WCA -
(June 10, 2008)
Rainfall:
Rainfall
was light, less than an inch, throughout the
WCA-1:
0.39”
WCA-3A: 0.32”
WCA-2A:
0.23”
WCA-3B: 0.28”
WCA-2B: 0.61”
ENP:
0.82”
Water Conservation Areas:
Stages
are declining throughout the WCA’s. Although it is the beginning of the
rainy season, good recession rates and water depths exist in the
Fire:
Three fires
have been reported in
Rainfall
was patchy across
In response
to the spatial pattern of rainfall, ENP wetland water levels (see Stages.pdf) were relatively stable or
dropped slightly last week. The water level was unchanged at SRS (station
P33) and increased slightly by 0.1” in the panhandle (station EVER6) over the
week. To the east, water level saw declines of 1.8” at
Salinity in
Florida Bay (see Salinity.pdf)
generally increased as result of persisting low rainfall and high
evaporation. Concentrations increased slightly, remaining in the middle
to upper 30s across most of northeast
Wildlife:
The
District is no longer flying the CHIP plots, so there is little to report from the
WCAs. The 200 or so nestlings at Colony 73 (in southeastern WCA-1) appear
to be doing well, despite the food extraction visits. Now averaging about
35 days old, the fledglings are beginning to fly short distances.
Even though
there has been little activity of nesting birds in
Paurotis
Pond:
White Ibis
are brooding small young. There appear to be fewer Ibis than the last flight
but there are still at least 300 nesting pairs. New birds were nesting in the
rear corner of the pond and appeared to be Snowy Egrets and Ibis, producing a
total estimate of upwards of 400 nesting birds. Little Blue and
Tricolored Herons appeared in the colony, both on the island and rear corner.
Numbers
have increased slightly. Total numbers of Ibis and Snowy Egrets appear to be
~500 or more. Numerous Tricolored and Little Blue Herons are flying to and from
the colony.
Frank
Key:
~10 Great
Egrets are still roosting in the colony and about 25 Brown Pelican nests are
still active. Some pelicans were brooding large white young. Most nests
are now empty. No other birds were seen.
The next
flight is scheduled toward the end of the month. For more information, contact
Lori Oberhofer at
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