Conservation Action Committee Goals

Goals for 2018-2021

• 1. Identify specific habitats and locations on which to focus conservation activities.

  2. Visit these areas and determine focal species of concern.

  3. Identify appropriate conservation actions to be undertaken, develop a plan, and initiate work.

  4. Engage community members in monitoring and conservation actions. 

Activities undertaken to accomplish goals

Goal 1: identify locations

Selected 4 discrete but nearly contiguous locations as focal areas

• 1. Known and birded extensively by members of local birding community

  2. Small enough geographic areas to monitor and effect habitat conditions

  3. Historical significance to the Cayuga Bird Club 

  4. Renwick Woods saved from development in early twentieth century by members of the Club and established as a bird sanctuary. Club also provided signage about birds, habitats, and conservation for the are in the early twenty-first century.

  5. Fuertes Bird Observatory established in mid twentieth century in honor of an early member of the Club. Club also supported recent renovation and habitat improvement work around Swan Pen.

Stewart Park and Fuertes Bird Observatory (Swan Pen)

Renwick Woods

Jetty Woods (aka Lighthouse Woods)

Hog Hole portion of Allen Treman State Marine Park

Goal 2: visits and selection of species of conservation focus

Committee members visited the areas and used eBird and related data to select 3 species on which to focus conservation actions.

Wood Thrush – known to use areas as stop-over sites. Breeds locally, but perhaps not in these areas due to degraded nature of habitat. Species of concern in NYS and throughout range.

Purple Martin – Uses areas for foraging (over water and fields). Breeds nearby. Old martin house exists at Swan Pen, but is in bad shape. All aerial insectivores are declining.

Prothonotary Warbler – Few local records during migration. Breeds at north end of Cayuga Lake.

Goal 3: Conservation actions planned

Conduct regular monitoring (and/or use eBird to monitor use of area).

• • Developed a trail in Lighthouse Point Woods / Jetty Woods for bird monitoring.

  • Trails already exist in Renwick Woods.

  • Created a "Lighthouse Point" eBird hotspot for monitoring in that parcel.

  • An eBird hotspot already exists for Renwick Woods.

  • Began conducting eBird counts in both parcels in March 2019.

Improve habitat for Wood Thrush

• • Began removing non-native, invasive plant species from both Lighthouse Point Woods / Jetty Woods and Renwick Woods starting in March 2019.

  • Began developing maps of native species in both parcels stating March 2019.

  • Began planting native shrub and tree species in Lighthouse Point Woods / Jetty Woods in April 2019.

Erected nest boxes for Prothonotary Warblers in both Lighthouse Point Woods / Jetty Woods (n = 6) and in Renwick Woods (n = 3) in April 2019.

Erect nest box for Purple Martins.in Stewart Park along Fall Creek in April 2019.

Goal 4: Engage Community members

Staffed a Club table at Migration Celebration held at the Lab or Ornithology in September 2018.

Hosted a Family Fun Extravaganza at Stewart Park for families with young kids in September 2018.

Hosted a Community Nest Box Build at which families and youth made nest boxes to take home in March 2019.