PROTECTED LANDS COUNCIL
Wildlife Mapping Workshop
October 15, 1998
SUMMARY
The following is a summary of information and sources of data given by
individual participants at the workshop
as well as particular
observations and their locations. This was recorded through a roundtable
discussion and the mapping exercise.
The person's name is
listed with their affiliation, if known. There was significant interest by
others who could not attend,
so another workshop may be
scheduled to continue this type of data collection.
Mark Lowery (NYSDEC):
- Noted the presence of Spotted Turtles and Marble Salamanders in the
Peconic River unit.
- He also noted that the salamanders are being collected for unknown
reasons.
Bob Parris (Us Fish & Wildlife Service - Wertheim): noted the
following species as being present at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge
("WNWR"):
Striped Skunk, Long Tailed Weasel, Mink, River Otter, Harbor Seal,
Flying Squirrel, Woodchuck. Red Fox, White Tailed Deer, Masked Shrew, Eastern
Chipmunk, Grey Squirrel, Eastern Cottontail, Muskrat, Northeastern Cottontail,
Short Tailed Shrew, White Footed Mouse, House Mouse, Meadow Vole, Pine Vole,
Raccoon, Opossum and others.
Additionally, the following surveys are conducted at WNWR:
- Watershed Surveys (bi-monthly)
- Breeding Bird Survey (annual)
- Whip-poor-will Survey (annual)
- Bobwhite/Quail Survey (annual)
- Mourning Dove Survey (annual)
- Waterfowl Pair Count (annual)
- Waterfowl Brood Survey (annual)
- Wild Turkey Brood survey (annual)
- Barn Owl Productivity (annual)
- Osprey Productivity (annual)
- Breeding Male Salamander survey (annual)
- Snow Track Counts (annual for mammals)
- Woodcock survey (annual)
- Box Turtle Population Estimate (annual)
- Gray Squirrel Leaf Rest Count (annual)
- Wood Duck Productivity (annual)
- White Tailed Deer Productivity (annual)
- Periodic surveys are also conducted for fish and small mammals and
anecdotal information and records from sightings are available on mammals,
birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and plants.
Dick Cartwright (USGS - Water Resources Div.): provided a copy of an
insect inventory (attached) for a portion of the Carmans River corridor
and also data on stream sampling points throughout the island.
Harry Knoch (NYSDEC): noted that DEC performs quail surveys, breeding
bird surveys. The maintenance of old field areas for grassland species is
important.
- Specifically he noted that the old fields in the northern portion of the
Rocky Point state lands are succeeding and were former habitat for Grasshopper
Sparrows.
- He also noted the presence of quail at edges of open areas in the Rocky
Point lands.
- At the State-owned Middle Island Environmental Center and portions of the
Otis Pike Preserve he noted that quail and other grassland species are present
in open areas.
Karen Blumer (Growingwild):
- Noted the richness of the Carmans River headwaters area and the adjacent
Warbler Woods; ATV damage has increased dramatically in this area.
- Noted the presence of Red-Shouldered Hawk in the Warbler Woods area,
- River Otter on Beaver Dam Creek,
- Veerys in the wet forests of BNL,
- Bobwhites, Cuckoos, Marble and Tiger Salamanders near the headwaters of
the Carmans River, west of Cathedral Pines County Park.
Joseph Jansen:
- Noted the presence of Marbled salamanders at Warbler Woods and that they
are heavily collected every year for unknown reasons. Also, Spring Peepers,
Box Turtle and Green Frog in this area.
- In the coastal plain ponds and Peconic River of Robert Cushman Murphy
County Park he noted the following species: Ribbon Snake, Box Turtle, Banded
Sunfish, Musk Turtle, Northern Water Snake, Tiger Salamander, Pickerel Frog,
Spadefoot Toad, Spotted Turtle, Grey Treefrog, Wood Frog, Black Racer,
Ray Corwin (Central Pine Barrens Commission): noted the presence
of Whip-poor-will in the Town-owned lands south of Shoreham-Wading River High
School, north of Brookhaven State Park.
Dave Thorsen: noted the presence of Whip-poor-will in the county lands
along the east side of the Carmans River just west of Warbler Woods.
Steve Biasetti (Group for the South Fork): familiar with western
Southampton and eastern Brookhaven (Hunter's Garden area).
- Near Hunter's Garden he noted Ruffed Grouse, Hermit Thrush, Scarlet
Tanager, Veery, Northern Ringneck Snake, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and other
migratory songbirds.
- He noted striped skunk in the vicinity of South Manor just west of LIE
Exit 69.
- In the Manorville hills area he noted American Woodcock, Striped Skunk,
Whip-poor-will, and other migratory songbirds.
- He noted the following species present in the old fields flanking CR51
owned by the State and County: Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Vesper
Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, Northern Harrier, Black Racer, Eastern Box Turtle,
Savannah Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Orchard Oriole, American Kestrel, and the
following butterflies: Olive Hairstreak (Eastern Red Cedar), Leonard's Skipper
(Andropogon), Frosted Elfin, Eastern Pine Elfin and Southern Cloudywing.
- In Cranberry Bog County Park he noted the presence of the following
butterflies: Appalachian Brown (host plant - Tussock Sedge), Black Dash (Swamp
Milkweed), Mulberry Wing. Damselflies in this area include the Blackwinter
Bluet. Also here: Black Racer, Whip-poor-will.
- Along the Peconic River north of Nugent Drive and west of the County
Center are Pickerel Frog, Black Racer, Whip-poor-will and Chuckwill's Widow.
Noted the presence of Whip-poor-will at the southern edge of Wildwood Lake.
- In the Hampton Hills region he noted the Pine Barrens Buckmoth and Ruffed
Grouse and the Northern Harrier in the Dwarf Pine Plains area.
- At the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, Northern Ringneck Snake and Southern Flying
Squirrel.
- To the near west, Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
- Maple Swamp area includes Ruffed Grouse and Hermit Thrush and Black Racer
in Hubbard County Park and River Otter at Penny Pond.
- To the east of Red Creek Town Park he noted the Southern Flying Squirrel.
The Nature Conservancy provided the following reports to aid in
the inventory of information available on wildlife in the Central Pine Barrens:
- The Mammals of Long Island, New York, Paul F. Connor, Scientist,
New York State Museum and Science Service, Bulletin 416, July, 1971.
- David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens Preserve Biodiversity Inventory Final
Report, New York Natural Heritage Program, April 1997. (Prepared for
NYSDEC "Return a Gift to Wildlife" Project Number W-11)
- Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area Biodiversity Inventory
Final Report, New York Natural Heritage Program, April 1997. (Prepared
for NYSDEC "Return a Gift to Wildlife" Project Number W-11)