Stump Pass Beach State Park



Stump Pass Beach State Park

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Description: Stump Pass Beach State Park is located in the town of Englewood and consists of the southernmost mile of Manasota Key, Peterson Island and Whidden Island, which totals 245 acres. Stump Pass, which flows between the park and Knight Island, was recently dredged to create a new pass and is now bordered by a gulf barrier beach on one side and a tidal lagoon on the other. Some of the sand was moved around during the dredging, which created variation in sand grain size but has not seemed to deter the birds. Stump Pass Beach contains five distinct natural communities: marine unconsolidated substrate, beach dune, coastal strand, maritime hammock and estuarine tidal swamp. Type 1 habitat is located at the sandy beach of Stump Pass Spit on the southern tip of Manasota Key.

The State of Florida owns Stump Pass Beach State Park and northern Don Pedro Island has a privately owned Palm Island Resort. Portions of shoreline along Manasota Key are accessible by vehicle; otherwise they are accessible by foot. Stump Pass is only accessible by boat or ferry.

Since April 2003, a group of volunteers have been providing bird survey data for Charlotte County, FL, to comply with the terms of a dredging permit for Stump Pass and associated beach re-nourishment. The surveys are conducted mainly between February and August and cover the areas of Stump Pass, Stump Pass Spit, the Park beach, the Palm Island Resort and Knight Island. Cathy Olson and Missy Christie of the Charlotte County Natural Resources Division manage and compile the data for this survey effort.

Stump Pass Spit is ~ 3500' long and 150' wide at the widest beach area and covered by heavy dune vegetation, mostly railroad vine, which gives way to a shell and sand beach toward the southern half. One of the volunteers monitoring the spit, Jeff Bouton, has provided shorebird information on the area. According to Mr. Bouton, the following shorebird species are present at Stump Pass: BBPL, SEPL, PIPL, GRYE, LEYE, SOSA, WILL, SPSA, WHIM, LBCU, MAGO, RUTU, SAND, LESA and SBDO.

According to Bill Dunson, another surveyor for the Charlotte County monitoring project, the primary breeders at Stump Pass are WIPL, SNPL, and Least Terns. 

Survey Method: Although Stump Pass State Park is accessible by vehicle, it is best to take a boat to the Lemon Bay side and walk across to the beach area. Ground surveys at low tide. Visibility is good with a spotting scope.

Selection Bias: None if surveyor has access to a boat.

Measurement error: *

Measurement bias: *

Pilot Studies: None needed.

Local Contacts: Missy Christie, Environmental Specialist, Charlotte County Natural Resources Division; Cathy Olson, Environmental Specialist II, Natural Resources Section - Environmental and Extension Services; Annette Neilson, Park Manager Assistant, Cayo Costa Adminstration; Bill Dunson, PhD, Charlotte County shorebird surveyor.

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