Hosreshore Crabs and Port Mahon Rd.

peter vankevich (pvankevich@hotmail.com)
Wed, 12 May 1999 18:42:38 PDT 

	On Tuesday, May 11 1999 I and a couple of friends decided to take a day off 
for day of birding in Delaware.  After spending the day in the Pocomoke 
Swamp, Redden State Forest and Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, we ended the 
afternoon on Port Mahon Road in Little Creek. What was planned as a pleasant 
end to a good birding day, turned in a very disturbing sight.  Along the 
road, I counted 10 pickup trucks all nearly filled with Horseshoe crabs. 
People were just throwing the crabs up to their trucks.  There were hardly 
any crabs visible and the "harversters" were wading in the water to take 
others.  Since the people were spread out along the road, there were not any 
shorebirds near them.  Finally, at one point near the end of the road were 
hundreds of Ruddy Turnstones (with a lone Sanderling and no Red Knots) 
huddled in a feeding frenzy.

	I am a frequent visitor to this great shorebird road. I, like most birders, 
visit on weekends and never have I seen anything like this. The shorebirds 
were obviously disturbed, not to mention what must be happening to the 
Horseshoe crab breeding situation. I have been visiting this area since 1980 
and have noted substantial declines in the Horseshoe crab population.

	If this activity is legal, why are there not any Fish and Wildlife 
personnel or other state/federal agents observing and recording the numbers 
of Horseshoe crabs taken in this manner?

	Is this not a serious disturbance to shorebirds in a critical and sensitive 
area that is needed in order to feed, rest and prepare for the long flight 
north?

	I realize changing regulations is a cumbersome and time consuming process. 
But can't a "Sensitive Wildlife Area Do Not Enter" sign be placed along the 
side of this  road in the interim?

         Something must be done.

Peter Vankevich,
President
New Columbia Audubon Society of Washington, DC.




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