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Introduction
A low fog clung to the dock of the Sugarloaf marina. Yesterday’s southerlies brought warm air from the Gulf of Mexico into southern Canada, thawing the last remnants of a long and cold winter, but leaving a pea-soup fog along the Lake Erie shoreline. Wheeling gulls occasionally emerged from the cloud, only to disappear as quickly as they appeared. Three people stood patiently on shore, steaming thermoses of tea in hand, peering through the misty cloak. They had visited the marina every morning for several days, hoping that this would be the day the terns returned. While their vision was hampered, their spirits were not. Conditions were right for the return. At 9:30, just as they reluctantly prepared to depart to other daily duties, an unmistakable and piercing call drifted towards them from the overhead. They froze, peering into the mist towards the breakwall. Again a call, and then, as if on cue, the first Common Tern of the year emerged from the cloud. So might begin another season for the Friends of the Terns.
The Common Tern is situated at the top of the food chain and is the central feature of the Port Colborne Important Bird Area. Its future, like that of much of our wildlife, depends entirely on our commitment to provide adequate and high quality habitat. Birds are key components in Canada’s ecosystems and bird populations are often used as indicators of overall ecosystem health. This document is a guide for protecting a Common Tern colony in Port Colborne, Ontario.
The Port Colborne IBA is located offshore from the City of Port Colborne on the north side of Lake Erie toward the eastern end of the lake in the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Specifically, the site is comprised of a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) colony (approximately 5 x 130 m) on a portion of the east leg of a concrete breakwater situated about one kilometre offshore, southwest of the southern terminus of the Welland Canal. This IBA supports a continentally-significant population of Common Terns along with globally significant numbers of Ring-billed Gulls. Ironically, the main threat to the Tern colony’s success is the large number of Ring-billed Gulls. Dr. Ralph Morris of Brock University has studied and managed the colony for over a quarter century. His work and commitment, along with that of his students, has staved off sure extirpation of the Terns by the more numerous Ring-billed Gulls, and loss of suitable habitat.
In January 2000, the first stakeholders’ meeting for the Port Colborne IBA was held. The stakeholder group is currently a blend of local clubs and individuals who have worked together to formulate this conservation plan and are determined to continue the good work of Ralph Morris and ensure that the Common Tern remains common on the Port Colborne waterfront.
The vision statement for the Port Colborne IBA is as follows:
The Port Colborne Important Bird Area will have a healthy, thriving and sustainable population of breeding Common Terns, and be a place where birds
can be observed, monitored, studied and enjoyed for the ecological and educational benefits to the people of Ontario and beyond.
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