MONOMOY

NATIONAL

WILDLIFE

REFUGEBI-WEEKLY

NEWSLETTERVOLUME TWO

2019

(PHOTO: E.POWERS/USFWS)Through June 28th, 2019

1

THIS ISSUE'S SPOTLIGHT:

VISITOR CENTER: 30 WIKIS WAY CHATHAM, MA (508)-945-0594

SUNNY DAYS AT THEREFUGE AGAIN

This issue's shoutout goes to theTeen Challenge Boston volunteers!As you visit Monomoy and areenjoying the trails, keep this group inmind. They did great work clearingthe trails and removing invasivespecies at Morris Island. They helpthe refuge with trails and groundsmaintenance and we are verythankful for the work they do. Wecouldn't do it without them!

C.BRADLEY//USFWS

E.POWERS/USFWS

VOLUNTEERS FROM TEEN CHALLENGE BOSTON

OCEAN VIEW FROM SOUTH MONOMOY ISLAND

As school is out for summer and theweather warms up, the refuge hasmany more visitors; both wildlife andhuman. Remember, leave onlyfootprints, take only photographs.

TEEN CHALLENGE VOLUNTEERS

Stop by the visitorcenter during your visitfor more informationabout the refuge and toplan your day atMonomoy.

2

COMMUNITY

NEWS

MONOMOY POINTLIGHTHOUSE

EXPLORING MONOMOY'S PAST DURINGCHATHAM HISTORY WEEKEND

M.HILLMAN//USFWS

Monomoy is a popular destination forshellfishers and fishers due to theabundance of prey in these waters. Soft-shellclams and striped bass are frequent catcheshere at Morris Island. Although the striperseason started slow, fishing activity isincreasing in recent days.  If you want to try your luck at catching akeeper, be sure to obtain the proper state orlocal permits and review current regulations.And, stop by the visitor center for some tipsand tricks from our volunteers, many ofwhom are local fishing experts! 

FISHING AT THE REFUGE

E.POWERS//USFWSSTRIPED BASS CAUGHT OFF SOUTH MONOMOY

LIGHTHOUSE TOUR

M.HILLMAN//USFWSLIGHTHOUSE TOUR GROUP

This year's special tours to the MonomoyPoint Lighthouse during Chatham HistoryWeekend occurred over a two-day period.Refuge staff and volunteer Steve Keenantransported visitors on the refuge's new 22-passenger landing craft, followed by a 1-milehike to the historic light tower and keeper'shouse. Visitors got a look at the MonomoyPoint Lighthouse, the keeper's house, andSouth Monomoy's landscape. Our thanks toall the happy passengers, and to the HistoricChatham group for the continuedpartnership.

The refuge participated in Chatham History Weekend, fromJune 21-23, to celebrate the Town's unique past. This year, aguided bus tour delivered passengers to Monomoy, in additionto other local museums. Staff taught visitors about barrierbeach geology and the many breaks that have occurred overthe years, changing what was once a peninsula into the islandswe see today. A brief history of the lighthouse and the 75-yearjourney of USFWS at Monomoy was covered. The stopconcluded with a discussion of the many imperiled specieswhich have slowly but steadily increased in numbers atMonomoy, marking a huge success for conservation.

3

FIELD

INSIGHTS

COMMON TERN IN FLIGHT

KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON OURROSEATE TERNS

C.BRADLEY// USFWS

PLOVER CHICKS

PIPING PLOVERS PERSEVERING

USFWS

ROSEATE TERN IN FLIGHT

Monomoy is home to five federally threatened orendangered species, one of which is the elegantroseate tern. They can be quite difficult to identify bysight, due to physical similarities between the muchmore abundant common terns, so the best way todifferentiate them in the raucous colony is by theircall. There are also behavioral differences and slightvariations in coloration of their beaks and peakbreeding plumage. Our biology team has located 9roseate nests to date -- within a colony exceeding20,000 nesting common terns!

USFWS

VISITING SCIENTISTS

The refuge is pleased to host 34 pairs of pipingplovers this summer! Most eggs have not yethatched due to frequent spring over-washevents coupled with depredation. Early in theseason, most pairs will re-nest, as has been thecase this season. At least one pair is showinggreat perseverance, already being on their 3rdnest. Even with the rocky start, 9 chicks havehatched, and the first fledged just last week!

The refuge partners with many visiting scientists whoconduct year-round field research alongside our biologyteam. In addition to hosting seal researchers in themiddle of winter, the spring and summer months affordnot only warmer weather, but research and monitoringon the federally threatened Northeastern beach tigerbeetle and seabeach amaranth plant. This week wehosted scientist Gemma Clucas of the Cornell Lab ofOrnithology, who is analyzing tern fecal samples toassess diet as well as levels of microplastics. There is anever-ending array of exciting research to conduct atMonomoy -- a true living laboratory!

4

MORE FROM

THE FIELD

COMMON TERN CHICKS WITH INLAYOF BANDED ADULT COMMON TERN

TERN CHICK BANDING

Our tern chicks arehatching, which meansit's time to band themas part of long-termresearch on nestingand migrationpatterns. Staff alsoresight and recapturepreviously bandedadults.

R.LAMBERT//USFWS

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERCHICK.

FULL HOUSE WITH AMOYS

USFWS

AWARD WINNING BUNNIESThe leading biologist forthe New EnglandCottontail Project, EileenMcGourty, received aregional award forStrategic Conservation thisyear! The release onNomans Land Island hadits six-week check and all 13individuals are alive andseeming to get acclimatedto their new home. USFWS

UPCOMING

EVENTSSouth Monomoy

Beach Clean-Up

Have you ever wondered wherethose helium balloons go when

they're released? Sadly, onedestination is South Monomoy

Island. This litter poses realdangers for the wildlife on the

island and degrades their naturalhabitat. Join us to help clean up

our beaches and help the wildlifethat calls Monomoy home.

July 1st 8amRegistration Required

Guided walks will be hostedregularly now that seasonalstaff has arrived. More walks

will be available uponrequest Thursdays throughMondays from 10am-3pm.These tours are dependent

on volunteer availability. Thevisitor center is more than

happy to answer anyquestions you may have!

STAY UPDATED AND CONNECTED

WITH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!

Guided Walks

Fridays & Sundays 10:30am and 2:30 pmSaturdays at 10:30am

Leaving from Visitor Center

All of our successfulAmerican oyster-catcher nests now havechicks.. Our biologistsoften call Americanoystercatchers"AMOYs" because theshort nickname keepsup with fast-paced fieldwork.

R.LAMBERT

We'd also like tothank the Friends ofMonomoy for theircontinued work onthe refuge. For theirlatest project they

planted juniper andmulched!

THANK YOU!

EILEEN MCGOURTY WITHNEW ENGLAND COTTONTAIL