Volunteers Needed Oystercatcher Survey

An adult Black Oystercatcher gives a youngster (on right) a lesson in how to find food on the rocks at Glass Beach, MacKerricher State Park. Photo by B. Bowen Photograph

We have crossed the equinox threshold and are rapidly heading into another avian breeding season. Once again we will be monitoring the nesting success of the Black Oystercatchers at select locations along our coastline. This year we are inviting all volunteers who want to help support this effort at any level. You can adopt an entire territory with two or more nesting sites or you can join an existing team and participate as often as you desire.

You are invited to attend our annual information and organization meeting on Tuesday, April 15, at 3:00 p.m. at the Russian Gulch Recreation Hall. The entrance to Russian Gulch State Park to attend this meeting is free. Amelia Schall Tůmová, the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District Volunteer Coordinator, and Dave Jensen will review the survey protocols and distribute datasheets for this season. Amelia will also provide her traditional tasty refreshments.

The results for our surveys from 2012- 2022 were included in the study titled “Black Oystercatcher Haematopus Bachmani Productivity in California and Oregon and the Effects of Nest Site and Environmental Covariates,” authored by Anna Weinstein et al. This study was recently published in the journal Marine Ornithology.

http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/52_2/52_2_253-260.pdf