Newsletter of the Jamaica Bay Guardian Vol. 3 No. 3 Winter 2004 Don Riepe Jamaica Bay Guardian An American Littoral Society Program funded by a Jamaica Bay wetlands violation settlement imposed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 28 West 9th Road Broad Channel, NY 11693 718 634-6467 Home 718 318-9344 Office 718 318-9345 Fax driepe@nyc.rr.com www.alsnyc.org Editor: Natalie Stiene Art/Graphic Design: Johann Schumacher

The Fauna File: Harbor Seal: Phoca vitulina Suborder: Pinnipedia (Latin for "fin-footed") New York City may seem like an unusual habitat for seals, but occasionally these large, doe-eyed pinnipeds sun themselves on Jamaica Bay’s shores. Aerodynamic at sea, but ungainly on land, harbor seals often ‘haul out’ to their favorite estuaries and beaches along America’s east and west coasts. Seals are shy and wary, however, and if disturbed may abandon not only their haul-out sites, but their pups as well. Harbor seals haul out to rest, warm up, give birth and nurture their pups. Though a mother may leave her newborn alone, she’ll make up for it by constantly grooming and nursing the pup while they’re together. Mother’s milk is rich too, nearly 50% fat. And fat is what the pup gets! Adults weigh up to 300 pounds. What do they look like? Four-to-six feet in length, they sport spotted coats in varying shades from silver grey, tan, dark brown, or black. Considered true seals, they differ from their relative the sea lion in that they have no visible ear flaps and their hind flippers are not used for walking. Their long whiskers (vibrissae) are not merely handsome, but help the mammals find food in deep, dark waters. Unsurprisingly, seals are seafood lovers; they feed on crustaceans, squid, mollusks and a variety of fish. The Marine Mammal Protection Act makes it unlawful to touch, feed, or otherwise harass a seal. Since seals may become aggressive if they feel threatened, this law protects not only seals, but humans as well. Ways to seal watch from a safe distance: Stay at least 100 yards away and limit your viewing time to 30 minutes. Seals that are continually approached never get to rest and get stressed out, both of which leave the seal vulnerable to illness and predation. Additionally, anxious mother seals may permanently abandon their pups. Never feed a seal. What you feed them may harm them. Plus, feeding encourages them to swim near boats looking for food; unfortunately, boat propellers have caused serious injuries to seals. copyright D. Riepe

A large section of undercut marsh broke off from Yellow Bar Hassock.

copyright Don Riepe Jamaica Bay Guardian Message January 2005 will mark the end of the second year of the Guardian program. This past year we were involved in various projects around the bay. Aside from routine patrols of the bay to look for pollution, we worked with the EcoWatchers of Broad Channel to remove derelict boats from the bay’s shorelines, presented educational programs about the bay’s resources to many schools & civic groups, conducted horseshoe crab workshops, sponsored four Jamaica Bay Sunset Cruises, conducted wildlife censuses for the National Park Service, attended Port Authority Bird Hazard and Jamaica Bay Task Force meetings, and testified before a NYC Council Hearing on the disappearing marshes of Jamaica Bay. As stewards of the bay, we strive to work with others toward improving water quality and protecting the natural resources of the Jamaica Bay ecosystem and look forward to an exciting program for 2005. Don Riepe Marsh Erosion Update The 2-acre pilot study restoration site on Big Egg Marsh appears to be successful as the Spartina grasses filled in much of the sediment that was sprayed on the marsh last fall. It remains to be seen whether the plantings will survive a second year however. In the meantime, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is stockpiling sand taken from Rockaway Inlet onto a Floyd Bennett Field runway. Next spring they plan to pipe it to Elder’s Point to fill in several acres of eroded marsh at that site. The National Park Service is currently conducting several studies to hopefully ascertain the underlying reason(s) for marsh loss in the bay. Most scientists believe that the major problem is sediment starvation due to all the channelization that occurred over the years. Other variables involve excess nutrient, wrack covering, mussel growth, bird eatout, plant pathology and all of the above – all of which is exacerbated by a sea level rise of about 1.5 inches/decade in the bay. Osprey Club members helped with the planting and will be on hand to help out again if needed.

Glimpse of the Past According to Long Island historian Frederick R. Black, one of the oldest non-Native American villages on Long Island is located on the western shores of Jamaica Bay. Founded in 1636 by Dutchmen Andries Huddie and Wolfert Gerretse, the village of Flatlands began as a small settlement near what is now the intersection of Flatbush and Flatland avenues. How different it must have looked back then! As reprinted from Black’s Jamaica Bay: A History, the following excerpt written by a visitor to Flatlands in October of 1679 provides a view of the area: There is toward the sea (the bay), a large piece of low flat which is overflown at every tide, like the schoor (marsh) with us, mirry at the bottom, and which produces a species of hard salt grass or reed grass. Such a place they call valley and mow it for hay, which cattle would rather eat than fresh hay or grass.... Their adjoining corn lands are dry and barren for the most part. Behind the village, inland are their meadows, but they also were now arid. All the land from the bay to ‘t Vlacke Bos (Flatbush) is low and level without the least elevation. There is also a tract which is somewhat large, of a kind of heath, on which sheep could graze, though we saw none upon it. This meadow (schoor), like all the others, is well provided with good creeks which are naviagable and very serviceable for fisheries.

Brant are Back Thousands of brant geese arrived in October in Jamaica Bay from their breeding grounds in Baffin Island and points far north within the Arctic Circle. This is a small goose with a black head and white slash on the neck. They can been seen at many sites around the bay, including the Wildlife Refuge ponds, North Channel Bridge, Marine Park, Fort Tilden, Inwood Golf Course and along the Belt Parkway near the Verrazano Bridge. Their primary food is sea lettuce (Ulva) but they also will eat lawn and turf grass, especially if the bay freezes over. In early April, they’ll feed on the newly emerging Spartina grass before heading north at the end of May. Other wintering geese include Canada and snow geese. Home on the Range The small, dark snail seen in great numbers on the mudflats of Jamaica Bay during low tide is the eastern mud snail (Ilyanassa obsolete). Grazing on algae, they are reminiscent of diminutive herds of bison on a vast plain. Using chemical cues, they also home in and feed on dead mussels, crabs and other carrion found in the littoral (intertidal) zone, thus providing an essential ecological service as a scavenger. By chemical cues, they can also detect the crushing of another snail by crabs and will quickly leave the area (although at a snail’s pace). Mud snails are an intermediate host for a larval parasite that causes a rash in humans called "swimmer’s itch". The natural hosts include black ducks and red-breasted mergansers. Since Jamaica Bay has large numbers of these snail and duck species, it’s probably not a good idea to go swimming in bay waters. copyright Don Riepe