“Trouble on the Beach: Intruders at Nature Preserves are Driving Away Vulnerable Birds” — Young, Gifted & Wild About Birds

Stefan Martin & Beth Amendola
Wednesday, March 6, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. via Zoom
Trouble on the Beach: Intruders at Nature Preserves are Driving Away Vulnerable Birds

The 2023 season was a good one for Connecticut’s most vulnerable beach-nesting birds, American Oystercatchers and Least Terns. Or it least it looked to be so at the start. Coastal rangers were diligent in their patrols, and a streak of good luck kept coastal storms away. 

Yet one persistent problem counter-acted the success. Throughout the season human visitors and their pets intruded on the roped-off beach areas where these species nest.

Instead of the spectacular season for Least Terns that 2023 was shaping up to be, “We observed a significant drop-off in estimated nesting birds after a particularly egregious disturbance regarding an off leash … dog and an ATV driving directly along the fence line.”

As for oystercatchers, there was a “large percentage of nest and chick losses due to predation and human disturbance.”

Stefan Martin, conservation manager for the Connecticut Audubon Society, and Beth Amendola, who as coastal program assistant has overseen Audubon Connecticut’s American Oystercatcher project for years, will review the results of the 2023 season for those two species and also for Piping Plovers and Common Terns.

They will outline the effort being made to protect these birds. They’ll discuss what can be done to instill a greater respect for wildlife among the few visitors who consistently ignore the state law and sanctuary rules.

Milan Bull, Connecticut Audubon’s senior drector of science and conservation, will join them for the introductions and Q&A.

 Buy tickets HERE for the March 6 presentation by Stefan Martin & Beth Amendola

Preview photo of Least Tern at Milford Point by Sami DeMarco.