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Introduction <br />Peltier Island, formerly the second largest colonial waterbird colony in the <br />Minneapolis /St. Paul metropolitan area, reached an estimated maximum size of 1,149 active <br />nests in 1996. Beginning in the year 2000, local residents noticed the apparent abandonment <br />of the Peltier Island colony long before chicks would normally have fledged. Ground survey <br />work confirmed that the colony had experienced a complete loss of recruitment. This pattern <br />continued annually, coinciding with a steep decline in the number of active nests within the <br />colony (Figure 1). <br />1400 <br />1200 <br />1000 <br />800 <br />Z 600 <br />Estimated active nests at Peltier Island <br />• No abandonment <br />• Abandonment <br />i <br />400 <br />200 - j <br />I <br />i <br />0 <br />5 <br />Year <br />• <br />Figure 1: <br />Annual estimated colony size at the <br />Peltier Island heronry (MN -DNR <br />2004). These data are based upon <br />winter nest counts. The colony <br />reached its maximum size in 1996 with <br />a nest count of 1,149. The number of <br />active nests in 2004 was estimated at <br />186 and in 2005 at 25 -30. <br />Upon the urging of local residents, the recommendation of Peltier Island Heron Task <br />Force, and with funding from the Minnesota State Wildlife Grant, the United States Fish and <br />Wildlife Service, and Anoka County, a study was initiated to determine the cause(s) of <br />abandonment and to recommend management measures geared toward preserving the Peltier <br />Island colony. To facilitate this study, Dr. Francie Cuthbert of the University of Minnesota <br />Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology was retained as a consultant. <br />Andrew Von Duyke, a University of Minnesota graduate student was also hired by Anoka <br />County to monitor the Peltier Lake colony and other metro area colonies. <br />• <br />