Chesapeake Bay News

The recent colonial shorebird census compiled by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources found 1,042 nesting brown pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis) pairs in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest number in recorded history.

“Pelicans are relatively new to the bay ecosystem, and not something that Captain John Smith would have seen during his historic explorations,” explained DNR biologist Dave Brinker. “Climate change - warmer weather and milder, shorter winters - may be encouraging pelicans to expand their northernmost Atlantic Coast habitat into the Chesapeake Bay.”

DNR biologist Dave Brinker discovered Maryland’s first-ever recorded nesting pair of brown pelicans 1987. Every summer since then, Brinker has lead teams of biologists and volunteers to band 95 percent (more than 18,000) of the pelican chicks raised in the bay’s isolated islands. From just five known nesting pairs in 1987, the number of brown pelican pairs in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay grew to 141 in 1999 and 1,042 in 2008.

Weighing just 8 to 10 pounds, a brown pelican’s 6 1/2 foot to 7 1/2 foot wingspan enables it to travel hundreds of miles every year. Brown pelicans from the mid-Atlantic population are believed to be the most migratory of the species, with Maryland as the northernmost state with successful nesting pairs. Brown pelicans arrive in the Chesapeake Bay to nest and breed beginning in mid-March. After spending the summer feeding on menhaden, shad and other fish, the migratory birds leave the Chesapeake for warmer winter weather in Florida and northern Central America.

“If you see pelicans, do not feed them,” urged Brinker. “Feeding pelicans and other migratory birds distracts them from their natural migration behavior, which can be deadly for pelicans.”

Last month, the Maryland Commission on Climate Change appointed by Governor Martin O’Malley released a Climate Action Plan that detailed the effects of global warming facing our state and recommended actions to protect Maryland’s people, land, and investments from rising sea levels and changing weather patterns. Under the O’Malley/Brown Administration, Maryland is reducing global warming pollution through: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; the Clean Cars Act; EMPOWER Maryland; increasing Renewable Portfolio Standards; enacting living shorelines requirements; strengthening the Critical Areas Act to protect sensitive shorelines; adopting new green building standards for public buildings and investing in green technology for schools; transitioning the state’s fleet to hybrid buses; fully funding land conservation programs; improving mass transit options; and encouraging smart growth in BRAC development zones. For more information visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/dnrnews/infocus/climatechange.html.

source: DNR press release

Each winter, pilots and biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) count ducks, geese and swans along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline and Atlantic coast as part of the Midwinter Waterfowl Survey.

During January of 2008, biologists observed a total of 821,500 waterfowl, which represents a substantial increase from counts during the mild winters of 2006 and 2007.

“When pooled with results from other states, the Midwinter Waterfowl Survey provides a long-term measure of the distribution and population size of waterfowl species wintering in the Atlantic Flyway,” said Paul Peditto, Director of DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service. “More typical winter weather lead to higher numbers recorded for several species this year.”

The most notable increase was large numbers of mallards and blackducks. Other increased populations included redheads, scaup and canvasbacks.

The Midwinter Waterfowl Survey is conducted at the same time each winter in every state in the Atlantic Flyway, from Maine to Florida. Most of the Maryland’s tidewater waterfowl habitats were surveyed between January 4 and 10, but Bloodsworth and South Marsh Islands were not completed until January 23.

source: MD-DNR press release

Osprey Adventure

By Jennifer Keats Curtis

Illustrated by Marcy Dunn Ramsey

This children’s book tells the story of a father, son and an osprey family that live on the Chesapeake Bay. The story is based on the work of a real hero, Pete McGowan, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Chesapeake Bay Field Office biologist, who has studied osprey for years. He believes that half or more of all osprey nests on the bay and surrounding rivers contain fishing lines, or similar cordage material.This story describes a problem that affects these well-known birds of prey. Fortunately, ospreys are making a comeback after being nearly eradicated by pesticides in the 1970s, but fishing line, balloon ribbons and other types of trash have become serious threats to the well-being of chicks and adults.

The book does a good job of introducing the young reader to the idea of stewardship, depicting how the actions of humans impact the environment. The story also explains how the public can help, while pointing out that we should leave the direct interaction of animals to properly trained specialists.

Osprey Adventure
By Jennifer Keats Curtis
Illustrated by Marcy Dunn Ramsey
$13.95 Tidewater Publishers
Available at area bookstores and independent retailers and online via Amazon Books or the Tidewater Publishers website.

This gallery has images of several types of Chesapeake Bay birds.

Great White Heron

A Shorebird Forages on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

Osprey

A Brown Pelican

Pelicans on The Beach

Young Gull