USFWS Monitoring Report 2021-2022

Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
ERGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
Intrnrinetinn
In order to mitigate chronic erosion experienced along the eastern portion of Ocean Isle Beach's
oceanfront shoreline so as to preserve the integrity of its infrastructure, provide protection to
existing development, and ensure the continued use of the oceanfront beach, the town implemented
its Shoreline Protection Project in the fall of 2021. The project involved the construction of a
1,050 ft. terminal groin structure and placement of fill on the east end of the island. The terminal
groin structure included the construction of a 750 ft. long rubble mound structure and a 300 ft.
long concrete capped sheet pile wall. The fill area required the placement of 272,936 cy of sand
to form a 3,214 ft. accretion fillet on the west side of the terminal groin. The Ocean Isle Beach
Shoreline Protection Project was completed between November 16 2021 and April 14 2022 with
final demobilization by April 30, 2022. Simultaneously, the US Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) constructed their Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project for the town. This
project involved the placement of an additional 484,211 cy of sand from Goldsboro Street (Station
80+00) eastward toward the accretion fillet. Figure 1 shows the limits of the fill placement for
the accretion fillet, immediately west of the terminal groin structure, and the domain of the federal
CSRM project.
Figure 1. Map showing extents of beach fill placement for the Accretion Fillet and the CSRM Project.
Section XI (Reporting Requirements) of the project's Biological Opinion Log No. 04EN2000-
2015-F-0201, issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on August 6, 2015,
states that "an annual report detailing the monitoring and survey data collected during the
preceding year... summarizing all piping plover, red knot, shorebird, seabeach amaranth, and sea
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
EKGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
turtle data must be provided to the Raleigh Field Office... In addition, any information or data
related to a conservation measure or recommendation that is implemented should be included in
the annual report". This report includes the summary results of the aforementioned biological
resource monitoring efforts as well as sand compaction and escarpment surveys thereby fulfilling
the requirement as specified in Section XI of the BO.
Bird Monitoring
The Town of Ocean Isle Beach's (Town's) bird monitoring plan was implemented to monitor the
presence of piping plover, red knot, colonial waterbirds and other shorebirds prior to, during and
after construction of the terminal groin project to provide information on shorebird habitat
utilization within the project area. As specified within the BO, for at least three years after
construction is completed, bimonthly (twice -monthly) bird surveys will continue in all intertidal
and shoreline areas along Shallotte Inlet.
Between April 2017 and December 2022, representatives from Dial Cordy & Associates
performed a total of one hundred (100) bird surveys within the shorebird habitat along the intertidal
and supratidal areas of the oceanfront/inlet/estuarine complex of Shallotte Inlet including the
oceanfront of the east end of Ocean Isle and the west end of Holden Beach (Figure 2). Transects
were established to encompass a point 3,200 if west (updrift) of the groin (at approximately
Highpoint Street) to a point just west of Skimmer Court on Holden Beach. All intertidal and
supratidal unvegetated area of the oceanfront, inlet shoulders, and sandy shoreline along the
AIWW (in the vicinity of Shallotte Inlet on both sides of the inlet (Ocean Isle Beach and Holden
Beach) were included within the survey domain. Field observations were conducted during
daylight hours and primarily occurred within a few hours of high tide for each event.
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
Unsw Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
PL ROTECT10H
L
i,HGINEf:RIK9 Submitted to the USFWS
e�dCf
5
Icy Legend
y+
Ocean Isle Beach Shorebird Monitoring Areas
s
Intertidal and Shoreline Survey Area (75.29 ac.)
Inlet Shoreline Survey Area (95.93 ac.)
Shallotte River Inlet (87.37 ac.)
Numbers represent transects 1-5
0 1,250 2,500 5,000
Feet
Figure 2. Ocean Isle Beach Shorebird Monitoring Areas
Of the one hundred (100) surveys conducted thus far, sixty-three (63) were performed on a bi-
monthly basis during the pre -construction time period while twenty-one (21) surveys were
performed on a weekly basis during construction of the terminal groin project (between November
2021 and April 2022), sixteen (16) post -construction surveys were performed on a bi-monthly
basis during the post -construction time between May 2022 through December 2022.
A field data form was used for documenting bird species use and habitat dependence in the
monitored survey areas. The number of species and their associated activities were accounted for
in each of the surveyed habitats. A separate form was used for each survey area (Survey Areas 1
— 5) in conjunction with each survey event (i.e., five forms were completed for each survey event).
The following were also applied:
• Species flying overhead of a surveyed habitat were reported as flying;
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
Unsw Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
EKGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
• Birds observed as diving or floating in the nearshore were reported as utilizing surf zone
habitat;
• Banding combinations identified on species of shorebirds and colonial waterbirds,
including piping plovers, were recorded in the notes column to assist in identifying
population migration patterns;
• Species observations along the dry beach habitat of the inlet shorelines extended up to the
landward edge of the frontal dune or edge of vegetation, whichever came first; and
• Bird species observed, but not currently listed as a species were identified and accounted
for under "Other Species."
This study was specifically intended to identify piping plover and red knot utilization of the
Shallotte Inlet complex. Through the course of the study, 34 piping plovers and 376 red knots were
observed utilizing this inlet complex. The piping plovers and red knots were primarily observed
in the intertidal zone along all transects (Tables 1 and 2). During the survey on 26 April 2017, 60
red knots were observed foraging along Holden Beach inlet shoreline. Again, on 21 May 2018, a
large flock of 155 red knots was observed foraging along the Holden Beach intertidal shoreline in
transect 4. On May 27, 2022, another large group (43) of red knots were observed foraging along
the Holden Beach intertidal shoreline. Then, on July 27, 2022 a group of 21 red knots were
observed flying above the surf along the Ocean Isle Beach shoreline. In general, the shoreline
along Holden Beach seemed to have the highest concentration of shorebirds including red knots,
piping plovers, and many other waterbirds, colonial waterbirds, and shorebirds.
Table 1. Observed piping plovers.
4/26/2017
2
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
5/15/2017
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
8/30/2017
1
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Resting
8/30/2017
5
01B-Beach
Intertidal
Resting
10/10/2017
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
3/13/2018
5
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
3/13/2018
4
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
3/29/2018
3
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
10/9/2018
1
HB-Inlet
Dry Beach
Feeding
3/8/2019
2
01B-Inlet
Intertidal
feeding
4/26/2019
2
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
4/26/2019
2
01B-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
8/28/2019
1
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
4/12/2021
1
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
9/29/21
2
01B-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
10/8/21
1
01B-Inlet
Dry Beach
I Feeding
4

Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
EKGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
Table 1. Observed red knots.
4/26/2017
60
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
5/15/2017
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Resting
6/5/2018
3
01B-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/21/2019
155
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/21/2019
4
01B-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
5/21/2019
2
01B-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/21/2019
3
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
5/24/2019
24
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/24/2019
11
01B-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
5/11/2021
5
Shal-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
6/1/2021
3
OIB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
12/30/2021
1
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
1/1/2022
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
1/26/2022
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Resting
2/2/2022
2
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Resting
2/16/2022
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
2/23/2022
3
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Resting
3/7/2022
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
3/30/2022
1
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
4/6/2022
1
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/11/2022
3
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Resting
5/27/2022
3
HB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
5/27/2022
43
HB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
7/27/2022
21
OIB-Beach
Surf
Flying
7/27/2022
11
OIB-Beach
Intertidal
Feeding
7/27/2022
1
OIB-Beach
Dry Beach
Feeding
7/27/2022
11
OIB-Inlet
Intertidal
Feeding
A total of 52,927 individual birds representing seventy-seven (77) unique species were observed
over the course of this study (Table 3). The dominant shorebirds observed during the survey, based
on abundance and listed in descending order, included semipalmated plover (Charadrius
semipalmatus), short -billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), dunlin (Calidris alpine), willet
(Tringa semipalmata), and sanderlings (Calidris alba). Dominant tern species based on abundance
included royal tern (Thalasseus maximus), least tern (Sternula antillarum), common tern (Sterna
hirundo), forester's tern (Sterna forsteri), and sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis). Other
associated water birds based on abundance included laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla), brown
pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), ring -billed gull (Larus delawarensis), double -crested cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auratus), and herring gull (Larus argentatus). Including all bird species observed,
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
P ROTECT10H
ERGINEQRIK9 Submitted to the USFWS
the laughing gull was most abundant at 6,402 individuals; followed by the royal tern (5,670),
brown pelican (5,240), semipalmated plover (4,234) and ring -billed gull (3,702).
Table 2. All birds observed during monitoring.
Common Name
Scientific Name
Total count
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
1
American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
415
American White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
46
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustico
91
Belted Kinfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
2
Black Bellied Plover
Pluvialissquatarola
635
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
1073
Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
2
Boat Tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major
395
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
334
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
5,240
Bufflehead Duck
Bucephala albeola
3
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
320
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
482
Common Loon
Gavia immer
99
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
1,6131
Cow Bird
Molothrus ater
3
Double -crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
2,201
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
2,595
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
6
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
5
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
1,282
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
57
Great Black -backed Gull
Larus marinus
404
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
7
Great Egret
Ardea alba
26
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
13
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
333
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
11
Gull -billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
156
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
1,549
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
20
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
83
0

Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
COASTAL Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
PROTECTICR
EmsimEERiNG Submitted to the USFWS
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
8
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
6,402
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
189
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
1,767
Lesser Black -backed Gull
Larus fuscus
9
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
42
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
2
Long -billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus
83
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
4
Marsh Hawk
Circus cyaneus
2
Mourning Doves
Zenaida macroura
25
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
53
Northern Harrier
Circus cyaneus
3
Northern Kingfisher
1
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
2
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
63
Pie -billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
1
Piping Plover
Charadrius melodus
34
Red breasted Merganser
Mergusserrator
15
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
376
Red -winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
2
Ring -billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
3,702
Rock Dove
Columba livia
52
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
5,670
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
713
Sanderling
Calidris alba
1,498
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
1,252
Seaside Sparrow
Ammodramus maritimus
148
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus
4,234
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
287
Short -billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
3,329
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
84
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
21
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
60
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
58
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
8
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
9

Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
Unsw Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
EKGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
85
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
25
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
38
White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
27
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
1,785
Wilson's Plover
Charadrius wilsonia
650
Because the construction of the groin was only completed in late April 2022, it is too soon to
determine if the project has had a significant effect on bird usage within the survey area. That
being said, Figure 3 depicts the average number of birds observed per survey performed on a
monthly basis between May and December during the pre -construction and post -construction time
periods. There were more birds, on average, observed during the post -construction time period on
six (6) of the eight (8) months compared to the pre -construction time period. It should be noted
that due to the relatively high variability in bird counts during each survey, these differences are
not considered significant, however, at this early stage, this data demonstrates that the habitat
continues to be highly utilized.
Average Pre -Construction Bird Counts Per Survey
vs Post -Construction Bird Counts Per Survey
900
800
700
m
600
0 500
v 400
E 300
z 200
100 '
0
May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
■ Pre -Con ■ Post -Con
Figure 3. Average pre -construction bird counts per survey compared to the average post -construction bird
counts per survey.
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LPL ROTECT10H
ERGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
A report describing the results from the surveys conducted during the 2017-2019 pre -construction
time period was previously submitted to USFWS. The raw bird survey data collected between
2017-2023 will be submitted separately in Excel format, as requested by USFWS.
Sea Turtle Monitoring
The Ocean Isle Museum Foundation, Inc. — Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization
Division (OISTPO) monitored sea turtle nesting activity on a daily basis from May 1, 2022 through
November 15, 2022 which represents the first sea turtle nesting period following the construction
of the Town's Shoreline Protection Project. The survey area included the entire length of the island.
However, the areas in proximity to the terminal groin was sub divided into three segments: Updrift
Zone, Project Zone, and Downdrift Zone. The Updrift Zone included a —3,000 ft long stretch of
oceanfront shoreline between and area 250 ft. west of the groin and Highpoint Street. The Down
Drift Zone included a 1,750 ft portion of oceanfront shoreline extending towards Shallotte Inlet
beginning 250 ft. east of the groin. The Project Zone included 250 ft the oceanfront shoreline on
either side of the groin (Figure 2). Nests were monitored daily until the end of incubation to
determine whether those nests were eroded and whether the groin was a potential barrier to
hatchlings moving off the beach and through the surf zone. When needed, nest relocations were
performed within six (6) hours of nest discovery and in conformance with the Guidelines for Sea
Turtle Nest Relocation.
During the 2022 nesting season a total of thirty-eight (38) nests were confirmed along Ocean Isle
Beach while twenty-eight (28) false crawls were observed. Of the thirty-eight (38) nests, twenty-
three (23) were relocated. A total of 4,223 eggs were laid with 3,602 hatching resulting in a hatch
rate of 85.3%. Of all hatchlings laid on Ocean Isle Beach during the 2022 nesting season, 143
hatchlings (4%) were predated by foxes.
Four (4) nests were laid within proximity of the groin: one in the Updrift Zone and three in the
Downdrift Zone. These four (4) nests, each of which were relocated, represented 10.5% of all
nests documented on Ocean Isle Beach during the 2022 nesting season. 447 (10.6%) hatchlings
originated from nests laid in proximity to the project site (120 from the nest laid within the Updrift
Zone and 327 from within the Downdrift Zone). No nests were laid within the Project Zone. Five
(5) false crawls were documented in proximity to the groin. One was observed in the Updrift Zone
and two observed in both the Project Zone and Downdrift Zone. This represented 17.8% of all
false crawls reported across the entire island during the 2022 nesting season.
Turtle nesting activity data (including false crawls) will be submitted separately in Excel format,
as requested by USFWS.
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
U Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
PROTECTION
EKGINFERIR9 Submitted to the USFWS
Figure 2. Locations of the sea turtle monitoring Updrift Zone, Project Zone, and Downdrift Zone.
Seabeach Amaranth Monitoring
On August 8, 2022, a seabeach amaranth survey was conducted updrift and downdrift of the
terminal groin from a point 3,200 if west of the groin (at approximately Highpoint Street) along
Ocean Isle Beach to a point 2,000 if east of the groin. Habitat known to support this species,
including the upper edges of the beach, lower foredunes, and overwash flats were visually
surveyed for the plant. No seabeach amaranth were observed during this survey.
Sand Compaction and Escarpments
A visual survey for escarpments was made on March 15, 2022 soon after the construction of the
accretion fillet component of the Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project. Representatives
from the USFWS, United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission (NC WRC) and North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (NC
DCM) were present along with the Town's consultant, Coastal Protection Engineering of North
Carolina, Inc. (CPE). After walking along the footprint of the newly constructed accretion fillet
(between the terminal groin and—3,2001f west of the structure) it was determined that the level of
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Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project
ues�k� Annual Monitoring and Survey Report
LP ROTECT10H
EKGINE�RINE Submitted to the USFWS
compaction was acceptable and no escarpments exceeding 18 inches in height for a distance of
100 ft. were observed. Accordingly, not tilling was required and escarpments were not required
to be knocked down.
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