LKWA - There They Go Again

From the Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association (LKWA) Club Meeting
6/29/04 Program Notes:

One activity that we plan for the fall or winter is to make additional nest boxes and also nesting platforms for black terns and forester's terns.

These birds have not been able to nest yet this summer because the water is too high.

Their nesting will also be hindered for years to come because of loss of vegetation in the wetlands this spring. Large pieces of the floating bogs have been destroyed.

However, this from Michigan State University:

The effects of human disturbance on black terns are poorly studied.

However, activities other than habitat destruction include fishing, swimming, boating and prolonged human presence.

RKLD is conserving habitat (see below). Are we being asked to choose between tern presence and human presence?

Nests are usually protected from direct open water to avoid dangers such as wind and wave action. Overall, black terns tend to nest at sites with a 50-50 vegetation cover:open water ratio.

If the wetlands were armored, as has 9 sites that have already been sponsored by the RKLD, it would help the terns.

Nests are depressions in floating, matted vegetation. Nesting occurs in water depths of .5 m to 1.2 m.

Simulating drought conditions, as advocated by the LKWA and the DNR, appears to be detrimental to the black terns. But then again, so is human presence.