Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge

MARSH, WATERBIRDS, SHOREBIRDS, GULLS, TERNS, and ALLIED SPECIES

color pencil illustration of American coot & chick by Patsy renz
color pencil illustration of killdeer by Patsy Renz Although formal censuses for marsh and waterbird species were not conducted off of Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in 2002, staff commonly record observations of these birds throughout the Wetland Management District (WMD). Many representatives of this bird category nest on remote wetlands, traditionally from year to year. Spring migration signals the return of these species to the northern prairies. Staff recorded arrival dates for all species within this category. They are listed below.

	DATE	SPECIES	NUMBER	LOCATION
	02/22/02	Sandhill crane	1	8 miles SE of Steele
	03/17/03	Ring-billed gull	10	Long Lake - Headquarters
	03/18/03	California gull	1	Long Lake - Fishing Area
	03/18/03	Herring gull	several	Long Lake - Fishing Area
	03/22/03	Killdeer	2	West of Wollmuth Residence
	03/25/03	Long-billed dowithcher	6	Kidder County
	03/26/03	Great blue heron	1	Long Lake - A Dike
	03/29/03	Glaucous gull, *	6	Long Lake NWR
	03/30/03	Sandhill crane	6	Kidder/Stutsman Co. line
	04/01/03	American coot	4	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/07/03	American pelican	5	Long Lake - Unit I
	04/08/02	Sandhill crane	37	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/08/03	Double-crested cormorant	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/09/02	Great blue heron	1	Long Lake - A Dike
	04/10/02	American coot	13	Long Lake - G-11
	04/10/03	Franklin's gull	1	Long Lake - A Dike
	04/12/02	Eared grebe	1	Long Lake - G-12
	04/12/02	Western grebe	1	Long Lake - G-12
	04/12/02	Double-crested cormorant	1	Tappen Slough WMA
	04/13/03	Pied-billed grebe	2	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/13/03	Marbled godwit	1	Mary Lane's
	04/13/03	Lesser yellowlegs	3	Bailey's
	04/14/02	White-faced ibis	1	Long Lake - West end
	04/15/02	Pied-billed grebe	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/15/02	American white pelican	2	YMCA WPA
	04/15/03	Western grebe	2	Long Lake - B Dike
	04/17/02	Black-crowned night-heron	1	Long Lake - G-12
	04/17/02	Sandhill crane (partial albino)	1	1 mile S of John Leier's
	04/18/02	Cattle egret	1	Long Lake - A Dike
	04/19/03	Cattle egret	1	Moffit Road
	04/19/03	American avocet	3	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/19/03	Baird's sandpiper	1	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/19/03	Greater yellowlegs	3	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/19/03	Semipalmated sandpiper	6	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/22/03	Willet	2	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/22/03	Horned grebe	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	04/23/03	White-faced ibis	1	Long Lake - Fishing Area
	04/24/03	Common loon*	1	Alkaline Lake
	04/25/03	Forester's tern	1	Long Lake - B Dike
	04/25/03	Red knot*	1	Small WPA
	04/25/03	Hudsonian godwit	8	N. of Long Lake NWR
	04/25/03	Black-bellied plover	1	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/25/03	Least sandpiper	7	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/25/03	Short-billed dowitcher	11	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	04/29/03	Eared grebe	1	Long Lake - Unit III
	04/30/02	Horned grebe	10	Long Lake - C Dike
	04/30/02	Snowy egret	1	Long Lake - Stone House
	05/01/03	Sanderling	1	Long Lake - B Dike
	05/01/03	Wilson's phalarope	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	05/03/03	White-rumped sandpiper	5	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
	05/05/03	Black-crowned night-heron	1	4 miles W. of Steele
	05/05/03	American bittern	1	Long Lake - Stone House
	05/06/03	Spotted sandpiper	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	05/06/03	Wilson's snipe	1	Long Lake - Headquarters
	05/07/03	Upland sandpiper	1	East of Long Lake NWR
	05/12/03	Comon tern	2	Long Lake - Headquarters
	05/12/03	Reddy turnstone	1	Long Lake - Unit II
	05/12/03	Red-necked grebe	1	Tappen Slough WMA
	05/13/02	Sora	1	Long Lake - SE side
	05/14/03	Sora	1	East Lost Lake WDA
	05/14/03	Thayer's gull, *	1	Long Lake - Stone House
	05/15/02	Virginia Rail	1	Long Lake - G-20
	05/15/03	Clark's grebe	3	Long Lake - B Dike
	05/15/03	Black tern	1	Long Lake - Unit I
05/16/02	American bittern	1	Sisco-Fallgatter WPA
05/16/03	Dunlin	4	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
05/16/03	Red-necked phalarope	14	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
05/16/03	Stilt sandpiper	62	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
05/16/03	Black-necked stilt	2	McKenzie Slough
05/20/02	Clark's grebe	1	Long Lake - Unit I
05/23/02	Little blue heron	1	Long Lake - G-18b
05/24/02	Common loon*	2	New John's Lake
05/24/03	Snowy egret	1	Dead Buffalo Lake
06/09/03	Virginia Rail	1	Long Lake - Unit II Marsh
06/09/03	Least bittern*	1	Horsehead Lake
06/16/03*	Black-necked stilt***	2	Mckenzie Slough
07/04/03*	Snowy plover	1	Pettibone I-94 Exit
07/12/03	Great egret	1	Long Lake - Stone House
07/17/03	Pectoral sandpiper	56	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
07/24/03	Semipalmated plover	2	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
08/09/03*	Caspian tern	1	Long Lake NWR
08/10/03	American golden-plover	1	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
08/10/03	Buff-breasted sandpiper	5	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
08/10/03	Solitary sandpiper	12	Long Lake NWR -W. ISS Rt.
08/21/02	Great egret	4	Long Lake - Fishing Area
09/16/03	Jaeger sp. (likely a Parasitic)	1	Long Lake - B Dike
10/31/03*	Bonaparte's gull	3	Apple Creek Road
10/31/03*	Lesser black-backed gull	2	Bismarck Landfill
10/31/03*	Mew gull	1	Bismarck Landfill

*These were observations reported to Refuge staff by visitors; only recorded because these species were not seen in 2002-2003 by staff.
**This was the first known sighting of this species on the Refuge.
***First recorded breeding pair in North Dakota.

COLONIAL WATERBIRD SURVEY

On July 2, 2002, Refuge staff conducted an informal survey of waterbird colonies on Kleppe Lang WPA and the adjacent contiguous water known locally as “DeWald Slough”. Two colonies were located and their perimeters mapped using GPS equipment. Colony #1 was 14.9 acres in size and located almost entirely within the WPA boundary. Colony #2 was 6.8 acres in size and located entirely on private land. The below narrative summarizes the waterbird and vegetative species makeup of each colony.

Colony 1

Survey Period: 1630-1730

Species Present (8)
Forster’s Tern = high abundance of this species within color pencil illustration of Franklin Gull by Patsy Renz the colony (all other species abundance measures are relative to the Forster’s Tern which was the most abundant species in the colony)
White-faced Ibis = low abundance (4 breeding pairs)
Franklin’s Gull = moderate abundance
Western Grebe = low abundance
Horned Grebe = low abundance
Eared Grebe = moderate abundance
Black Tern = low abundance
Clark’s Grebe = low abundance

- both waterbird eggs and nestlings were present in this colony........................................................................Franklin Gull © Patsy Renz

Vegetative Species Composition: bulrush (Scirpus spp.), cattail (Typha spp.), common reed grass (Phragmites australis)
- no submergent vegetation was present
- amount of living vegetation was greater than the amount of dead (residual) vegetation
- density of the colony’s emergent vegetation was DENSE, rather than moderate, or low

Colony 2

Survey Period: 1800-1945

Species Present (6)
Black-crowned Night-Heron = high abundance of this species within the colony (all other species abundance measures are --------------------------------------relative to the Black-crowned Night-Heron which was the most abundant species in the colony) color pencil illustration of snowy egret by Patsy Renz
White-faced Ibis* = moderate abundance (7 breeding pairs)
Cattle Egret = high abundance (nearly equal in abundance to the BCNH)
Western Grebe = low abundance
Forster’s Tern = low abundance
Snowy Egret* = low abundance (4 breeding pairs)

- both waterbird eggs and nestlings were present in this colony

Vegetative Species Composition: bulrush (Scirpus spp.), common reed grass (Phragmites australis) ................snowy egret
- pondweed (Potamogeton spp.) was the dominant submergent vegetation present ........................................................© Patsy Renz
- amount of living vegetation was equal to the amount of dead (residual) vegetation
- density of the colony’s emergent vegetation was DENSE, rather than moderate, or low

*Because of the rarity of these species, an actual determination of breeding pair numbers was attempted

SANDHILL CRANE SUBSPECIES DETERMINATION

During the months of September and October, Refuge staff sampled hunter-harvested sandhill cranes throughout the WMD. This was done in cooperation with the N.D. Game & Fish Department in order to help determine which subspecies of sandhill crane are being harvested throughout the state (a more restrictive crane season was offered for the first time in 2001 on the east side of Hwy. 281). The lesser (Grus canadensis canadensis) and Canadian (Grus canadensis rowani) subspecies are the most abundant members of the mid-continent population, whereas the greater (Grus canadensis tabida) subspecies has a much smaller population size and is not a target of Great Plains states’ hunting seasons. When freshly harvested cranes were obtained, they were weighed, sexed by internal organ examination, and structural measurements were made on the wing, tarsus, and culmen of adult individuals. Subspecies designations were assigned to each individual after comparing measurements of wing chord, tarsus length, and culmen length (based on information presented in Johnson and Stewart [1973] Wilson Bulletin 85:148-162). In 2002, a total of 44 cranes were examined, including 19 from Kidder County and 25 from Burleigh County. Only 4 of the sampled birds were juveniles. In 2003, a total of 19 cranes were examined, including 12 from Kidder County and 7 from Burleigh County. Five of the sampled birds were juveniles. Below are mean weights and morphometric measurements of sample cranes in 2003 and from 2001 - 2002.

Subspecies, Age, & Sex		Mean Weight (g)			Mean Wing Chord (mm)			Mean Tarsus (mm)			Mean Culmen (mm)
		2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003
Lesser

	Ad. Male	3774	3692	3531	468	456	455	190	189	181	77	75	73
		(n=18)	(n=23)	(n=4)	(n=18)	(n=23)	(n=4)	(n=18)	(n=23)	(n=4)	(n=18)	(n=23)	(n=4)

	Ad. Fem.	3223	3169	3225	440	433	440	176	176	178	71	72	70
		(n=10)	(n=13)	(n=8)	(n=10)	(n=13)	(n=8)	(n=10)	(n=13)	(n=8	(n=10)	(n=13)	(n=8)

Canadian

	Ad. Male	-	4875	4950	-	510	515	-	242	242	-	77	92
			(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)

	Ad. Fem.	-	4400	3800	-	496	486	-	288	215	-	80	90
			(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1		(n=1)	(n=1)

*Inconclusive*

	Ad. Male	-	5125	-	-	502	-	-	241	-	-	74	-
			(n=1)			(n=1)			(n=1)			(n=1)

	Ad. Fem.	3850	3950	-	480	453	-	204	208	-	76	77	-
		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)		(n=1)	(n=1)

	Juv. Male	2917	3225	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
		(n=3)	(n=2)

	Juv. Fem.	3313	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
		(n=2)

	Juv. Unk.	-	2775	3350	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
			(n=2)	(n=5)

color pencil illustration of sandhill cranes by Patsy Renz

Analysis of sandhill crane structural measurements and weights was completed by Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. This year’s results show that 12 of 14 adult cranes (86%) are of the lesser subspecies, whereas two are of the Canadian subspecies. 2002's results show that 36 of 40 adult cranes (90%) are of the lesser subspecies, two are of the Canadian subspecies, and two are inconclusive (intermediate between lesser and Canadian measurements). Results from 2001 show that 28 of 29 adult cranes (96.5%) are of the lesser subspecies. Results of the remaining adult are inconclusive as to whether the bird is of the lesser or Canadian sub-species (n=3) or cinfirmed Canadian sub-species (n=2). All of the birds in Long Lake WMD’s 2001 and 2002 samples were likely using Long Lake as their roost site; however, in 2003, four of the sampled birds were not roosting on Long Lake, but rather Horsehead Lake or Bird Lake (Kidder Co.). Two of these four birds were adults, and both were classified as Canadians. Interestingly, a sample of 61 migrant sandhill cranes collected from the Horsehead Lake (located approximately 25 miles NE of Long Lake) area in 1970 and 1971 by D. H. Johnson and R. E. Stewart was comprised of 52 Canadians, 7 greater's, and only 2 lesser's. The lesser sandhill crane is the most northern of the subspecies and breeds on the Arctic tundra of northwestern Canada, Alaska, and northeastern Siberia. Breeding populations pf the Canadian subspecies favor the boreal forest and aspen parklands of west-central Canada.

SHOREBIRDS, GULLS, TERNS, and ALLIED SPECIES

color pencil illustration of spotted sandpiper by Patsy Renz

Aside from annual piping plover censuses and Long Lake NWR work, staff do not conduct formal surveys for shorebirds, gulls, terns, or allied species. Representatives of this category seem extremely susceptible to avian botulism and generally represent 30-70% of the birds picked up during disease patrol work, the variability depending on wetland characteristics. The species most commonly observed throughout the Wetland Management District (WMD) are killdeer, American avocet, ring-billed gull, and Franklin’s gull. Assorted sandpiper species, dowitchers, Wilson’s phalarope, and yellowlegs are especially abundant during the spring and fall migrations.

BREEDING SHOREBIRD SURVEY

This survey was designed by the Region 6 HAPET Office, in order to sample wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region with the goals of (1) evaluating landscape-level habitat use by breeding shorebirds, (2) dete color pencil illustration of a marbled godwit by Patsy Renz rmining if shorebird detection and inferred habitat relationships are influenced by roadside versus intensive walk-in surveys, and (3) establishing baseline data for estimating populations and population trends. Target species included the marbled godwit, willet, Wilson’s phalarope, and American avocet. Refuge staff assisted in obtaining landowner permission and conducting surveys. Within Long Lake’s WMD, 156 wetland basins were sampled (May 20 - June 30). Seventy-three (47%) of the 156 basins contained water at the time of sampling and 24 marbled godwits, 13 willets, 226 Wilson’s phalaropes, and 13 American avocets were detected......................................................

INTERNATIONAL SHOREBIRD SURVEYS

With the help of volunteers from the Bismarck-Mandan Bird Club, shorebird surveys were conducted on the Refuge. Data from these surveys was forwarded to Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and included in the International Shorebird Survey database. Two survey routes exist on the Refuge. One encompasses the western 1/3 of the Refuge (West Route), whereas the other encompasses the eastern 2/3 of the Refuge (East Route). Surveys were conducted at approximately 10-day intervals during the spring (April 1 - June 10) and fall (July 11 - October 31) migration periods. Because of the good access of the West Route, it was surveyed during every 10-day interval, oftentimes by volunteer birders. Conversely, the East Route had limited viewing areas, several of which were inaccessible for much of the survey period because of poor roads; therefore, this route was not surveyed at any time during 2003.

Species Observed During 2002 Surveys

1. American avocet	2. American golden-plover	3. Baird's sandpiper	4. black-bellied plover*
5. buff-breasted sandpiper**	6. Common Snipe	7. Dunlin*	8. Hudsonian Godwit*
9. greater yellowlegs	10. killdeer	11. least sandpiper	12. lesser yellowlegs
13. long-billed dowitcher	14. marbled godwit	15. pectoral sandpiper	16. piping plover
17. red-necked phalarope*	18. sanderling	19. semipalmated plover	20. semipalmated sandpiper
21. short-billed dowitcher*	22. solitary sandpiper	23. spotted sandpiper	24. stilt sandpiper
25. upland sandpiper	26. white-rumped sandpiper	27. willet	28. Wilson's phalarope

Species Observed During 2003 Surveys

1. American avocet	2. American golden-plover**	3. Baird's sandpiper	4. black-bellied plover*
5. buff-breasted sandpiper**	6. dunlin*	7. greater yellowlegs	8. killdeer
9. least sandpiper	10. lesser yellowlegs	11. long-billed dowitcher	12. marbled godwit
13. pectoral sandpiper**	14. piping plover	15. red-necked phalarope*	16. ruddy turnstone*
17. sanderling	18. semipalmated plover	19. semipalmated sandpiper	20. sort-billed dowitcher
21. solitary sandpiper**	22. spotted sandpiper	23. stilt sandpiper	24. upland sandpiper
25. white-rumped sandpiper	26. willet	27. Wilson's phalarope	28. Wilson's snipe

Species in bold text are documented breeders on Long Lake NWR. Species observed only during the spring period. *Species observed only during the fall period.

color pencil illustration of willet by Patsy Renz

In 2002, Long Lake was almost entirely in an open water phase. Preferred shorebird habitat was limited because of the high water conditions, but did increase throughout the dry spring. When survey totals from West and East routes are combined, 27 species were observed. Twenty-six species were observed in the spring of 2001. A total of 8,979 shorebirds were tallied, with 7,848 of these being identified to a particular species. The remaining 1,042 were comprised of peeps (unidentified sandpipers), unknown shorebird species, and dowitcher species. This color pencil illustration of Wilson's phalarope by Patsy Renz

color pencil illustration of Wilson's phalarope by Patsy Renz

compares to 9,360 shorebirds tallied during the spring 0f 2001. Similar to 2001, Wilson's phalaropes were the most abundant species (4,924). Lesser yellowlegs were the second most abundant species (1,141). The killdeer was the most frequently observed species, followed by the marbled godwit/Wilson's phalarope (tie), and the lesser yellowlegs/willet (tie), respectively. The mean number of shorebirds recorded during each survey of the West Route in 2002 was 809, compared to 1,021 in 2001. The East Route was surveyed only once in the spring of 2002, for a total of 3,314.

A continued dry summer left Long Lake in a more shorebird-friendly state than it has been in a long time. Unit II Marsh was more than 80% dry for the majority of the summer and early fall. When survey totals from both routes are combined, 23 species were observed; exactly the same as in 2001. A total of 14,008 shorebirds were tallied, with 7,532 of these being identified to a particular species. The remaining 6,476 were comprised of peeps, unknown shorebird species, and dowitcher species. This compares to 14,977 shorebirds tallied during the fall of 2001. Similar to the spring survey period, Wilson’s phalaropes were the most abundant species (2,837), followed closely by the American avocet (2,629). However, dowitchers, which could not always be identified as long- or short-billed (often recorded as dowitcher spp.) were actually more abundant than any other single species, tallying 5,246 when long- and short-billed were combined. Dowitchers were observed during all 13 fall surveys, along with American avocets and killdeer. The mean number of shorebirds recorded during each survey of the West Route was 1,145, compared to a mean of 705 for the East Route (based on only two surveys). The survey means for the West and East Routes in 2001, were 610 and 1,378, respectively.

Shorebird Diversity

West Route surveys will annually be completed an identical number of times during both the spring and fall survey periods; therefore, differences in shorebird diversity can be compared between years and further compared during each migration period (spring and fall) between years, using Simpson’s Diversity Index (SDI). The SDI takes into account the number and abundance of species in a given area. The higher the value, the greater the species diversity. Because accessibility is an issue concerning the East Route, it will probably not be surveyed an identical number of times in successive years; therefore, the SDI will not be calculated for this route. Only shorebirds that were positively identified to species are included in the calculation of this index. Below are the SDI results for 2002 and 2001.

West Route	2002	2001

Spring Species Total	27	26
Spring SDI	00.4978*	00.5523*
Fall Species Total	22**	23
Fall SDI	00.6966*	00.8013*

Total Species	28	28
*Overall SDI*	00.6491	00.7117

* Note that spring and fall diversity levels are not being compared to one another, because spring and fall survey periods are of different lengths and do not facilitate comparison.
** Although 23 species were observed in the fall of 2002, one (upland sandpiper) was only observed on the East Route, and therefore, not included in SDI calculations.

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Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
12000 353rd St. SE
Moffit, North Dakota 58560-9704
Phone: 701-387-4397
E-mail: longlake@fws.gov