Refuge Initial Survey Instructions

Survey Name: GOMSWG - Tern Boat Survey

Survey ID: FFO5RPMN00-013, FF05RCRI00-003, FF05RFID00-043

Survey Description including Methods: During the Gulf of Seabird Working Group’s (GOMSWG) established survey window of June 12-22 the Refuge will complete boat based surveys of “non-managed” islands along the coast of Maine. The islands have been divided into five survey regions (Figures 1-5). These islands currently support small populations of nesting terns, support suitable nesting habitat for terns, or at some point in time have supported nesting terns. These islands are not staffed by seasonal technicians, and generally support small populations of terns (i.e. < 30 pairs).

Due to the large number of islands included in this survey effort, and the limited 10 day survey window, surveys are predominantly conducted by observing each island from the water. If no terns are observe on or adjacent to the island, the observers simply note the island name, date, and that no terns were observed. If terns are observed landing on or flying over an island, observers will go ashore and conduct a ground based count of active tern nests. Survey crews walk transects in all suitable habitat, to count all tern nests on the island. Ground searches are usually conducted on all islands that supported terns the previous year to try and determine the cause of abandonment. Data recorded includes island name, date, species observed, number of active tern nests, and clutch size. Recorders will also not the presence of any other nesting seabirds, signs of predation, general habitat conditions, and evidence of public use on the island.

Figure 1: Tern Survey Area

Mouth of : Western Bay: Calf I. Jordans Delight Egg Rock Green I. Douglas Island Ledges Seal Rock Spectacle I. Curlew Rock Sheep I. : Crumple I. Nightcap I. Fisherman I. (west side) : Strout Island Ledges Browney I. Ballast I. Stanley Ledge Mouth of Pleasant Bay: I. & O. Sand Isls. : Flat I. Tommy I. Pulpit Rock Big Nash I. Batson Ledges Shag Rock Little Nash I. Seaduck Rock Halifax I. Pot Rock Little Drisko I. Green I. Ladle Ledge E. Stevens I. ledge West Brother Norton Island Ledge Duck Ledges East Brother Shabbit I. Scabby Isls. Tibbet Narrows: Shag Ledge Green I. Eastern Bay: Ram I. Freeman Rock Foster I. : Black Ledges Old Man I. Goose Isls. Water I. Double Head Shot Isls. Sheldrake I. Green I. Carrying Place I. Mink I.

Figure 2: Frenchman’s Bay Tern Survey Area

Mouth of Pigeon Hill Bay: Mouth of Prospect Harbor: Inner :

Egg Rock Big Black Ledge Rum Key Petit Manan Island Old Man Ledge Stave I ledges (both east and west sides) Mouth of Dyer & Gouldsboro Bay: Mouth of Schoodic Harbor: Thrumcap Little Calf I. The Castle Schoodic I. Ash I., Sheldrake I., & Junk of Bonney Chess Ledge Pork (in Flanders Bay) Eastern I. Outer Frenchman Bay: Bean I. & Ingalls I. ledges (in Bald Rock Hancock Bay) Sally I. Turtle Island Ledge Crabtree Ledge Sheep I. Flat I. Aerial check of the mouth of Bar I. Crow I. Youngs Bay & Seal Point Outer Bar I. Egg Rock vicinity in the Shooting Ledge Googins Ledge Bald Rock

Figure 3: Tern Survey Area

Blue Hill Bay: Jericho Bay:

Folly I. Ledges in the approaches to Blue Smuttynose I. John I. Hill Harbor Mahoney I. E. Bartlett Island Ledges The Nub (by Mill I.) Opechee I. west ledge Squid I. Ledge Harriman Point Ledges Green I.& Indian Point ledges Flye Point ledges Casco Passage: Bartlett I. – The Hub Goose I. Burnt Point ledges Sand I. Long Ledge Conary Nub Channel Rock Buckle I. harbor ledges Bird Rock Ship I. Orono I. harbor ledges Jed I. Trumpet I. Asa I. harbor ledges Darling I. E. & W. Barge Crow I. (in mouth of Mackerel Inner Blue Hill Harbor Rumell I. Cove / Swans I.) Goose Cove Rock

Figure 4: Muscle Ridge Channel Tern Survey Area

East Side of Muscle Ridge Channel West side of Muscle Ridge Channel Island/ledge between Monroe & Sheep Is. Garden Is. Cutters Nubble Tommy Is. Fisherman Is. Eden Is. Marblehead Is. Crescent Is. Spectacle Is. Gooseberry Knob Little Green Is. Oak Is. Island /ledges off Dix Is. Birch Is. Islands/ledges between Dix & Nettle Is. Nettle Is. Flag Is. Hurricane Is. Crow Is. Little Two Bush Is. Two Bush Is. Yellow Ledge Island off Hewett Is. Ocean side Camp Is.

Figure 5: Tern Survey Area

Hay Ledge Killick Stone Island Brothers (North, Central, and South) Ross Island Gunning Rocks Haddock Island Black Rock Egg Rock Hart Island

Bar Island Little Egg Rock Teel Island Shark Island Little Caldwell Islands Eastern Egg Rock Stone Island Crow Island Seavey Island Thrumcap Island Ram Island Little Thrumcap Island Eagle Island Inner White island Goose Rock Outer White Island Two Bush Island Outer Heron Pumpkin Island

Franklin Island Crane Island Wreck Island Thief Island