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04 Ledgenester Productivity Protocol v1.4

1. The list of code Ledgenester productivity and phenology Incubating Posture IP Brooding Posture BP Note hump in back and uncrossed wingtips Note dropped wing mantling the chick Figure 7 Diagrams of incubating and brooding postures in murres 4 17 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Look to see if the white on the breast points sharply up into the brown the base of t bird s neck Common murres also have thinner bills and tend to nest on wider ledges and flat areas including those found near the tops and sides of cliffs Most thick billed murres nest on narrower ledges There is no difference in the color or shape of the birds eggs From a photograph taken by Arthur L Sowls Figure 8 Clues for distinguishing between common and thick billed murres 4 18 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Aiktak Island Attachment A Aiktak Island specifics includes Figure A1 and Table A1 BACKGROUND AT AIKTAK Productivity and phenology of common and thick billed murres at Aiktak is monitored on seven plots spread around the western and southern coasts Figure A1 and Table A1 Murres generally begin laying in July Historically birds on the easternmost plots 5 8 and 10 often laid earlier in early July while birds on the westernmost plots 1 2 and 3 laid slightly later in mid to late July Since 2002 however murre breeding at Aiktak has been scattered and unreliable with few to no b
2. RLKI COMU and TBMU plot The only plot with COMU so make an attempt to follow as many as possible even if they re not of the best quality 40A BLKI RLKI and TBMU plot Good plot Look for RLKI left of and below the observation point Use caution around the eroding edge of the cliff 4 23 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Buldir Island 40B BLKI and TBMU plot Plenty of good murre sites but it can get crowded so choose sites with good visibility and obvious landmarks Watch for potential RLKI nests lower on the cliff face 45 BLKI RLKI and TBMU plot A good plot with the potential for several RLKI particularly lower on the cliff face The growing vegetation will obscure your view of the lower nests but you can clip the grass to maintain visibility Do not hack at the vegetation with a machete as you will disturb the birds nesting in plot 46 directly below your observation point 46 BLKI RLKI and TBMU plot Has lots of BLKI and a fair number of RLKI on the lower cliff face You may have to stand in order to follow as many as possible Suggested division of labor Each crew member will have a set of plots he she will monitor throughout the entire season Try to split the workload as evenly as possible taking into account plot quality i e don t give one person all the close easy plots species i e don t give one person all the kittiwakes and another all the murres and hiking time to plots One suggestion for spli
3. and mapped in Figures D2 5 This table is a good guideline for selecting which plots to monitor and should be followed unless bird distribution is atypical and not enough sites are present If different plots are monitored ensure that the plots are representative of the island as a whole On Chowiet most common murres breed in large dense clusters of birds Although plots in these areas such as P03M13 14 15 and 16 are more difficult to accurately monitor than plots with birds in more linear and less dense configurations it is important to monitor plots in these dense clusters to ensure productivity measurements representative of the population As of 2012 the earliest first lay date recorded for black legged kittiwakes on Chowiet was 2 June In order to obtain laying chronology data it is recommended that nest monitoring begin as soon as nests are present Murres however are not monitored until an egg or incubation posture is seen Scan plots for any sign of egg laying typically while conducting kittiwake monitoring and begin monitoring sites as eggs are laid On Chowiet mean hatch has occurred as early as 13 July which indicates that mean lay has occurred as early as mid June It is important to only monitor sites where the egg was identified soon after it was laid in order to avoid biasing your sample towards more successful breeders i e you shouldn t have sites where a chick is seen after only a couple of weeks of monitoring All plot
4. however productivity monitored is conducted from a different observation point does not include population count plot 10 and does not divide plot 6 is divided into two plots 6A and 6B Beginning in late June begin conducting reconnaissance of murre plots and number of murres rafting on the water looking for indications that attendance is stabilizing or birds are showing signs of intention to breed facing inwards on the cliffs Once murres begin laying monitor nests every 3 5 days 3 day intervals around expected hatch and fledge dates Ravens crows gulls and eagles prey on murre eggs at St Lazaria so it is important to begin monitoring nests as soon as possible after eggs are laid so that egg loss due to predation can be documented In addition pay attention to observations of disturbance caused by these predators e g causing part of or the entire colony to flush as these can be an opportunity to observe which nests have eggs or chicks Aim to follow about 30 nests of each species that are confirmed with an egg and that will provide known nest statuses throughout the breeding season i e you may want to avoid choosing to follow a nest that has a tuft of rye grass nearby as it may preclude viewing the nest as vegetation grows taller through the course of the summer Use a spotting scope to attain nest statuses all productivity plots at the Southwest Cliff Colony are too far away to use binoculars Even in years when there are only a
5. Important Rules to Follow for more details on correct use B Bird BU Bird w Unknown BE Bird w Egg E Egg BC Bird w Chick C Chick IP Incubating Posture BP Brooding Posture U Unknown N Nest NN No Nest NC Not Checked Adult bird occupying a nest site with no egg or chick present Used when the Observer is sure the bird has no egg or chick this code means a site is confirmed empty other than the adult bird there is no need to combine B and N codes into BN For kittiwakes used between the time a nest is constructed and the first egg is laid or after egg s or chick s is lost Adult bird occupying a site with no egg or chick visible Used when the observer cannot see the entire nest contents to be sure whether there is an egg a chick or nothing Adult bird with an egg Egg present with no adult Use numbers and or to indicate more than one e g E24 at least two eggs Use standardized modifiers to describe special egg status e g Ed dead egg Adult bird with chick Chick present with no adult Use numbers and or to indicate more than one e g C24 at least two chicks Use standardized modifiers to describe special egg status e g Cd dead chick Murres only A distinctive posture assumed by murres when incubating an egg Characterized by sitting well forward tail clamped down wings dropped slightly with the wing tips usually not crossing and a distinctive hump
6. KWL an addition rough estimate of kittiwake productivity is determined using using the Boom or Bust method in which nests are counted in June and chicks are counted in August to estimate maximum productivity potential Frequent monitoring of individual nests at Spike Camp Historically there have been several more productivity plots along the cliffs near Spike Camp than are monitored now Figure B2 Table B1 Some of these plots were difficult to work because of persistent fog have been combined together or have succumbed to erosion Select plots where you will have a good view of at least 25 30 birds per species in the current year Since you are somewhat limited by the number of plots that can be monitored try to follow enough birds in each plot with the goal of reaching a total sample size of 250 300 monitored nest sites for each species You will not be able to reach the ideal sample size for either red legged kittiwakes or common murres but make an attempt to follow every nest site you can find for these species wherever they are located unless it adds substantially to your time commitment at Spike Camp i e staying another day Beginning in the first or second week of June hike over to Spike Camp to scout out plots get oriented and possibly begin selecting kittiwake nests to follow depending on how far along they are Bring a GPS last year s plot photos and data books and take new photos of each plot from the main observation
7. R B Lanctot 2002 Sensitivity of breeding parameters to food supply in black legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla Ibis 144 268 283 Hatch S A and M A Hatch 1988 Colony attendance and population monitoring of Black legged Kittiwakes on the Semidi Islands Alaska Condor 90 613 620 Hatch S A B D Roberts and B S Fadely 1993 Adult survival of black legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla in a Pacific colony Ibis 135 247 254 Hatch S A G J Robertson and P H Baird 2009 Black legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla No 92 in The Birds of North America A Poole Ed Ithaca Cornell Lab of Ornithology Kildaw S D 1999 Competitive displacement An experimental assessment of nest site preferences of cliff nesting gulls Ecology 80 576 586 Montevecchi W A 1993 Birds as indicators of change in marine prey stocks Pp 217 266 in Birds as Monitors of Environmental Change R W Furness and D J Greenwood Eds London Chapman and Hall Thompson N J H Renner J H Reynolds and P D Sampson 2010 Long term monitoring of seabirds on the Alaska Maritime NWR a statistical review and analysis of productivity and hatch timing for black legged kittiwake murre and least auklet colonies on Buldir Island Unpublished report University of Washington 4 7 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Standardized Productivity Codes List of Productivity Codes LEDGENESTERS Always use CAPITAL LETTERS for productivity codes See list of
8. and easier to see and chicks of both species begin fledging Specific Requirements for St George Dates Late May 1 Jun conduct a thorough survey of all kittiwake productivity plots pick a sample of 10 15 good plots that have plenty of nests and take initial plot photos obtain an initial status of a sample of nests 25 30 each species on each plot 10 15 Jun conduct a thorough survey of all murre productivity plots pick a sample of 10 15 good plots that have plenty of nests and take initial plot photos begin monitoring 25 30 each species on each plot when eggs are laid 1 Jun end of season check status of nests every 3 4 days optimal up to 5 6 if dictated by bad weather or workload most frequently during the peak of hatching early July for kittiwakes late July early August for murres Optimal sample size 10 15 productivity plots for each species If forced to prioritize err on the side of more plots for kittiwakes and fewer for murres since kittiwakes exhibit more variability in reproductive success Time of day Daylight hours Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed ultra fine tipped Sharpies for writing nest numbers on
9. and fewer for murres since kittiwakes exhibit more variability in 4 55 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Paul Island reproductive success Time of day Daylight hours Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed ultra fine tipped Sharpies for writing nest numbers on photos Equipment suggested Crazy creek chair clipboard large rubber bands to keep items from flying off the clipboard safety equipment for tying into plots thermos of hot drink lots of snacks lens cleaning cloths complete change of clothes camera 4 56 High Bluffs asi adag Figure G1 Locations of kittiwakes and murre productivity plots at St Paul Island 4 57 RU A y Bisch Hie fh Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Paul Island Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Paul Island Table G1 List of productivity plots used for kittiwakes and murres at St Paul Island Only 10 15 plots are monitored for each species each year so not all plots are used every year and plot use has varied over time x s indicate plots used since 2000 with underlines indicating those used most recently 2008 2010 Plots in parentheses
10. birds with eggs in plots far fewer than 30 per species Ravens are often persistent and effective predators of murre eggs on Aiktak especially in years when few birds lay so it is important to catch and begin monitoring nests as soon as possible after they are laid to document egg loss to predation Productivity plots on Aiktak are relatively far from observation points and require the use of a 15 45x spotting scope Some plots are divided into subplots in some year two subplots in plots 8 and 10 three in plot 3I see plot photos for divisions Note that all the productivity plots are also population plots see Ledgenester Population Protocol but some are viewed from different observation points when monitoring productivity versus populations Even in years when there are only a few birds breeding one person should follow the same plot throughout the season do not switch off as this usually causes confusion It is usually difficult to hike across the island to the plots on the far east end without getting sweaty which then makes for a very cold clammy time sitting for hours in damp sweaty clothes doing murre productivity Most people prefer to bring a spare set of clothes to change into once arriving at the observations points The observation point for productivity in plots 1 and 2 is located on Big West Island Figure 10 which requires access through the intertidal area between Aiktak and Big West Island This is only accessible at ne
11. heavy fog has prevented you from checking plots on High Bluffs for 5 days and it is near expected hatch time on the first available clear day you may want to ditch any other plans you may have had for the day and get your High Bluffs plots checked instead Kittiwakes initiate breeding a few weeks before murres so the busiest time for productivity work at St Paul is mid to late June through early August when all four species are going strong In August productivity work becomes easier as kittiwake chicks are large and easier to see and chicks of both species begin fledging Specific Requirements for St Paul Dates Late May 1 Jun conduct a thorough survey of all kittiwake productivity plots pick a sample of 10 15 good plots that have plenty of nests and take initial plot photos obtain an initial the status of a sample of nests 25 30 each species on each plot 10 15 Jun conduct a thorough survey of all murre productivity plots pick a sample of 10 15 good plots that have plenty of nests and take initial plot photos begin monitoring 25 30 each species on each plot when eggs are laid 1 Jun end of season check status of nests every 3 4 days optimal up to 5 6 if dictated by bad weather or workload most frequently during the peak of hatching early July for kittiwakes late July early August for murres Optimal sample size 10 15 productivity plots for each species If forced to prioritize err on the side of more plots for kittiwakes
12. in the middle of the back Used when the egg was not actually seen otherwise it would be BE Murres only A posture assumed by murres when sheltering a chick Characterized by a pronounced wing drop especially of the wing sheltering the chick also known as mantling Used when the chick was not actually seen otherwise it would be BC Nest site with nothing clearly visible Seldom used only when the observer is not sure of the nest contents e g cliff nest site obscured by fog or other birds crevice nest site offering a poor incomplete view etc If an observer records U many times especially at crucial times hatch and fledge the nest site may not be included in analysis Empty nest site Used when an egg or chick that was in the nest has been lost and no adult is present For kittiwakes this code indicates that a nest structure from the current year is physically present either before eggs are laid or after the nest fails Kittiwakes gulis cormorants only Used when a kittiwake nest that had been active in the current year disappears Use this code when no nest material is present regardless of the presence of an adult bird if a bird is standing at the old site and no nest material remains use NN and not B Do not use this code at the beginning of the season before a nest is built at a site Used between the previous and current check when a site was not checked e g it was skipped on purpose or could not be fo
13. is monitored at a selection of relatively low nests on land plots 4 5 6 and 7 Figures C3 7 Table C1 Most viewable nests are on plots 4 and 5 but there might be a few on plot 6 and or 7 in some years Once the nests are marked on the zoomed in photos check the numbered nests for large chicks as soon as you are able to see chicks in the nest usually sometime after the first week of August The plots should be visited several times as late in your stay as possible Record which nests still contain chicks and note how many chicks there are in each nest Specific Requirements for Cape Lisburne Dates Mid to late July mark nests on photos until as near the end of your stay as practicable to allow the chicks to grow as large as possible Optimal sample size There usually are about 100 kittiwake nests that are low enough to use for productivity Use the maximum number that are viewable Time of day Daylight hours Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic especially looking up at nests from the beach Equipment needed Binoculars 10 power recommended Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed ultra fine tipped Sharpies for writing nest numbers on photos helmet for working near the base of the cliffs climbing helmets work best b
14. plots 4 42 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island P09M01 Insets Chowiet Island 2012 Figure D7 Example of system used to record and prevent the loss of data while conducting ledgenester productivity monitoring 4 43 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Table D1 Coordinates and notes on locations of ledgenester stakes at Chowiet Island Stake Coordinates Notes 1 N56 03293 W156 74459 Top of ridge marks top of trail down to stakes 2 and 3 2 N56 03310 W156 74643 On top of boulders above stake 3 visible from stake 1 3 N56 03313 W156 74660 Below and northwest of stake 2 4 N56 03483 W156 74733 Edge of cliff on top of ridge not visible from trail 5 N56 03540 W156 74883 Top of ridge near cliff edge 6 N56 03600 W156 75001 Top of ridge better view of the plots from below the stake 7 N56 03633 W156 75050 Short distance below and northwest of stake 6 8 coordinates unclear Near ridge top marks trail down to stake 9 9 N56 03733 W156 75050 Just downhill from stake 8 10 N56 03883 W156 75017 Distantly visible from stake 9 follow trail around cove 11 N56 03933 W156 75083 Northwest of stake 10 12 N56 04067 W156 75017 North of stake 10 follow trail around cove 4 44 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Table D2 Plots used for productivity monitoring of ledgenester species on Chowiet Island in 2012 Some variability exists among years in regards to number of plots grouping
15. plots are used in the current year ultimately crews should split the workload in whatever way makes them happy Some productivity plots on St George are also used for kittiwakes and murre survival see ledgenester survival protocol These plots provide an excellent opportunity to resight banded birds while you are spending hours at a plot anyway However these plots should not be used for productivity in years when birds are also banded on the plot For the following plots we recommend a rotating schedule of banding in which the plot is used for productivity for 2 3 years and then skipped for a year so that a mass of birds can be banded there Red legged kittiwakes e Survival Plot High Bluffs 70 Overlaps entirely with Productivity Plot High Bluffs 70 cannot band and do productivity in the same year e Survival Plot High Bluffs H1 H2 H2 overlaps with Productivity Plot High Bluffs 92 capturing in the H1 section of the plot should be okay as long as crews watch for potential disturbance Thick billed murres e Survival Plot High Bluffs 65 Overlaps entirely with Productivity Plot High Bluffs 65 cannot band and do productivity in the same year e Survival Plot Zapadni 74 Survival plot is on the opposite cliff face from Productivity Plot Zapadni 74 but is too close for banding to occur without disturbing the productivity plot cannot band and do productivity in the same year When scheduling your productivity checks during the field se
16. westward along First Beach through binoculars to check for bears on the beach this also is a good place to ensure that the surf is not too high to safely proceed down the beach to the plots Be sure to look behind you eastward to make sure there are no bears on the runway or on the seawall heading your way and scan the hills above the beach for bears that might be heading down If there is a bear or bears on the beach do not proceed to the plots Delay the work until the bear s clears the area Although there are two places chutes where a bear can potentially climb up from the beach it is best not to assume that they will do so It is not a good idea to trap a bear at the western end of the beach If after you get down to the plots a bear enters onto the beach between you and the way back to the buildings proceed slowly towards the bear on your ATVs Spread out and stand up on your ATV to make as large a picture as possible and make a lot of noise Once a bear sees you it usually will head back up the beach or climb the hills or chutes to allow you to pass Make sure that your bear defensive measures spray flash bangs gun are readily accessible and give the bear ample time to clear the area before proceeding Be alert for bears any time you are outside of a building during your stay at Cape Lisburne Also periodically scan for bears during counts Don t get so absorbed in counting that you forget about situational awareness Productivity
17. with eggs B number of nest sites containing any eggs Total eggs C number of eggs seen the sum of the highest egg count from every nest Nest sites with chick D number of nest sites containing any chicks Total chicks E number of chicks seen the sum of the highest chick count from every nest Nest sites with chicks fledged F number of nest sites that fledged chicks Total chicks fledged G number of fledglings the sum of the highest fledgling count from every nest From the above values the following summary parameters are generated e Laying success B A e Egg success G C Mean clutch size C B Fledging success F D Nesting success D B Reproductive success F B Hatching success E C Fledglings per nest start G A Chick success G E Productivity F A Because murres lay just one egg and sites are not considered an active nest until an egg is laid the nest and the egg are essentially the same unit so we only need to present murre reproductive success based on one For murres the database will calculate e Nest sites with eggs B number of nest sites containing any eggs e Nest sites with chick D number of nest sites containing any chicks e Nest sites with chicks fledged F number of nest sites that fledged chicks From the above values the following summary parameters are generated e Nesting success D B e Fledging success F D e Reproductive success F B For kittiwakes a
18. 1 to determine if the chick failed fledged or if the nest should be discarded due to too much uncertainty If a chick would have been too young to fledge even at its maximum potential age chick period uncertainty it is called failed If a chick would have been old enough to fledge even at its minimum age chick period it is called fledged If the chick would have fledged or failed based on the length of the uncertainty period it is considered unknown fate and discarded from the sample In general the larger the uncertainty period the more likely a nest will be discarded because the chick s fate cannot be determined Therefore large check intervals and or many BU U statuses around hatch and fledge dates can cause a nest to be discarded from analysis Keep this in mind when collecting data e g keep check intervals short and take the extra seconds to look extra hard for chicks around expected hatch or fledge dates After determining a fate of each nest the database will calculate summary statistics using all nests with a known fate not including any nests excluded manually by the data collector or discarded by the database due to poor quality unknown fate etc Kittiwakes can have multiple eggs so we present reproductive success for kittiwakes in two ways using both the nest and the egg as a sample unit For kittiwakes the database will calculate Total nest starts A number of known fate active nest sites monitored Nest sites
19. 5 68 52 78 166 10 74 6 7 68 52 79 166 10 80 Midpoint between adjoining plots Figure C3 Kittiwake nest contents are observed from the beach below the cliffs Observations are made while seated on 4 wheeler ATVs using binoculars It s a good idea to wear a helmet when working close under the cliffs right Stay alert for bears 4 32 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne LAND PLOTS LAND PLOT 4 IHE LIGHTNING BOLT Figure C4 Land based plot 4 at Cape Lisburne Alaska Figure C5 Land based plot 5 at Cape Lisburne Alaska 4 33 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne LAND PLOT 6 CAPE LISBURNE ALASKA D G ROSENEAU 27 JULY 2008 PLOT 6 THE WATERFALLIS THE BOUNDARY 6 BETWEEN PLOT 6 amp 7 SEE BOUNDARY PJBOTO PLOT7 Figure C6 Land based plot 6 at Cape Lisburne Alaska LAND PEOT 6 LAND PLOT 7 Figure C7 Land based plot 7 at Cape Lisburne Alaska 4 34 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Attachment D Chowiet Island specifics includes Figures D1 7 and Tables D1 2 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO CHOWIET Productivity and phenology of black legged kittiwakes and common and thick billed murres at Chowiet Island are monitored in one area the Ledgenester Cliffs Figure D1 In addition a rough estimated of northern fulmar productivity is determined by counting chicks late in the season Fulmar pro
20. Bluffs X X 66 High Bluffs X X X 67 High Bluffs X X 68 High Bluffs X X 69 High Bluffs X 70 High Bluffs X 71 Zapadni X 72 Zapadni X X 73 Zapadni X 74 Zapadni X 76 Red Bluffs X 77 Red Bluffs X X X X 78 High Bluffs X X X 79 Red Bluffs X X 80 Red Bluffs X X 82 Rosy Finch X X 83 Red Bluffs x 84 First Bluffs X X X X 85 First Bluffs X X X 86 Red Bluffs X X 87 First Bluffs X X X X 88 High Bluffs X X 89 Red Bluffs X X 90 High Bluffs X 91 High Bluffs x 92 High Bluffs x 93 Red Bluffs X 94 Village X Plots were created in 2008 but not marked no photographs or exact locations could be found in 2010 4 49 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Lazaria Island Attachment F St Lazaria Island specifics includes Figures F1 5 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO ST LAZARIA Productivity and phenology of common and thick billed murres at St Lazaria are monitored at nine productivity plots at the Southwest Cliff Colony Figures F1 5 This isolated cliff about 50 meters high is located on the southwestern side of the island The observation location is at the end of the main flagged trail past storm petrel productivity plot 16 and is marked with rebar This trail should not be difficult to find early season however the rye grass will need to be trimmed back later in the season for ease of walking Note that all the productivity plots 1 9 are also used for land based murre population plots see Ledgenester Population Protocol
21. Ledgenester productivity and phenology Wildlife Inventory Plan Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Protocol 4 Version 1 4 Parameter Productivity and phenology Species Black legged and red legged kittiwakes common and thick billed murres PURPOSE To estimate annual productivity and phenology of ledge nesting kittiwakes and murres and to detect between year differences of 0 25 fledglings pair for kittiwakes and 0 2 fledglings pair for murres power 90 at 0 1 level of significance Seabird reproductive parameters can serve as indicators of change in the marine ecosystem Cairns 1987 Montevecchi 1993 Kittiwakes forage over long distances and feed at or near the surface of the ocean whereas murres dive for their prey but travel shorter distances Therefore productivity and timing of breeding in kittiwakes and murres may provide important information about different aspects of the marine environment BREEDING BIOLOGY Kittiwakes Rissa brevirostris and R tridactyla and murres Uria aalge and U lomvia are long lived piscivorous seabirds that spend the majority of the year at sea but nest on cliffs in dense colonies during the summer breeding season During the breeding season these species are central place foragers and highly visible on their cliff nest sites and thus easily monitored Kittiwakes build nest structures on cliff ledges with mud and vegetation Red legged kittiwakes build a small vegetation lined mud cup for t
22. a pel ot ret epoca 4 eq ur remm et LPR Cogs goes uoc paz 10 pe nasq 1109 permena pe bueajoer Sq amico ep cg myeu s apio mae uoc cyeceq vt t vat BY DO wor ae typ coqe ae spe pel uu o cpe serio peipia v set rc pari sr ane i PP PRA UY PI fa SERITUR IE 98 Ope IAE Tor UO UG LEY LORI Pc ajA 4 wes Meu byager p Busser exper peius cta me prag ot vy rye occ uere buau koc na 99 UT COQS NJQU UO ucar Durus fe bucteur CRITTER oj rpe burscuoc of 20 1963 por Fuse vex tyes pry poca segjas ju pe cnucup iem Fuer prt coqe joquoriea tyr v peas space poor pe erc Row ph ENUb UC ape yq pes su CIE OL Cptop tyr ms s ye UC PER pom ott Hq uo See 1 Qucm gura pricp wq yege ye be aye usi vor pe fucqmeq p NPAT OUER r boot jocorobisis Arc ec neono 11909 mpeu qye epey maz BOF ecoori h asau orytae t mong pe BOY Btoeqivt Berens buooongeeq me quib cabcc i h of po mo zycgcuvit proua i uneo ARATE v boue rane perse pe orsa ayer Comseeeg pi pecopiies postaue e RIAM CPI Brg uper ADU rye ORE oum wor acoer jh aou Opermrre om pot qt mos oor iom mog t qnoqae pnt T ne VS PRG Ho ope UN ureuperz PUT wh IO CHICK besur iy Do snc OqIUSE2 o qeacupe abor c ameng Oq e qerq epre Gree wore POU ous EC a I jor pro cpscra uie 10noqrartiq oqrueta o qeacue ebec CRE arpa et foe omopa qoe o m ATE eoa moe E30 i Ri bao i ERE buxor arg vo sgar VU pet mrp au ett 2 x BKA yrgo
23. are population plots that have been used occasionally for productivity In some years small plots near each other are combined for statistical analysis Plot Location BLKI RLKI COMU TBMU 1 High Bluffs x x 14 High Bluffs x x 22 High Bluffs x 43 High Bluffs 44 High Bluffs x x 45 High Bluffs 46 High Bluffs 47 High Bluffs x x x 47L High Bluffs x 48 High Bluffs x x x x 49 High Bluffs x x x 50 High Bluffs x x x 51 High Bluffs X x x 52 High Bluffs x x 53 High Bluffs x x X 54 High Bluffs X x X 55 High Bluffs X x x 56 High Bluffs x x x 61 High Bluffs x x x x 64 Ridgewall X X x x 65 Ridgewall X x x 66 Ridgewall X X X X 67 Ridgewall X x x X 68 Ridgewall x x x x 69 Ridgewall x x x 70 Ridgewall x x x 71 Ridgewall x x x 80 Zapadni x X 81 Zapadni x x 82 Zapadni x 83 Zapadni x x 84 Zapadni x X 85 Zapadni x x x 86 Zapadni x X x 87 Zapadni x X x x 88 Zapadni x X X X 89 Zapadni X X X X 89R Zapadni X X Xx x 90 Tolstoi X x x 90L Tolstoi x x x 91 Tolstoi X x 98 Zapadni x x x 99 High Bluffs 100 High Bluffs 101 102 103 Tolstoi x x 104 Zapadni x x X X 105 106 Reef 107 Reef 109 x 110 Tolstoi X X X 113 114 Tolstoi X X Historically High Bluffs has also been called West Bluffs or West Cliffs Historically Ridgewall has also been called Tourist Point 4 58 Protocol Revision History Log Protocol Revision History Log Revision Chang s made New Date 9 version April 2015 Minor clarificatio
24. ason the most important thing is to remain flexible with the weather Some plots are easier to check in marginal weather conditions than others plots that are at lower elevations e g Village or close to observation points e g Plots 70 and 65 may be more doable in fog and or precipitation compared to other plots e g First Bluffs is notoriously difficult when foggy because plots are generally far from observation points In addition weather conditions affect which parts of the island are workable e g a strong north wind may make checking plots on High Bluffs difficult but plots on the south side of the island may be relatively sheltered 4 46 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St George Island You will get a feel of this early in the season as you do plot checks in various weather conditions use this information along with knowledge of timing of breeding to help prioritize your work schedule For example if heavy fog has prevented you from checking plots on First Bluffs for 5 days and it is near expected hatch time on the first available clear day you may want to ditch any other plans you may have had for the day and get your First Bluffs plots checked instead Kittiwakes initiate breeding a few weeks before murres so the busiest time for productivity work at St George is mid to late June through early August when all four species are going strong In August productivity work becomes easier as kittiwake chicks are large
25. atching event was not actually observed Chick actually observed dead not simply disappeared from nest Chick actually observed in the act of flying or jumping for murres from the nest very rare Presence of fresh eggshell fragments in the nest Used ONLY with Bird Unknown or Unknown status codes BUsh or Ush to give more information about potential hatch there is no need to use with known status codes such as C or N Presence of fresh poop in or at the entrance of the nest Used ONLY with Unknown status code Upoop to give more information about potential presence of a chick there is no need to use with known status codes such as C or N Chick heard calling but not actually observed Used ONLY with Bird Unknown or Unknown status codes BUcall or Ucall to give more information about potential presence of a chick not appropriate to use with known status codes such as C or N Ledgenester productivity and phenology Standardized Productivity Codes Important Rules to Follow Use capital letters for basic productivity codes and lowercase letters for modifiers Do not use superscripts or subscripts for any modifiers Do not put spaces between any characters Use numbers to indicate quantities of birds eggs or chicks greater than one do NOT use 1 to indicate single numbers Numbers should always go AFTER the code that the number describes e g B2E means two adult birds with a single egg BE2 means a single adult bird with two
26. basis for 30 35 days Flightless downy chicks leave the cliffs before fully independent after a short nestling period of about 20 days after which chicks are attended and fed at sea by males for several months Gaston and Hipfner 2000 Ainley et al 2002 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Table 1 Average incubation period lengths and minimum chick fledge age conventions for kittiwakes and murres Chick fledge age conventions are the ages at which chicks are assumed fledged if they disappear at or after that date chicks disappearing before that date are considered failed Some of these fledge age conventions are currently under review by AMNWR biologists and may change in the future Speci Incubation Chick fledge age pecies Period convention Black legged kittiwake 27d 36 d Red legged kittiwake 30 d 32d Common murre 30 35 d 15d Thick billed murre 30 35 d 15d PROCEDURE Data collection Kittiwake and murre reproductive performance is monitored by viewing individually numbered nests and sites at 3 4 day intervals inclement weather and variation in workloads across sites may necessitate longer intervals between visits see island specific details for more information Each observer is assigned a set of plots and then monitors the same plots throughout the season to avoid any confusion i e a misinterpretation of nest site locations between observers Plots are usually close to the observation point within 50 m a
27. database This should give you an idea of what constitutes good data vs data that have to be discarded which should help you schedule and prioritize your data collection efforts in the field The intent is not to reproduce the detailed documentation for the database and analysis process 4 4 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Phenology Dates for egg laying chick hatching and fledging are calculated using the midpoint dates The lay date kittiwakes only is assumed to be the midpoint between the last date when definitely no egg was present and the first date when an egg was confirmed to be present The hatch date is the midpoint between the last time an egg was confirmed to be present and the first time a chick was confirmed to be present Not all nest sites are included in phenology calculations we require confirmed visualization of the empty nest site egg or chick e g no U s BU s IP s or BP s less than 7 days apart for that site to be used Because of this try to project when each nest is expected to hatch and focus extra attention on getting known statuses with short visit intervals around those times Occasionally we record data that give us more exact information on laying hatching and fledging dates If you observe an event occurring e g the actual egg laying hatching or fledging during your visit we use the day of the observation as the date the event occurred and not the midpoint between observations Simila
28. ductivity has not been monitored intensively in recent years Instead the number of chicks in each population plot is counted at the end of the season to get a rough index of productivity that can be compared across years Because the methodology of fulmar chick counts is nearly identical to methods used for population counts details are included in the Ledgenester Population Protocol Kittiwake and murre reproductive performance is monitored by viewing individually numbered nests and sites at 3 5 day intervals bad weather sometimes necessitates longer intervals between visits Shorter intervals are ideal but on Chowiet 4 5 day intervals are more realistic A target of 10 plots with adequate numbers of sites is recommended for each of the three species monitored at Chowiet however it is often difficult to find enough thick billed murres to constitute 10 plots even when plots are combined to increase sample sizes Plots are viewed from a subset of the stakes used for ledgenester population counts Table D1 and Figure D1 Kittiwakes are typically monitored at stakes 3 6 9 10 and 11 although too few nests have been present at stake 11 for monitoring in recent years Common and thick billed murres are typically monitored at stakes 3 and 9 Although the number naming and boundaries of plots monitored has been somewhat variable among recent years plot details for each species in 2012 which is representative of recent years are presented in Table D2
29. e count all chicks once Time of day Daylight hours Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed tally counters and hard hat Equipment suggested Crazy Creek chair clipboard large rubber bands or binder clips to keep items from blowing off of clipboard thermos with a hot drink lots of snacks lens cleaning cloths and plenty of warm clothes 4 25 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Buldir Island AL i lt B gt Ris s Kittiwake Lane A AN LU C Qe sh ee 3 JOE AAW 2 ru DE NL N C M 4 D D Ns SEIL 3 5 Me S p Fa SAIS N OUNT NS d E N A Ve j e mih C g x P Rm M 0 UN t eae MOUNTA IN ae Nee ME e Pa Nune Seale 1 25 000 CONTOUR INTERVAL 500 FT Figure B1 Locations of ledgenester productivity plot areas at Buldir Island The red dashed line indicates the approximate route to Spike Camp from the main camp 4 26 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Buldir Island H yPIKE AMP Peregrine Pt Figure B2 Locations of kittiwake and murre productivity plots at Spike Camp Buldir Island 4 27 Ledgenester productiv
30. e monitoring is done by scope at 6 and 9 scanning is more difficult and it is instead necessary to stare at small clusters of birds for more extended periods until statuses have been obtained This can be time consuming so it is recommended that fewer clusters as defined by the field of view of the scope with more densely spaced sites as opposed to a more scattered collection of sites be selected for monitoring Having one observer committed to stakes 9 10 4 35 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island and 11 if nests are present and less than half of the plots at stake 3 and the second observer committed to stake 6 and the larger half of plots at stake 3 is recommended This division of labor ensures that all monitoring at the higher stakes 6 and 9 can be completed in a single day this allows you to take advantage of weather windows and increases your chance of maintaining ideal monitoring intervals and gives both observers the chance to work under both sets of conditions more sheltered and with binoculars versus more exposed and with spotting scopes Ledgenester monitoring involves sitting still for long periods of time and can be chilly work especially at exposed stakes on windy days Bringing plenty of warm clothes storing some items in the scope dry bags is a possibility is recommended Further hiking to the stakes often means getting sweaty and a change of base layer may be desired On Chowiet several
31. e some birds remain motionless for long periods of time you will occasionally have sites where you cannot see the contents of the nest site during your entire visit For murres we can use distinctive postures Figure 7 to indicate if birds are incubating wings held over the back so that tips do not cross tail down back slightly humped or brooding a chick wing mantling in which one wing is dropped to shelter the chick On site training will resolve definitions of incubating posture and brooding posture see attached drawing For kittiwakes we do not use postures to imply presence of an egg or chick if nest contents remain unknown after 1 5 hours record an unknown status BU or U move to the next plot and make a concerted effort to confirm the status of that nest on the next visit If you have to record an unknown status but you see freshly hatched eggshells or hear a chick calling record these as supplementary evidence see list of standardized code modifiers these do not provide enough evidence of a chick to determine hatch dates but may be used by the database in analysis to help determine the overall fate of the nest in some cases It is particularly important to minimize unknown nest status codes around expected laying hatching or fledging dates In other words it is important to see the nest contents the check before and after an egg is laid and a chick hatches and fledges and to reduce the visit interval as much as possible at t
32. ear defense equipment hand held radio insect repellant Equipment suggested Thermos of hot drink lots of snacks lens cleaning cloths complete change of clothes camera spare batteries for radios camera etc 4 29 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne Chukchi Sea Cape Lisburne Kittiwake Beach Dave s Rock Tiny Beach Arch Rock First BeachLand Plots 1 8 and A B Grizzly d AMNWR USAF Boundary FEET PA P oai AW Cape Lisburne Air Force Base LRRS TRA SUZZW Figure C1 Map of seabird monitoring plots at Cape Lisburne Alaska Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne Figure C2 Route from the Cape Lisburne living quarters shop area to First Beach at the western end of the runway red line Yellow x marks the location from which to scan for bears on the beach below the land plots before proceeding to the plot area Yellow circle is the location of the Flight Shack storage building Yellow square indicates the location of sea surface temperature measurement and skiff launching beach 4 31 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne Table C1 Locations of First Beach land based plots at Cape Lisburne in order from east to west All coordinates are in WGS84 Plot Latitude N Longitude W B A 68 52 71 166 09 72 1 68 52 73 166 09 97 2 68 52 75 166 10 26 8 68 52 76 166 10 45 3 68 52 77 166 10 57 4
33. efinite observation of an egg The chick period is from the first definite observation of a chick or BP in murres to the last definite observation of a chick or BP in murres There are some rules about what is and isn t allowed to be within the egg and chick periods but in short the data should make logical sense for example an egg in the middle of a chick period would indicate a problem with the data and the nest site would be discarded The uncertainty period accounts for both the visit interval and any visits with unknown statuses e g BU s around hatch and fledge events Example 1 Egg Period Chick Period 11Jun 18Jun 24Jun 30Jun 3Jul 7Jul 13Jul 20Jul 24Jul 28Jul 4Aug 8 Aug BE BE BE BU BC BC BC BC BU BU N N Uncertainty Period Uncertainty Period Around Hatch Around Fledge Example 2 Egg Period Chick Period GERNE GLEN 11Jun 18Jun 24Jun 30Jun S3Jul 7Jul 13Jul 20Jul 24Jul 28Jul 4Aug 8 Aug BE BE BE BE BC BC BC BC BC BC N N L L Uncertainty Period Uncertainty Period Around Hatch 4 5 Around Fledge Ledgenester productivity and phenology From the length of the chick period and the uncertainty periods we determine the minimum and maximum possible age for the chick when it was last seen a chick was at least as old as the length of the chick period itself and could possibly have been as old as the chick period both uncertainty periods This information is then compared against fledging age conventions see Table
34. egged kittiwakes or common murres at St Paul so just follow as many as you can Each crew member will have a set of plots he she will monitor throughout the entire season Try to split the workload as evenly as possible taking into account plot quality i e don t give one person all the close easy plots species i e don t give one person all the kittiwakes and another all the murres and hiking time to plots One suggestion for splitting the workload between two crew members is as follows Person 1 Person 2 Half High Bluffs in 2010 plots 48 53 54 55 Half High Bluffs in 2010 plots 49 50 51 53 56 61 Half Zapadni in 2010 85 86 87 104 Half Zapadni in 2010 plots 80 81 84 89 All Ridgewall in 2010 66 67 68 69 All Tolstoi in 2010 plots 90 90L 91 114 Note this is just a suggestion and may have to be adjusted based on which plots are used in the current year ultimately crews should split the workload in whatever way makes them happy When scheduling your productivity checks during the field season the most important thing is to remain flexible with the weather Some plots are easier to check in marginal weather conditions than others In addition weather conditions affect which parts of the island are workable You will get a feel of this early in the season as you do plot checks in various weather conditions use this information along with knowledge of timing of breeding to help prioritize your work schedule For example if
35. eggs Use a plus sign when you can see at least some but not all nest contents in multiple egg clutches As with numbers the plus sign should always go AFTER the letter code and when more than one also after the number that is being described e g BE means an adult bird and at least one egg were observed but entire nest contents could not be seen to determine if there was anything more BE2 means an adult bird and at least two eggs were observed but entire nest contents could not be seen to determine if there was anything more Some codes and modifiers can be combined when appropriate as long as order see below is maintained For instance with multiple egg species if one egg hatches before another so that there is an adult bird present with both an egg and a check enter BEC The specific order in which these codes and modifiers are used is VERY IMPORTANT The codes BEC and BCE or BE2 and BE 2 may mean the same thing to us but they are NOT the same to the computer database Follow these rules for the correct order of codes and modifiers 1 Always write codes in the order of adult egg chick e g BE and not EB 2 When adding modifiers numbers letters or symbols that give more information always follow the order of main productivity code letter modifier number plus sign e g BEp2 for adult bird with at least two pipped eggs BE2Cd for adult bird with two eggs and one dead chick B2E Cd for two adult birds with at
36. est count for your estimate Safety note The cliffs of Buldir are comprised of rocks embedded in dirt and are very susceptible to erosion and rockfalls Use caution when selecting observation points as the cliff top can be undercut with nothing below to support your weight Try to view your intended observation point from a spot further 4 24 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Buldir Island along the cliff to determine if it is sufficiently stable It is very important to always wear a hard hat and stay alert whenever walking to from or working at KWL It is tempting to listen to music to make the walk seem to pass more quickly but wearing earphones is not recommended as you will often hear rockfalls and slides before you see them When walking between Main Camp and KWL be sure to pause at the leading edge of any slides and check for activity before continuing While counting birds and nests do not sit at the mouth of any gullies as rockfalls can occur without warning The cliffs become more active following heavy rains so be flexible in your scheduling of work at KWL to avoid these times The hazards of working under cliffs can be unpredictable but by remaining aware using common sense and minimizing your time in high risk areas you will drastically reduce your exposure to any danger Specific Requirements for Buldir Frequent Nest Monitoring Spike Camp Dates First or second week of June Initial plot reconnaissance First week
37. few birds breeding one person should follow the same plot throughout the season do not switch off as this usually causes confusion Cache crazy creek chairs tripods and spotting scopes in a large dry bag with several sheets of newspaper crumpled up at the bottom for moisture absorption in a protected location near the observation point see Figure F4 That way all you will need to carry back and forth are your data sheets pencils and plot photos It can be windy at the observation point so it is wise to pack extra layers as well as a baseball hat to block the sun from your eyes Always bring an umbrella to protect the scope even if it is not raining when you head out as you will be there for a few hours and the weather can quickly change in that span of time Observations can still be conducted in the rain and high winds if you are able to observe the birds well enough to collect useful data if because of poor weather conditions you find you are recording a lot of U or BU nest statuses this is an indication that you may want to come back for your observations when the weather is better Specific Requirements for St Lazaria Dates Late June initial plot reconnaissance looking for most the colony on the cliff and laying July September Check status of nests every 3 5 days most frequently during hatching and fledging Optimal sample size 30 per species for the entire Southwest Cliff Colony Time of day Day light hours Weather Good
38. gative tides and even then often requires the use of high chest waders You must plan ahead for days with sufficiently low tides and take great care not to get stranded as the tide comes in In past years some people have floated across to the island in survival suits but the potential danger of being swept away by a strong current is very real In addition it may be possible to use the skiff on calm days to access a slot on the west side of the island if you have a skiff available However this area is very rocky and kelpy and there is often strong currents and surge between Big West Island and other nearby islands so use extreme caution and make sure to fasten the anchor securely so that the skiff does not drift away while you are doing your work Ideally try to access the island over land Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Aiktak Island Specific Requirements for Aiktak Dates Late June or early July Begin visiting plots to look for laying July August Check status of nests every 4 7 days most frequently during hatching and fledging Optimal sample size 30 per species per plot ideal usually not attainable at Aiktak Time of day Any time Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or w
39. gear cache location surrounded by tall rye grass to protect from winds at St Lazaria Island SW Murre Cliff Observation point Figure F5 Ledgenester observation point viewed from plot BN 16 at St Lazaria Island 4 54 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Paul Island Attachment G St Paul Island specifics includes Figure G1 and Table G1 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO ST PAUL Kittiwake and murre productivity and phenology at St Paul Island is monitored at several areas around the island High Bluffs Ridgewall Zapadni and Tolstoi see Figure G1 Refer to the file StP_plot_descriptions_92 to 2008 doc for details on each plot Some plots can be used for all four species whereas others have only one or two species present see Table G1 There are more potential productivity plots at St Paul than you need to attain your sample sizes for some species so you may not use all plots in all years Birds can move and cliffs can change from year to year so a good plot one year may not be a good one another year At the beginning of the season scout all plot locations and choose the plots that appear the best good views of 25 30 birds in the current year In addition try to spread your plots around the island as evenly as possible to account for geographic differences in timing and success i e the north and the south side of the island high and low cliff areas It is usually not possible to find 10 good plots for red l
40. have a laminator in camp print maps on regular paper laminate and then use sharpies in the field to write directly on the photo surface If you use plastic sheet protectors it is helpful to print initial plot photos on waterproof paper so you can number sites make notes using sharpies on the paper itself don t write on plastic sleeves themselves because the inside map can shift around as the season progresses and your maps are compete tape the open edge of the plastic sheet protector shut to further waterproof your maps Using different colored markers to indicate different species or highlight rock characteristics can be useful As with data notebooks be conscious of losing maps over the cliffs edge especially in windy conditions Make sure to secure maps to a clipboard or three ring binder that are themselves attached to the observer or a stake Any time you make additions or changes to a plot map e g adding nest numbers take a photo for a backup copy in case the map is lost next time Data analysis Since 2010 calculations for productivity and phenology parameters for these species have been automated in an Access database Data should be entered and proofed as soon as possible each day after returning from the field see Data Entry Protocol Proofed data will be uploaded into the database for analysis at the end of the season The below analysis summary is included to help you to understand how your codes will be interpreted by the
41. he edge never lunge for it nothing including data is worth endangering yourself or others Also take care when hiking to plots along trails that may follow the cliff edge as vegetation late in the season may be rank and can catch your feet Mapping ledgenester productivity nests Having accurate plot photos maps is critical for following individual nests throughout the season and thus collecting good ledgenester productivity data It s very easy to lose track of the marked nests over the course of the season especially for murres because they don t build nests but it can happen with kittiwakes too if nests are completely lost Do not rely on variable characteristics such as position e g 32 is the bird that usually faces the cliff or order e g 32 is the eighth bird in the row You need to be able to identify each of your nests even if every neighbor were to disappear which may happen towards the end of the season as nests fail or fledge To do this try to identify nests relative to rock or vegetation characteristics although keep in mind that vegetation will look dramatically different later in the season and put effort into your maps Photograph plots on slightly overcast days bright sunshine creates too much contrast and some sites will be in shadow Also note that rock formations appear differently depending on the weather and time of day try to take plot photographs during the time of day you expect most of your ledgenester m
42. heir usually single egg in contrast to the deeper and larger grass nest that holds the often 2 egg clutch of black legged kittiwakes Byrd and Williams 1993 Hatch et al 2009 Where both species co occur the Pribilof Islands and Buldir black legged and red legged kittiwakes nest sympatrically on the cliffs however red legged kittiwakes are often found in clusters with other red legged kittiwakes often under overhangs or projecting rocks or on narrower ledges than those used by black legged kittiwakes Kildaw 1999 Both parents share incubation and chick rearing duties Adults incubate eggs for about 27 black legged kittiwakes to 30 red legged kittiwakes days and chicks fledge at about 40 to 50 days of age Byrd and Williams 1993 Hatch et al 2009 In Alaska annual productivity in kittiwake colonies ranges widely among years and sites at AMNWR annual monitoring sites mean productivity for black legged kittiwakes ranges from 0 14 Buldir to 0 68 Cape Lisburne Dragoo et al 2010 Murres lay a single egg directly on the cliff ledges with no nest constructed At sites with both species thick billed murres usually nest on narrow ledges of sheer cliff while common murres tend to nest on wider platforms in clumps several to many birds deep Murre eggs are quite large at one end and pointed on the other causing them to roll in small circles and making them less apt to fall from the ledge Eggs are incubated by both adults on a rotating
43. hose times Before leaving the site check to see that your recorded status makes sense based on what you saw last time e g if you had a chick last visit you shouldn t have an egg this visit Data strings that don t make sense will have to be discarded If you decide a particular nest site is problematic and should be tossed e g grass grew during the season and obscured your view or you aren t certain of the species see Figure 8 for murre identification clues don t erase the data from your field notebook and electronic productivity data entry database but simply mark it as exclude from analysis in both places and indicate your reasons in the comments section for that nest in the database see Database User s Manual At the end of the day or at the very least before you take your data notebook into the field again enter the day s plot data in the productivity data entry database see Database User s Manual 4 3 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Safety Working on cliff tops require special safety considerations At all times be aware of yourself in relation to the cliff edge Watch out for overhanging tussocks or rocks that might look stable but could give way under your weight and never blindly assume an observation point used in past years is necessarily safe this year as cliffs can erode over the winter Refrain from leaning out just a little more to see a bird If you happen to drop something over t
44. icks from the beach below Photograph and draw an outline around these areas for reference when returning for later counts The areas counted may be different every year but generally the plots from 7 12 should be best for these purposes You want a total of about 200 300 nests if possible Choose areas that are clearly defined either on a photograph or with geographic features so that they are easily recognized and the exact same area will be counted on each visit Because you will probably find more BLKI than RLKI you could possibly have different boundaries for each species in order to obtain your sample size Be sure to include as many plots as practical to reach your sample size If your entire nest count is made within one plot and a rockfall or large landslide occurs between your counts your data may be unusable Later in the nesting period when chicks are large enough to be clearly visible from the beach below nests but before any chicks could have fledged return to count all visible chicks in nests within the exact same area you counted in spring Record the number of chicks in each nest to attain information on clutch sizes as opposed to simply recording the overall total Try to avoid counting chicks on cold wet windy days when even large sized chicks may be hunkered down in the nest out of view If you know that you conducted your count at the wrong time not all nests built or chicks too small etc recount the same area and use your b
45. irds laying in productivity plots This failure makes monitoring murre productivity unsatisfying and you will probably end up with just a few birds on each plot if that to follow Nonetheless at the beginning of the season you have to prepare for the best possible scenario that many birds will lay and you will achieve your full sample size just don t be surprised if they are late and not very productive Watch the behavior of birds attending the cliffs for clues as to when or if laying will occur Attendance on the cliffs starts to become more regular about week or two before laying commences so watching for attendance to stabilize can be a good way to predict when birds will begin to lay You can also get an idea of whether murres will breed by paying attention to their posture on the cliffs Birds oriented with their breasts inwards towards the cliffs and backs facing the ocean may be serious breeders while birds loafing on rocks with breasts facing outwards are not breeding PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO AIKTAK Beginning in late June or early July begin conducting reconnaissance of murre plots looking for indications that attendance is stabilizing or birds are showing signs of intention to breed facing inwards on the cliffs Once murres begin laying check nests every 4 7 days 4 day intervals around expected hatch and fledge dates and aim to follow about 30 birds of each species this is ideal in reality at Aiktak you will follow all
46. ith clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed Equipment suggested Crazy creek chair lens cleaning cloths thermos of hot drink lots of snacks complete change of clothes camera 4 20 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Aiktak Island Pole 48 Plot 1 2 Pole 07 Q Plot 7 e Pole 89 Plot 8 Pole 51 Plot 5 10 fs Rock a Pole 23 Plot 3 Figure A1 Locations of murre productivity plots at Aiktak Island Red lines approximate plot locations dots indicate observation points 4 21 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Aiktak Island Table A1 Descriptions of murre productivity plots at Aiktak Island Plot Obs Point Description 10 Pole 48 Pole 48 Pole 23 Pole 51 Pole 07 Pole 89 Pole 51 On the east side of Tuxedo Rock a small island just beyond Big West Island Productivity is monitored from pole 48 on Big West Island note population plot is counted from pole 01 To date only common murres have nested here A small rocky peninsula jutting west off Big West Island Productivity is monitored from pole 48 on Big West Island note population plot is counted from a large yellow lichen encrusted rock just northwest of pole 23 To date only common murres have nested here The southern cliff of the Southwest Bight including both the large cliff face and a smaller peninsula jutting out to the west Usually a mix of thick billed and com
47. ity and phenology at Buldir Island Table B1 List of Spike Camp productivity plots used for kittiwakes and murres at Buldir Island Plot use has varied over time x s indicate plots used since 2000 with underlines indicating those used most recently 2007 2011 Plot BLKI RLKI COMU TBMU 30 A B X 31 A B Ix Co o7 D UJ IXI lt Xx gt lt gt lt IDX IDK IDK IDK IK IK 0 gt lt X lt X lt X lt A PO XIX KK x OK IDK I lt X lt XIX Ix 4 28 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Cape Lisburne Attachment C Cape Lisburne specifics includes Figures C1 7 and Table C1 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO CAPE LISBURNE Black legged kittiwake productivity is monitored every year at Cape Lisburne Nest sites that are low enough to allow for a reasonably good view of large chicks should be assigned numbers and labeled on photos fairly early in the crew s stay Close up photos of sections of the cliffs should be used for this purpose The population plot photos are not suitable to be used for marking individual nests Land based plots are located along First Beach Figure C1 To get to First Beach drive east past the runway and turn right just before the western end of the runway route marked in red on Figure C2 Drive down the steep road between the wind sock and the gravel storage area to get to the beach Once on the beach drive as near to the water s edge as is safe yellow x on Figure C2 and look
48. least one egg and one dead chick Ledgenester productivity and phenology N 56 OT T M EL 1 S Y Figure 1 Example plot overview photo for ledgenester productivity showing plot locations from the observation point note at some sites multiple plots are viewed from the same observation point as shown here at other sites each plot has its own observation point 4 11 Ledgenester productivity and phenology a 7 z m e up plot photo for ledgenester productivity with numbered nest sites Figure 2 Example close 4 12 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Figure 3 Another example close up plot photo for ledgenester productivity with numbered nest sites 4 13 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Figure 4 Crew member doing ledgenester productivity check from observation point 4 14 Ledgenester productivity and phenology 1 48 ipn E eR 8 8 p CC Tad AS FT RS SRE RS ES TERS gS RS Ye ET Rn BS dam Kw lm le ma amp n BE ec B JB BS E ERK R RES amp c Bc ajea C ES era hidi ele g i Ki 2 Sk yS Se Fe Fe STO Ek b Bn Be BOT PYS Xe War Ge jeer PY ve B BegGes BSA TBES 84 c eR es Asafa W Ais TN NS AAD OA N AA bX SCY ES Aa Figure 5 Example of data notebook page for recording ledge nester productivity data 4 15 ee D hewjener over s bdeg oo a pe ac OL eU OL Epe 164900 peices cyocr
49. mon murres nest here Plot best viewed during the afternoon Can be divided into three subplots Triangular offshore rock at the southeast tip of the island called Sail Rock Usually a mix of thick billed and common murres Productivity is monitored from about 3m south of pole 51 note population plot is counted from about 2m southeast of pole 89 Caution should be used due to eroding soil and overhanging vegetation around both areas Entire west face of small peninsula west of plot 6 Usually a mix of thick billed common murres Top portion of cliff face viewed look back at southern cliffs from east end of island east of plot 9 Usually a mix of thick billed and common murres Can be divided into two subplots East face of peninsula containing plot 7 Usually a mix of thick billed and common murres Can be divided into two subplots 4 22 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Buldir Island Attachment B Buldir Island specifics includes Figures B1 2 and Table B1 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO BULDIR Productivity and phenology of black legged and red legged kittiwakes and common and thick billed murres at Buldir Island are monitored in two main areas Spike Camp and Kittiwake Lane Figure B1 At Spike camp kittiwakes and murres are monitored by viewing individually numbered nests and sites at 4 7 day intervals from the cliff tops this provides the main measure of productivity and phenology for all species At Kittiwake Lane
50. n 25 30 nest sites per plot Some nest sites may have to be dropped later in the season or in analysis because the fate cannot be determined i e neighbors irreversibly get in the way partway through the season and you never see nest contents again or grass grows up over your view so it may be helpful to begin monitoring in extra 5 10 nests in each plot at the beginning of the season to account for this possibility If there are more than 30 active nests in a plot it is not necessary to monitor every one Given a choice try to choose nests that you will probably be able to see well throughout the season not birds blocked by others for example For murres side views provide better chances to see the egg or chick compared to looking straight at a bird s back For kittiwakes looking down onto nests usually provides better views of nest contents than looking up at a nest Ideally your sample would also include representative nests from the full spectrum of nest sites at a plot those in clusters and those by themselves those in the middle and those at the edge of the plot those up high and those down low this is not always practical e g nests in clusters may be hard to see and thus bad nests to monitor but keep this in mind as you choose nests to monitor Timing of individual birds vary so it is possible that not all birds will have built nests or laid eggs when you first begin monitoring plots at the beginning of the season On the first
51. nd murres we also estimate variance around each reproductive success parameter using ratio estimation procedures Excel ratio estimator spreadsheet This approach also known as cluster sampling treats plots as the sample unit rather than individual nest sites We assume that kittiwake and murre nest data are not always independent as nests located close together i e in a plot may be more likely to share a common fate Byrd 1989 4 6 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Literature Cited Ainley D G D N Nettleship H R Carter and A E Storey 2002 Common murre Uria aalge No 666 in The Birds of North America A Poole Ed Ithaca Cornell Lab of Ornithology Byrd G V 1989 Seabirds in the Pribilof Islands Alaska trends and monitoring methods MS Thesis Univ of Idaho Moscow 96 pp Byrd G V and J C Williams 1993 Red legged kittiwake Rissa brevirostris No 60 in The Birds of North America A Poole Ed Ithaca Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cairns D K 1987 Seabirds as indicators of marine food supplies Biologcal Oceanography 5 261 271 Dragoo D E G V Byrd and D B Irons 2010 Breeding status population trends and diets of seabirds in Alaska 2007 U S Fish and Wildl Serv Report AMNWR 2010 08 Homer Alaska Gaston A J and J M Hipfner 2000 Thick billed murre Uria lomvia No 497 in The Birds of North America A Poole Ed Ithaca Cornell Lab of Ornithology Gill V A S A Hatch and
52. nd viewable from above so that nest contents can be determined Photographs are used to document plot locations Figure 1 close up photographs and or drawings of plots help to track individually numbered nest sites throughout the season Figures 2 and 3 Do not worry about using the same numbering sequence for nests each year because cliff topography and nest site use can change from year to year f possible visit plots early in the season to take current plot photos then print photos back at camp and weather proof them using a laminator or plastic sheet protectors with the top taped shut this way your plot photos will be ready to go for your first productivity check The ideal sample size is 10 15 plots of each species with 25 30 birds of each species on each plot monitor a minimum of 10 plots increase up to 15 if the workload allows If you have a choice add more kittiwake plots because their breeding success is generally more variable both within a season at different parts of a colony and among seasons than murres It is not worth the effort to monitor more than 15 plots as it does not substantially improve our power to detect change Thompson et al 2010 For some species at some colonies it is not possible to achieve an ideal sample size and we simply monitor as many birds as possible see island specific details and consult with the Unit biologist for guidance Plot boundaries can vary as needed from year to year in order to obtai
53. ns made 1 4 April 2014 Changed font to Arial added revision history log replaced revision date with version on first page added protocol 1 3 to first page changed number format of tables and figures in island attachments ordered island attachments alphabetically changed page number format to include protocol made minor grammatical edits added murre identification guide Figure 1 added Cape Lisburne attachement May 2013 Aiktak Chowiet and St Lazaria attachments added 1 2 May 2012 Buldir attachment added 1 1 May 2011 Protocol developed in standardized format from historic protocols includes St George and St Paul attachments 1 0 4 59
54. of June through end of season Check status of nests every 4 7 days most frequently during the peak of hatching mid to late June for kittiwakes mid to late July for murres Third week of June Begin adding murre sites once they begin laying Optimal sample size Aim for minimum of 25 30 nests for each species per plot 250 300 total nests per species this will not be possible for red legged kittiwakes or common murres Time of day Daylight hours Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Rite in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed ultra fine tipped Sharpies for writing nest numbers on photos Equipment suggested Crazy Creek chair clipboard large rubber bands or binder clips to keep items from blowing off of clipboard thermos with a hot drink lots of snacks lens cleaning cloths plenty of warm clothes camera and machete for trail to Spike Camp Specific Requirements for Buldir Boom or Bust KWL Dates Mid June to mid July when nest building is complete but before nests begin to fail judge from Spike Camp timing Count nests on Boom or Bust plots Early to mid August Count large kittiwake chicks per nest on Boom or Bust plots Optimal sample size Count all nests onc
55. onitoring to occur If plots are large it can be useful to include zoomed in insets or extra pages with zoomed in windows that highlight clusters with multiple sites and reveal details not visible in more zoomed out photographs Timing when to take initial plot photos can be difficult Maps need to be printed before monitoring can begin but if the photos are taken too early birds may not be present at the sites where they will ultimately breed For kittiwakes this is not an issue because their nests are immobile and adequately spaced making it difficult to confuse neighboring sites You can take kittiwake map photos early in the nest building process if necessary you can draw in new nests not present in the initial photo or take an updated photo later Creating useful murre maps can be difficult because murres don t build a nest structure are typically tightly spaced and may not finalize positions on the cliff until most eggs are laid You should begin monitoring murres before all birds have laid to catch birds failing early in incubation however so you cannot wait until then to take initial plot photos especially when laying is asynchronous Therefore try to take murre plot photos when colony attendance becomes high but before the first eggs are laid Then as laying proceeds and more birds settle into the positions they will retain throughout the season you can take new photos and transfer site numbers and notes onto updated maps If you
56. ou need to attain your sample sizes for some species so you may not use all plots in all years Birds can move and cliffs can change from year to year so a good plot one year may not be a good one another year At the beginning of the season scout all plot locations and choose the plots that appear the best good views of 25 30 birds in the current year In addition try to spread your plots around the island as evenly as possible to account for geographic differences in timing and success i e the north and the south side of the island high and low cliff areas It is usually not possible to find 10 good plots for black legged kittiwakes or common murres at St George so just follow as many as you can Each crew member will have a set of plots he she will monitor throughout the entire season Try to split the workload as evenly as possible taking into account plot quality i e don t give one person all the close easy plots species i e don t give one person all the kittiwakes and another all the murres and hiking time to plots One suggestion for splitting the workload between two crew members is as follows resulting in two full plot days and a third shorter day during which crews can do other projects Person 1 Person 2 Day 1 Half High Bluffs Half High Bluffs Day 2 All Zapadni and all First Bluffs All Red Bluffs Day 3 Village short day Rosy Finch short day Note this is just a suggestion and may have to be adjusted based on which
57. photos Equipment suggested Crazy creek chair clipboard large rubber bands to keep items from flying off the clipboard safety equipment for tying into plots thermos of hot drink lots of snacks lens cleaning cloths complete change of clothes camera 4 47 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St George Island LOCAL MACSETIC DISTURSANCT a M pa 17 Vam the net satiation baa 9 ss l mile EM of LZ a f i g EI j1 m B 77s d y be ieee Sips T S e amiina dert 2 43 Euer c HN P fA n apa M T s To MT a s y p a 5 4 t gt E e 3 aa pM 43 34 38 a 7 us ay Figure E1 Locations of kittiwakes and murre productivity plots at St George Island Numbers indicate plot numbers circled numbers productivity plots uncircled numbers are population plots 4 48 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St George Island Table E1 List of productivity plots used for kittiwakes and murres at St George Island Only 10 15 plots are monitored for each species each year so not all plots are used every year and plot use has varied over time x s indicate plots used since 2000 with underlines indicating those used most recently 2008 2010 In some years small plots near each other are combined for statistical analysis Plot Location BLKI RLKI COMU TBMU 56 57 Rosy Finch X X X 60 Village X X 61 Village X X X X 62 Village X X X X 64 First Bluffs X X X 65 High
58. plots are quite large and many crews find it useful to include zoomed in insets or extra pages with zoomed in windows that highlight clusters with multiple sites and reveal details not visible in more zoomed out photographs Figure D6 Keep in mind that ledgenester monitoring occurs at sites with steep drop offs and often in windy conditions A useful system for working in these areas involves storing plot maps in a three ring binder maps that involve a page of insets or two plots that are regularly scanned together can be viewed simultaneously with lanyards that secure the binder and field notebook to the observer or stake Figure D7 Specific Requirements for Chowiet Dates Late May to early June Begin visiting plots particularly looking for kittiwake nest building Take plot photos and create maps as early in the season as possible Early to mid June Begin adding murre sites once they begin laying Late May through end of season Check status of nests every 3 5 days most frequently during the peak of hatching Optimal sample size 30 per species per plot ideal usually not attainable for thick billed murres at Chowiet Start with more if possible because many will be excluded during analysis Time of day Any time Weather Good visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod Ri
59. point Thereafter revisit plots every 4 7 days most frequently during the peak of hatching mid to late June for kittiwakes mid to late July for murres Around the third week of June murres will probably begin laying add them to your sample as they do You can use the timing of the kittiwakes at Spike plots to gauge when to start your nest counts at Kittiwake Lane for Boom or Bust monitoring Plot specific notes The following notes are solely for plots that have been used since 2007 A complete list of all plots that have been used is found in Table 5 36A BLKI and TBMU A small plot and you may have to settle for a small sample size Avoid trying to follow murres in large clusters with no geographic reference points You may get 20 sites if you continue to add late nesting individuals 36B BLKI and TBMU plot Is far away from the viewing location and has many difficult to observe sites You may have to settle for a small sample size on this plot as well Use a spotting scope and feel free to move around to get a better view You should be able to get 25 30 TBMU sites combined in 36A and B 37 BLKI and TBMU plot You should be able to get good views of 25 30 BLKI and as many TBMU as you can handle This is a very large plot and the murres tend to crowd together so only choose to monitor sites with good visibility and obvious landmarks 38 TBMU plot A narrow plot above plot 37 that can yield a handful of murre sites 39 BLKI
60. productivity visit ideally you will have made an initial visit to take photographs give all active nests a number you can write directly on the plot photo with a permanent marker and determine the nest status see below On subsequent visits new nests built kittiwakes or eggs laid murres in the plot since the last visit can be 4 2 Ledgenester productivity and phenology added to your sample until you reach the required sample size To be considered an active nest included in your sample e For kittiwakes a nest structure to which vegetation or material has been added in the current year no egg or bird necessary must be present e For murres an egg must be present no bird necessary or assumed presence of an incubating bird on two consecutive visits Use 10x40 binoculars or zoomable 15 45x or 15 60x spotting scopes to assess the status of each nest site i e the presence of egg s or chick s from the observation point Figure 4 On each visit attempt to determine the status of all nest sites and record it in a field notebook using the appropriate standardized code see pages 8 10 Figures 5 and 6 Record only what you saw and be sure to use the standardized codes exactly as instructed Weird and unpredictable things can happen during observations e g a chick falling from one nest to another a black legged kittiwake usurping a red legged kittiwake nest and brooding the stolen chick and you may want to describe eve
61. reum 9xeyiit p ote Zee pr OK IDOE toner PO tenons ee uoce ow couces me FALMIEET BOQ PALESU ne quie t weat fe communio su tpe pr C R fa osya cif xp uuo e wr prat PELE P oo VERT m coupoe g wq Ge BIO Rp BOCS pues fe ERE s paa ys uo EEE ot pier IPR coqe wesu s apis p conguuseq cab WOM jq Ocen uR s Dear 20 pur vo CBE ex cpe buoer aeq mpo pe MM 4 v CROWE DOG ps CUILE DEN COUPA to ps tme were cit IPIE AIA occu ez alts 00 ERE ox CPIE Np CI aeo Oop A vimada me CVbLLVT TELLEK tot cogee f germquiqgeq BLogncpatth Coqei prt ot pLogneparh Coge cor YTT 2becje2 t 7 t u Kreas rq poue duger sun bpeoo eG ars MM HITGIU IUe HSIU COU INCONWV MY 88431 1015 NY t T DVHI IMG COBbOBVLION SOPA boeeipje so muye 2psib jedipje Peq qsrs ju SUA Lewn E amp Epiv i egecknyuuowz BObATYLISH conn se aueq MIEL SUG jo eupsuce pe Mijcu MuSOG ASKG IT BIG U ING HSIU S nujdne sjj wesryet MUUA enusce ciespeq o y re BEReWOWG H 4 3 a e A Ledgenester productivity and phenology Kug O mesper t n ft m iori haac A donde ptolecr s RILDIAVRE S Wace BSocDALL D k E puoue i s 5 x OTO Vddieae ies nwe one WWE HERE S e VFT MEVIHEB MBILING bVbEH Figure 6 Example of data notebook with list of standardized productivity codes taped to the cover modifiers is similarly taped to the back cover 4 16
62. rly if a pipped egg is observed we assume it will hatch the following day and if a wet chick is seen we assume it hatched that day Productivity Reproductive success is calculated as the number of known fate nest sites that fledged a chick If a nest fails we keep track of what stage this happens pre laying egg or chick period Determination of the fate of eggs and chicks is not always straightforward because we visit nests only every 3 4 and sometimes up to 7 days As a result it is necessary to adopt some conventions for consistency in interpretation For murres incubating IP and brooding BP postures are used to imply an egg and chick respectively for productivity purposes but not as indicated above for phenology Because it is possible to misinterpret incubating postures we use the convention that a site had to have a bird in IP on at least 2 consecutive checks to assume the presence of an egg We consider brooding posture BP to be more distinctive than incubating posture therefore 1 BP is sufficient to designate the presence of a chick Unless you actually saw the chick departing the nest fledging is determined arbitrarily based on the age of the chick on the last date you saw it This is determined by calculating the egg period chick period and uncertainty periods for every nest The egg period is the number of days from the first definite observation of an egg or the first of 2 IPs for murres to the last d
63. ry detail and feel limited by the standardized list of codes and modifiers available However lengthy text explanations and comments tend to cause confusion later and cannot be interpreted by the database used to summarize the data Choose a code then and there and stick with it as the field biologist you are the only person who can make a decision about what you saw that day If you absolutely must record additional information about a nest you can enter text in the comments section of the data spreadsheet but keep in mind that this text is not used in any data summary so it should not contain any information pertinent to how the reproductive success data should be interpreted If you see an egg or a chick there are a few cases when you will need to record additional modifiers that provide more detailed information about the nest status list of standardized code modifiers For eggs record if you see an old egg clearly from last year Ely a broken crushed or otherwise dead egg Ed an egg ejected from the nest Ej or an egg pipping just before hatch Ep Similarly for chicks record if you see a chick in the actual act of hatching Co a chick still wet from having recently hatched Cw or dead chick Cd Although you should aim to see and record a known status egg chick or nothing for each nest each visit in general do not spend more than 1 5 hours per plot each visit Because you are limited to indirect observation and becaus
64. s at stakes 3 10 and 11 can be monitored with binoculars although some crews prefer using a scope at 10 and 11 A spotting scope is imperative at stakes 6 and 9 because these sites are monitored from a greater distance and at a higher elevation monitoring attempts are more susceptible to impediment by high winds or fog Many crews find it useful to stash a tripod and scope at stake 9 and stake 6 if monitoring at these sites is conducted on the same day by different observers see below Scopes and tripods left at the stakes should be stored inside a dry bag with a trash bag liner clipped to the stake and should not be put away wet Because of exposure and the greatest distance from vantage to plots the heaviest tripod and best scope presently the Pentax should be devoted to stake 9 A lower quality tripod and scope presently the Bushnell are adequate for stake 6 if a second set is to be stashed this frees up the Nikon scope for use at the cabin and during the raft count survey Stake 3 where the majority of plots occur is fairly sheltered and monitoring can be conducted in almost any weather Except late in the season or when failure rates are high ledgenester monitoring on Chowiet typically requires two full days by two people Plots at stakes 6 and 9 take the longest to complete At sites monitored with binoculars observers can scan large areas and quickly focus in on sites where the bird is stirring and likely to reveal contents Becaus
65. s based on sample sizes and species monitored at each plot however productivity monitoring in 2012 was typical of recent years and this table should be used as a guideline for future monitoring Stake Plot Black legged kittiwake ee pero 3 PO3M01 ya 3 PO3M02 3 PO3MO3 xa 3 PO3M04 ya 3 PO3M05 xa 3 PO3M06 X x 3 PO3MO7 xb 3 P03M13 X 3 P03M14 X 3 P0O3M15 X 3 PO3M16 X 3 PO3MJH1 x 3 PO3MJH2 X X 3 PO3MJH3 xe 3 PO3MJH4 X X 3 PO3MJW1 x 3 PO3B02 X 3 P03BO03 X 3 PO3BO4 X 3 P03B05 X 6 PO6B01 X 6 PO6B02 X 6 PO6B03 X 9 PO9MO1 X X 9 P09M03 X 9 P09MO4 X 9 P09B01 X 9 PO9B02 X 10 P10B02 X Total 10 10 12 7 after combined P03MO01 2 3 4 and 5 combined for analysis in 2012 P P03MO6 and 7 combined for analysis in 2012 PO3MJH1 and 3 combined for analysis in 2012 Regularly has small sample size but not conducive to combination with other plot 4 45 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St George Island Attachment E St George Island specifics includes Figure E1 and Table E1 PROCEDURE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO ST GEORGE Kittiwake and murre productivity and phenology at St George Island is monitored in several areas around the island Village Rosy Finch First Bluffs High Bluffs Zapadni and Red Bluffs see Figure E1 Within these areas some plots can be used for all four species whereas others have only one or two species present see Table E1 There are more potential productivity plots at St George than y
66. te in the Rain notebook two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed ultra fine tipped Sharpies for writing nest numbers on photos camera early in the season Equipment suggested Crazy creek chair lens cleaning supplies thermos of hot drink lots of snacks warm clothes 4 36 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Figure D1 Current waypoint names and locations of ledgenester stakes on Chowiet Island 4 37 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Left Side Chowiet Figure D2 Ledgenester productivity plots left side as seen from stake 3 Chowiet Island 2012 4 38 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Figure D3 Ledgenester productivity plots right side as seen from stake 3 Chowiet Island 2012 4 39 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Figure D4 Ledgenester productivity plots as seen from stake 6 Chowiet Island 2012 4 40 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island o a oO c amp L o z o lt Oo o o x S o E Oo tc o o o o o eo a gt 2 5 Oo 2 o Oo pus a p D g o D c o Oo oO LU Lo a o pus 2 o iL Ledgenester productivity and phenology at Chowiet Island Figure D6 Example of using zoomed in photographs to provide additional detail when monitoring birds on large or distant
67. tting the workload between three crew members is as follows Person 1 36A B 39 Person 2 37 38 45 Person 3 40 A B 46 Of course the above description is just a suggestion and can be adjusted based on the overall work load experience level and preferences of each observer Boom or Bust monitoring at Kittiwake Lane In order to get some idea of geographic differences in timing and success kittiwake productivity is also estimated on the north side of the island using the Boom or Bust procedure This method generates success parameters from a count of nests conducted early in the nesting period representing initial reproductive effort and then a count of visible large chicks conducted late in the nesting period representing success This method can provide a rough index of success but no phenology data Early in the kittiwake nesting period ideally when nest building is complete but before nests begin to fail count all nests for which you will later be able to determine the nest contents within several areas at KWL KWL is divided into 15 population plots the boundaries of which are marked on the cliff and documented on photo maps that are kept in the Photos Maps Pop Counts binder as well as on the camp laptop A fairly easy way to select an area to sample would be to count within the boundaries of a population plot often defined by large and obvious gullies up to a height at which you will be able to easily see the presence of ch
68. und on that date This code does not have to be used at the very beginning or end of the season before checks begin or after checks end for a particular nest 4 8 Ledgenester productivity and phenology Standardized Productivity Codes List of Modifiers Always use lowercase letters for modifiers See list of Important Rules to Follow for more details on correct use Modifiers to egg status codes Eo Egg lay observed Ep Egg pipped Ed Egg dead Ej Egg ejected Ely Egg last year Observer sees egg being laid used only when event was actually observed not simply suspected lay Hole in egg sometimes chick bill poking through hatch date determined to be following day Egg is obviously damaged or broken Egg once in a nest ejected outside the nest cup Egg assumed to be from last year from appearance or other evidence Modifiers to chick status codes Co Chick hatch Cw Chick wet Cd Chick dead Cf Chick fledged Additional clues to nest fate sh eggshells poop poop call chick calling Observer sees chick hatch used only when event was actually observed not for pipping observed eggs observations of newly hatched wet chicks or other reasons leading to suspected probable hatch Do not combine Co modifier with Cw see below if you observe a hatching event that results in a wet chick simply use Co to indicate hatch and not Cow Cwo Newly hatched wet chick observed indicates chick hatched that day but h
69. visibility minimal fog Wind and rain do not preclude work but do tend to make birds sit tighter and can make observations through optics problematic Equipment needed Binoculars spotting scope tripod murre productivity data recording sheet clipboard two pencils plot photos laminated or with clear plastic photo protectors with tops taped closed raincoat umbrella large dry bag with newspaper at the bottom Equipment suggested Crazy creek chair lens cleaning cloths thermos of hot drink lots of snacks extra clothing camera 4 50 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Lazaria Island Murre Observation Point Southwest Murre Cliff Colony Plots 1 9 Figure F1 Locations of ledgenester productivity plots and observation point at St Lazaria Island The red dashed line indicates the approximate route to the observation point from burrow nester plots 8 and 16 4 51 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Lazaria Island GERS LICHEN INCLUD ANYTHING ON UCHIN FACE E Figure F2 Plot boundaries of ledgenester productivity plots 1 9 on the Southwest Cliff at St Lazaria Island 4 52 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Lazaria Island Figure F3 Photo of ledgenester productivity plots observation point marked by rebar at St Lazaria Island 4 53 Ledgenester productivity and phenology at St Lazaria Island Figure F4 Photo showing ledgenester observation point and the

04 Ledgenester Productivity Protocol v1.4

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