Posted by Scott Leslie on March 4, 2007 at 3:46 PM
Has anyone here had any experience with spring photography on Monomoy NWR? What are the logitics etc. of getting a boat ride to the island? What about Morris Island? I'm specifically looking for breeding (or near breeding) plumage shots for Red Knot and Dunlin. Also interested in tern species, specifically Roseate and Least. Any suggestions or comments on best approach, best time, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I am not an avian expert and I will yield to others on specific advise for the breed of birds you are looking for and the timing. . . I can tell you that the island that was formed by the last big storm that re-arraigned Monomoy is South Beach. There is a shuttle boat that can get you out there and that leaves from Outermost Marine ( http://www.outermostharbor.com/ ). South Beachis very large and from the shuttle drop off point to the southern end is a matter of miles. I was out there a few years ago in August with Garth McElroy. The day started off with pea soup fog and progressed to a very hot sunny day. The day on the island was spectacular and Garth was shotting species that he did not have. The day Garth and I went out there they dropped people off at the regular shuttle point and then ran Garth and I down to a landing closer to the southern tip. They seemed to be flexible about where to drop people off so you should talk to them about that. Also there is a good chance that there may be restriction during nesting season for either parts of the island or the entire island.
I'm not sure when the shuttle will start running as it is seasonal and before the hieght of the season it might only run on weekends. You should probably talk to the folks at outermost marine and the Monomoy NWR before making plans. They will know of any restrictions, all the folks who offer shuttle service and the best timing. ( http://www.fws.gov/northeast/monomoy/ )
I believe Monomy is closed off during the breeding season. You won't be able to access any of the colonies (or even the island I think). You're pretty much going to run into that problem on roseate tern anywhere they breed. You may find some roosting on South Beach. Knots are way more common there in the fall than the spring but you might find a few.
Posted by Scott Leslie on March 5, 2007 at 9:43 PM
Thanks guys for the info. The link for outmostharbormarine was very helpful, Jim. South beach sounds like a neat place. I actually wasn't interested in going into a roseate colony (I have one here in NS that I have permission to visit), but was more interested in just getting shots of spring dunlin and red knot for a project. We get very few of either here in NS, especially in spring. What's that famous east coast spot where all the red knots are found in spring?
"The other group of North American breeders winters in small numbers along both coasts of North America, but the bulk of the population completes a long-distance migration to winter in southern South America. There are numerous Audubon Important Bird Areas (IBAs) that provide migration or wintering habitat for these Red Knots. These sites include the Delaware Coastal Zone IBA, where Red Knots and other shorebirds gather in the tens of thousands to feed on horseshoe crab eggs during the spring time; New York's Jamaica Bay Complex IBA, where 200-1,600 knots can be seen on migration; Florida's Lower Tampa Bay IBA, which hosts thousands of fall migrants and up to 2,000 wintering birds; and California's Pt. Pinole Area IBA, which is one of only three places on the Pacific Coast that has significant numbers of wintering Red Knot."
"For example, just as huge numbers of Red Knots are flying over the southern Atlantic in early May, thousands of horseshoe crabs are preparing to lay their eggs in coastal areas of the Delaware Bay. By mid-May, enormous flocks of Knots will arrive at Delaware Bay just as the Horseshoe Crabs have laid their eggs providing a huge meal for the voracious shorebirds. Upon arrival, the exhausted and depleted Red Knots weigh an average of only approximately 130 grams. Horseshoe crab eggs represent the large percentage of the Knots diet during their short stay at the Bay. By the time the Knots are ready to leave after just a few short days, they will weigh up to 200 to 230 grams."
Based on beach closings in New Jersey along Delaware Bay the Red Knots will be down near Cape May, NJ and along the shore of Delaware Bay north of Cape May. Check out this page:
You might want to go into the Mid-Atlantic forum and ask those guys about this as there are a large number of NPN folks who spend lots of time at Cape May, NJ.
Good luck!
Jim
Posted by Scott Leslie on March 6, 2007 at 9:27 AM
Discussion
5 repliesI am not an avian expert and I will yield to others on specific advise for the breed of birds you are looking for and the timing. . . I can tell you that the island that was formed by the last big storm that re-arraigned Monomoy is South Beach. There is a shuttle boat that can get you out there and that leaves from Outermost Marine ( http://www.outermostharbor.com/ ). South Beachis very large and from the shuttle drop off point to the southern end is a matter of miles. I was out there a few years ago in August with Garth McElroy. The day started off with pea soup fog and progressed to a very hot sunny day. The day on the island was spectacular and Garth was shotting species that he did not have. The day Garth and I went out there they dropped people off at the regular shuttle point and then ran Garth and I down to a landing closer to the southern tip. They seemed to be flexible about where to drop people off so you should talk to them about that. Also there is a good chance that there may be restriction during nesting season for either parts of the island or the entire island.
I'm not sure when the shuttle will start running as it is seasonal and before the hieght of the season it might only run on weekends. You should probably talk to the folks at outermost marine and the Monomoy NWR before making plans. They will know of any restrictions, all the folks who offer shuttle service and the best timing. ( http://www.fws.gov/northeast/monomoy/ )
Scott
Found this on the audobon website:
"The other group of North American breeders winters in small numbers along both coasts of North America, but the bulk of the population completes a long-distance migration to winter in southern South America. There are numerous Audubon Important Bird Areas (IBAs) that provide migration or wintering habitat for these Red Knots. These sites include the Delaware Coastal Zone IBA, where Red Knots and other shorebirds gather in the tens of thousands to feed on horseshoe crab eggs during the spring time; New York's Jamaica Bay Complex IBA, where 200-1,600 knots can be seen on migration; Florida's Lower Tampa Bay IBA, which hosts thousands of fall migrants and up to 2,000 wintering birds; and California's Pt. Pinole Area IBA, which is one of only three places on the Pacific Coast that has significant numbers of wintering Red Knot."
http://www.audubon2.org/webapp/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=173
"For example, just as huge numbers of Red Knots are flying over the southern Atlantic in early May, thousands of horseshoe crabs are preparing to lay their eggs in coastal areas of the Delaware Bay. By mid-May, enormous flocks of Knots will arrive at Delaware Bay just as the Horseshoe Crabs have laid their eggs providing a huge meal for the voracious shorebirds. Upon arrival, the exhausted and depleted Red Knots weigh an average of only approximately 130 grams. Horseshoe crab eggs represent the large percentage of the Knots diet during their short stay at the Bay. By the time the Knots are ready to leave after just a few short days, they will weigh up to 200 to 230 grams."
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring1998/critters/everywhere/Update021698.html
Based on beach closings in New Jersey along Delaware Bay the Red Knots will be down near Cape May, NJ and along the shore of Delaware Bay north of Cape May. Check out this page:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/beachcloz06map.htm
You might also find this info from Cornell University helpful as well. . .
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Knot_dtl.html#map
You might want to go into the Mid-Atlantic forum and ask those guys about this as there are a large number of NPN folks who spend lots of time at Cape May, NJ.
Good luck!
Jim
Scott