Turtles, Birds and Frogs Are Subjects of Bald Head Island Conservancy Studies
Bald Head Island has long been known as a prime nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles and as an Audubon Important Bird Area, but recently the Bald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC) has added frogs to the list of creatures whose environment is threatened. BHIC staffers and volunteers have joined the North Carolina Calling Amphibian Survey to assess the welfare of some 23 species of frogs and toads found in the Cape Fear Region, at least seven of which have been documented on Bald Head Island.
"Because amphibians absorb chemicals through their skin, they are good indicators of environmental quality," said Maureen Dewire, BHIC's director of education and senior naturalist. Throughout the frogs’ breeding season, volunteers will often be sloshing about in the rain at night with flashlights looking and listening for these nocturnal choristers.
Although loggerhead turtles don't have mating calls, their sign language is clear. Females create telltale signs in the sand when they come ashore to lay their eggs. Reading these signs and taking steps to protect the nests is the work of BHIC's Sea Turtle Protection program for this threatened species.
This past season, 50 loggerhead sea turtle nests produced a total of 2,874 hatchlings, an average of 85.6% hatching rate, according to a report by Devon Lang, BHIC sea turtle naturalist. Four turtles were satellite tagged last summer, with the largest laying five nests. Since the inception of this program five years ago, 20 turtles have been satellite tagged. Their movements can be tracked online at www.bhic.org.
With at least 228 species of birds documented on Bald Head Island to date, bird lovers enjoy never-ending concerts, especially on weekly birding walks that continue to be a popular activity on the island. Some of the more rare sightings include the short-eared owl, wood stork and red knots, a small shorebird. "While red knots used to be commonly seen," said Dewire, "sightings on the island’s beaches now are rare." According to a recently aired PBS documentary, red knots are in decline and may even be extinct in less than five years. "We hope to add this documentary to future BHIC educational programs," said Dewire.
For information about the many programs and activities of the Bald Head Island Conservancy, please visit www.bhic.org.
