Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs today!!!

We had a great last field trip to Mispillion Inlet and the DuPont Nature Center. There everyone got good looks at Red Knots, and just south of the inlet along Slaughter Beach, we all viewed of an awesome number of Horseshoe Crabs spawning.

Now for more good news from DNREC, between the U of DE College of Earth Ocean and the Environment, and DuPont, a synthetic bait has been developed for eel and conch fisherman to use, instead of using female Horseshoe Crabs (the best bait ever...until now).

Following is that story...and soon on future My Tern blog posts will be more details of birds we have seen, as well as a spring class summary list.

From: DNREC Press Releases List <michael.globetti@state.de.us>
Date: May 29, 2013 3:45:53 PM EDT
To: DNREC Press Releases <dnrec_press_releases@lists.state.de.us>
Subject: New artificial bait could reduce the number of horseshoe crabs used to catch eel and whelk


NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL and THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Teresa Messmore, University of Delaware, 302-757-2245, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. Photos available.                                                             

New artificial bait could reduce number of horseshoe crabs
used to catch eel and whelk
 
LEWES (May 29, 2013) – A new alternative bait product that will help reduce the number of horseshoe crabs harvested from the Delaware Bay was introduced today. A team of University of Delaware researchers led by Dr. Nancy Targett, DuPont scientists, fisheries biologists, watermen and conservation groups were joined by DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara to make the announcement this morning at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes.
 
For years, commercial eel and whelk fishers have dealt with a dilemma: They know the best bait to attract eel and whelk, locally known as conch, is a female horseshoe crab. However, harvest limits are in place to protect the Delaware Bay’s horseshoe crab population and the threatened migratory shorebirds that depend on their eggs as a food source. Commercial fishers have long worked within these limits, dividing each bait crab into pieces to bait multiple eel or whelk pots.
 
“Horseshoe crabs are an ecologically and economically important species in the Delaware Estuary, which hosts the largest concentrations of horseshoe crabs in the world,” said Governor Jack Markell. “This alternative bait is the result of a great partnership among academic researchers, scientists, government, a private corporation and the commercial fisheries industry. By working together, they have found a solution that has great economic and environmental benefits, both now and for the future of bait development.”
 
“Conserving and restoring horseshoe crab populations is critical to supporting Delaware’s shorebird migration and implementing the vision of the Delaware Bayshore Initiative,” said DNREC Secretary O’Mara. “By using this new bait developed by leading scientists at the University of Delaware in partnership with DNREC, watermen will be able to reduce the number of horseshoe crabs used to catch whelk and eel, enjoy more convenient bait storage, help conserve the horseshoe crab population, and support migratory birds that depend on horseshoe crab eggs for food. I applaud my predecessor, Secretary John Hughes, and Dean Nancy Targett for their vision to launch this innovative effort, which will provide a win-win for both the economy and the environment for years to come.”

The new bait came after years of research, which was spurred in part by a surprising fact: Eel and whelk do not typically feed on adult horseshoe crabs in their natural environment, yet they find them hard to resist in baited pots.
 
That disconnect intrigued Targett, director of Delaware Sea Grant, dean of UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and an ecologist who studies the chemical cues that influence animal behavior in the sea. She and her research team set out to identify the mysterious “scent” that lures in eels – and come up with a bait alternative to horseshoe crabs, which have experienced population declines in recent decades.
 
After years of research, Targett and her colleagues have developed a recipe for just such an artificial attractor that could help reduce the number of horseshoe crabs commercial fishermen use. 

“Our hope is that this new bait will meet the fishing community’s needs and at the same time protect the horseshoe crab,” Targett said. “Delaware Sea Grant’s motto is ‘Science Serving the Delaware Coast,’ and we are grateful that so many partners shared in that spirit to move this project forward.” 

Horseshoe crabs – which are actually more closely related to spiders than crabs – feed upon marine worms and small shellfish, and are fed upon by the federally threatened loggerhead sea turtle and a number of shark species. Their outer shells often support a whole community of marine life, from bacteria to blue mussels. Horseshoe crab eggs are a key part of the seasonal diet of at least seven commercially and recreationally important fish species and a host of crabs and other invertebrates.
 
Each May and June, horseshoe crabs lay large numbers of these small green eggs on Delaware Bay beaches. Migratory shorebirds, such as the endangered red knot, arrive around the same time to feast on surplus eggs before continuing their long journey from South America to their Arctic breeding grounds. In about two weeks, the birds double their weight for the final non-stop leg of the trip.
 
As horseshoe crab populations dropped considerably in the 1990s, so did the numbers of red knots. With the horseshoe crab decline largely attributed to their increased demand as bait in the commercial whelk pot fishery, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) established a fisheries management plan with strict harvest quotas. Since the plan was adopted, increases have been noted in segments of the horseshoe crab population. Currently, the ASMFC plan allows for harvesting a limited number of male horseshoe crabs and no harvest of female crabs in Delaware.
 
With whelk as a popular seafood staple in Asia and an ingredient used domestically in chowders and fritters, demand for horseshoe crabs as bait continues to be high, particularly for female crabs, making an equally effective alternative appealing both economically and environmentally.
 
To reach the goal of finding an alternative bait, Targett partnered with DuPont scientists to analyze the horseshoe crab’s chemical makeup. They identified 100 compounds in tissue samples and were able to rule out some as key components in the scent that appeals so strongly to eel and whelk.
 
“We were pleased to provide the expertise of DuPont scientists, as well as business advice to make this project successful,” said Gary Spitzer, DuPont senior vice president of operations and engineering. “This is a great example of the way corporations, universities and governments can collaborate to promote sustainable solutions.”
 
Concurrent with the chemical approach, Targett’s lab developed artificial bait made from alginates (compounds found in brown seaweeds and kelp), a small amount of coarsely ground horseshoe crab and food-grade chemicals including baking soda and citric acid. When mixed together, these ingredients form a quick-set gelatin that keeps for up to four days. 

Compared with using half of a female horseshoe crab, which is the Delaware limit, the mixture was just as productive in catching eel using only one-eighth of a female. By substituting an invasive species, the Asian shore crab, the researchers cut that amount down to as little as one-sixteenth of a horseshoe crab. They tested catching whelk with the bait and found similarly successful results.
 
In addition, despite speculation that female horseshoe crabs were better baits than males, the scientists found that artificial baits composed of males or females were equally effective. The Delaware limit is one whole male per trap or pot.
 
The bait research was funded by Delaware Sea Grant, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and DuPont Chemicals & Fluoroproducts. A faculty member at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute participated in the early stages of the research. DNREC provided logistical assistance in obtaining horseshoe crab specimens and connecting researchers with fishers.
 
LaMonica Fine Foods in Millville, N.J., has started producing the bait commercially. Field tests in Delaware Bay with local whelk fishermen have been successful so far.
 
“The hallmark of this bait is that everyone wins,” said Jim Roussos of LaMonica Fine Foods LLC. “This is a major step in conserving the natural resource of horseshoe crabs. The conch and eel fishermen are relieved of the pressures of buying, storing and processing horseshoe crabs. The University of Delaware has proven once again that it is a vital, important and valuable institution not only to its students but to the public at large. And commercial fisheries win when we can be conservators of public resources while maintaining our historical way of life.”

To learn more about the project and download the recipe for personal use, visit www.deseagrant.org.
 
For more information about pre-made bait, call Michael LaVecchia at LaMonica Fine Foods at 856-825-8111, ext. 102.
 
Vol. 43, No. 220
-30-

OLLI 5/22/13 FT to Gordon's Pond

Blue Grosbeak, photo by Chuck Fullmer, Georgetown, DE

Almost everyone drove to our meeting point at the Gordon's Pond parking lot, except for 3 hardy soles who biked there from Lewes via the Breakwater-Junction trail. We all had good looks  at the many shorebirds in the shallow water of Gordon's Pond. These included Least and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (mostly lesser), Semipalmated Plover, and Willet.

From a land bird perspective, we had excellent views of some very colorful birds, like Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and Common Yellowthroat, plus a very unique year-round resident, the Brown-headed Nuthatch.

We concluded our field trip by checking out the Atlantic Ocean beach, where all saw distant Black-bellied Plover and American Oystercatcher. Our total species for this FT was 51.

Next week we will meet at Prime Hook to carpool to the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Inlet. There we should get good looks at spawning Horseshoe Crabs and shorebirds feeding on the eggs they lay. Shorebirds should include the endangered Red Knot.

PS - Chuck Fullmer, who took the above photo, is a good friend and member of the Sussex Bird Club. You can view his other bird photos at All Season Shooter.

OLLI 5/15/13 FT to Prime Hook WMA

Scarlet Tanager, photo by Terry Sohl

Turkeys were seen by many as we entered Prime Hook NWR going to our meeting point at the Refuge Headquarters. From there we carpooled to the Prime Hook State Wildlife Management Area (WMA) where we walked and birded the approx 1 mile long road through a mature forest.

No doubt the highlight for all, including the leaders, were awesome looks at a male Scarlet Tanager, with the special added treat of the female tanager nearby and seen by many. Another surprise highlight was a single Solitary Sandpiper feeding in a wet tire rut right where we parked our cars.

Additional very nice birds, seen by many were Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Canada Warbler. We also enjoyed the flute like songs of at least 4 Wood Thrushes, and for this bird, its song tops its appearance by quite a bit.

After leaving the State Area, we birded along Deep Branch Road, where all had good looks at Great-Crested Flycatcher and Red-eyed Vireo. My species count for the morning was 50 species, which is good considering we did only woodland birding.

Next week we will bird Gordon's Pond, meeting at 8 am in the parking lot accessed through Rehoboth. For a MAP.

OLLI 5/8/13 FT to Milford Neck

Yellow-breasted Chat, Bill Fintel photo

No rain!!! and even some sunshine and 73 degrees. Our first stop was the "Dog Training Area" where we had good views of many "scrub birds" which included Yellow-breasted Chat, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting and Orchard Oriole.

We then birded the woods along Stratham Lane and Scotts Corner Road where most had very good looks at Black-and-white warbler, Ovenbird, and Red-eyed Vireo. Some of us also saw Northern Parula and a pair of Wood Ducks. One auditory treat was hearing at least two singing Wood Thrushes.

We then birded along Big Stone Beach Road to the end. Best birds were quite a few shorebirds, which included Short-billed Dowitcher and Stilt Sandpiper.

Our counts for today were 68 bird species and ZERO car species. Seeing no other cars in 3 hours of daylight birding along any roads in DE, or the northeast, is truly amazing. For Chris Bennett's maps and tips on birding Milford Neck click HERE and check the 4/27 report.

Next week we meet at Prime Hook Headquarters at 8 am to carpool to the State Wildlife Management Area. From our class schedule: "Walking is easy and tick-free along a gravel road through some very old forest. This is an excellent woods for migrants warblers, and for Yellow-throated Vireo, Pileated Woodpecker and Barred Owl."

Bill

Road Scholar FT to Gordon's Pond and Rehoboth Woods, 5/3/13, Plus Summary Checklist

Red-headed Woodpecker, Bill Fintel photo

The last morning we started at the Gordon’s Pond area of Cape Henlopen State Park. It was cold and blowing about 20 mph out of the East, so land birding was next to impossible. Also, for unknown reasons, shorebirds were scarce, and waterfowl were non-existent. Thus, we promptly returned to the bus and went into Rehoboth to a small wooded park there.

This proved to be a good move, as we encountered a very cooperative (and rare for this region) Red-headed Woodpecker, as well as a Blue-headed Vireo. Also seen by many who tried for it was a colorful Parula Warbler.

Our tally for 3 and ½ days of birding was 120 species. This is about average for visiting the locations we visited, and actually is good considering the unusually cool spring. The following link is to a pdf of our summary checklist for 4/30 to 5/4/13. (Use the + tab to enlarge if needed for readability.)

Road Scholar FT to Cape Henlopen and Prime Hook 5/2/13

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 Piping Plovers at Cape Henlopen, Bill Fintel photo

On day three we started at Cape Henlopen State Park at the point which separates the Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Our goal was to view Piping Plovers at low tide and we were rewarded with very good views of at least two individuals. We also had good looks at American Oystercatcher and Brant, and back at the Nature Center feeder, we saw both Brown-headed and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

From there we went to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge where many enjoyed shopping in the Friends gift store for field guides and memorabilia. On the impoundments, the numbers of herons and egrets was very impressive, plus we also had very close looks at Dunlin, Osprey, and even a perched Black Vulture.

We went back to Cape Henlopen for lunch, and after lunch we were treated to gangbuster looks of a male Eastern Towhee right next to our bus. We concluded at Herring Point with terrific views of Prairie Warbler, and many people got close up views of a Field Sparrow.

Our tally for this day was 74 species. Weather again was cool and breezy, but mostly sunny.

Road Scholar FT to Mispillion and Bombay Hook 5/1/13

Dunlin and Black-necked Stilt, Bill Fintel photo

To begin the day we made a short stop at the Fintel’s backyard to hear about unique feeders and water features. There we also had good views of a calling Great Crested Flycatcher.

We then went to Evans Road at Slaughter Beach where we saw some reasonably close American Avocets. After that we stopped along the marsh just before the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion, where we had amazingly good views of at least 5 Clapper Rails and a singing Seaside Sparrow.

Once at the Nature Center we saw many shorebirds, and after much searching found a single Red Knot which everyone viewed through a scope (there may have been 2 individuals). Other good birds observed there were a pair of American Oystercatchers and 3 Bald Eagles.

On the entrance road to Bombay Hook we had Horned Larks and an American Pipit in breeding (alternate) plumage. On the loop road around the impoundments we observed large numbers of shorebirds including Dunlin (above), Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Willet, Short-billed Dowitcher and great looks at Black-necked Stilts (above). We concluded our visit with excellent views of about 20 Black-crowned Night-Herons at Bear Swamp, and 2 White-crowned Sparrows at the Nature Center.

Our total species count for the day was 80 species. Weather was cool, breezy, and sunny.

Road Scholar Field Trip to Trap Pond 4/30/13

Trap Pond, DE State Parks photo

We began our 4-day Road Scholar program at Trap Pond State Park in southeastern Delaware. Temperatures were in the 50’s with light rain falling and a strong east wind. Even so, all enjoyed a pontoon boat excursion on the pond, captained by park ranger Will Koth. Highlights were excellent views of the extensive Bald Cypress stand, and good views of Prothonotary Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, and Osprey.

We had split into two groups, and each group also walked the Island Trail while the other group was on the pontoon boat. On the trail a Louisiana Waterthrush, which a lucky few also saw, serenaded both groups and one group had elbow-rubbing looks at both a male and female Prothonatary Warbler.

Will Koth was kind enough to let us have lunch in the Nature Center, even setting up chairs and tables. From Trap Pond we went to the coast and up to Indian River Inlet, where we braved the cold east winds, but no rain, to see many Northern Gannets, and some Red-throated and Common Loons, Forester’s and Common Terns, and a real treat of a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage.

If you want to view any of the above-mentioned birds, go to:

http://birds.audubon.org/birds/prothonotary-warbler and type the bird’s name into the search bar. It will give you a list to click-on your desired link. Try to find the link that goes to an Audubon page like the Prothonotary Warbler page, and note there are 5 or more different photos from VIREO to view of your selected bird.

Our first day tallied 55 species, many of which we did not see again. I will post a summary of day 2 to Bombay Hook and the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion next.