. California fish and game. Fisheries -- California; Game and game-birds -- California; Fishes -- California; Animal Population Groups; Pêches; Gibier; Poissons. LEAST TERN NEST SITES 89. ^:^:?/i^kjs-' «-^^-^" FIGURE 1. Tern nest sites constructed by placing sand on salt flat. In the foreground are the individual nest sites. Photo official Marine Corps by Deane Swickard. RESULTS Thirty four were found on the large artificial nest site, seven of which were discovered along the fringe of the site where the wind had blown sand beyond the original site boundaries. The first
. California fish and game. Fisheries -- California; Game and game-birds -- California; Fishes -- California; Animal Population Groups; Pêches; Gibier; Poissons. LEAST TERN NEST SITES 89. ^:^:?/i^kjs-' «-^^-^" FIGURE 1. Tern nest sites constructed by placing sand on salt flat. In the foreground are the individual nest sites. Photo official Marine Corps by Deane Swickard. RESULTS Thirty four were found on the large artificial nest site, seven of which were discovered along the fringe of the site where the wind had blown sand beyond the original site boundaries. The first nest was discovered on May 15, 22 days after site develop- ment and by May 29, 30 nests were present. The last four nests were found between May 29 and June 12. Based on the corrected site size of 80 x 180 ft ( m x m) the nest density on the artificial site was 102 nests per acre. This exceeds the highest previously recorded nest densities of 15-18 nests per acre at the Camp Pendleton nest sites and greatly exceeds all nest densities calculated from Craig's report (1971) on a statewide survey of least tern nest sites. The average clutch size was on the one third acre site, slightly higher than the average clutch size of the beach sites. Seventy one eggs were laid, 40 eggs hatched, 30 eggs were destroyed by preda- tors and one egg was abandoned. The hatching success was 57%. Two nests, each containing two eggs, were found on the nest mounds though evidence of nest building was present on all mounds. The eggs in one nest were destroyed by predators; the eggs in the other nest hatched. DISCUSSION The acceptance and resultant nest density is indicative of the suitability and potential management value of such artificial sites. Though hatching success was reduced by predation this occurred because the sand spit at the mouth of the Santa Margarita River was breeched. This unusual condition drained several channels that nor- mally act as moats along three sides of
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcaliforniadeptoffishandgame, bookauthorcaliforniafish
