Examination of historical nesting records (1900-1975) in each State 

 revealed trends for many species. At the beginning of the century, breeding 

 populations of many species had been reduced or extirpated in many coastal 

 regions because of the millinery trade and egg collecting. With the 

 protection of Federal lav/s, most species have recovered all of their former 

 breeding range. Herring and great black-backed gulls have not only recovered, 

 but have expanded their ranges into the Carol inas. There is some evidence of 

 recent herring gull declines in New England, but numbers are rapidly 

 increasing from New Jersey south. Numbers of Arctic, roseate, and common 

 terns are decreasing in New England, with the latter two species also showing 

 a recent reduction on Long Island. Where human encroachment has altered 

 barrier island dunes and beaches most tern, gull, and black skimmer colonies 

 have moved to marsh and dredge deposition islands. Despite this human 

 pressure on beaches, the least tern appears to be stable in most areas, except 

 Rhode Island. Cormorants are increasing throughout New England after years of 

 persecution by fishermen. On Penikese Island, Leach's storm-petrels persist 

 (the only colony in the study area) and common eiders recently have nested 

 following introduction. Information on wading birds is limited but in 

 general, all species have increased and expanded their ranges northward over 

 the past 10-20 years. Numbers of snowy and cattle egrets and glossy ibises 

 have increased rapidly. Black-crowned night herons seem to have increased in 

 some States after earlier declines associated with pesticide contamination. 

 One pair of white ibises bred in Virginia in 1977, a new breeding record for 

 the northeast. Although great blue herons nest inland from Maine to Virginia, 

 the only major coastal colonies that remain from earlier years occur along the 

 Chesapeake Bay (note: Coastal colonies are also numerous in Maine north of 

 Portland). 



For many species, nesting chronology varies from year to year and even 

 from colony to colony. Most wading birds arrive in the northeast and nest 

 earlier than seabirds. Great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, and 

 great egrets initiate nesting often as early as late February and March. In 

 contrast, cattle egrets are usually last with egg-laying often not occurring 

 until June. The large gulls nest earlier than terns, sometimes usurping 

 former tern nesting sites. Climatic influences such as cold, storms, floods, 

 etc., often result in renesting which prolongs the nesting period and causes 

 substantial yearly variation in both reproductive timing and success. In most 

 years, May and June are the months of peak nesting activity for almost all 

 waterbird species in the mid-Atlantic States. 



