Wildlife Report from N.H. Fish and Game -- December 24, 2002

In this issue:

• Threatened and endangered bird update
• Christmas bird count
• Please don't feed the deer!
• Start planning your backyard wildlife habitat

How did the rare birds do this year?
Ah, it's time to ring in a new year and to think about all the possibilities that it will hold. But wait a minute, before we slam the door on '02, lets do a little end-of-the-year tally on New Hampshire's threatened and endangered (T&E) birds for the year.

It seems that for 2002, T&E species did either really well or really poorly. A nearly snowless winter and early spring seemed to lull us all into thinking we were in for a great year for nesting statewide, though for a few species, that was not the case.

New Hampshire's bald eagles took a hit across the north country. In 2001, a record six eagle chicks fledged from four successful nests, compared to a dismal success of only one chick from five nests this year. Indeed, one nest in Hinsdale was wrenched from its treetop perch and thrown to the ground in a late May storm, killing its occupant. Snow buried nests to the north and the adults abandoned their eggs. There's good news, though, which may signify that New Hampshire is on the threshold of a significant eagle recovery -- about seven pairs of bald eagles are active in New Hampshire, compared to only one pair less than a decade ago!

Down on New Hampshire's coast, Fish and Game biologist Allison Briggaman works on the recovery of the nationally-threatened piping plover. This sand-colored bird, which is about the size of a robin, first reappeared five years ago on the coastal beaches after an absence of more than 50 years. Here, says Briggaman, a record seven pairs of adults showed up in late April, with five pairs choosing to nest on the sand dunes of the Seabrook beaches and two on the Hampton Beach State Park. Just like up north, severe spring storms wrecked havoc with the seven nests containing 44 eggs. Within days, 75 percent were swept out to sea by the storm tides. A total of eleven chicks hatched, but only one is known to have survived to fledging.

For the state's osprey population, nesting success seemed to be tied to the birds' location in the state. Overall success was fairly good, with 38 chicks fledging from 26 known active nests. But here again the weather in Coos County took its toll; only 50 percent of the nests were successful there compared to a 100 percent success around Great Bay. Apparently the cloudy, rainy, snowy days affected the ospreys' ability to see into the water and catch fish for their offspring in the north. Great Bay has an annual spring run of hundreds of thousands of river herring, thanks to the fish ladders constructed by Fish and Game decades ago, so food was plentiful even on cloudy days and 100 percent of the birds fledged from the six nests around the bay!

The best news of the year resounded from the Isle of Shoals off Portsmouth as the restored common tern population continued to explode. At least 2,500 common tern fledglings were added to a population that has grown beyond dreams since the restoration work first began on the island in 1997. Thanks to a cooperative project with the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and funding from New Hampshire's nongame fund, terns were enticed to nest on the island after an absence of more than 50 years. (Ed. note: The January 23, 2003 episode of Wildlife Journal (9 p.m. on NHPTV) will show you how it was done.) Besides the 2,500 common terns the island also enticed 25 pairs of nationally-endangered roseate terns to nest as well. This is up from just one pair last year. And to top it off, a pair of state-endangered artic terns joined the crowded rock of an island.

And a final high note -- the state-endangered peregrine falcon population had record success in 2002!

All in all, 2002 was a pretty good year for New Hampshire's T&E birds and much can be hoped and expected in 2003. On behalf of Fish and Game, I extend grateful thanks for their continued good work to the dedicated staff and volunteers from Audubon Society of New Hampshire, as well as to our state and federal agency cooperators and Fish and Game's own regional biologists. --Eric Orff, wildlife biologist

And in other bird news… Christmas Bird Count
Cold-weather birders take note: the Christmas Bird Count is underway! The National Audubon Society organizes and compiles the count each year, which now takes place annually in communities throughout the world. On specified days in December and January, birdwatchers brave cold temperatures and all weather conditions to survey birds in a designated "count circle." A count's survey area stays the same from year to year, comprising a circle fifteen miles in diameter around a central point.

Becky Suomala of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire says that the count is important because it provides data that can be looked at to show population trends over the long term. If a particular species seems to show a decline over several years, researchers can try to find out why. For example, "In our bird surveys over the last few years, we've seen a decline in numbers of black-capped chickadees," says Suomala. "We can now look more closely to see whether that's a temporary population fluctuation or a long-term trend. The surveys can't tell you why a species is up or down," she notes, but they can bring a species to the forefront -- providing an impetus for investigating habitat changes or another of many interrelated factors in bird survival.

There are 19 counts in New Hampshire, and they are open to all interested birders. Many are run by ASNH Chapters and announced in their individual newsletters. Each count picks its own particular survey day between December 14 and January 5, so several areas are already completed. For more info, you can download a map of N.H. count circles, contact information for local organizers and count dates at www.nhaudubon.org/pdf/birdcount2002.pdf.

Look for information on N.H. Audubon's backyard winter bird survey in next month's Wildlife Report.

"More Harm Than Good" -- Please don't feed the deer!
You've heard it before but it always bears repeating: To keep wildlife wild and healthy, allow them to find their own food sources. The availability of "deer feed" at the hardware store does NOT make it OK to feed the deer -- in fact, we strongly recommend against it, for the health of individual animals and the herd.

White-tailed deer in New Hampshire are at the northern limit of their range and have several natural adaptations that allow them to survive the winter. These include a thick winter coat of hollow hairs and the storage of fat in fall for later use in winter. In winter, COVER -- not food -- is the key to deer survival. Deer seek softwood cover ("deer yards") to avoid deep snow, high winds and extreme cold.

Adult deer lose up to 20 percent of their body weight during winter, regardless of the amount or quality of food present. Adult deer get as much as 40% of their daily energy during winter from their fat tissue. Science shows that if winter ends before the fat reserves are expended, the deer survives. If fat reserves are gone before winter ends, the deer dies. The simple conclusion, harsh as it may seem, is that any activity that increases energy can lead to the death of deer and reduce the population.

So -- please don't feed the deer, and please discourage your neighbors, friends and relatives from practicing this harmful behavior. Feeding deer does more harm than good by diverting them from their essential natural survival strategies.

To learn more about providing WILD food for wild animals by adapting your yard into suitable habitat, read on...

Time to start planning your backyard wildlife habitat!
As your seed catalogues start arriving in the mail, think about what you might try to do to entice birds, butterflies and other wildlife to your yard using native vegetation and water features. Keeping in mind wildlife habitat concepts -- food, water, cover and space -- and applying simple landscape design techniques will go along way toward making your yard "wildlife friendly."

These winter days are perfect for daydreaming a garden! How to begin? Start with a plan. Make a simple sketch map of your yard, with a focus on the area you're planting. Which direction does the sun come from, and is the ground typically dry or wet? What kind of soil do you have? Where is the most protected corner of your property to create a place for wildlife?

You can select wildlife plantings for all conditions from sunny/dry to shady/moist. For plants, think layering: a ground cover, a mid-story, and a canopy layer. In a perennial garden, this might be low-growing shrubs rather than tall trees, but the arrangement is the same. Search for perennials that are native to the northeast, require low maintenance and provide nectar or fruit for animals. Also, mix in a variety of plants, rather than a clump of one type, to appeal to the most wildlife.

For plant suggestions, resources, and local sources of native plants, go to Fish and Game's website at www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/create_wildlife_habitat.htm. And, check this newsletter in the spring for more specific suggestions. --Marilyn Wyzga, backyard habitat coordinator.