Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
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Integrated <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> Management Plan [March 2012 - Update]<br />
FIGURE 3-20.<br />
SNOWY PLOVER NESTING<br />
LOCATIONS<br />
DISTRIBUTION<br />
Global<br />
The western snowy plover breeds on<br />
the Pacific coast from southern<br />
Washington to southern Baja<br />
California, Mexico, and in interior areas<br />
of Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah,<br />
New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas,<br />
Oklahoma, and north-central Texas, as<br />
well as coastal areas of Texas and<br />
possibly northeastern Mexico. The<br />
Pacific coast population of the western<br />
snowy plover is genetically isolated<br />
from western snowy plovers breeding<br />
in the interior (USFWS 1993b). The<br />
Pacific coast population of the western<br />
snowy plover is defined as those<br />
individuals that nest adjacent to or near<br />
tidal waters and includes all nesting<br />
colonies on the mainland coast,<br />
peninsulas, offshore islands, adjacent<br />
bays, and estuaries (USFWS 1993b).<br />
The coastal population of the western<br />
snowy plover consists of both resident<br />
and migratory birds; some birds winter<br />
in the same areas used for breeding (USFWS 1993b). Migratory individuals of the coastal<br />
western snowy plover travel either north or south within their coastal range. Typical<br />
breeding season occurs within its Special Management Season on <strong>Base</strong> from 1 March to 15<br />
September.<br />
Regional<br />
The two main breeding sites for the western snowy plover in San Diego County are located<br />
at <strong>Camp</strong> <strong>Pendleton</strong> and Silver Strand (Unitt 2004). Other breeding sites include: Batiquitos<br />
Lagoon, San Elijo Lagoon, <strong>Marine</strong>r’s Point (Mission Bay), Sweetwater River Estuary,<br />
Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve, and the Tijuana River mouth (Unitt 2004). As a result of<br />
successful management on San Diego County military installations while accomplishing<br />
training missions, a majority of the western snowy plover population (approximately 65<br />
percent) within Recovery Unit 6, which includes: Zuma Beach, Santa Monica Bay, Bolsa<br />
Chica area, Santa Ana River Mouth, San Onofre Beach, Batiquitos Lagoon, Los<br />
Penasquitos, and South San Diego are located on military installations (USFWS 2007j).<br />
MCBCP<br />
Nesting sites on <strong>Camp</strong> <strong>Pendleton</strong> include: Aliso Beach (White), Cocklebur Beach, North<br />
Beach (North), North Beach (South), South Beach, Red Beach, and Gold Beach (South)<br />
(see Figure 3-19) (Collier and Terp 2001 & Sullivan pers. comm. 2009). In 2004, the<br />
western snowy plover constructed 212 nests on <strong>Base</strong> (Foster 2006). Approximately 30<br />
percent of the MCBCP nesting population stays over winter on <strong>Base</strong> (USFWS 2007j). For<br />
<strong>Chapter</strong> 3 – <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> 3-53