This beautiful Roseate Spoonbill was captured by Diane Nunley, Chester Island volunteer, as the bird flew over with nesting materials. This bird is in full breading plumage. Photo by Diane D. Nunley

On May 24, 2013, Warden Tim Wilkinson headed out with two boats and fourteen volunteers to count the nesting birds on Chester Island (previously known as Sundown Island). Chester Island is one of thirty-three coastal sanctuaries supported by Texas Audubon. These island sanctuaries are home to twenty-plus species of waterbirds that nest along the coast.

The Chester Island count this year was remarkable! Except for the haunting erosion issues, the island was in really good shape this year because the Port O’Connor area received drought-quenching rain. Brown Pelican nesting pairs nearly doubled in 2013 (3,375) from last year’s count (1,702). It was a banner year for the Brown Pelican. They were just everywhere—in the trees, on the ground, and in the center, and along the edges of the island.

On the day of the count there were pelican chicks of all ages from just hatched to fledglings. Most of the pelican nests observed had two or three chicks. While Reddish Egret and Black Skimmer species’ numbers dropped, the Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis, and Snowy Egret breeding pairs increased dramatically. Overall, the grand total for all species exceeded last year’s count by more than three thousand nesting pair.

Even though census counters try to count species at the same time of year, dramatic differences in the numbers may occur. These changes may be caused by timing differences when species begin nesting, predators, available food, weather (here and elsewhere if the species is migratory), or species site selection preference. The results from year-to-year may not be as significant as the changes over a longer period of time. A list of the census results can be viewed at chesterisland.org.

The wardens of the Texas coastal sanctuaries must rely on help from support organizations and volunteers to complete the census. Tim Wilkinson, Warden of Chester Island and the following volunteers completed the 2013 census: Amanda Hackney (Texas Audubon), Brent Ortego (Texas Parks & Wildlife), Donna Anderson (US Fish & Wildlife Services), Bill Ward (The Nature Conservancy), Owen Fitzsimmons (Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program), and volunteers, Dora Ann Baass, Diane Nunley, Marcy Spears, Ruth Dederich, and Brown Pelican Tracking Project members: Juliet Lamb, Dgsaivre Stève, Elizabeth Ford, and Yvan Satge. The group divided the island into six sections to make the count easier and quicker.

Visit the Chester Island website (chesterisland.org) to view more results and photos of the birds! If you would like to volunteer, contact Warden Tim Wilkinson at twsword1@gmail.com. For more information about the Coastal Stewardship Program go to: tx.audubon.org/coastal-stewardship-program.

Census Counters on Chester Island From top to bottom and left to right: Yvan Satge, Adaman, (the Labradoodle) and Diane Nunley; Amanda Hackney, Donna Anderson; Dgsaivre Stève, Elizabeth Ford, Owen Fitzsimmons, Brent Ortego, Dora Ann Baass, Bill Ward, Ruth Dederich Juliet Lamb; left of stairway: Marcy Spears, Warden Tim Wilkinson holding Luci, the Labradoodle. Photo credit: Peggy Wilkinson