There are few places in the U.S. and throughout the whole of our planet, for that matter, which remain untouched. Even conserved spots, protected areas and plant and animal sanctuaries seem to feel the invisible walls of the outside caving in.
After the relocation of Mason Inlet to build back up the land surrounding Shell Island in the early 2000s, the north end of Wrightsville Beach was designated a shorebird nesting habitat by Audubon North Carolina.
But the nesting days have quickly dwindled down, the numbers of nesting least terns, one of the most common Wrightsville nesters, has shot from about
Lumina News file photo
Least terns nest in the Audubon bird sanctuary at Wrightsville’s north end in May 2008. |
800 pairs to around 200 pairs in a period of a couple of years. Even the ropes and signs marking the area as a no-trespassing zone have not stopped human impact from disrupting the sandy bird habitat.
Although there are no cruel intentions, landscaping practices are shooing away our feathered friends. Audubon North Carolina conservation biologist, Angela Mangiameli said, “Over the last two to three years, we’ve noticed increased vegetation encroachment inside the sanctuary … it just looks like yard grass. Seeds may be coming over from the neighboring houses and it’s just filling in the back side close to the sound. I think it just has to do with a lot of overtime seed movement and wind and pollinators.”
Since the least terns nest directly in the sand these grasses are causing this particular species, along with a few black skimmers, to pack up and move.
Many of these native birds aren’t going far. Mangiameli has noticed a growing trend where least terns, finding no bare sand — meaning no place to nest — are flying to the opposite end of the island where more open sand is available. Others are coming from Masonboro Island, Mangiameli believes, where they have a huge predator problem.
“We see this a lot … if something’s not allowing them to successfully nest, whether it’s a raccoon or too much human disturbance or vegetation, whichever, they’ll pick up and move to the next available spot midseason,” she said.
The only problem with this colony’s migration is that the birds now dwelling on the south end haven’t had the manned protection of the biologists and park rangers. In an effort to facilitate the new nesters Audubon biologists proceeded to get town permission to post and rope off that small section on the south end.
“There’s still a lot that’s open to the public and people seem to be respecting that,” Mangiameli explained. The ropes will remain up for about six to eight weeks — just long enough for the birds to have successful nests.
“People have the misconception that the birds can just go somewhere else,” Mangiameli said. “Habitat is so limited as it is, for least terns especially.”
In places such as Florida, where beaches are highly developed, over 80 percent of the entire population nests on gravel roofs because they don’t have beaches, Mangiameli said. And the shorebirds here are picking up on the new niche.
“The Belk at the mall, there’s a sizable habitat on that. That’s a tricky situation because then you have to work with the owner and try to convince him it’s not a bad thing…” Mangiameli said. “They’re just looking for new places to nest to replace their natural habitat.”
