-24 - 



Ecological Significance: 



1) The Carrot Island-Bird Shoal area is a significant 

 "field laboratory". It is used heavily for scientific 

 research and education. Scientific references to Bird Shoal, 

 go back to at least 1870. 



2) Within the complex, there is one area that can be 

 considered a natural area. It is the ridge of maritime shrub 

 thicket along the south side of Carrot Island, Perhaps this 

 is a relict beach ridge. 



3) The Bird Shoal complex is notable for the large 

 number of habitats that occur in relative proximity and 

 especially for the large number of wetland habitats. Such 

 wetland habitats include the inlet beach, oyster rocks, 

 sand flats, mud flats, non-tidal pools, and grazed and 

 ungrazed salt marshes. 



4) The numbers of, diversity of, and notable species of 

 marine invertebrates that occur at the Bird Shoal complex 

 are related to the diversity of wetland habitats and to the 

 expanse of intertidal flats. The expanse of intertidal 

 sand flats especially adds to Carrot Island-Bird Shoal's 

 uniqueness. Elsewhere in North Carolina, there are often 

 expanses of intertidal sand flats on the updrift side of 

 inlets, but these are temporary, quickly building into areas 

 that are mostly above the tide's influence. 



5) The Carrot Island-Bird Shoal complex is notable as a 

 major roosting area for waterbirds, and for having a rich 

 diversity of shorebirds. It has probably the richest diversity 

 of intertidal shorebirds of any area in North Carolina. 

 Although there is relatively little waterbird nesting on the 

 Carrot Island-Bird Shoal complex, it is an important feeding 

 area for young birds, from nesting sites near Cape Lookout, 

 near Fort Macon, and in the lower Newport River, 



At certain times of the year. Carrot Island-Bird Shoal 

 serves as a roosting area for thousands of birds. Particu- 

 larly large concentrations exist in the fall. The narrow 

 inlet beach is the main roosting area. A notable roosting 

 use of Carrot Island-Bird Shoal is by thousands of Common 

 terns in late September. These birds are apparently migrating 

 southward offshore, and at mid-day, there may be none on the 

 islands. However, about 1-2 hours before sunset, they begin 

 streaming into the islands to roost, and at sunset, there may 

 be thousands present. Carrot Island-Bird Shoal may be ex- 

 tremely valuable to such migrating birds. 



Several species of intertidal shorebirds are notable: 

 There are large wintering populations of Dunlins, Short- 

 billed dowitchers, and Western sandpipers. Bird Shoal is 

 an important feeding area for Wilson's plovers (special 

 concern) in summer and Piping plovers (special concern) in 

 winter. Carrot Island-Bird Shoal may have the largest 

 wintering population of Piping plovers along the entire east 

 coast (based on Audubon Christmas Bird Counts), 



