Kristin Mylecraine, John Parke, John Cecil and David Mizrahi New - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ruffed Grouse Surveys at Hudson Farm: Establishing Baseline Population Status and Assessing Response to Forest Stewardship Activities Kristin Mylecraine, John Parke, John Cecil and David Mizrahi New Jersey Audubon www.youngforest.org

Overview • History & Status of forests and Ruffed Grouse in NJ • Drumming surveys at Hudson Farm (2016- 2020) • Other bird observations • Next steps www.youngforest.org

Overview • History & Status of forests and Ruffed Grouse in NJ • Drumming surveys at Hudson Farm (2016- 2020) • Other bird observations • Next steps www.youngforest.org

Forest History • Fire & disturbance history • Clearing for agriculture • Forest regrowth  Current conditions: Predominance of middle- aged forests with little age class diversity www.youngforest.org The Young Forest Project: Growing Wildlife Habitat Together

Forest Health Issues in NJ  White-tailed deer  Insects and disease  Invasive species  Climate change  Fire suppression  Fragmentation and development  Decline in native forest- dependent species  Age class structure www.youngforest.org

www.youngforest.org

Conserving New Jersey’s Forests New Jersey Audubon’s Goal Ensure that New Jersey's forests are managed sustainably and are providing habitat for rare, declining and common native species. www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse ( Bonasa umbellus ) America’s most  widely distributed game bird  Prefers deciduous and mixed forests with young forest habitat  Most abundant in early-successional forests dominated by aspen www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse ( Bonasa umbellus ) www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse ( Bonasa umbellus ) Breeding Bird Survey Trend Estimates 1966-2015 www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse in New Jersey Breeding Bird Survey EBird distribution Trend Estimate 1966-2015: 2012-2017: • **Data deficient species • 11.37 decline (95% C.I. -20.59, -1.43) www.youngforest.org

Trends in Young Forest Kristin Munafo Kristin Munafo and Woodland Songbirds Shrub/YF Species Positive Trend Negative Trend 0.6 Field Sparrow (-2.8) 0.5 Golden-winged Warbler (-2.4) Prairie Warbler (-2.0) 0.4 Eastern Towhee (-1.4) Chestnut-sided Warbler (-1.4) 0.3 0.2 Woodland Species 0.1 Cerulean Warbler (-2.9) Wood Thrush (-2.3) 0 Canada Warbler (-2.1) Shrub/YF Woodland Least Flycatcher (-2.1) Black-billed Cuckoo (-1.9) 73 Species 143 Species -1.15 Mean Trend -0.03 Mean Trend BBS EAST Region Species Group Summary Results, 1966-2011; *Significant Trend (P<0.05) www.youngforest.org

Forest Birds Need Young Forest Too www.youngforest.org

Overview • History & Status of forests and Ruffed Grouse in NJ • Drumming surveys at Hudson Farm (2016- 2020) • Other bird observations • Next steps www.youngforest.org

Hudson Farm  The Hudson Farm Club manages over 3,000 acres of largely forested habitat in Sussex County, New Jersey  Habitat management over the next ten years will follow approved Forest Stewardship Plans , developed by Gracie and Harrigan Consulting Foresters, in collaboration with partners at:  New Jersey Audubon  Ruffed Grouse Society  National Wild Turkey Federation  New Jersey Outdoor Alliance www.youngforest.org

Hudson Farm  Plan objectives include habitat management to enhance the quality and value of wildlife habitat and improve forest health .  Ultimate goal include:  Habitat management for early successional species  Habitat improvement for game species  Reestablishment of Ruffed Grouse www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020  Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study  2016-2020 (Five years)  Reassess and determine next steps 1. Pre-management surveys to establish baseline population status of Ruffed Grouse 2. Initial post-management surveys as forest stewardship activities 3. Conduct surveys at control sites www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Sparta Mountain – 19 pts Delaware Water Gap – 31 pts Hudson Farm – 54 pts www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Ebird Ruffed Grouse observations 2012-2017 www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Drumming surveys • 10-minute point count surveys • Repeated 3 times (Occupancy) • April 1 st – May 15 th Habitat surveys • % cover – trees, shrubs (<1m; 1-2m; <2m), grasses, forbs • Canopy cover (densiometer) • Visual obstruction (Robel pole) www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Delaware Water Gap  3 survey points  4 incidental encounters www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Points with RUGR detections (2016) Delaware Water Gap – points DEWA_01, DEWA_04, DEWA_07) • % Shrub cover – Shrubs <1m: 20-25% – Shrubs 1-2m: 5-60% – Shrubs 2-6: 10-25% • % Tree cover – Trees >6m: 60-80% • Dominant understory species – Mountain Laurel (winter food) www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Points with RUGR detections (2016) Delaware Water Gap – points DEWA_01, DEWA_04, DEWA_07) • % Shrub cover – Shrubs <1m: 20-25% – Shrubs 1-2m: 5-60% – Shrubs 2-6: 10-25% • % Tree cover – Trees >6m: 60-80% • Dominant understory species – Mountain Laurel (winter food) www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Points with RUGR detections (2016) Delaware Water Gap – incidental encounter location 2017 www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Hudson Farm – non-ROW points (2016): • % Shrub cover – Shrubs <1m: Mean 11% (0-30%) – Shrubs 1-2m: Mean 8% (0-40%) – Shrubs 2-6: Mean 10% (0-40%) • % Tree cover – Trees >6m: Mean 63% (0-95%) • Dominant understory species – Japanese Barberry www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Hudson Farm – non-ROW points: www.youngforest.org

Overview • History & Status of forests and Ruffed Grouse in NJ • Drumming surveys at Hudson Farm (2016- 2020) • Other bird observations • Next steps www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Other species - Hudson Farm (2016): • 80 species recorded April 1 st through May 15 th – 1 Target species: Wild Turkey – 1 State-endangered species: Red-shouldered Hawk – 2 State-threatened species: Osprey, Red-headed Woodpecker – 9 State species of Special Concern: Blackburnian Warbler Broad-winged Hawk Veery Black-throated Green Warbler Great Blue Heron Wood Thrush Blue-headed Vireo Northern Parula Worm-eating Warbler www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Other species – Delaware Water Gap (2016): • 88 species recorded April 1 st through May 15 th – 3 Target species: Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock, Wild Turkey – 2 State-endangered species: Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk – 1 State-threatened species: Barred Owl – 17 State species of Special Concern: Black-billed Cuckoo Broad-winged Hawk Great Blue Heron Veery Blackburnian Warbler Brown Thrasher Hooded Warbler Winter Wren Black-throated Blue Warbler Cerulean Warbler Nashville Warbler Wood Thrush Black- throated Green Warbler Cooper’s Hawk Northern Parula Worm-eating Warbler Blue-headed Vireo www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Other species – Sparta Mountain (2016): • 50 species recorded April 1 st through May 15 th – 2 Target species: Golden-winged Warbler, Wild Turkey – 1 State-endangered species: Golden-winged Warbler – 6 State species of Special Concern: Black-billed Cuckoo Least Flycatcher Black-throated Blue Warbler Northern Parula Great Blue Heron Wood Thrush www.youngforest.org

Overview • History & Status of forests and Ruffed Grouse in NJ • Drumming surveys at Hudson Farm (2016- 2020) • Other bird observations • Next steps www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Next steps: • Continue baseline surveys for 5 years www.youngforest.org

Ruffed Grouse Surveys: 2016-2020 Next steps: • Continue baseline surveys for 5 years • Assess habitat conditions and species response following implementation of forest stewardship activities www.youngforest.org

Special thanks to: • Hudson Farm for financial support • NJA field technicians Angela Duncan Scott Stollery Nikki Flood www.youngforest.org