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Conservationists: Largest Endangered Species Colony Under Siege

audubon society | 1 year 20 weeks ago | Comments 8

By Herald Staff

NORTH WILDWOOD — Conservation organizations are requesting Gov. Jon Corzine take immediate action to save the large and critically important beach-nesting bird colony at Champagne Island, located in Hereford Inlet.

The bird colony including the state-endangered Black Skimmer has been subject to repeated harassment by boaters visiting there.

“New Jersey’s Black Skimmers almost literally have all their eggs in the Champagne Island basket, in part because coastal development has paved over all the other baskets,” stated Don Freiday, director of birding programs for New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory in a release.

“Immediate law enforcement is essential, and NJDEP (Department of Environmental Protection) must find a way to protect Champagne Island and the whole Hereford Inlet complex in the long-term,” Freiday continued.

During the July 7-8 weekend, over 80 boats were seen landed on the island at once, with over 420 people onshore. Boats, people and dogs agitated the birds and forced them from their nests, exposing eggs and nestlings to predation by gulls and to the weather.

There were reports of people entering the colony, which had been roped off and posted by DEP personnel, and throwing eggs from Black Skimmers.

“We have to protect environmentally sensitive islands before they are loved to death,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the NJ Sierra Club. “This tragedy highlights the need for the governor to fully fund stewardship and law enforcement at NJDEP.”

With over 1,400 Black Skimmers and 570 Black Skimmer nests, Champagne Island is one of the largest colonies in the northeast of this species. Nesting with the skimmers are over 700 Common Terns (at least 250 nests), and 104 Royal Terns (at least 20 nests).

This is the northernmost Royal Tern colony in the world, and is the first instance in modern times of significant numbers of Royal Terns nesting in New Jersey. Piping Plovers, are state endangered and also federally listed, attempted nesting there earlier in the season.

“There are some places along our coasts that are so special they need to be protected for natural values,” said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society. “Clearly Champagne Island is one of these rare gems.”

“Conservation officers must be assigned to patrol Champagne Island every weekend day during the summer months, and periodically during the week as well,” the release stated.

“Conservation officers were present and effective at Champagne Island on July 8, but disturbance of the colony resumed quickly once the officers left. Regular enforcement of the NJ Endangered Species Conservation Act is essential to the survival of the Champagne Island colony,” it continued.

“NJ’s wildlife is being threatened by the lack of Conservation Officers,” said Eric Stiles, vice president for conservation at NJ Audubon Society. “We would like to thank the governor for approving the backfilling of 17 currently vacant conservation officer positions and request the positions be filled immediately,” he stated.

A long-term solution to the disturbance of state-listed birds nesting on Champagne Island must be found, the release stated.

Both the state Wildlife Action Plan and the Comprehensive Beach Bird Conservation Plan for the Borough of Stone Harbor mention the importance of this site and the need to manage it appropriately.

Champagne Island must be made part of the Wildlife Management Area system so regulations limiting access for the protection of beach-nesting birds can be promulgated, the release concluded.

Print | Email Updated 1 year 17 weeks ago
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Comments (8)

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Wed, 08/01/2007 - 6:13am

We have been going to the sandbar for 20 years. We know many people who have been going there longer than that, some families for over 3 generations. People who go the respect the need to protest the birds and stay away from the nesting areas. Anyone who disturbs the birds deserves to be punished but this does not warrant closing the area. This area is a sandbar prone to flooding every year, some years the whole sandbar is covered by water at high tide. The DEP reports reflect that nesting has been successful except when the sandbar is flooded, which historically happens often. Occasionally there are idiots who may roam into the prohibited areas but I believe they are not regulars. There is rarely any trash left there and if some idiot does leave some another respectful boater will clean it up. There is a balance on this island and it should remain that way. This is a fine piece of nature that should be protected and people should still be allowed to enjoy it.l

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Fri, 07/27/2007 - 9:33pm

QUOTE: "My family and I have been going to the island for over 20 years. Ninty five persent of the boaters who go there are regulars who clean up after themselves and clean the island. They are respectfull of the birds and enjoy the beauty of the great natural resourse we have here. I do not believe anyone was throwing bird eggs around."

WELL, I do not know what you are smoking but the Champagne Island crowd is one of the most disgusting obnoxious group of idiots that I have ever witnessed! The Island should be closed, period. I have been boating in these waters longer than you. The patrons of the island leave trash behind on a regular basis. There were two dogs there on Tuesday and one on Thursday. Signage everywhere stating NO DOGS. Pure filth. I hope they close it for good and save the wildlife.

People have no business there. It should be a wildlife haven with all the development in the area.

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Tue, 07/24/2007 - 11:24am

I believe it's safe to assume that most visitors and residents of Cape May County have a strong appreciation of this area's wildlife and natural beauty and act in a manner that respects and preserves the beauty that brought us here in the first place. However, the DEP and certain wildlife organizations will not be happy until this entire peninsula is free from, what they truly believe is, an infestation of humans.

One only needs to take a plane ride over our county to realize that a majority of it is undeveloped marshland. The birds have free reign over most of the land area already, but that is not enough for the DEP, the Sierra Club, et. al.

Nature is a resource given to us to use, enjoy and responsibly maintain. It is NOT a holy shrine. This fundamental dichotomy is at the heart of the battle between private property owners, tax-paying citizens who enjoy the use of state and federal lands, like Champagne Island, and those who believe any human use represents defilement of religious sacraments of Environmentalism (nee Paganism).

We must be vigilant in speaking out and protecting our rights, or we will find ourselves caged into slots of "approved" areas and unable to enjoy the open spaces that make Cape May County such a joy to call home.

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Thu, 07/19/2007 - 4:20pm

do they taste like chicken ?

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Mon, 07/16/2007 - 2:33pm

I SURE HOPE THE GOVERNER DOES SOMETHING SOON. THIS IS HORRIBLE, DON'T PEOPLE HAVE ANY COMMON SENSE OR UNDERSTANDING OF NATURE TO THROW THE EGGS AND GO ON PROPERTY THAT IS ROPED OFF THEY DESERVE TO BE FINED...CAN'T THE STATE MARINE POLICE DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THESE AREAS? THAT ALSO GOES FOR PEOPLE ON THE BEACHES LITTERING, WE NEED TO START ENFORCING THE LITTERING LAWS INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT BEACH PASSES, START FINING LITTERBUGS!!! DONNA

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Sun, 07/22/2007 - 2:51pm

My family and I have been going to the island for over 20 years. Ninty five persent of the boaters who go there are regulars who clean up after themselves and clean the island. They are respectfull of the birds and enjoy the beauty of the great natural resourse we have here. I do not believe anyone was throwing bird eggs around. I never see anyone in the bird nesting areas, frankly it`s far enough away from the shore line that there`s no reason to go over there. I would wecome more officers, I would wecome the governor for a day on the island. Let them judge first hand what a day on the island is really like. Don`t believe everything you read, the bird people have good hearts and good intensions but tend to take things to far and strech the truth. The island is an institution and IS being shared and enjoyed by birds and boaters respectfully.

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Fri, 07/13/2007 - 8:25pm

Few folks realize that wildlife related recreation is a 3.9 billion dollar industry in NJ alone.

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Fri, 07/13/2007 - 1:29pm

I want to know why every time there is a problem like this the county does nothing about it. I guess they forget that birding is a major part of tourism.

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