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PETIT MANAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Milbridge, Maine

Including the following satellite stations: Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

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U. S. Department of the Interior

Fish and Wildlife Service

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM

REVIEW AND APPROVALS

PETIT MANAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Milbridge, Maine

and

(Satellite stations) Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

Ref jge Supervisor-North Review

Regional .^/Of^lce App^rcn c

Refuge Manager: ^ Date:

Asst. Refuge Manager ; ^ Date:

-lOnvVVvV i S\\/^ Date: 3>- ̂ %7

Date •.3py/tz

PETIT MANAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Milbridge, Maine

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

INTRODUCTION

Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge is a 3,135 acre refuge complex con­sisting of 1,991 acres on Petit Manan. Peninsula, acquired in 1976 for $516,204, through the Nature Conservancy; 1,130 acres on Bois Bubert Island, donated in 1980 through the Nature Conservancy; nine acres on Petit Manan Island and five acres on Nash Island, both transferred from the Coast Guard in 1974 and 1983, respectively. The refuge is located in the towns of Steuben, Milbridge, and Addison in Washington County, Maine.

Petit Manan Peninsula has a rugged, windblown character. Its habitats consist of red and white spruce forests with some mixed hardwoods, coastal raised heath peatlands, fresh and saltwater marshes, blueberry barrens, jack pine stands, old hayfields, rocky shores and cobble beaches. It is noted for its use by waterfowl, especially black ducks, shorebirds, and raptors, especially bald eagles.

At the turn of the century most of the peninsula was own^d by the Maine Coast ,Club, a group of wealthy sportsmen from Philadelphia and Boston. Tennis courts, a golf course, a saltwater swimming impoundment, a deer enclosure, a wharf, and even a casino were all built by the Club. Maps and plans were made dividing the peninsula into lots for development. Shortly thereafter the Maine Coast Club failed and most of, the peninsula was acquired by a family who used the cleared areas for sheep pasture and blueberry grounds. The old Club buildings gradually ^disappeared" and, aside from two old camps and a small chapel, few traces of its pre­sence remain.

Bois Bubert Island is much like Petit Manan Peninsula in character and wildlife. The island runs parallel to Petit Manan Point, about one mile east. Approximately 90 percent of the island is under Fish and Wildlife Service ownership. Inholdings are being acquired as they come on the market. Although Bois Bubert once had a village with a school, only a few old camps remain.

Petit Manan Island, named by Champlain after Grand Manan Island in 1604, is a 9 acre treeless island, two and one-half miles south of Petit Manan Point. Historically, it has been one of the most important colonial sea-bird nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. It is the site of an historic light station which was automated in 1972. It is on the state Critical Areas Register.

INTRODUCTION Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS ' i

A. HIGHLIGHTS 1

B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1

C. LAND ACQUISITION

1. Fee Title Nothing to Report 2. Easements 1 3. Other 1

D. PLANNING

1. Master Plan..-- Nothing-to Report 2. Management Plan 2 3. Public Participation Nothing to Report 4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource NTR 5. Research and Investigations /. 2 6. Other Nothing to Report

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E. ADMINISTRATION

1. Personnel 7 2. Youth Programs Nothing to Report 3. Other Manpower Programs • .Nothing- to Report 4. Volunteer Programs 7 5. Funding 8 6. Safety 8 7. Technical Assistance 8 8. Other Nothing to Report

F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1. General Nothing to Report 2. Wetlands 8 3. Forests 9 4. Croplands Nothing to Report 5. Grasslands 9 6. Other Habitats 9 7. Grazing 10 8. Haying Nothing to Report 9. Fire Management 10 10. Pest Control Nothing to Report 11. Water Rights Nothing to Report

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HABITAT MANAGEMENT (Cont.) Page

12. Wilderness and Special Areas •• 11 13. WPA Easement Monitoring Nothing to Report

G. WILDLIFE

1. Wildlife Diversity 11 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 11 3. Waterfowl {12 4. Marsh and Water Birds Nothing to Report 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 12 6. Raptors 13 7. Other Migratory Birds 13 8. Game Mammals 13 9. Marine Mammals 13 10. Other Resident Wildlife 15 11. Fisheries Resources 15 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to Report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing . to Report 14. Scientific Collections 15 15. Animal Control 15 16. Marking and Banding 16 17. Disease Prevention and Control 1 16

f

H. PUBLIC Use >

1. General 16 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students Nothing to Report 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to Report 4. Interpretive Foot Trails 17 5. Interpretive Tour Routes Nothing to Report 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations Nothing to Report 7. Other Interpretive Programs Nothing to Report 8. Hunting Nothing to Report 9. Fishing Nothing to Report 10. Trapping Nothing to Report 11. Wildlife Observation Nothing to Report 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to Report

- 13. Camping Nothing to Report 14. Picnicking .Nothing to Report 15. Off-Road Vehicling Nothing to Report 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to Report 17. Law Enforcement 17 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to Report 19. Concessions Nothing to Report

I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1. New Construction 17 2. Rehabilitation 17

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES (Cont.) Page

3. Major Maintenance 18 4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement 18 5. Communications Systems 18 6. Computer Systems • 18 7. Energy Conservation Nothing to Report

J. OTHER ITEMS

1. Cooperative Programs Nothing to Report 2. Other Economic Uses Nothing to Report 3. Items of Interest 18 4. Credits 19

K. FEEDBACK Nothing to Report

t. INFORMATION PACKET - - (Map appended)

SATELLITE REFUGES (Appended) /

4

Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge

A. HIGHLIGHTS

Fifteen hundred pairs of arctic, common, and roseate terns, 350 pairs of laughing gulls, and 60 pairs of black guillemots nested on Petit Manan Island this year—the third year of the tern colony restoration program (Section D. 5).

ABC-TV News visited Petit Manan Island to do a story on the seabird manage­ment program in June (Section G. 3).

Three pygmy sperm whales washed up in Harrington in November (Section G. 9).

An IBM PC-XT computer system was donated to the refuge by the Travelers Insurance Company (Section I. 6).

B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

The climate of coastal Washington County is moderated by Nthe Atlantic Ocean; Summer temperatures are significantly cooler and winter tempera­tures significantly warmer than inland areas. In the Machias area average annual temperature is 430F., average annual precipitation is 49 inches, average annual snowfall is 75 inches, and the average frost-free growing season is 132 days. Fog is an important influence on the 'coastal ecosys­tem, present 33 percent of the time during the summer months. The area receives an average of 14 thunderstorms per year.

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No weather data is collected on the station.

A severe storm hit the Downeast area on December 3. Twenty-foot seas and southwest 50+ knot winds lashed the shoreline. The peak of the storm coincided with high tide bringing record high tides, reported: to be three feet above normal. Although no damage was noted on the mainland refuge units, we won't know until spring about the island units.

C. LAND ACQUISITION

2. Easements

Bruce Jacobson of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a private, non-profit organization specializing in land preservation through easements, visited the refuge on May 14 to discuss acquisition of easements on the inholdings on Petit Manan Point. He gave a presentation before the property owners meeting in August where there was some interest expressed. To date, no easements have been recorded.

3. Other

On May 28 Bob Miller, Senior Staff Specialist, Division of Realty, Region 5 Regional Office, visited the refuge to meet with Mr. and Mrs. William Mague. The Mague1s are considering donating the 175 acre Homestead Tract, on which we have an easement, to the refuge. Mr. Miller told them that we would accept the donation and discussed several alternative ways to proceed. No decisions had been reached by year's end.

D. PLANNING

2. Management plan

The Fire Management Plan was approved by DRD Ashe on April 23.

The Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan was approved by ARD Young on April 11.

5. Research and Investigations

53533-1 - Monitoring Colonial Seabird Populations and Reproductive Success in Terns Nesting on Petit Manan NWR

Objectives:

(1) Monitor the populations and nesting success of gulls, terns, puffins, guillemots, and eiders nesting on Petit Manan and Green Islands.

(2) Monitor the effects of competition by gulls for nesting space and predation on terns.

(3) Investigation the relationship between tern nesting sites and vegetation substrate. i

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(4) Monitor the effects of vegetation management on tern and laughing gull nesting success. /

1986 was the third year of the successful tern colony restoration project on Petit Manan Island. The avicide 1335 Gull Toxicant was applied three times this year on Green Island. A total of 29 great black-backed and 28 herring gulls were removed. An additional 12 gulls were shot while in the tern colony.

The field crew arrived on the island on May 7. Approximately 175 laughing gulls were already on site. By the 19th, 500-600 terns were present, although periodic harassment by a peregrine falcon during a week of fog disturbed them enough to delay nesting.

Total nesting pairs of everything but large gulls continued to climb this year.

Approximately 1,500 pairs of arctic and common terns (1:1 ratio), 30 pairs of laughing gulls, and 60 pairs of black guillemots nested on Petit Manan and 500 pairs of eiders nested on Green Island. Reproductive success for the terns again was excellent, approximately one chick/nest.

The graphs on the next three pages illustrate well the changes in nesting numbers since gull control was initiated in 1984. No gulls were produced on Petit Manan or Green Islands this year.

The effects of the experimental habitat management on the island have been minimal. We have presently tried soil scarification and acidification, and black plastic mulch to decrease vegetation density and height. Although

Nesting Gulls, Petit Manan & Green Is. 1983-86

Nesting Terns, Petit Hanan Island, 1983-86

Other Nesting Seahirds, Petit Hanan St Green Is.

all have been successful early in the nesting season, most of the test plots have been overgrown by late June. We expect to try prescribed burning next year.

Success of the artificial burrows has been good for guillemots, but not for the puffins. The puffins have been essentially confined to a small point of ledge by the agressive terns. '

Guillemot burrow. TAG

All active guillemot burrows were mapped and numbered this year.

Personnel

E. ADMINISTRATION

Goettel, Ottraan . BLG

(1) Thomas A. Goettel, Asst. Refuge Manager, GS-9 (ffoD 1/5/85) PFT

(2) Kevin Reyor, Biological Technician, GS-5, (4/28 to 9/30/86) TFT

(3) Daniel Ottman, Volunteer (5/19/86 to present)

Kevin Reyor, a former Student Conservation Association (SCA) volunteer from Ellenburg Depot, New York, was selected to fill the temporary Biolo­gical Technician slot. Kevin was terminated a month early because of budget cutbacks.

(Number of Employees) PFT PPT Temp. Ttl. FTE

FY 85 1 0 1 1.2

FY 86 1 0 1 1.5

4. Volunteer Programs

Daniel Ottman of Harrington, Maine, a wildlife student from the University of Maine, Orono, became this station's first volunteer, starting on May 19. Dan worked full time throughout the summer months and was involved in every phase of refuge management. After returning to school in the fall, he often came back to the refuge on weekends and free days to help out with everything from maintenance to computer programming. He has been an invaluable help to the refuge.

Ralph Widrig became the station's second volunteer on October 5. Ralph volunteered for several years at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge before moving back east. Ralph is working on a bird and plant checklist for the refuge. He is working nearly full time and has already recorded several rare species, including a Couch's kingbird, which was the second record for the state. He, too, has given a big boost to the refuge.

During the week of October 13, Hurricane Island Outward Bound's semester course visited both Petit Manan Point and Petit Manan Island. Besides learning about natural history and refuge management programs, the 18 students volunteered many hours of service projects, including trail brushing, beach cleanup, and grid posting on Petit Manan Island.

5. Funding

1986 was the second year that this station was given a separate budget.-In previous years funding came from the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge budget.

Travel and Operating Allotment Salaries Fixed Costs Balance.

FY-85 78,000 25,987 8,906(1) 43,107(2)

FY-86 66,500 35,784 13,577 17,139 i

(1) Includes Goettel's moving expenses of $1,338.»

(2) Includes $24,992 for purchase of new boat. /

Much of this year's operating balance went towards purchasing equipment for the new office and shop.

6. Safety

There were no accidents of any sort this year.

7. Technical Assistance

On July 24 Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel attended an oil spill simula­tion in Portlant, Maine. It was a joint Canadian/American response.

On December 11 Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel assisted the Maine Bureau of Public Lands and the Island Institute with their survey of State-owned islands in the Milbridge/Harrington/Addison area.

F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT

2. Wetlands

There are approximately 300 acres of freshwater marsh and 200 acres of saltwater marsh on Petit Manan Point and Bois Bubert Island. All are natural water systems that are not actively managed. Rainfall kept all of the flowages at adequate levels during the year.

9.

Over Cove TAG

3. Forests i i

Most of Petit Manan Point and Bois Bubert Island can be classified as commercial forests, chiefly second-growth red and white spruce, white cedar, and larch with mixed hardwoods including red maple, paper and yellow birch, mountain ash, and alders. No wood harvesting takes place on the refuge.

5. Grasslands

Two of the former sheep pastures totaling approximately 10 acres will be maintained as fields for upland species. They were not mowed this year.

6. Other Habitats

There are approximately 38 acres of blueberry grounds on the Point. They are important to migrating songbirds, raptors, whimbrels ("blueberry curlews"), and deer. Approximately 15 acres were mowed this year.

The arctic-like tip of Petit Manan Point with its shrub-slope peatlands and raised peatlands represents fragile habitats that will not be actively managed.

Approximately 25 percent of the Point is "brush", composed of species such as alder, spicebush, azalea.

10. •jr

The Point in the fall. TAG

Petit Manan and Nash Islands are noted for the presence of beach-head iris (Iris hookeri), sea lungwort (Mertensia maritima), dnd roseroot stonecrop (Sedum rosea), all locally rare species. 1

7. Grazing I

One-half of Nash Island is privately owned and is used for sheep pasture. Although once fenced when it was an active light station, the fence has long since been torn down, giving the sheep the run of the island. Replacing the fence would make the.island a good test site for research on the effects of sheep on the coastal islands.

9. Fire Management

The Fire Management Plan was approved on April 11 this year; unfortu­nately, not in time for spring burning. The plan calls for one-third of the refuge blueberry grounds to be burned annually.

A small wildfire was discovered on the southern end of Bois Bubert Island on April 15 at 10:30 p.m. A typical "low-tide fire", it was undoubtedly intentionally set by clam diggers. Since this was a low humidity, 55° bluebird day with a southerly breeze and no snow cover, the Maine Forest Service was called. A helicopter was quickly dispatched and the fire was out by 12:30 p.m. Approximately four acres burned. The Fish and Wildlife Service was charged $1,A43 for use of the helicopter and personnel.

11. jr

Wildfire on Bois Bubert Island. TAG

12. Wilderness and Special Areas

Petit Manan Island and Point are on the State Critical Areas Register.

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G. WILDLIFE

1. Wildlife Diversity

Prescribed burning and mowing will.continue to provide a diversity of habitats to help maintain a diversity of wildlife species.

2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species

Bald eagles are common year-round residents of the refuge. The scarcity of old-growth pine, their preferred nest tree species, is one of the limiting factors for eagles in this area. There are several eagle nests near the refuge, so the refuge provides important feeding and loafing habitat for the local birds.

Two dead bald eagles were found this year; one in Milbridge in August, which was reported by a couple camping in the area, and one on the Point on November 6, found by Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel and Biologist Atwell. Both were well decayed and cause of death could not be deter­mined. No bands were found. The one in Milbridge appeared to have been dumped with several dozen alewives. The one on Petit Manan Point may have washed up on the beach and had been pretty much cleaned up by a family of raccoons.

On October 30 a complaint was received about a crippled eagle on Birch Island in Addison. It was not found.

Peregrine falcons are common during the fall migration, especially on the outer islands. One took up residence during much of September and October on the Petit Manan Island light tower, taking advantage of the large numbers of migrating songbirds and shorebirds in the area.

3. Waterfowl

Waterfowl nesting on Petit Manan Point is minimal as in most of Downeast Maine. Black ducks, wood ducks, green-winged teal, and hooded mergansers are common nesters. The ponds and marshes of the refuge are important black duck staging areas during the fall, with a peak population this year of 2,500 on October 22. Other common migrants are pintail, widgeon, blue and green-winged teal, and occasionally mallards and ruddy ducks.

Common eider are numerous throughout the year in the .'refuge area. From 5,000 to 10,000 eiders raft up during the late summer, winter, and spring months around Petit Manan Island and are often joined by large numbers of scoters. Oldsquaw, bufflehead, and goldeneye are also common fall and winter residents.

\ 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species

Besides the nesting seabirds mentioned in Section D. 5, this was the first year of a confirmed puffin nest on Petit Manan Island. The puffins are presumably attracted to Petit Manan by the lack of gplls, since there is virtually no nesting habitat. In other years they ha^ve' gone through the motions, but never actually laid any eggs until this year. Unfortu­nately, the egg was found pushed off its ledge and broken,' later in the year. It was fertile. A total of 15 puffins occupied "Puffin Point" under the shadow of the lighthouse during the nesting season.

A black-headed gull nested in the laughing gull colony again this year. One egg was laid, but was broken during a territorial dispute with a laughing gull.

This year the Coast Guard undertook a major renovation of the electronics of the light tower and also build a helo pad. A team of six to eight civilian employees camped on the island from late June through October. Needless to say, there was constant activity in and around the tern col­ony, with helicopters and ships dropping off supplies, cement being poured, tractors and compressors running, and so forth. The terns adapted well just as they did when the light station was manned year-round. Some chicks and eggs were undoubtedly lost, but it was an insignificant number and could not be detected in overall colony production.

There was continued interest by the media in the gull control end of the project. Following a front page article by Ellen Bartlett in the Sunday Boston Globe, ABC-TV decided to do a story. Correspondent John McKenzie, crew, and producer spent June 23 filming and interviewing on the island. The story was aired on National ABC News on July 15 and on Good Morning America the following day. Hugh Smith, a correspondent with the Christian Science Monitor, visited the island on July 13 and produced a five-minute tape for Monitor Radio which aired in September. Finally, Susan Shetterly visited the island on April 22 to do a story for the Augusta Maine Times.

13.

ABC News TAG

Of special note this year was the record of a sooty tern •'seen on Petit Manan Island in June. '(

On Petit Manan Point this year, several flocks of from eight to 20 whim-brels were seen on the blueberry grounds in August and September. The Point was once noted for its whimbrels during the fall migration.

6. Raptors

Snowy owls were seen in January on Petit Manan Point and in November and December on Petit Manan Island

Ospreys are common summer residents of the area, usually arriving in April and leaving in October.

8. Game Mammals

White-tailed deer are continuing to increase on the Point. Exact numbers are not available, but the spotlighting count was up 15 percent from last year. One piebald deer is still around.

No moose sign was found on Petit Manan Point this year. Black bear sign was found several times. Two coyotes were seen one moonlit night while we were staked out for deer poachers.

9. Marine Mammals

A harbor porpoise was found by a local wormdigger on February 5 in Pigeon Hill Bay. It was stranded at the high water mark and had lain on the ice for several hours in -10oF. weather. Although still alive, it was

14.

badly frostbitten and cut up by the salt ice. He was taken to the Colleg of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor where he was eventually e.uthanized. No cause of the stranding could be determined. It was a two-year-old male, 87 pounds.

Adult Pygmy Sperm Whale TAG

On November 13 Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel received a report of a stranded marine mammal in Wards Cove, Harrington. The 12-feet long animal, a pygmy sperm whale, was bleeding moderately from several shallow cuts, presumably from rocks and barnacles. It was still alive and was, fortunately, still in the water so..it was checked over and pushed into deeper water. It appeared disoriented and kept swimming up onto the beach, but eventually headed for deeper water.

On November 20 a second, smaller pygmy sperm whale was found in the same area, but this one was dead when found. It was towed to the Addison boat ramp and taken by boat trailer to the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor where a necropsy was performed. It was found to be a lactatin female. Cause of death was not determined. The skeleton and tissue samples were shipped to the Smithsonian for further studies.

Finally, on November 24 a very young pygmy sperm whale, approximately four feet long, was found dead in the general area. It was also taken to the College of the Atlantic.

15.

Juvenile Pygmy Sperm Whale TAG

10. Other Resident Wildlife i

Spruce grouse were confirmed on the refuge in November, 'i

11. Fisheries Resources /

Daniel Kusmyskus, Laconia Office of Fishery Assistance, visited the refuge in August to do preliminary investigative work on fisheries resources of Petit Manan Point.

14. Scientific collections

In January, 21 oldsquaw collected from waterfowl hunters were shipped to Dr. James Fleming at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center for heavy metals analysis.

On June 25, six double-crested cormorant chicks were collected from a colony on Eastern Island in Steuben and shipped live to Ken Stromborg, ECE, Greenbay, Wisconsin, also for environmental contaminant analysis.

15. Animal Control

Twenty-nine great black-backed gulls and 28 herring gulls were killed with the avicide 1339 Gull Toxicant on Green Island. It was applied three times this year, on May 14, June 5, and June 23. There was no reproduction on Green Island at all this year.

No gulls attempted to nest on Petit Manan Island in 1986, but 12 were shot while raiding the tern colony (also see Section G. 5).

16.

16. Marking and Banding

Banded Guillemot Chick TAG /

A total of 131 common, 133 arctic, and 23 roseate tern chicks; 47 laughing gull chicks; and 75 black guillemot chicks were banded on,Petit Manan Island this year. The terns were also color banded with a blue plastic band on the right leg, and the gulls and guillemots were color banded with a green plastic band on the right leg.

The purpose of the banding is to help determine chick survival, longevity, and dispersion to other colonies. .The color banding will enable us to identify them by color at sight.

17. Disease Prevention and Control

One cholera-killed eider was picked up on Petit Manan Island in July. We received a complaint of a cholera outbreak on Schoodic Island, but it was unfounded.

H. PUBLIC USE

1. General

With such a small staff and an off-refuge office, it is nearly impossible to get an accurate picture of public use on the refuge. Generally speak­ing, it is "nature-oriented" with hiking, birding, and cross-country skiing the most common uses. Clam digging is permitted, but hunting and trapping are not at this time.

Petit Manan and Nash Islands are closed to all use during the seabird nesting season, April 1 to July 31.

Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel presented talks about the refuge to the Schoodic Chapter of the Maine Audubon Society on May 20 and to the Ellsworth Kiwanis Club on April 30; led a field trip of Petit Manan Point for the Maine Audubon Society on June 21; gave an eagle film and demon­stration to the Statewide Girl Scouts conclave on April 5, and to the Brooklin and Sedgewick schools on April 8; and led a field trip on shore life for the Steuben Elementary school's advanced pupil program in November.

On May 23 Mr. Goettel attended a conference on Hurricane Island led by the Island Institute on the subject of public use on islands.

4. Interpretive Foot Trails

Much time was spent this year improving the foot trails to Birch Point and Big Pond.

17. Law Enforcement

The following cases were made this year: \

(1) Taking Protected Species (yellowlegs) $100 (2) Loaded firearm in motor vehicle 100 (3) Possession of clams under two inches 100 each (2 cases) (4) Tipping without landowner's permission 50 (and 1 pending) (5) Possession of a firearm on a refuge 50 j

All but number (5) were taken to State Court. Several warnings were given for clamming without a town license. One unregistered ATV was found abandoned off the refuge and turned over to State authorities. It has not been claimed.

Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel attended the Law Enforcement refresher course at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge during the week of February 10.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1. New Construction

A Visitor Contact Station was constructed near the parking lot in May by a local contractor. It was sided with V-matched cedar, stained gray on the outside and natural on the inside. The roof was constructed with cedar shakes. The panels were purchased by the Regional Office in FY 85 from Wilderness Graphics, Tallahassee, Florida.

2. Rehabilitation

The buildings on Petit Manan Island were evaluated by a local contractor in July under the Maintenance Management System. Necessary repairs were in excess of $50,000 for buildings estimated to cost $220,000 to replace.

18.

3. Major Maintenance

The parking lot and entrance road were graded and graveled by a local contractor in October.

An engine block mooring was placed off Petit Manan Island in July.

4. Equipment utilization and Replacement

A small washer on the Volvo outdrive of the Privateer boat failed in July within 50 feet of the mooring, as we were returning from a trip to Petit Manan Island. Fortunately, although not under warranty, Volvo paid for the repairs which were over $1,000 for parts alone. The boat was out of the water for two months.

A 20-foot "Smokey" travel trailer was transferred from Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in March.

A Raytheon depth finder and loran were purchased for the boat.

Under end-of-the-year funding, a portable gas generator, gas engine compressor, Raytheon boat radar, and a new 20-foot Sea Ox outboard boat were purchased. The Sea Ox will replace the 20-foot Chrysler which will be transferred to Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge.

)

A 20hp Mercury outboard was transferred to LE, Concord, ̂ ew Hampshire, in May.

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5. Communications Systems

A six-channel, six-watt portable radio was transferred from Wildlife Assistance, Annapolis, Maryland. New crystals were purchased to include four marine frequencies and two local law enforcement channels.

6. Computer systems

A new IBM PC-XT computer system with 20 megabyte hard disc drive, PCS color monitor, IBM graphics printer, and Racal-Vadic modem was donated to the refuge by the Traveler's Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Software also included in the package were DOS, Basic, Multimate, Sidekick, On-file, Decision Images Graphics and Engineering Graphics. Total value of the donation was over $6,000. It was presented to the refuge by Mr. Thomas Ottman, Vice President, Data Processing.

J. OTHER ITEMS

3. Items of Interest

The five buildings on Petit Manan Island were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places this year. The nomination was still pending at the end of the year, so a follow-up will be included in next year's report.

19. •f

Assistant Refuge Manager Goettel attended the Refuges-North Project Leaders Meeting at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in August.

Visitors to the refuge this year included:

March 19, June 12, November 5-7 - Gerry Atwell, Regional Office, North Biologist.

June 12 - Tom McAndrews and Mark Sweeney, Regional Office, RFN.

August 10 - Don Young, ARD-WR.

March 19, April 25, May 7 - A1 Godin, WA, Augusta, Maine.

September 15 - Ron Joseph, ES, Concord, New Hampshire.

October 15 - Sue Wahl and Chris Mendolson, Realty.

Stephen Kielly, former Regional Director of the Nature Conservancy, and his wife Virginia visited the refuge on September 25.

Revenue sharing checks were distributed as follows: Steuben, $5,938; Milbridge, $2,694; and Addison, $275.

4. Credits / , 1

Goettel: All Sections i

Forsyth: Typing

Mullen; Editing

PETIT MANAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNITED STATES W A S H I NT. TO N (OIINTV MAINE UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U UUIN ' FISH AND WILDL IFE SERVICE

e y s Q a o * *

e7o52•30•• COMPILED IN THE D IV IS ION OF REALTY

FROM SURVEYS BY U .S .O S . AND U .S . F A W.S SCALE o

BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS

2000 4000 6000 8000 FEET

1 K ILOMETER

MEAN DECL INAT ION

1948

CROSS ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Cutler, Maine

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

INTRODUCTION

Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,355 acre island complex donated to the Fish and Wildlife Service through the Nature Conservancy by Thomas and Virginia Cabot in 1980. Located in the town of Cutler in Washington County, Maine, the complex is composed of six islands; Cross Island, 1,306 acres; Scotch Island, 10 acres; Inner Double Head Shot Island, 8 acres; Outer Double Head Shot Island, 14 acres; Mink Island, 11 acres; and Old Man Island, 6 acres.

Twenty acres on Cross Island were retained by the Cabot's for the use of

their heirs; however, the Fish and Wildlife Service has rights of refusal

should the Cabots decide to sell. Eighteen acres are owned by Hurricane

Island Outward Bound, Inc., an environmental/survival education organiza­

tion. It owns and maintains the former Coast Guard Station which is the

field station of The Island Institute, an offshoot of Outward Bound. The

Nature Conservancy has recently acquired 130 acres on Cross Island's North­

west Head; acquisition by the Fish and Wildlife Service is being actively

pursued. N

Like many of the islands on the Maine coast. Cross Island has-'a long history of human occupation. Known by the Indians as Sebeheganuk (passage), it was used as a fishing base by both Indians and early mariners through the 19th century. In the latter half of the 19th century it even had a small village with a store, school, several saltwater farms, and copper mines near Seal Cove and on Outer Double Head Shot Island.

The U.S. Life Saving Service built a station on Cross Island in 1874 which was taken over by the Coast Guard in 1928. Both sets of buildings remain today. Shortly after World War I the island was bought by a businessman who hoped to turn it into a hunting camp for out-of-state sportsmen. It was bought by the Cabot's in the 1940's after it was commercially clearcut between 1939 and 1^41.

Cross, Mink, and Scotch Islands are forested with dense stands of red spruce and some mixed hardwoods; yellow birch, red maple, and gray birch. The shoreline is generally rocky with some cliffs over 100 feet high on the southern shore of Cross Island.

The Double Head Shot Islands and Old Man Island are valuable colonial sea-bird nesting islands vegetated largely by grasses and forbs with some red spruce. Old Man Island is one of only three nesting sites for razorbills in Maine. At the turn of the century Old Man Island was the site of the sole surviving common eider colony in Maine, the rest having fallen victim toegg, feather, and meat market hunters.

1. $

A. HIGHLIGHTS

A record number of razorbills (139) were seen near Old Man Island in July. (Section G. 5.)

B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

The climate of Coastal Washington County is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Summer temperatures are significantly cooler and winter tempera­tures significantly milder than inland areas. In the Machias area the average annual temperature is 430F, average annual precipitation is 45 inches, average annual snowfall is 75 inches, and average frost-free growing season is 132 days. The cold Labrador current has an important influence on Cross Island, helping to make one out of three days foggy during the summer months. Average tidal range is 13 feet; spring tides reach 15 feet. The area receives an average of 14 thunderstorms per y^ar

D. PLANNING

2. Management Plan '

The Fire Management Plan and the Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan were approved this year. • ./

5. Research and Investigation

53535-01 - Population composition, nesting habitat, and reproductive success of the razorbill (alca torda) on Old Man Island, Cutler, Maine

The objectives of this study were to:

(1) Conduct a census of breeding and non-breeding razorbills on Old Man Island.

(2) Mark, photograph, and map all active razorbill nest sites.

(3) Determine their nesting success.

(4) Document the interactions between gulls and razorbills.

(5) Document the prey species fed to nestlings.

(6) Conduct a breeding bird survey for all species on Old Man Island.

The razorbill is a member of the alcid family which includes 23 species, only six percent of which are found in the North Atlantic. Alcids are a primitive family that first appeared as fossils that date to approxi­mately 60 million years ago. Razorbills, like all alcids, are skillful

2.

divers and swimmers, and use their two-feet wingspan to "fly" underwater after small fish such as herring or crustaceans.

They return from several months at sea to inspect their colonies in January and February, and usually occupy last year's site in March and April. Only one egg is laid, usually on a narrow ledge or in a boulder crevass. The egg is incubated by both parents for about 35 days.

The chicks fledge in July or August while still flightless. They are accompanied at sea by the adults for several weeks. They return during the breeding season to loaf around their natal island, but do not actu­ally nest until five years old,

Richard Podolsky at typical razorbill nest site TAG

Old Man Island is one of only four nesting sites for razorbills in the Gulf of Maine. Approximately 110 pairs nest on nearby Machias Seal Island, 40 pairs on Matinicus Rock, 30 pairs on Old Man Island, and less than 10 pairs on Freeman's Rock. The entire nesting population in the Gulf of Maine is probably less than 200 pairs, making it the rarest nest­ing seabird in the Continental United States. There are only 50 pairs nesting in Nova Scotia; consequently, the Gulf of Maine population is a significant component of the southern population of this species.

Razorbills have never been accurately censused on Old Man Island. Pre­vious figures are only estimates based on the number of individuals and chicks seen in the area. There is no accurate information on nest site locations, reproductive success, competition, and prey species. The main purpose of this study was to enable us to make better management decisions for this colony.

Twenty-six active and six inactive nests were located in 1986. Most were located under a ledge, which is unusual for razorbills at the other colonies in Maine. Each nest was photographed and mapped.

3.

A high count of 139 individuals was seen on the water off Old Man Island on July 2. At other auk colonies, 60 percent or more of those counted may be non-breeders, which accounts for the high numbers observed.

Their diet this year was largely Atlantic herring which appeared to be in ample supply.

There was evidence of gull/razorbill competition. While we were on the island, one chick was eaten by a black-backed gull. Selective gull con­trol probably would be helpful to the colony; however, protection from boat landings is more important. Fortunately, Old Man Island and its stacks are very inaccessible, and human disturbance is minimal.

The nesters on the island included 69 pairs of herring gulls, 15 pairs of great black-backed gulls, 12 pairs of black guillemots, 271 pairs of double-crested cormorants., 14 pairs of common eiders, 14 barn swallow nests, and two song sparrow nests.

Double-crested cormorant colony. TAG

3. Forests

Cross Island was last commercially clearcut between 1939 and 1941. The forest now consists of dense stands of second growth red and white spruce with balsam fir, yellow birch, paper birch, and red maple as subdorainants. Because of the year-round use of the island by bald eagles no timber harvest is planned on Cross, Mink, or Scotch Islands.

There is currently some interest by the U.S. Forest Service in studying the effects of acid fog. As they say, next to lobster, fog is probably what most people associate with the Maine Coast. Not only is Coastal Maine one of the foggiest places in the United States, but also in the world.

4.

Fog is typically more acidic than rain because, as a fog droplet enlarges and becomes a raindrop the hydrogen ions get diluted, reducing the acidity. An average pH for fog along the coast is 3.8, with a low of 2.9 recorded; whereas for rain the average pH is 4.3, with a low of 3.6 recorded.

Effects of these low pH values are only beginning to be investigated. The most obvious negative effect of acid fog over the long term will be of decreased timber harvest. Less obvious effects will be seen on many species of migratory birds, from bald eagles to woodcock due to loss of nesting and loafing habitat, and decreased food supply.

5. Grasslands

Grassy Point is an unusual barrier beach called a Tombolo Bar. It is vegetated with a varity of seaside grasses and forbs.

Meadow on Cross Island TAG

On the edges of the southern cliffs are interesting meadow communities of grasses, forbs, and stunted spruce over a thick peat layer. Establish­ment and maintenance of seaside meadows is a poorly understood process.

6. Other Habitats

Other interesting habitats include the cobble beaches which are dominated by salt adapted species including beachpea, sea rocket, and oysterleaf and the cliff cracks and crevasses which are dominated by roseroot stone-crop, black crowberry, and a variety of lichens. A sea cave can also be found on the southern shore.

The Double Head Shot Islands are noted for their raspberry thickets which provide good eider nesting habitat.

The rocky shorelines and cliffs also provide good nesting habitat for black guillemots.

9. Fire Management

The Fire Management Plan for Cross Island was approved this year. No pre­scribed burning will be done. All wildfires will be aggressively attacked to preserve eagle and seabird habitat.

G. WILDLIFE

2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species

The bald eagle pair nesting on Cross Island was unproductive again this year. The nest has been occupied for many years and is probably one of the remaining pairs still affected by pesticide accumulation.

Mink Island and Northwest Head are important loafing areas throughout the year for both immature and mature bald eagles.

Peregrine Falcons are common in the area during the fall migration.

3. Waterfowl

Approximately 200 pairs of common eiders nest on the Double Head Shot Islands.

/

The salt marshes on Cross Island are locally important blpck duck staging areas during the fall months.

5. Shorebirds, Guls, Terns, and Allied Species

Nesting seabirds on the complex include 200 pairs of black guillemots, 271 pairs of double-crested cormorants, several hundred pairs of herring and great black-backed gulls, and 30 pairs of razorbills.

A high count of 138 individual razorbills was seen on July 2 on Old Man Island.

6. Raptors

There are at least three osprey nests on Cross Island and possibly one on Inner Double Head Shot Island.

8. Game Mammals

Cross Island supports populations of both white-tailed deer and black bear. Numbers have never been accurately estimated.

Cross Island was considered as a possible site for the State Caribou Reintroduction Project, but it was not selected for unknown reasons.

17. Disease Prevention and Control

The Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan was approved by ARD Young on April 12.

H. PUBLIC USE

In 1968 eighteen acres of Cross Island were given to Hurricane Island Outward Bound, Inc., an environmental education/confidence-building school, by Thomas Cabot. Since 1983 the former Coast Guard facilities have been known as the Cabot Biological Station, run by the Island Institute, an offshoot of Outward Bound. It has been their Downeast bas-e of operations.

They currently use Cross Island for environmental education programs and overnight solo camping. A long-term agreement between Hurricane Island Outward Bound School and the Fish and Wildlife Service is currently being pursued.

In 1986 they used Cross Island for a total of 576 person-days (four courses, 144 persons total).

Other use of the island is by occasional picknickers, fishermen, and deer poachers.

No public use is allowed on the three seabird islands fr6m April 1 to July 31.

8. Hunting

Cross Island has been closed to all hunting by state law for many years at the request of the previous owners. It was known as the Avelinda Forest Preserve. However, the law has never been enforced and dder and waterfowl hunting is common. Staffing limitations do not allow frequent patrols of the area.

J. OTHER ITEMS

3. Items of Interest

A revenue sharing check for $2,382 was presented to the Town of Cutler.

4. Credits

Goettel: All Sections

Forsyth: Typing

Mullen: Editing

o UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR

CROSS ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

H A S H I N C T O N C O U N T Y . M A I N E UNITED STATES FI8M AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

- 4 4 37 30

4 4 3b OO

COMPILED IN THE D IV IS ION OF REALTY

FROM SURVEYS OF THE U S O S. AND THE U S F.AW.8.

NEWTON . MASS . FEBRUARY 1SS1

REVISED JANUARY 1986

1 KILOMETERS

DECLINATION 1977

5R ME 971

SEAL ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Matinicus Isle, Maine

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

INTRODUCTION

Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 65 acre treeless island approxi­mately 21 miles south of Rockland, Maine, in Matinicus Island Plantation. A bombing/shelling target during and shortly after World War II, it was transferred from the Navy in 1972. This remote, inaccessible grass and granite island was once the site of the largest common puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine. It still has some of the best colonial seabird nesting habitat in the Gulf with boulder fields for puffins and razorbills, rock ledges for black guillemots, grass/ledge areas for terns, raspberry and grass thickets for eiders, and peat/glacial till substrate for Leach's storm-petrels. Seal Island has a maximum elevation of 65 feet.

For over two hundred years Seal Island was used by fishermen as a summer campsite base while fishing for herring, groundfish, and lobsters. It was probably used by Native Americans before that. An old dug well, moor­ing chains, tarred rocks where they waterproofed their nets and an occa­sional bottle or piece of iron are all that remain.

The fishermen also harvested the seabirds for meat, eggs, and feathers, eventually extirpating the colonies by the late 1880's.^ Although recolon-ized by great black-backed gulls, eiders, double-crested cormorants, and arctic terns, puffins never recolonized the island. The more mobile terns rested on the island as recently as the 1950's, but were crowded off by the gulls as on many other islands in New England.

1.

A. HIGHLIGHTS

An environmental Assessment signed on May 12 addressed the gull problem on Seal Island (Section D. A).

Gull control, using 1339 Gull Toxicant, began this year with the goal of eliminating nesting herring and great black-backed gulls from the island (Section G. 15).

1986 marked the third year of the National Audubon Society's puffin and tern restoration project. One hundred and forty-nine out of 150 puffin chicks transplanted from Newfoundland fledged (Section G. 1).

B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

The climate of the Rockland area is moderated by the surrounding ocean. Summer temperatures are significantly warmer than inland areas. The average annual temperature is A60F., average annual snowfall is 60 inches, average annual precipitation is 47 inches, and the average growing season is 143 days.

Fog is an important influence on coastal ecosystems, occuring an average of 21 percent of the time during the summer. Although no formal records are kept on Seal Island, the National Audubon Society researchers recorded poor visibility due to fog or rain on 41 percent of the days this year.

i

D. PLANNING

4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates

An Environmental Assessment addressing the problem of competition between gulls and the tern and puffin colony restoration project on Seal Island and Matinicus Rock was prepared and signed on May 12. Copies were sent to all major environmental and conservation-oriented groups in Maine, and the appropriate State and Federal agencies were notified. A news release was prepared and a copy of the Environmental Assessment was placed in the Knox County Courthouse for public inspection.

In stark contrast to the 1984 Environmental Assessment for a similar project on Petit Manan Island, there was virtually no interest in this project. Only six letters were received; all were supportive. Although one local reporter contacted the office for more information, he apparently elected not to publish our news release,as did the other papers. Because of the lack of interest, no public hearing was held.

5. Research and Investigations

53534-01. Re-establishment of Common Puffins (Fratercula arctica) and Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) on Seal Island, Penobscot Bay, Maine. National Audubon Society and Canadian Wildlife Service.

Objectives:

a. To re-establish Atlantic puffins and arctic terns to historical nesting habitat on Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge.

b. To examine features of growth, post-fledging survival, and move­ments of common puffin chicks transplanted from Newfounland to Maine.

c. To further refine and test management techniques for re-estab­lishing breeding populations of common puffins and arctic terns.

This was the third year of the project. One hundred and fifty puffin chicks were transplanted from Great Island, Newfoundland, and raised in artificial burrows on Seal Island. All but one fledged.

No puffins nested this year which was no surprise because they spend their first three to five years at sea. Two of the 1984 transplants were seen loafing on nearby Matinicus Rock. Flybys and landings on Seal Island were more frequent. \

Flocks of up to 30 arctic terns prospected for nest sites this year. Several scrapes were made, but no eggs were laid. .

Camp Cove TAG

Two small studies were carried out this year on the transplants. In the first study, one group of chicks was fed its daily ration in a single meal while the other received the same quantity of food in 10 meals a day. The purpose of this study was to compare growth rate and survival in years in which the adults had to fly long distances to find food, and only had time for one trip per day, with years in which food was plenti­ful in the immediate area. In this study, there was no detectable dif­ference in weight, wing length, or age at fledging between the two groups

In the second study, one group received a varying amount of food accord­ing to the chick's age. Here, too, there was no difference detected between experimental and control groups.

E. ADMINISTRATION

1. Personnel

The refuge is administered and funded out of the Petit Manan office in Milbridge, Maine.

F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1. General

Seal Island is vegetated with a variety of grasses and forbs interspersed with a granite ledge and rocks. some of the more common plants include New York aster, beach pea, yarrow, raspberry, gooseberry, chickweed, : shepherd's purse, creeping juniper, ragweed, and red fescue. It is pro­bably one of the most important stations in the State for the:rare plant, Sedum rosea, roseroot stonecrop. The only "trees" on the island are balsam poplars which reach a maximum height of three to four feet.

i

Although last used as a target in 1952, the effects of thp bombing and shelling can still be seen. Small craters and scarred granite are abun­dant, but the rank growth of grasses and raspberry has concealed most of the damage. Even the effects of the 1978 fire are fading beneath a quickly growing peat layer.

No active habitat management is planned.

12. Wilderness and Special Areas

Seal Island is on the Maine Critical Areas Register.

G. WILDLIFE

This was the third year of the National Audubon Society's puffin and tern colony restoration project. One hundred and fifty common puffin chicks were transplanted from the large colony on Great Island in Witless Bay, Newfoundland, and raised in artificial burrows.

Puffins spend their first three to five years at sea before returning to their natal island to nest. When these chicks return, they will be encouraged to stay by puffin and razorbill decoys placed in the boulder field nesting habitat. We might also get immigrants from the small colony on nearby Matinicus Rock, and from the larger colony to the north on Machias Seal Island.

Another part of this project is to restore the former tern colony which was active until the early 1950's when displaced by gull competition.

A.

Restoration of this colony is especially important because terns often act as the first line of defense for the puffins against predating gulls. Tern chicks cannot be transplanted like puffins, so we are trying to attract adults to nest with a combination of decoys and vocalization recordings.

Our concern for the terns is based on the well-documented regionwide population decline which began in the 1940's. Much of this decline is due to competition with herring and great black-backed gulls for nest sites, and predation by gulls on tern eggs and chicks. Restoration or protection work is realistically limited to field station sites because gull control is a never-ending task.

Although far from endangered, common puffins have been declining in the Western Atlantic since the 1920's. The Witless Bay, Newfoundland, colony has declined by 20 to 30 percent since 1975 due to gull competition, food scarcity, and environmental contamination. We believe that we need to take a strong stand for protection now while we have viable puffin and tern populations to work with.

The environmental education impact of this project should not be under­estimated. Puffins are very popular birds and attract quite a bit of attention from the general public, not just birders. By getting their attention with puffins, we have been able to show people the problems associated with the burgeoning gull population, with ocean fisheries overharvesting, and with ocean contamination. 1

3. Waterfowl i

During the gull control virtually all of the eiders are momentarily flushed off their nests, enabling us to get a good nest count. This year, 324 nests were counted so a good estimate would be 325-350 total common eider nests. Our previous estimate was 200 nests, ,

Flushing the females off the nest is not detrimental; most return within five minutes. No nest predation by gulls has been recorded as a result of our disturbance.

The first eider brood took to the water on May 17.

5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species

Forty-four double-crested cormorant nests were counted this year, compared to 25 last year. With its high cliffs. Seal Island would be a good nest­ing site for great cormorants which are now nesting in the Mt. Desert Island area on Great Spoon Island.

Eleven hundred black guillemots were counted in May. Leach's storm-petrels also nest there; a very rough estimate is a minimum of 1,000 pairs.

Black Guillemots TAG

6. Raptors

The Maine coastal islands, particularly the outer islandg, are very important to raptors during the spring and fall migratiorL^ No observa­tions were made on Seal Island this year during the fall migration, although other nearby islands, including Matinicus Rock and Monhegan were staffed by the Island Institute. Peregrine falcons frequent the outer islands, hunting for shorebirds and songbirds.

A snowy owl was found dead on Seal Island this year. The great horned owl that briefly took up residence in 1985 did not return this year.

7. Other Migratory Birds

Warblers recorded in the spring included Blackburnian, magnolia, yellow, Canada, palm, black and white, parula, Nashville, and blackpoll.

One raven nest was also found, but was later abandoned.

9. Marine Mammals

Harbor and gray seals are common year-round, as the island's name implies They are attracted to the rich fishing grounds in the area.

Minke whales often come into the Camp Cove area after schools of herring Fin and humpback whales are occasionally seen seaward in the spring. A killer whale, which is extremely rare in this area, was reported in early May by a local fisherman.

15. Animal Control

The success of the puffin and tern colony restoration is.contingent upon many variables, but probably the first step is to clear the island of nesting herring and great black-backed gulls to reduce nest site competi­tion and egg and chick predation.

In the first year of the project, 1984, 60 adult gulls were shot and 259 nests were destroyed. In 1985 the shooting effort was increased and 263 gulls were killed. Three hundred and fifty-two nests were des­troyed. Also used were "scare gulls", which proved ineffective, and propane exploders which scared the guillemots and seals, but not the gulls.

When we returned to the island in 1986, the gull nest count on the northern end was 73, compared to 282 in 1985 and 230 in 1984. Therefore, the shooting had worked to a degree on one end of the island. Shooting is, however, very labor-intensive and represented an investment of literally hundreds of hours of effort on less than one-quarter of the island. The shooting also disturbs other species, including those we want to attract.

This year the gull control was expanded to include the use of 1339 Gull Toxicant. It was applied three times, on May 17, May 31, and June 19. A total of 2,592 nests were baited, 1,476 (60.5%) great black-backed and 964 herring gulls were recovered, or .94 gulls/baited nest. A total of 320 gulls were sexed; 70 percent were females. An additional 230 gulls were shot over the course of the summer.

i Nesting success was brought to near zero. Gull counts were consistently lower than before control, indicating that immigration was minimal. Total number of gulls (mostly loafing gulls) was estimated to be 200-300, one-tenth that of previous years.

Blind observations were made of the behavior of gulls immediately follow­ing the first two applications. In most cases only one of the pair took the bait, although in one case courtship feeding was observed. After the first application all had returned to the nest within four minutes. By the second application the time increased to 20 minutes, implying that the birds were more wary. There were only a few instances of regur­gitation, all away from the nest. Only 10 subadult birds were recovered. No distress was noted.

Matinicus Rock, nine miles southwest of Seal Island was also treated. Matinicus has been a field station of the National Audubon Society since 1939 and has healthy tern, puffin, razorbill, and laughing gull colonies. In 1971 the Fish and Wildlife Service applied 1339 at their request, after the nesting gull population had built up to approximately 70 pairs. Only one application was needed to virtually eliminate the gulls and gull numbers remained low for a decade.

Over the last five years the herring gull population has slowly built up to the point where they were having a noticeable negative impact on the terns in particular, reducing their reproduction rate by 50 percent.

Only one application was needed this year, on May 30. Seventy herring gull nests were treated and 75 gulls were recovered. All of the nests were deserted and no further applications were necessary.

17. Disease Prevention and Control

The Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan was approved "on April 11.

There was no avian cholera recorded on Seal Island this year.

H. PUBLIC USE

I. General

Due to the presence of unexploded ordnance on the island, it is closed to all public use. The National Audubon Society team is issued a Special Use Permit for their work and are individually required to sign releases absolving the Fish and Wildlife Service of any liability due to the ordnance hazard.

The National Audubon Society keeps detailed wildlife observation records from their arrival in May until the puffins fledge in August.

II. Wildlife Observation

Maine Whalewatch regularly runs birding trips to Seal Island and Matinicus Rock in May and June. They do not land, but they do stop'long enough to get the National Audubon Society personnel on board to give a short talk on the wildlife programs we have on the island. From 10-15 people come out three days a week during May and June.

J. OTHER ITEMS

3. Items of Interest

A revenue sharing check in the amount of $312 was presented to the Knox County Treasurer and Tax Collector this year.

J

4. Credits

Goettel: All Sections Forsyth: Typing Mullen; Editing

SEAL ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNHID I IA I I I K N O X C O U N T Y , M A I N E un i t ed m m

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR F ISH AND WI IDUFE SERVICE

68 °4500 " 68 -44 •30 " ea -AAOO"

COMPILED IN THE D IV IS ION OF REALTY

FROM SURVEYS BY U .S .O S . AND U .S .F .AW.S .

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AUGUST 1972

1000 FEET MIAN

DECLINATION 1953

5R MA 848 402

FRANKLIN ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Friendship, Maine

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1986

INTRODUCTION

Franklin Island is located in Muscongus Bay, about six miles from the village of Friendship, Maine, in Knox County. This 12 acre island is all upland, vegetated with red spruce, raspberry, rose, pnd various grasses and forbs. It has a very acidic, organic duff soil layer on top of glaciated granite and schists with a maximum elevation of 35 feet. It was acquired in 1973 from the Coast Guard which still main­tains an automated light.

The Two Bush Island unit of the refuge is located approximately 16 miles east of Franklin Island and seven miles south of Owls Head, Maine. It is a small, 8 acre island owned by the Coast Guard and leased to the Fish and Wildlife Service for 5-year periods. It, too, has an automated light.

/'

1.

A. HIGHLIGHTS

On March 18 Assistant Refuge Managers Goettel and Mills (Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge) assisted the National Audubon Society with a prescribed burn on nearby Eastern Egg Rock (Section E. 7).

B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

The climate of the Muscongus Bay area is moderated by the surrounding ocean. Summer temperatures are significantly cooler and winter tempera­tures are significantly warmer than inland areas. In the Rockland area average annual temperature is 460F., average annual snowfall is 60 inches average annual precipitation is 47 inches, and the average growing season is 143 days long. Fog is an important influence on coastal ecosystems occurring an average of 21 percent of the time during the summer. Averhg tidal range is nine feet.

E. ADMINISTRATION

1. Personnel

The refuge is administered and funded out of the Petit Manan office in Milbridge, Maine. '

i 7. Technical Assistance

/

On March 18 Assistant Refuge Managers Goettel and Mills traveled to the National Audubon Society's sanctuary in Medomak, Maine, to assist with a prescribed burn of the Allen D. Cruikshank Sanctuary on Eastern Egg Rock. This island is the site of their first puffin transplant project and is the site of a SOO-p^ir common tern colony.

The purpose of the burn was to improve the tern nesting habitat. When Eastern Egg Rock was used for sheep pasturage it was burned annually. As a wildlife sanctuary, it has not been burned for many years and the height and density of the vegetation has increased. We wanted to see if prescribed burning would help thin out the vegetation around the edge of the island where the terns nest.

A fireline had been constructed the previous summer to keep the fire from their research cabin.

Although the day was right for burning, the vegetation had not been given enough chance to dry out, resulting in a very cool burn. Only the grasses on the edge of the island burned, and did not burn completely

The main handicap this year was trying to mesh three different party's schedules with the weather which everyone knows is nearly impossible without some sacrifice—an incomplete burn! We're going to try to sim­plify logistics next year to go for a good burn, working with the weather.

Eastern Egg Rock Burn TAG

While on the island we also helped Steve Kress place six artificial puffin burrows in the boulder field habitat. The burrows were 1' X 1' X 3' ply­wood boxes with a hinged door at the back and "elephant hose" (black flexi­ble plastic drain pipe) entrances. They were placed near active burrows and covered with rocks.

The main purpose was not to encourage nesting, but to facilitate chick banding. The 18 pairs of puffins that nested there this year nested in areas where chick retrieval for banding was impossible, so Kress designed the boxes to be both attractive to the puffins and accessible to people. None were used this year, which was no surprise because puffins are so site-tenacious. Hopefully, they'll be attractive to new nesters in the future.

Steve Kress with puffin nest box. TAG

F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT

1. General

There is no active habitat management on the refuge at this time. Man­agement is directed towards resource protection rather than active man­agement due to budget and personnel constraints.

2. Forests

Franklin Island was undoubtedly forested at one time with red spruce. About half of it was cleared when the light station was built. The remain­ing half of the island is sparsely treed with red spruce, with a dense raspberry understory. Some people say that the dead trees on islands like this were killed by the acidic droppings of cormorants, but this has never been proven.

Two Bush Island may have been forested at one time, but is now treeless, vegetated with a variety of grasses and forbs.

G. WILDLIFE

3. Waterfowl

The dense raspberry understory on Franklin Island provides excellent nesting habitat for common eiders. The island was not visited for a nest census this year. '

Two Bush Island has approximately 75 eider nests.

4. Marsh and Water Birds

Franklin Island has a growing colony of approximately 30 pairs of black-crowned night herons. The island's thin spruce stand with many snags provides good heron nesting habitat.

5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species

Franklin Island has approximately 20 nesting pairs of black guillemots and 20 pairs each of herring and great black-backed gulls.

Two Bush Island has approximately 50 nesting pairs of herring gulls, 20 pairs of great black-backed gulls, and 15 pairs of guillemots.

Leach's storm-petrels also nest on both islands.

6. Raptors

Two pairs of ospreys nest on Franklin Island.

17. Disease Prevetion and Control

The Migratory Bird Disease Contingency Plan was approved by ARD Young on April 12.

4.

H. PUBLIC USE

1. General

The refuge is closed to all public use during the seabird nesting season, April 1 to July 31.

Pleasure boat traffic is more common in this area of Maine than in the Milbridge area and the picturesque light towers on both islands do attract some visitors. However, landing is difficult and actual use of the islands is minimal.

3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers

The nearby Audubon Ecology Camp in Medomak regularly stops on Franklin Island during the summer on their field trips around Muscongus Bay.

J. OTHER ITEMS

3. Items of Interest

A revenue sharing check for $193 was presented to the town of Friendship this year

4. Credits '

Goettel: All Sections Mullen: Editing Forsyth: Typing

FRANKLIN ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE U N H I D { T A T E t

O I P A I T M I N I 0 1 I H I I N I H I O I K N O X C O U N T Y M A I N E U N I T E D S T A T E !

T I S H A N D W I I O U M I I I V I C I

HARBOR

ISLAND

M u s e o n g u s B a y

u.s. COAST A u t o m a t e d L i o ^ ^ o u s W 0

F R A N K L I N I S L A N D

A T L A N T I C O C E A N

C O M M l I D I N T H I D I V I S I O N O F I N O I N I K R I N O F R O M S U I V I Y S i Y O . S . A N D B . $ . F . A W . 1 0 0 0 1 5 0 0

0 0 * 2 2 , 3 0 "

2 0 0 0 F a a t

C g . 2 2 ' 0 0 "

3 0 0 4 5 0 O O O M a t a r a

B O S T O N . M A S S A C H U S I T T S

8 M I A N Z D E C L I N A T I O N • ! • » »

5R ME. 864