Getting Started with Monitoring Black Oystercatchers in Monterey Bay

What Are Black Oystercatchers and Why Monitor Them?

Black Oystercatchers are excellent indicator species of the rocky shoreline habitat, and desgnated as a species of conservation concern. One thing that makes them a valuable indicator species is that they do not go across any other habitats. They only nest on rocky shores: they are not found inland, on sandy beaches, or in any other habitat. For another, they are large and visible. It is much easier to see and track an oystercatcher than, say, an anemone. Lastly, oystercatchers are territorial: they pick a territory and tend to stay there for life. This means we can get years' worth of data out of a single pair. Black Oystercatchers nest on beaches and are very vulnerable to human encroachment, oil spills, and severe ocean conditions.

Rick Hanks monitors/watches the birds from shore

About the Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Project

Since 2011, Monterey Audubon has been supporting Audubon California's efforts with the California Central Coast BLOY Monitoring Project. In 2021, Monterey Audubon Society took over local monitoring in two study areas - the Monterey Bay South Coast, consisting of 3 monitoring sections (Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach, and Point Lobos), and the Monterey Bay North Coast (northern Santa Cruz County coast and southern San Mateo County coast). There are other BLOY monitoring efforts south in San Luis Obispo County and north in San Francisco that we regularly communicate and strategize with. But thanks to funding from our Monterey Audubon members and supporting donors, the project monitors BLOY territories from Greyhound Rock in San Mateo County south through Point Lobos in Monterey County.

We have an informative webpage that shares the full story of the project and summary data while showcasing the territories we monitor on an interactive map. The project is managed by Regional Coordinator Rick Hanks.

Black Oystercatcher adults with chicks, photo courtesy of Jane Smith.

To learn about the results of the project so far, you can watch our recent lecture about the BLOY Monitoring Project, with Judith Romero, Assistant Project Biologist

Become a Volunteer Monitor

Volunteers are invited to join the monitoring team. To be part of the Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Program’s community science program, you are required to do the following:

1. Register as a Monterey Audubon volunteer at http://MontereyAudubon.org/volunteer.

2. Attend the lecture about monitoring, hosted at the beginning of March. If you are unable to attend the lecture, you are required to watch the virtual training on YouTube https://youtu.be/wS8vtSRwn_4.

3. Read the accompanying guide.

4. Complete the BLOY Volunteer Project Registration

5. Participate in the field training

Once you have completed all these steps, the Regional Coordinator assigns the monitoring sites for all volunteers. Don't worry, you'll be paired with a mentor first! Once you feel comfortable monitoring and entering data, you'll be able to monitor your site or be assigned to another one by the Regional Coordinator.

Reference material from the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and Monterey Audubon Society website.