Terns and Plovers Depend on Riverine Sand Mines

James Ed. Ducey

Least Terns and Piping Plover breeding in 2007 along river systems in eastern Nebraska had a successful season using riverside habitats.

Most of the terns and plovers used sand and gravel mines for breeding activities during the 2007 season, said Mary Brown, manager of the Tern and Plover Partnership.

"There was little nesting on the Platte, Elkhorn and Loup rivers due to high water conditions," she said.

The 2007 population of birds using the river-side habitats seemed similar to the previous years, Brown said. "More post-flight fledglings seemed to be produced, although the number of birds that return in 2008 will be the true measure of success."

Final population numbers for the three river systems would not be available until the reports of partnership volunteers are received.

Habitat for the endangered and threatened species is changing as some sand mines are converted to housing developments as a typical 50-year life-span has elapsed, Brown said. One pit near North Bend was being converted to a housing development during past summer season. This has also taken place at sites near Ashland, Valley, Columbus, Schuyler and Columbus.

With sand mines providing the majority of nesting places, conservation efforts are focused on these areas as they become housing developments following sand and gravel extraction.

The Planning - Aggregates - Community - Environment (PACE) program is used by industry groups to direct land use that results in a landscape beneficial to wildlife. PACE has members from local conservation groups and the sand and gravel industry.

Plans for an extraction site are based on a set of objectives are used to address five issues, according to information about PACE: access to resources, rapidly changing land use, the cost of doing business, lack of public understanding and regulatory issues.

As the transition occurs, developer and utility equipment can be disruptive, Brown said. "We try to reschedule their efforts to avoid and impacts."

With the establishment of new housing, landowners often cooperate with the partnership, informing new residents of the birds nesting on the beaches. Some residents think it is "kinda cool to have a bird sanctuary in the neighborhood," Brown explained in an interview after her first three months as director for the partnership.

After starting in mid-July, Brown visited known nesting sites and discussed partnership activities with mine personnel, operation managers and plant owners.

Her previous experience with the these birds included watching them at Lake McConaughy as a birder and biologist working on Cliff Swallows at the nearby Cedar Point Biological Station. She was also familiar with the terns and plovers on the Atlantic coast.

Brown has realized the importance of volunteer participation for the partnership.

More than 20 people provided about 400 hours of volunteer time to monitor nesting sites or to conduct regular surveys, paying for their own gas and other expenses, she said. One volunteer wrote and article for the local newspaper. Most of these people live in the immediate vicinity of the area of their effort, and are also very helpful in spreading the word about the two bird species.

"The partnership could not accomplish what we do without our volunteers," Brown said.

Riverine habitat is the ultimate solution to maintaining viable populations of both species, Brown said. "How to provide viable river channel habitat is one of the grand questions in managing the terns and plovers.

"There are so many demands on eastern Nebraska rivers. Impacts include channelization, reduced flows due to diversion, impacts of droughts, changes in land use and other activities.

"It will take the effort of communities, land owners, wildlife groups and business to partner in efforts to provide appropriate habitat to help ensure success for the birds."

Results of this years' survey efforts will be provided to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and will eventually be integrated into counts on the national and international levels, for use in managing both species.