Investigating Potential Impacts of Hemlock Decline on Stream-Side Birds in the Walker Valley.

"PI is studying the impact of hemlock decline in riparian areas on the riparian obligate bird species Louisiana waterthrush and the hemlock-associated bird species Acadian flycatcher. Citizen scientists assist with fitting these two species with colored leg bands along the Middle Prong of the Little River, following unique individuals to map territory size, monitor nest success, collect habitat data, and mapping habitat usage based on fecal splay surveys along streams. Population numbers and reproductive effort will be compared to the pre-hemlock wooly adelgid data on waterthrush populations from the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) station that was run from 2000 through 2006. During its first year in 2012, 30 individual waterthrush were banded (color-banded 29). Their movements were tracked while they remained in proximity to Tremont's campus and one nest was found and followed. A technician was hired for 2013 to focus on the data collection and to train volunteers. 54 waterthrush were color-banded in 2013 during the MAPS station, during targeted netting, or as nestlings, including 7 territorial males whose territories were mapped, using observations and fecal deposits. A total of six nests in 5 of their territories were found and followed, resulting in 13 young fledged. One pair was successful with their second nesting attempt after predation of their first nest. The male of the other failed nest was feeding fledglings a few days after it failed, presumably having had two females nesting in his territory. Only 6% of the banded birds from 2012 returned the next year, but most of those banded in 2012 were juveniles that likely did not survive the winter. Six of the seven males monitored in Walker Valley in 2013 returned in 2014. PI monitored 33 territories and 19 nests from Walker Valley to Anthony Creek Picnic Area. Raw nest success was 64.3% in 2014, but only two nests were found within untreated hemlock-dominated forest and both were abandoned. In 2015, return rate for male waterthrush was 58% from 2014. Of 32 nests found, half fledged and 31% were predated, the rest abandoned: 52% raw success, down from 2014."

                                            [
  "010:24"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "fn": "NPS IRMA Help",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:NRSS_DataStore@nps.gov"
}
                                        

                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GRSM-2014-SCI-1101_2014 field season.zip",
    "format": "ZIP",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "2014 field season",
    "downloadURL": "https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/562994?Reference=2236525"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GRSM-2014-SCI-1101_2015 field season.zip",
    "format": "ZIP",
    "mediaType": "application/zip",
    "description": "2015 field season",
    "downloadURL": "https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/562995?Reference=2236525"
  }
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                                            [
  "APHN",
  "Appalachian Highlands Network",
  "Canada hemlock",
  "Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Birds",
  "GRSM",
  "Great Smoky Mountains National Park",
  "Middle Prong",
  "Origin:External",
  "SER",
  "Southeast Region",
  "StudyID:GRSM-01101",
  "Tsuga canadensis",
  "bird banding",
  "citizen science",
  "eastern hemlock",
  "habitat data",
  "hemlock",
  "hemlock spruce",
  "nest success",
  "reproduct",
  "riparian obligate birds"
]
                                        

                                            [
  "010:118",
  "010:119"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "name": "National Park Service",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
                                        

                                            [
  "Generic Dataset"
]