As the weather warms, it's not just sun-seeking tourists who are drawn to the rich necklace of barrier islands that line North Carolina's 320 miles of coastline.
If you visit the beach this summer, there's a good chance you'll spot wildlife among the visitors and occasional residents.
But sharing valuable coastal real estate with nesting shorebirds and sea turtles can be difficult.
The loss of many island habitats due to development, increased risks from climate change, and increased disturbance threats related to human activities, dogs, and even predators, combined to often disrupt native fauna. unfavorable circumstances overlap.
The eggs and chicks of nesting sandpipers and sandpipers often blend completely into the sand, making it easy for people and pets to accidentally step on them. Access to nests and babies is equally dangerous, as parents may be scared away, leaving eggs and chicks at the mercy of predators and summer heat.
That's where organizations like the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Audubon North Carolina come in to level the playing field.
Hundreds of signs have been installed at nesting preserves along the state's coast, from Currituck Bay in the north to Sunset Beach in the south, warning visitors to respect nesting areas. In some locations, like Wrightsville Beach, volunteers are helping reinforce that message.
Hope Sutton, Eastern Wildlife Diversity Supervisor for the Wildlife Commission, said education and outreach are some of the most powerful tools the agency has to raise awareness about bird requirements. Stated.
photograph:Birdwatching in the Wilmington Area
“From Wrightsville Beach Elementary School students creating cute signs warning beachgoers to stay away from the shelter, to adults learning about these birds through our outreach efforts, this facility is an important component. ” she said. “Our behavioral patterns can have a huge impact on the chances of success that many of these bird species have.”
The rescue comes as regulators worry about the future of some of the state's shorebirds.
North Carolina's 2023 Waterbird Survey, conducted every three years by government agencies and environmental groups, shows significant declines in the numbers of many nesting shorebirds. Among the sandpipers on the list were cattle egrets, tricolored herons, great gray herons, snowy egrets, and glossy ibises. Shore-nesting species that have shown significant declines include common tern, gull-eared tern, and Caspian tern.
Another species in trouble is the black skimmer, whose population in North Carolina has been cut in half since 1999. Because skimmers nest directly on open sand, they are particularly vulnerable to disturbance or loss of nesting sites.
But the survey wasn't all bad news. The smallest tern population was found to be increasing, with many of the nests found on the shore at the south end of Wrightsville Beach and Lee Hattuff Island in Pender County. Brown pelicans are also doing well, with 5,227 nests reported in 2023, far exceeding the 15-year average of about 4,000.
What's flying?Researchers use high-tech technology to track migratory birds along the Pender County coast
Many shorebirds nest on degraded islands such as the Cape Fear River and Intracoastal Waterway, or on parts of hard-to-access nature preserves like Masonboro Island.
However, climate change is an unknown variable that could increase the pressures faced by many species. For example, low-lying man-made dredged islands may face increased threats of erosion and flooding due to rising sea levels and stronger tropical storms associated with rising temperatures.
“Competition for sand is already intense and is likely to get worse in the coming decades,” Sutton said, noting that coastal sand resources are limited and many coastal cities are now facing eroding beaches. He mentioned that he is looking for a nutritional supplement project to revitalize his health.
A warming climate may also cause some birds to nest earlier.
Learning to share beaches and knowing when to retreat, such as when shorebirds start to get irritated, can be a big help, says Lindsey Addison, a coastal biologist with North Carolina Audubon. Told.
“Anyone who has lived here for a while knows that there are more and more people now. Wherever you go along the coast, it's very difficult not to run into too many people. “There is,” she said. “Birds are experiencing it too, and there are many opportunities for people to disturb them and affect their survival.
“But taking other steps, like keeping your distance and keeping your dog on a leash for a period of time, can really make a big difference.”
Shorebird nesting season runs from March to mid-September.
turtle time
Shorebirds aren't the only species looking to nest on area beaches. The peak of the sea turtle nesting season begins on May 1st and lasts until the end of October.
Most local beaches are monitored daily during sea turtle nesting season for signs of nests, and then monitored and protected as necessary during the approximately two-month incubation period.
Although nesting numbers of sea turtles have increased in recent years, regulators and environmentalists warn that marine reptiles still face many threats. This is especially true during the decades the turtles navigate the oceans, before the females return to the shores of their birth to nest.
Threats while at the beach include holes dug in the sand by beachgoers and the nestlings that can become trapped after they emerge from the nest, and bright lights from homes and businesses that may alert mothers and nestlings in the nest. These include the potential to divert water and keep it away from the ocean. .
A victory for conservation?In North Carolina, the number of green sea turtle nests will reach a record high in 2023.
share the beach
Tips from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on how to share your beaches with nesting wildlife this summer:
- Respect the boundaries of the roped nesting area
- put a dog on a leash
- Follow beach driving regulations
- Please dispose of garbage such as fishing lines and kite lines properly.
- Do not feed seagulls or terns
- Do not fly drones or kites near nesting sites
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with funding from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.