per active nest and 1.48 fledglings per all nests monitored. These figures indicate strong population growth across the Ocean State. 2018 Osprey Breeding Success 2.50 1.92 2.00 1.66 1.48 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 As % of Nests As % of Active As % of Successful Monitored nests nests Graph #4: Number of fledglings observed since Audubon Graph #5: Fledglings as a percent of monitored nests. began managing the program. Volunteer Osprey Monitors in 2018 Throughout the 2018 breeding season (April-August), 93 volunteers reported on 204 nests (193 in Rhode Island and 11 in Massachussetts). Monitors submitted over 3,500 observations and tallied a total of 1,066 hours in the field. Most monitors spent approximately 25 hours in the field, while a few logged in over fifty hours! Audubon thanks all the volunteers for their continued support of the program. David Anderson Finn Brudevold Nancy Fullerton Jerry & Donna Macomber Tracy Silvia Mark Anderson Mary Jane Burgess Dave Fulton Tara McDonald Lily Sirpenski Mary Arakelian Gary Carlson Ted Furtado Bill McMullen Ihor Slabicky Jane & Dan Austin Marianne Chronley Susan & Ken Gebhardt Luis Mendes Betsy Staples Cindy Benevides Barbara Costa Ronald Gelineau Peter Nassoit Barbara S. Watts Fran Bergeron George Cunha Michael Gerhardt Jim ONeill Roberto Tornotore Lisa Betcher Michele Cyr Pat Glazer Elizabeth Paquette Bonnie Turano Charlie Biddle Laura DeAngelis Heather Gordon Jeannine Pelletier Tami VanSteeden Jessica Bishop Terry Dehm Claire Gruneberg Ronald Pelletier Darlene Walsh Lorena Boles Cindy Dibble Amy Hagan Margie & Mark Peppercorn Elliot Waterman Maura Bonafede Mary DiCecco Carolyn Hesdberg Erica Perry Robin Weber Lucille Boyce Irene Downs Jana Hesser Thomas Poirier Jean Whatley Meredith Brady Pierre Duval David Jones Matt Ruscher Susan Williamson David Briggs Susan Eriksen Lori Jones Susan Russo David Winsor Jane Brockway Debra Eubank Anna & Gary LeBlanc Teresa Sarli Barbara Wrona Susan Brouillette Nature Explorations Ann & George Lewis Jon Scoones Michael Browne Lynda Fish Butch Lombardi Barbara Sherman Gail Browning Val Fuchs Gordon MacDonald Susan Silvia Table #1: 2018 Audubon Society of Rhode Island Osprey Monitors Page 4 Rhode Island Osprey Report Osprey Nesting Activity in Rhode Island for 2018 Table #2 provides the activity data of every Osprey nest monitored in 2018. A glossary of status-related terms is located on page 2. 100 Acre Cove (Cove Ave) Barrington 1 0 0 Active 100 Acre Cove (Isl) Barrington 2 1 3 Successful 100 Acre Tongue S Barrington 1 1 3 Successful 131 Adam's Point Road Barrington 0 0 0 No Nest Adam's Pt. Barrington 0 1 0 Housekeeping Allins Cove E Barrington 0 U 1 Successful Allins Cove W Barrington 4 2 3 Successful Barrington H.S. Barrington 2 1 2 Successful Barrington YMCA Barrington 3 2 4 Successful Bourne Lane Barrington 3 3 0 Not Active Brickyard Pond Barrington 3 0 1 Successful Johannis Farm Midway Barrington 2 2 1 Successful Johannis Farm N Barrington 3 2 1 Successful Johannis Farm S Barrington 1 3 1 Successful Little Mussachuck Creek 1 Barrington 3 3 1 Successful Little Mussachuck Creek 2 Barrington 0 0 0 No Nest Nagtegaal Nest Barrington 0 0 1 Successful Osamequin Barrington 0 2 0 Housekeeping Rumstick Pt. Barrington 2 0 0 Active Smith's Cove Barrington 2 0 3 Successful Sowams Tree Nest Barrington 2 3 2 Successful Touisset Barrington U 0 0 Not Active WPRO Radio Tower Barrington

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