Snowy Plover Docent Program

Summary2008

Funding and Sponsors:

•Coastal Fund

•California Audubon and Santa Barbara Audubon

•UCSB’s Natural Reserve System

•Shorelines & Watersheds

New Docents and Docent Hours Jan-Sept 2008

• 42 trained new docents

• 2,720 docent hours

• 72 hours covered per week

Nesting Numbers

Number of nests = 57

Nests failed = 31

Nests hatched = 22

Unknown = 4

Nursery: 4 chicks hand-reared and released

Failed Nests

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

skunk tide wind

% nest failure

Docent Data

Interactions per hour

% P,N,O Interactions 2008

Re-cap• Skunks - These critters have been the plovers greatest threat for the last few years. We will continue

the public outreach campaign to minimize their destruction• Nursery

- We will continue the nursery in 2009 providing we are granted the funding to run it. Right now we are applying for funds from the CA Coastal Commission’s Whale Tail Grant Program

• Leash Compliance- The % of leashed dogs was great at the beginning of the year when I believe our outreach was more intensive on the beach. The compliance took a big dip toward the end of summer when new students were moving in the for Fall quarter- which may have been the cause. For most months it was above 65%. For many years, compliance never went above 65%. We have shown that it is possible and need to keep it up.

• Trespassing- Trespassing has not been a problem, but the records in the presentation only go to September 2008. When the fencing in front of the slough is removed during the winter months, trespassing becomes more of an issue.

• Interactions on the beach- Our public outreach is impressive. It is greatest during the nesting season. We make about 3 contacts per shift and the % that are positive is phenomenal.

4th of July

…luckily, postponed to Labor Day

Skunk Outreach & Fence Helpers

A BIG thank you to:

•Linda Hill•Ellen Hamilton•Steve Ferry •Pat Walker

Community Outreach

Thank you, Snowy Plover Docents!!!