On 1 April Brian Arquilla began the second year of a study designed to
investigate the influence of mammalian predators on the distribution and
productivity of ground-nesting birds within the vegetated portions of the
Virginia Barrier islands. Brian is a graduate student within the Center for
Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary. Brian is working
within standardized study plots located on eight barrier islands. The study
employs a combination of nest searches and monitoring, artificial nest
experiments, and mammal transects to relate mammal activity to the
distribution and success of the island bird community. During the 2004
breeding season, Brian and crew located and monitored 211 nests of several
species. Nesting success varied dramatically between study plots and was
consistent with results from artificial nest experiments. Findings of this
study are intended to be used by agencies and organizations in their efforts
to development strategies for the management of sensitive breeding birds
along the island chain. The Virginia Barrier Island/Lagoon system is one of
the most significant areas for bird conservation within the mid-Atlantic
region. Partners in this project are the Center for Conservation Biology,
Delta Waterfowl, The Nature Conservancy, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and The Virginia
Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.
Bryan Watts
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