2008 Aerial Survey of Delaware Bay Shorebirds

A special Thank You to Kathy Clark of the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program who shared the following data from the weekly aerial surveys of Delaware Bay shorebirds.

"Here is the summary of all flights, including today's final flight for the season. VERY few birds left on the bay! Surprisingly so, considering last week we still had 91,000. Hope that's good news for the birds."
- Kathy Clark 6/11/08

Abbreviations:
REKN=Red Knot
RUTU=Ruddy Turnstone
SESA=Semipalmated Sandpiper
SAND=Sanderling
PEEP=unidentified small Calidris sandpipers
DOW=dowitcher, nearly all Short-billed
DUNL=Dunlin

2008 Aerial Survey of Delaware Bay Shorebirds, by NJ and DE Fish and Wildlife agencies

NJ SHORE SPP	6-May	14-May	21-May	28-May	3-Jun	11-Jun	Total by Species
REKN	50	3,245	10,045	9,370	2,040	295	25,045
RUTU	60	2,845	9,020	9,835	9,850	305	31,915
SESA	0	18,100	23,490	28,395	25,425	415	95,825
SAND	1,671	4,755	11,925	8,815	6,405	255	33,826
PEEP	1,145	275	50	0	0	0	1,470
DOW	865	2,100	550	270	50	0	3,835
DUNL	12,850	26,145	8,270	7,840	0	0	55,105
SUBTOTAL	16,641	57,465	63,350	64,525	43,770	1270	247,021
DE SHORE SPP	6-May	14-May	21-May	28-May	3-Jun	11-Jun	Total by Species
REKN	0	2,985	5,350	5,320	3,750	220	17,625
RUTU	0	2,320	1,320	11,465	6,760	240	22,105
SESA	0	15,690	19,750	24,930	33,840	880	95,090
SAND	60	215	1,490	4,415	2,930	100	9,210
PEEP	90	70	0	0	20	0	180
DOW	8,695	25,545	7,630	4,420	0	0	46,290
DUNL	295	2,420	10	50	0	31	2,806
SUBTOTAL	9,140	49,245	35,550	50,600	47,300		193,306
TOTAL-BAY SPP	6-May	14-May	21-May	28-May	3-Jun	11-Jun	Total by Species
REKN	50	6,230	15,395	14,690	5,790	515	42,670
RUTU	60	5,165	10,340	21,300	16,610	545	54,020
SESA	0	33,790	43,240	53,325	59,265	1295	190,915
SAND	1,731	4,970	13,415	13,230	9,335	355	43,036
PEEP	1,235	345	50	0	20	0	1,650
DOW	1,160	4,520	560	320	50	31	6,641
DUNL	21,545	51,690	15,900	12,260	0	0	101,395
TOTAL	25,781	106,710	98,900	115,125	91,070	2741	440,327

Surveys conducted by K. Clark and R. Porter

May 21 -- Incomplete count. Plane was prohibited from entering Dover Airspace