BIRDS
Island to the ocean, which had become challenging to nav- igate due to heavy shoaling. They needed a location to dis- pose of the dredged material and agreed that Sandbag Island was an excellent option - maintaining navigability of the channel and restoring nesting habitat had the potential to be a win-win situation. Plans were developed to remove material from the channel via a pipeline and pump it to what remained of Sandbag Island. Nearby submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), important for fisheries and as for- aging habitat for waterbirds, also needed to be protected, so Corps staff and the dredging contractor placed turbidity curtains in the water surrounding the work area, as well as developing a careful strategy for releasing the material on the island to protect the SAV. As development on the coast continues to increase, waterbirds, many of which need open sandy habitat to nest, have fewer places to raise their young. While dredged-ma- terial islands are not suitable habitat for all waterbirds, they provide excellent nesting habitat for many species includ- ing terns and skimmers. Staff were excited to find that within days of the project’s completion two pairs of Ameri- can Oystercatchers, a state species of special concern, had established territories on the island and soon laid eggs in shallow nests. National Park Service staff, whose office looks out on Sandbag Island, are helping NCWRC to mon- itor the nests and staff hope that even more birds will nest on the new, larger island next year. From top: Dean Hill with the US Army Corps of Engineers mon- itors the quality of sediment being pumped onto Sandbag Island as an excavator works in the background. Dr. Andrea Currylow and John Policarpo with the US Army Corps of Engi- neers celebrate the restoration of Sandbag Island with Carmen Johnson. A unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) image of Sandbag Island just before completion of the restoration project. One of the American Oystercatcher nests on Sandbag Island.
CARMEN JOHNSON /NCWRC
ANDREA CURRYLOW/US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
NEXT GENERATION LOGISTICS
NCWRC
16 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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