KCET's Back Forty blog reported that endangered Least Terns are nesting at Malibu Lagoon for the first time in 73 years. The project restoring the area is paying off for the Least Terns, whose population had experienced serious declines due to loss of habitat from development and predation. The Least Terns, who nest on beaches, previously had only nested at Venice Beach and the Port of L.A. in L.A. County
Read more at A First in 73 Years: Endangered Birds Nesting Again at Malibu Lagoon | Wildlife | The Back Forty | KCET
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[…] Endangered Terns Return To Malibu Lagoon (naturalhistorywanderings.com) […]
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By: Malibu Lagoon | Kaelyn's Thoughts on July 13, 2013
at 12:39 PM
For those of that really care and work to protect native wildlife species, this is fantastic news. Despite silly claims by detractors of the Malibu lagoon Restoration Project, (who really have not a clue what’s happeneing), these lovely precious insanely rare birds, while not actually nesting in the project area, are directly benefitting from the lagoon’s newly-restored west channels.
This is what is actually happening with the least terns at Malibu Lagoon that restoration opponents are apparently unaware of: This interpretation is based on my knowledge. If I am wrong, I count on Chuck Almsdale with the Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society to correct any errors. More than 100 least terns arrived a week or so ago at a location that they believed was suitable for a nesting colony for the first time in most of us humans’ lives.
Two things brought them them here. One is the fence that is installed on the beach to protect snowy plovers (another endanged coastal California bird species) from being disturbed. This gives them a sense of safety while nesting on a clear portion of an otherwise crowded beach. The other is the abundance of fish in the newly-restored west channels.
The nesting process is at it’s early stages. Females are establishing nesting sites. Males are courting females as potential mates. To woo a female, the male flies over to the west channels where small fish are abundant and easily caught. He quickly returns to the nesting colony and offers his fresh-caught fish to a female of his choice, thereby impressing on her that he will be a good provider for their offspring.
I”ve worked on the Malibu Lagoon Restoration project for 14 years. I knew it would turn out beautifully. Still, as time goes by, the incredibly abundant ecosystem that is establishing itself on this formerly stinky dead zone continies to amaze me by surpassing all of my expectations.
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By: Matt Horns on June 9, 2013
at 2:39 AM