Gulf Watch Alaska Nearshore Component: Black Oystercatcher Nest Density and Chick Diets Data from Prince William Sound, Katmai National Park and Preserve, and Kenai Fjords National Park, 2006-2016

This data is part of the Gulf Watch Alaska (GWA) long term monitoring program, nearshore monitoring component. Specifically, these data describe black oystercatcher nest site and chick provisioning observations conducted in the northern Gulf of Alaska within the GWA program. The data consists of three files: 1. black oystercatcher nest counts from transects surveyed in study areas, 2. black oystercatcher nest locations found along oystercatcher sampling transects and 3. species identification, counts, and sizes for hard-shelled prey remains collected from black oystercatcher nest sites.

Sampling date, nest site location, bird behavioral category, number of chicks and or eggs, presence of prey remains, and other relevant notes were recorded. Sites are in Alaska and include locations in the following blocks: Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park and western Prince William Sound. There are five sets of oystercatcher survey transects centered around a rocky intertidal monitoring site in each block. The time interval includes 2006-2016.

The black oystercatcher was selected for inclusion into the monitoring program because: 1) it is a common and conspicuous member of the rocky and gravel intertidal marine communities of eastern Pacific shorelines, 2) it is completely dependent on nearshore marine habitats for all critical life history components including foraging, breeding, chick-rearing, and resting, 3) it serves as a "keystone" species that is important in structuring nearshore systems, and 4) it is highly susceptible to human disturbance. The species is considered a Management Indicator Species by the Chugach National Forest and a species of concern by the Alaska Shorebird Working Group and is widely recognized as a species representative of nearshore habitats and therefore particularly amenable to long term monitoring.