Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 12:40:45 -0500
Reply-To: EJ Williams <EJ_Williams@DNR.STATE.GA.US>
Sender: Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: EJ Williams <EJ_Williams@DNR.STATE.GA.US>
Subject: Swallow-tailed Kite Update for 2003
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
STKI Update for 2003
- 18 Nests located in 2003 with 15 found from helicopter and 3 from the ground
- median egg-laying was at least 1 week later that in previous years
- unusually cool, wet weather in March and early April and very high water level may have contributed to both the later laying and to fewer nest attempts than in 2001 and 2002 (search effort was similar)
- 12 young fledged from 16 of the 18 nests (fate of 2 nests was unknown)
- 8 2003 juveniles were fitted with VHF transmitters
- 4 adults were fitted with transmitters: 2 VHF and 2 Satellite
- eight of 18 previously tagged young birds (now 1 and 2-year old birds) were relocated
3 2-yr-olds (Piney Island, Jack Lake, Bonnet Lake ) located in GA
1 1-yr-old (Alex Creek A) located in GA & later in SC (sibling to Alex Creek B)
4 1-yr-olds (Alex Creek B, Ft. Stewart, Gator Slough, and Bug Island) along with Alex Creek A were found at several spots in the coastal plain of SC (thanks to John Cely with SCDNR)
- 2 of these birds were also locate in Brazil during the 2002-2003 winter season
- of our 4 satellite tagged adults from 2002, we lost 2 during migration/winter and the 2 that returned did not nest this year.
All in all nesting effort in 2003 was depressed, later nesting initiation and lower than average nest success. The long term work in FL, indicates that very high or very low surface water levels may be part of the reason. Dr. Ken Meyer and the field crew of Gina Zimmerman, Stacie Schoppman, and Bill Mars with assistance from STKI CCA Coordinator Diana Swan made the most out of those limited nests and were able to get excellent data and add 12 birds to our telemetry sample.
The Observations submitted by many of you - Georgia's Birders - continue to be invaluable! The coastal plain of GA is vast and without those reports to guide our survey efforts, we would undoubtedly be much less effective. Also, we can't possibly survey every area and those observations provide additional information on distribution and possible nesting, roosting, and foraging locations. So, please continue to send in ALL ST Kite observations - preferably through the online reporting form at www.gos.org.
Cheers and Happy 4th of July
EJ
Emily Jo Williams
Partners in Flight
Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
116 Rum Creek Drive, Forsyth GA 31029
ej_williams@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
ph 478-994-1438 fax 478-993-3050
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