As offshore wind energy development advances throughout large areas of the U.S. Atlantic outer continental shelf (atlantic OCS), information on offshore movements and habitat use of migratory birds is…

As offshore wind energy development advances throughout large areas of the U.S. Atlantic outer continental shelf (atlantic OCS), information on offshore movements and habitat use of migratory birds is needed for risk assessments. The common tern (sterna hirundo) is a high-priority species for monitoring at existing and potential offshore wind energy areas (WEAS) in the U.S. Atlantic OCS due to its offshore habitat use, state conservation statuses, and life history similarities with the federally endangered roseate tern (sterna dougallii). This study will assess movements and habitat use of sterna terns using nesting and staging sites located within the vicinity of WEAS in southern new england. This study will use global positioning system radio frequency (GPS-RF) technology to collect new information on offshore movements of common terns relative to offshore wind energy areas in southern new england. Using GPS-RF will provide information on breeding and staging movements of terns and potentially full annual cycle migratory information depending on longevity of tag electronics and the tag attachment method, and recapture success the following season. The GPS-RF aspects of the study will be led by the USFWS with field and technical assistance from the mass audubon. This study will also use surveys and acoustic monitoring to document use of staging sites by sterna terns located in proximity to WEAS in southern new england. Mass audubon will hire and oversee field crews to conduct surveys at key staging sites in massachusetts (norton point, marthas vineyard muskeget island, nantucket and monomoy NWR, chatham) to estimate distribution and abundance of common and roseate terns during the staging period. Surveys will take place three times per week in july, august, and september at norton point, once per week on muskeget, and twice a week at monomoy NWR to determine the presence of sterna species. These surveys will include evening dusk surveys when possible. Night vision will be utilized when light conditions are poor to determine distribution and age class of common and roseate terns. When dusk surveys are not possible, daytime or morning surveys will take place to understand diurnal staging activity at these sites.on norton point and muskeget, mass audubon will operate acoustic monitoring devices starting upon the first survey visit in july. At each site, mass audubon will retrieve and swap a new SD card for the acoustic(S) units every two weeks and upload data using a mutually agree upon workflow for analysis. Acoustic monitoring data will provide presence and absence data for sterna species when monitors are not present. Field crews led by the mass audubon will also work with USFWS to place base stations on norton point, muskeget, and monomoy NWR. Base stations will be placed on observation blinds within colonies and on symbolic fencing at staging areas. Base stations should be placed as close to areas of high tern use as possible. Field crews will download data from the base stations during each site visit and submit data to the USFWS for processing.information from this effort will be used to inform national environmental policy act (NEPA) analyses and endangered species act (ESA) section 7 consultations on the risk of offshore wind development projects to terns while evaluating the utility of emerging technology for tracking terns during the staging period and migration.