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MANAGEMENT <br />Will include the information on tree clearing, disking, herbicide application, predator trapping, <br />and predator fencing at each site when it becomes available. <br />MONITORING <br />In 1997, the US Department of Interior and the States of Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming <br />adopted the "Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to <br />Endangered Species Habitats" (Cooperative Agreement). In 2001, the Cooperative Agreement <br />coordinated a standardized protocol for monitoring reproductive success and reproductive habitat <br />parameters of interior least terns and piping plovers in the central Platte River from Lexington to <br />Chapman, Nebraska. The standardized protocol was implemented by USFWS Grand Island <br />office, NPPD, and CPNRD. In 2007, the Program assumed responsibilities of the standardized <br />protocol; Program staff and cooperators have since implemented it. <br />MID -MONTH RIVER AND SANDPIT SURVEYS: <br />METHODS: We conducted 3 surveys of the central Platte River to locate active nests and <br />individual birds (Component 1 of the protocol design) during 2008 and 2009. We used 2 airboats <br />to survey all channels wider than 75yds that could be safely navigated. Personnel from the <br />USFWS -GI conducted river surveys between Chapman and the Kearney Canal headgates (near <br />Elm Creek) on 19 -21 May; 17 -19 June; and 21 -23 July during 2008. Personnel from the <br />USFWS, Grand Island Field Office and Headwaters Corporation conducted surveys in this reach <br />on 19, 28, and 29 May; 16-18 June; and 20 -22 July during 2009. Personnel from NPPD, <br />CNPPID, and CPNRD conducted river surveys between Kearney Canal headgates and Lexington <br />on 23 May, 12 June, and 15 July, 2008 and on 14 May, 16 June, and 10 July, 2009. We also <br />conducted mid -month surveys at 15 sandpits and 12 or 13 riverine sites containing constructed or <br />managed islands (sandpit - island surveys; Figure 8; see Table 3 for site names) to count individual <br />birds and locate active interior least tern and piping plover nests during 2008 and 2009. The <br />number of adults, nests, chicks and fledglings detected on the site visit nearest to 15 May, 15 <br />June, and 15 July were summed across the sites surveyed. Personnel from CNPPID, CPNRD, <br />Headwaters Corporation, NPPD, NPWRC, and USFWS -GI conducted sandpit -island surveys. <br />Additional sandpits and riverine sites were observed during the nesting season, but we determined <br />the habitat was unsuitable for nesting interior least terns and piping plovers. <br />RESULTS: The Chapman — the Kearney Canal Headgate river surveys required 3 days to <br />complete during May, June, and July 2008 and 2009. We observed 10 interior least tern nests and <br />5 piping plover nests during 2008 and 7 interior least tern nests and 1 piping plover nest during <br />2009. We detected 1 piping plover chick during the 2008 river surveys and 2 piping plover <br />broods during 2009 (Table 1); the 3 piping plover broods observed during 2008 and 2009 river <br />surveys were located near Blue Hole (Figure 8; see Table 3 for site names). We observed an <br />interior least tern chick at the Dinan tract (Figure 8) during the July, 2009 river survey; this was <br />the first observation of an interior least tern chick during any mid -month river survey in >9 years. <br />The most birds were observed on the river during the May surveys in 2008 and 2009. We <br />observed 30 interior least tern and 7 piping plover adults during the May, 2008 survey and 22 <br />interior least tern and 7 piping plover adults during the May, 2009 survey (Table 1). <br />PRRIP 2008 -2009 Tern /Plover Report Page 11 of 42 <br />