BREEDING BIRD SURVEYS WITHIN THE WHITTLESEY CREEK STUDY AREA, 1998-2001 AND RED CLIFF INDIAN RESERVATION, 1999-2001 BAYFIELD COUNTY, WISCONSIN
A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
AND RED CLIFF BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWAS
by:
|
Ted Gostomski |
Greg Fischer |
April 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Background
Objectives
Study AreaMETHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
APPENDICESSpecial thanks to the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, for their support and the substantial resources they contributed to this project. Greg Fischer included this bird work in his already-full schedule. Sean Charette and Tom Fratt of the Hatchery were very helpful in finding bird points at Red Cliff.
The University of Wisconsin Extension Service has provided staff the last two years for this project. Ryan Brady was the main organizer, birder, and volunteer coordinator for 2000. It wouldn't=t have happened without him. Carol Seago was the main point locator and data entry person for 2001. She was instrumental in making sure our points were easy to find.
The Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute was very helpful for several years by allowing Ted Gostomski to volunteer his time to count birds and help write this report. Renee White, Ted Gostomski=s student assistant, did an amazing job of data entry in 2000.
Our gratitude is endless for our volunteers Ryan Brady, Betsy Bartelt, Matt Welter, David Bratley, Phyllis Johnson, Matt Dallman, Ted Gostomski, Becky Sapper, and Katherine Hensch for conducting early morning bird counts. Northland College student Jeremy Ridlbauer helped tremendously with GIS work.
We thank the many private landowners who graciously let us survey birds on their land.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel who were involved included Mary Mitchell, who provided GIS maps; Steve Lewis and Jim Mattson, who provided technical assistance; Heidi Hagman who assisted in the field, with quality control and report writing; Gretchen Loeffler, Amber Ward and J.P. Pagel, who assisted in the field; Maureen Gallagher, who wrote grants and supervised the work in 1998 and 1999; and Randy Wilk, who organized the work in 1998.
Funding assistance was provided by several U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Challenge Cost Share grants, which are greatly appreciated.
Breeding bird monitoring surveys were conducted in the Whittlesey Creek, Sand River and Raspberry River watersheds in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. These Lake Superior tributaries and their associated coastal wetlands are important for fishery production in Lake Superior, and the adjacent riparian and upland woodlands are important for migratory birds. The Sand and Raspberry River watersheds include portions of the Red Cliff Indian Reservation, and the Whittlesey Creek watershed includes the newly established Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge. The point count method was used to conduct 353 songbird surveys, encompassing eight habitat types, in June 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Ninety-five songbird species were recorded within 100 meters of the survey points for all years combined and total number of birds counted was 4,145. Fifty-two percent of the songbirds recorded during point count surveys were neotropical migrants (birds that breed in North America and winter south of the U.S.). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 conservation priority species that were observed were Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, Golden-winged Warbler, LeConte=s Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Sedge Wren, and Wood Thrush. The most abundant species (those making up 50 percent of the total target birds counted for all years) in the Whittlesey watershed were Savannah Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Bobolink, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird, Sedge Wren, American Robin and Chestnut-sided Warbler. The most abundant species in the Red Cliff Study Area were Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, Least Flycatcher and American Robin.
Background
This report provides an update of the breeding bird surveys conducted on the Whittlesey Creek, Raspberry River and Sand River watersheds in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) began monitoring migratory songbirds in the Whittlesey Creek watershed and the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge in 1998. The information will be used to identify priority needs for migratory bird habitat protection and restoration. It will also assist in tracking progress toward refuge goals (Dryer 1999, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998 and Wilk 1998).
The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas (Red Cliff Band) has reservation lands that include portions of the Raspberry and Sand River watersheds. The Red Cliff Band initiated a breeding bird monitoring program, cooperatively with the Service, in 1999. The information will be used to identify natural resource conservation needs in these watersheds, both on and off Tribal lands.
The Lake Superior watershed of Bayfield County encompasses significant federal lands, including portions of the Chequamegon National Forest and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and these agencies have initiated breeding bird monitoring programs on their lands (Gostomski and Van Stappen 1997, Hanowski et al. 1999). Bird monitoring in Whittlesey, Sand and Raspberry watersheds will add to the existing body of knowledge about the Lake Superior watershed.
Objectives
The objectives of bird monitoring for the Whittlesey Creek project are:
1) To obtain baseline breeding bird information;
2) To identify species composition and habitats used by neotropical and short-distance migrants and resident species in the project area;
3) To determine response of species= populations to habitat restoration in the project area;
4) To provide additional information to the growing international database that will assist in determining population trends for these species with changes in land use and habitat availability.
The work described in this report contributed to meeting objectives 1, 2 and 4. A more detailed monitoring study will need to be designed to meet objective 3.
The objectives of bird monitoring for the Red Cliff project are:
1) To collect baseline breeding bird information in the Sand and Raspberry River watersheds.
2) To allow the Red Cliff Band to relate watershed restoration efforts to breeding bird abundance in the Raspberry and Sand Rivers as monitoring of these species continues in future years.
3) To combine the information with other breeding bird information obtained on the Bayfield peninsula and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The information will contribute to that collected by other agencies in the area to follow abundance trends in different habitats.
This work will contribute to meeting all objectives, but objective 2 will require a more detailed study design after two or three years of monitoring data have been collected.
Study Area
The two study areas are located in the Lake Superior drainage in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Details about the study areas were described in Dryer (1999).
Bird populations were monitored using the point count protocol established by the Service for Region 3 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1994), which is similar to the methods presented in Ralph et al. (1995). The method requires the establishment of permanent points from which bird surveys are repeated annually. Point count selection was described in Dryer (1999).
Surveys are conducted from established points. All species seen or heard within a 100 meter radius from each point during a 10-minute count are recorded. Birds that fly over are also recorded, but are noted separately. Additional observations within close proximity of the sampling radii are also noted. Flyovers and observations outside the radii are added to the total species list, but are not included in the results or analysis. The counts are conducted between one-half hour before sunrise to about three hours after sunrise. A count is conducted once at each point, between June 10 and June 30. The point count surveys were conducted by Service personnel, Tribal personnel and volunteers. All surveyors had to be capable of identifying at least 95 percent of the birds by sight and song.
The analysis for this report is descriptive only. Trends will be evaluated after five years of data have been collected. The data reported includes only target species (songbirds) counted within the 100 m point count radii. Non-target species (ducks, herons, geese, terns, gulls) were excluded from the analysis, but are listed in Appendices A and B.
Three hundred fifty three surveys were conducted on 109 points between 1998 and 2001; 55 points at Whittlesey and 54 at Red Cliff. A total of 4,145 individuals of 95 species were recorded within point count radii in all years combined (Table 1 and Appendix B). When we include species that were seen or heard outside of the counting radius, were heard on the way to or from points, or were non-target species, 136 species were seen or heard during the bird counts for all years combined (Appendix A). Abundance of individuals was highest in emergent wetland and grassland habitat types, but the largest number of species was found in mixed forest and upland shrub habitat types.
The most common species in the Whittlesey Creek watershed included grassland (Savannah Sparrow and Bobolink), wetland (Red-winged Blackbird and Sedge Wren), woodland (Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird and American Robin) shrubland (Chestnut-sided Warbler) and one generalist (American Robin) species (Table 2). The most common species in Red Cliff included mostly woodland species (Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler and Least Flycatcher), one generalist species (American Robin) and one wetland species (Red-winged Blackbird) (Table 3).
A list of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 conservation priority species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2002) found in the study areas is provided in Table 4. The Service designates priority species as a means to allocate limited resources toward most critical fish and wildlife needs.
Table 1. Number of points surveyed, total species and individuals counted per site and year.
Whittlesey
Red Cliff
Combined
Year
1998
1999
2000
2001
1999
2000
2001
No. Surveys
43
50
55
52
54
54
45
353
Species Totals 52 63
64
56
62
58
49
95
No. of Individuals 0-5 Min.
460
496
558
483
438
450
349
32345-10 Min. 95
157
153
138
153
106
109
911
Total1 555
653
711
621
591
556
458
4145
Mean Birds/Point
12.9
13.1
12.9
11.9
10.9
10.3
10.2
11.7
1. Totals are only those counted within the 100 m point count radii.
Table 2. Species making up - 50% of the total birds counted for all years, Whittlesey Creek Watershed
Species
(Total No. of Birds)Mean Birds/Survey
All YearsMean
1998 1999 2000 2001 Savannah Sparrow (333)
7.1
8.0
6.6
8.9
4.8
Red-winged Blackbird (219)
4.4
4.4
3.3
5.4
4.1
Bobolink (216)
5.0
6.8
6.0
3.5
4.3
Red-eyed Vireo (160)
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.3
1.4
Ovenbird (154)
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.6
1.8
Sedge Wren (83)
2.2
3.4
2.4
1.3
2.6
American Robin (72)
0.7
0.5
0.9
0.8
0.7
Chestnut-sided Warbler (72)
0.9
0.6
0.6
1.0
1.5
Table 3. Species making up - 50% of the total birds counted for all years, Red Cliff Project Area.
Species
(Total No. of Birds)Mean Birds/Survey
All YearsMean
1999 2000 2001 Ovenbird (343)
2.7
2.7
2.8
2.8
Red-eyed Vireo (195)
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.3
Black-throated Green Warbler (116)
1.2
1.2
1.1
1.2
Red-winged Blackbird (72)
3.4
4.0
2.5
4.0
Least Flycatcher (67)
1.5
1.8
1.3
1.3
American Robin (66)
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.6
Table 4. Species making up - 50% of the total birds counted for all years, both units combined.
Species (Total No. of Birds)
Mean Birds/Point
All YearsOvenbird (498)
2.3
Red-eyed Vireo (359)
1.5
Savannah Sparrow (346)
6.7
Red-winged Blackbird (291)
4.1
Bobolink (232)
4.7
American Robin (146)
0.7
Black-throated Green Warbler (130)
1.1
Least Flycatcher (120)
1.2
Table 5. List1 of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Conservation Priority Species for Region 3.
Species
(Total Individuals, all years)Study Area where counted
Black-throated Blue Warbler (8)
Red Cliff
Bobolink (232)
Both
Eastern Meadowlark (11)
Both
Field Sparrow (5)
Whittlesey
Golden-winged Warbler (1)
Red Cliff
LeConte=s Sparrow (7)
Both
Northern Flicker (36)
Both
Sedge Wren (106)
Both
Wood Thrush (2)
Both
1 Target species within point count only
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Species of concern to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including Region 3 Resource Conservation Priority species (Table 5) and neotropical migrants (Appendix A) are found at both Red Cliff and Whittlesey. Forty-nine species (52 percent of all species) recorded during point count surveys are neotropical migrants. Of the Resource Conservation Priority species shown in Table 5, Bobolink and Sedge Wren are common species within their habitat type. These species are especially important to continue monitoring over the next few years and would be used as a guide for habitat conservation and restoration work for the Fish and Wildlife Service within the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge and watershed.
We recommend that point counts continue at the Whittlesey Creek study areas for one more year and that trends then be evaluated. It might be most efficient to focus on one or two habitat types in the future and increase the number of points in a habitat type. We also recommend that the riparian areas along Whittlesey Creek be surveyed.
The data collected for three years at Red Cliff is beginning to identify some interesting trends which may be useful for future planning. For example, the highest number of bird species overall was found in mixed forest and upland shrub habitats, while the greatest number of birds per point was in emergent wetland habitats. This information may be useful when planning forest cuts or development areas in the future. While this data set is only useful now for determining bird diversity and abundance, we anticipate developing long-term monitoring programs based on this data. It is apparent in the existing data that the Sand and Raspberry River watershed areas are more conducive to different species such as neotropical warblers than the Whittlesey Creek area and that this data could serve as an important monitoring tool for certain species and habitats in the Bayfield Peninsula.
We recommend that Red Cliff continue this survey for at least two more years and then reevaluate the data to develop some baseline points for specific species and habitat types. A five year data set will help to establish baseline data in the Sand and Raspberry River watersheds (see objectives number one). We also recommend that sites be revisited periodically after that, such as on a three to five year basis to track differences in species or numbers along with habitat changes. In the future, the Red Cliff Band may want to expand the survey to include other watersheds and areas, especially where habitat manipulation and restoration efforts are occurring or planned.
We should consider compiling this data cooperatively with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service to track population trends for the Bayfield peninsula.
REFERENCES
American Ornithologists� Union (AOU). 1998. Checklist of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists� Union, Washington, D.C.
Dryer, P. 1999. Breeding Bird Surveys within the Whittlesey Creek Watershed, 1998-1999 and Red Cliff Indian Reservation, 1999, Bayfield County, Wisconsin. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashland, WI.
Gostomski, T.J. and J.F. Van Stappen. 1997. Apostle Island National Lakeshore 1997 breeding bird survey. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Bayfield, WI.
Hanowski, J.M., G.F. Niemi, R.Y. Hawrot and A.R. Lima. 1999. Breeding bird monitoring in Great Lakes National Forests: 1991-1998. Report to Chequamegon/Nicolet, Chippewa and Superior National Forests. Natural Resource Research Institute, Duluth, MN. NRRI/TR-99/2.
Ralph, C.J., Sauer, J.R., and S. Droege, technical editors. 1995. Monitoring bird populations by point counts. U.S. Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-149. Albany, CA, U.S. Dept. of Ag., Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 187 pp.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2002. Fish and wildlife resource conservation priorities, Region 3, Vesion 2.0. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, MN.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge environmental assessment and interim comprehensive conservation plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, MN.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Interim guidelines for monitoring birds on national wildlife refuge system lands using the point count method. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, MN.
Wilk, R.J. 1998. Habitat and occurrence of breeding birds near a proposed national wildlife refuge at Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, 1998. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashland, WI.
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