
Black Skimmers with a chick, Sand Dollar Island.
It is always important to conserve and protect the productivity of the turtles, fish, birds, shells, but this year, with the looming impact of oil and the perishing wildlife we are witnessing in the north Gulf, every hatchling, chick and fingerling seems more critical to save. Every year from March through August, Wilson’s Plovers, Snowy Plovers, Least Terns and Black Skimmers nest on beaches in southern Collier County, especially the federally designated Critical Wildlife Area, Sand Dollar Island. The entire spit of sand is protected, but there are three main areas posted for the beach-nesting shorebirds. Not all beach-goers are familiar with nesting birds, and many may not even be aware of them. This can result in accidental disturbance to the colonies, which decreases the birds’ chances of nesting success. A few months ago, recognizing our mutual priority of protection and education for the public, Lindsay Addison, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s TEAM Ocean Coordinator, Dr. Brad Cornell, Audubon’s policy associate, and Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist for the City of Marco Island, launched the Collier Shorebird Stewards program for the Marco Island beach areas at Tigertail and Sand Dollar Island. This is a partnership formed through the Collier County Shorebird Alliance.
Since the creation of this program, thirty-six (36) volunteer stewards have stepped up and are on the beach each weekend in

Aerial images copyright 2009. Courtesy of the Collier County Property Appraiser. Colony locations, shapes, and sizes approximate – created by Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The most important educational message is to explain why the birds should not be agitated or scared off their nests. The beach is a hostile environment for nesting. Least Terns and Black Skimmers simply make a small scratch in the sand for their nest. Laying one or two eggs, the female will sit on the eggs to regulate the temperature of the egg(s). The female is not warming the egg, but rather protecting the egg from the scorching heat and from the many predators in the area. If she is agitated off the egg, even for a few minutes, the egg could literally poach in the sun and heat; or a ghost crab could scurry in and take the egg quickly. Keeping a distance and respecting the posting areas, realizing that some nests may be on the outer edges and outside the posted area, is vital to the productivity of the beach-nesting shorebirds.
Feedback from visitors and locals has been very positive. Newcomers and visitors—particularly families—to the island, who hike north on their own wildlife adventures, are typically thrilled and surprised to learn so much about the shorebirds and view the chicks. In early mornings, walkers, who seem to be locals, keep their distance, walking as close to the water as possible. There have been several pairs of visiting photographers that found that, if

Least Tern Chick. Courtesy of Lindsay Addison, TEAM Ocean.
- Respect the postings and give the birds plenty of space when you see them, even when they’re just standing on the beach.
- Resting is important for birds. If you walk around them, they won’t waste energy flying away.
- Do not leave food or trash behind and do not feed wildlife. Crows and gulls eat other birds’ eggs and chicks. Leaving food attracts more crows and gulls, which harm nesting terns, skimmers, and plovers.
- If you see a chick, please leave it alone. The chicks of all our beach-nesting species leave the nest just 2-3 days after they hatch. Adults watch over them and feed them, so you do not need to try to catch it to “return it to the nest.”
It is an important summer for coastal species protection. The Collier Shorebird Stewards are out there helping one chick at a time. If you get out to Sand Dollar Island, stop by, ask questions or look through the scope.
For more information or if you would like to become a Shorebird Steward, please view the website: colliershorebirds.wordpress.com or contact Nancy Richie at 239-389-5003 or nrichie@cityofmarcoisland.com.
Nancy Richie is a long time Island resident and Marine Biologist.
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