Shorebirds nesting on local beaches

May 17—Nesting shorebirds on local beaches don't need much — just a little space to rest, eat and bring their chicks safely into the world.

Throughout the spring and summer, shorebirds build their nests on coastal Georgia's beaches and migratory birds take a brief respite on their long journeys to the Arctic.

Certain areas of the Golden Isles offer ideal habitats for the birds, and biologists and environmentalists with the state Department of Natural Resources, Manomet, Inc., Georgia Shorebird Alliance and the Coastal Georgia Audubon Society work with volunteers to make people on the beach aware of the birds sharing the space.

"We're really excited to highlight the Gould's Inlet area on St. Simons for the incredible habitat that it provides for a variety of wildlife," said Abby Sterling, director of the Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative for Manomet. "And every year we have Wilson's plovers and least terns that nest in the dunes there."

A great habitat has built up on a sandbar between St. Simons and Sea islands, Sterling said, and many birds are nesting there.

"We've roped that area off and put up signs to let people know what's going on, and we've been monitoring it," she said.

Her organization hopes to raise awareness about the nesting that takes place on local beaches during this time of year. A steward program also offers volunteers an opportunity to get involved this work.

"If anybody wants to get in touch, they can sign up to volunteer and we've got some really good training materials," Sterling said, adding that volunteers will not need to bring much background knowledge about the birds. "If they're passionate about protecting wildlife on the beach, we'd be really glad to get volunteers."

Stewards will spend time on the beaches talking to passersby about the shorebirds.

"It's really just sort of sharing the stories of the birds and helping people understand how valuable this wildlife beach area is on St. Simons," Sterling said.

Gould's Inlet is a dynamic landscape with a variety of habitat features. The sandbars just offshore are an important feeding area for shorebirds, and the dunes are well-developed.

The pond on the back side of the beach is also a prime feeding area for migratory shorebirds.

"It's also a place where the Wilson's plovers that have nested at the dunes at Gould's Inlet, they can take their chicks right back there and there's lots of fiddler crabs that the chicks eat," Sterling said.

Gould's Inlet is a safe habitat where the birds can rest that offers many of the needed food resources and nesting spaces.

Wilson's plovers could be nesting on any part of the islands' beaches. A good rule of thumb to follow during spring and summer, Sterling said, is to walk below the tide line on wet sands because birds will nest above that.

Beachgoers can also leash their dogs while on the sands and walk around flocks of birds, which may be feeding or resting.

Some shorebirds are on the beaches for a rest period before continuing their multi-day migration journeys that span thousands of miles.

"By protecting a spot like Gould's Inlet, highlighting the importance of the habitat at Gould's, we're trying to raise awareness about how important our whole coast is for shorebirds," Sterling said.

Chicks may be on the beach until August, as some nests will fail due to high tides and other challenges.

"It takes them almost a month before the eggs hatch, and then it takes over a month before those chicks are able to fly," Sterling said. "When you take all of that into account, the timeline is well into August that we could have chicks on the beach."

Recent research indicates that many shorebird species are experiencing population declinations due to a variety of factors including habitat loss, rising sea levels and increased high tides related to climate change.

"The most important thing that we can do is just really try to work together to protect as much beach as possible," Sterling said. "When birds have these really high tides and lose habitat because of erosion and things like that, then it means every section of beach is really important."

Highlighting Gould's Inlet as a habitat beach brings increased attention to the importance of protecting shorebirds on these public beaches, she said.

"This is a really special opportunity that we all have as a community, and for folks who visit our beach, to make a difference for a species like Wilson's plovers that's a rare species," Sterling said.

Anyone who wants to learn more about joining the stewards program can contact Sterling at asterling@manomet.org. More information is also online at manomet.org/project/ga-bight-shorebird-conservation.