Sad news this morning.
The Oystercatcher nest has vanished and no eggs were to be found.
I don't know what happened overnight because yesterday, they were still there.
NPS didn't come in time to save this nest, though.
No evidence of egg shells either. at least, this ruled out the possibility of
an accident (someone stepping on them).
The other nest at Dead Horse Point is still intact with three eggs. Nests in
DHP have better chance of survival because of the absence of dogs over there
and the treasure-diggers are not interested in these kind of eggs.
Gus
---- On Thu, 27 May 2021 17:38:54 -0400 Joe Jannsen <jjann...@tnc.org> wrote
----
> Yes—that was already arranged with NPS. Thanks for also following up.
>
> Joe
> On May 27, 2021, at 4:55 PM, Gus Keri <gusk...@zoho.com> wrote:
>
> Thank you Jason for immediate response and action.
> I hope this nest will survive until the weekend.
> Gus
>
> ---- On Thu, 27 May 2021 14:01:31 -0400 Smith, Jason Y (DEC)
> <jason.sm...@dec.ny.gov> wrote ----
> > div.zm_-5476009931034783622_parse_-1648336103378843337 P { margin-top: 0;
> > margin-bottom: 0 }Gus,
> > Some potential good news. I was able to contact NPS and they will try and
> > get to the area by Saturday morning to put up a symbolic fence around the
> > nest.
> > It leaves them vulnerable for the next few days...but hopefully they can
> > get the area marked off before anything happens.
> > Jason
> > Jason C. Smith |Biodiversity Ecologist
> > New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
> > 47-40 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
> > Phone: 718-482-4919 | Fax: 718-482-4502
> > Email: jason.sm...@dec.ny.gov
> > "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when
> > we created them" -Einstein
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Smith, Jason Y (DEC)
> > Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2021 12:34 PM
> > To: gusk...@zoho.com <gusk...@zoho.com>
> > Subject: Oystercatchers at Plumb Beach Gus,
> > I'm a biologist with the NYDEC out of the Long Island City regional
> > office. A co-worker forwarded me your email about the Oystercatcher nest
> > at Plumb Beach.
> > While I am not familiar with this nest in 2021, I am very familiar with
> > where the Oystercatchers have tried to nest in the past on that beach.
> > Unfortunately, it has never ended well.
> > Both the National Park Service and the NYC Parks & Recreation are
> > responsible for managing that property and it is generally managed as a
> > recreational access area and not as protected area for nesting shorebirds
> > or waterbirds. Plumb Beach primarily serves as a kayak/wind surfing
> > launch, and a rest area for vehicles travelling on the Belt Parkway. As
> > you note, there is a lot of recreational foot traffic through there. And
> > folks with dogs usually take them off their leash there to run. Which is
> > prohibited, but largely goes unenforced as there are no permanent staff
> > there.
> > The area just north of Plumb Beach, Marine Park does have an area that is
> > preserved for wildlife. Here is a link to the NYC Parks website for the
> > preserve: Forever Wild : NYC Parks (nycgovparks.org)Forever Wild : NYC
> > ParksMost of the Marine Park Preserve consists of salt marshes and uplands
> > that flank Gerritsen Creek, the westernmost freshwater inlet of Jamaica
> > Bay. Jamaica Bay is an 18,000-acre wetland estuary that provides a unique
> > environment for both wildlife preservation and urban recreation. Enclosed
> > by the ...www.nycgovparks.org
> > This area is the reason why Plumb Beach is so attractive to
> > Oystercatchers. So, in a way it was the NPS and NYC Parks' way of finding
> > a compromise for the two land use issues in the area. If the
> > Oystercatchers would only nest across the channel(north of the marina and
> > south of the bridge crossing the channel between Plumb and Marine Park)
> > from where you are likely seeing them (as you go around the bend towards
> > the wetland north of the beach) that would eliminate the conflict. That
> > area isn't currently suited obviously, otherwise the Oystercatchers would
> > nest there. But it could be set up to.
> >
> > The area where they are (likely) nesting is suited, if not for the high
> > level of recreational activity. Even without any dogs off their leash.
> > I will however reach out to colleagues at the NPS and make sure they are
> > aware of the nest and ask if they can demark the area. Unfortunately,
> > American Oystercatcher are not protected under NYS law as a threatened,
> > endangered, or special concern species. So, I cannot require them to take
> > any action. But they have tried to help Oystercatchers nesting in
> > precarious locations in the past, so there is hope.
> > From a longer-term solution perspective, I will reach out to NYC Parks and
> > see if they can't provide some signs near the concessions/restroom area
> > that alert visitors to the potential for encountering beach nesting birds
> > (and migratory shorebird stopovers too...both NPS and Parks acknowledge
> > the area for important horseshoe crab spawning area that it is). And
> > re-enforce the dog leash law for the area. Again, I cannot require them to
> > do so.
> > To your point Gus, this area has seen a lot of nesting attempts by
> > American Oystercatchers over the last several years. It may be time to
> > reconsider how the area is viewed, and maybe a solution which allows for
> > some areas to be sheltered from recreational activities can be found in
> > the future.
> > I will try to keep you updated as to any progress I am able to make with
> > protecting the current nest.
> > Best,Jason
> > Jason C. Smith |Biodiversity Ecologist
> > New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
> > 47-40 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
> > Phone: 718-482-4919 | Fax: 718-482-4502
> > Email: jason.sm...@dec.ny.gov
> > "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when
> > we created them" -Einstein
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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