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6) The complex is used by at least two endangered species, 

 two threatened species, and 29 species of special concern. 



The endangered Brown pelican is a resident using the area 

 for feeding and roosting. The Peregrine falcon is a fall 

 transient/winter visitant. In December 1978, a Peregrine 

 falcon was resident for at least 2 weeks. 



7) The complex is important to the esthetic appeal of 

 Beaufort . 



Management Recommendations: 



In suggesting management recomjnendations for the Bird 

 Shoal-Carrot Island-Horse Island complex, it is important 

 to stress that the primary biological values of the complex 

 are due to its diversity of wetland habitats and large expanses 

 of mud and sand flats, which have resulted largely from human 

 activities. There is no inconsistency in using management 

 in "preserving" these values. 



1) The natural area (the low ridge of shrub thicket) 

 should be recognized as such and protected from alteration. 



2) The broad expanse of intertidal mud and sand flats 

 should be maintained. There may be two threats to the con- 

 tinued existence of this expanse of flats: 



a) development of the shoals by soil build-up to 

 elevations that are not intertidal. This is apparently 

 slowly happening now. It appears that the sand that is 

 causing the increase in elevation is coming from the 

 erosion of the large spoil mound at the southwest corner 

 of the complex. Spoil from future dredging of Bulkhead 

 Channel should be placed on Radio Island, not on the 

 complex. Spoil material along Taylor Creek, at its 

 present elevation, is not so likely to add to the elevation 

 of Carrot Island-Bird Shoal, but that spoil could "flood" 

 onto the islands during the storm tides of a hurricane. 

 Probably, no further deposition of spoil material on the 

 Bird Shoal-Carrot Island-Horse Island complex is desirable. 



b) loss of the sand flat and mud flat habitat by 

 succession to salt marshes. Formerly, Carrot Island- 

 Bird Shoal was subjected to more wave and current action 

 and this was probably the reason salt marshes did not 

 develop. In the last two decades, the development of the 

 elevated inlet beach has created favorable conditions 



for marsh development. Probably, the horses on Carrot 

 Island-Bird Shoal have been important in preventing marsh 

 succession. (No one who has watched a horse on these 

 islands feed for five minutes would doubt it!). Thus, 

 in this respect, the presence of the horses is desirable. 



3) The effect of the horses on the ecology of the complex 

 should be studied (see above). For many people, horses add 



to the esthetic appeal of the complex. 



4) It should be assumed that the complex is not generally 

 good nesting habitat for waterbirds, but some habitat modifi- 

 cation might be appropriate. Sites having nesting Least 

 terns (of special concern), Wilson's plovers (Special concern), 



