MASTING DRIVES BIRD OF PREY ABUNDANCES Michael Gregonis, Deer/Turkey Program Biologist Scott Williams, CAES Scientist BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Survey Initiated by the Northeast Wild Turkey Technical Committee in 2007. • CT is one of several states in the Northeast and Southeast US that provide data for a regional perspective. • VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains the Master Mast Survey Database. • There is one survey site in each of CT’s 12 Deer/Turkey Management Zones. 12 Connecticut Mast Survey Site Locations (575 Total Trees) 1. Housatonic River WMA 2. Sessions Woods WMA 3. Scantic River State Park 4. Belding WMA 5. Yale- Myers Forest 6. Aldo Leopold WMA 7. Sleeping Giant State Park 8. Cockaponset State Forest 9. Hurd State Park 10. Franklin Swamp WMA 11. Huntington State Park 12. Barn Island WMA METHODS • Survey is conducted between August 15th and August 31st each year. • Trees are located and scanned for acorns for a 30 second period. • Data Collection Includes: overall presence/absence of acorns; percent acorn crown coverage; total acorn count for a 30 second period; tree health. • A mast index on a scale for 0 to 6 is annually derived for each tree based on presence/absence of acorns. • Dead trees are replaced with new trees in close proximity. • DBH measurements (5-year interval) and GPS coordinates exist for all trees. • Information is entered into Master Mast Survey Database and CT Mast Survey Database. • Of the original 575 trees, 392 have lasted. • 183 trees have been replaced. Oak Mast Productivity by Year in Franklin Swamp WMA, 2007-2019 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Percentage of Trees Producing Mast Producing of Trees Percentage 10 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Red White Quercus douglasii Blue Oak California DEEP Acorn Abundance Numbers vs. Deer Hunter Survey Acorn Index Estimates 6 Quercus odocoileus Buck oak 5 4 3 Acorn Index Acorn 2 1 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Quercus macrocarpa Acorn Abundance Survey Acorn Index Quercus agrifolia CA Live Oak % Oak Trees with Acorns Present 2007 - 2018 80% 73% 74% 70% 65% 60% 53% 53% 50% 49% 46% 40% 40% 37% Quercus canis Wolf oak 30% 32% 28% 27% 20% Percent of 575 oak trees with acorns with live oak trees of 575 Percent Quercus ursus 10% Bear oak 0% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 White-footed Mouse Capture Success 2007 - 2018 40% 35% 36% 35% 32% 31% 30% 30% 27% 25% 22% 22% 20% 17% 15% 14% footed mouse capture success footed mouse capture - 10% 11% White 8% 5% 0% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Mouse Capture Success and Acorn Presence, Offset One Year Quercus acutissima 40% Sawtooth oak 80% 35% 70% 30% 60% 25% 50% 20% 40% 15% 30% 10% 20% footed mouse capture mouse success capture footed - Mouse Capture Success 5% 10% White Acorn Presence Percent of of 575 oak with acorns live trees Percent 0% 0% M08-A07 M09-A08 M10-A09 M11-A10 M12-A11 M13-A12 M14-A13 M15-A14 M16-A15 M17-A16 M18-A17 Offset Year 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.10 0.04 0.00 0.12 0.02 0.01 0.05 0.03 2007 2007 P P Cooper's Hawk 2008 = 0.17 2008 Barred Owl 2009 2009 = 0.44 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.00 0.14 0.02 0.10 0.12 2007 Red 2008 - 2009 Hawk Shouldered 2010 P 2011 = 0.18 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Eastern Screech Owl Great Horned Owl 0.14 0.09 0.08 0.12 0.07 0.10 0.06 0.08 0.05 0.06 0.04 0.03 0.04 P = 0.05 0.02 0.02 P < 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 2013 2013 2017 2017 2015 2015 2011 2011 2012 2012 2007 2007 2010 2010 2014 2014 2016 2016 2018 2018 2009 2009 2008 2008 Red-Tailed Hawk 0.60 0.50 0.40 0.30 0.20 P < 0.02 0.10 0.00 2013 2017 2015 2011 2012 2007 2010 2014 2016 2018 2009 2008 FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS??.