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Historical Peak Nest Counts

03 Jan Historical Peak Nest Counts

Posted at 10:49h in NATURAL HISTORY by

Our rookery peak nest count varies between 400-800 nests annually. Wading bird reproduction is dependent on habitat, water table depth, and prey availability. The chart below covers the last decade, developed by our hard-working rookery crew data collectors! 2021 turned out to be an “average” year, but it sure did not feel like it!

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Cattle egret 294 232 60 28 9 21 180 43 76 114 90
Great egret 154 130 115 106 73 104 87 124 122 166 123
Green heron 5 4 5 6 4 10 2 2 2 1 3
Little blue heron 24 26 12 17 12 38 87 34 33 73 19
Roseate spoonbill 16 14 10 28 29 39 45 59 71 59 49
Snowy egret 170 153 121 92 64 117 135 60 121 87 142
Tricolored heron 87 73 77 85 30 66 95 96 109 94 81
Wood stork 68 72 63 68 87 99 73 90 98 106 111
  818 704 463 430 308 494 704 508 632 700 618

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so very much to our Rookery Crew!

Craig counting, while admiring, Tri-colored herons.

Sooz, Diane, and Blair briefly pause for a photo. Depending on the time of the nesting season, rookery counts could take less than an hour or well over two hours with a team.

Linda and Savannah excelled at locating hidden spoonbill nests in the tops of palm trees.

 

Roseate spoonbill peak nest count 2007- 2021.

First nesting at our park occurred in 2010 with four pairs.

FL state-designated as Threatened by FWC. 

Photo by Jack Rogers

 

Wood stork peak nest count 2007-2021.

First successful nesting at our park occurred in 2000.

Listed as Threatened federally by USFWS.

Photo by Sherry Rosen

 

Peak nest counts for five other wading bird species nesting in our rookery.

Little blue and Tricolored herons are both designated as Threatened in Florida.

Amazing graphs produced by Linda.

Extended photography hours for Photo Pass holders runs from 2/26 through 6/26 this year.

See you on the boardwalk!

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