Conservation Projects
Shorebird Steward Training
American Oystercatchers, Wilson's Plovers, and Snowy Plovers attempt to nest at beautiful Ft. De Soto County Park among the crowds of people visiting the beach. They need your help to educate beachgoers and prevent disturbances to eggs and chicks.
Learn how to become an effective steward on the beach for shorebirds and seabirds, specifically those nesting at Ft. De Soto! During this presentation, you will learn where to set up your stewardship station; how to approach beachgoers to share facts about beach-nesting birds; how to report violations to rangers or law enforcement. Bird stewardship at the park will begin Friday, April 4th. (This training will not cover stewardship at Black Skimmer colonies in Pinellas County.) Register at the zoom link to attend the training!
If you want to volunteer, please click
HERE to learn more..... also, contact
Kara Cook-Durda.
Project Description:
Least Terns are a threatened species in Florida, largely due to human development and related activity that has heavily impacted Florida’s beaches, the traditional nesting habitat of Least Terns. A substantial proportion of Least Terns now choose to nest on gravel rooftops as a surrogate for overcrowded beaches. In a collaborative effort with Audubon Florida and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Clearwater Audubon has been involved in monitoring rooftop nesting Least Terns and returning fallen chicks back onto rooftops using a locally designed chick-a-boom (basically a small bucket on the end of a long pole). This project has developed in collaboration with St Pete Audubon and Beth Forys (Eckerd College) starting in the late 90s.
Volunteer opportunities and physical requirements:
Volunteers are needed to adopt rooftops with a history of Least Tern nesting to monitor throughout the breeding season (April-September). At some sites where chicks are vulnerable to falling off the roof volunteers are needed to check the site periodically to search for fallen chicks and return them safely to the rooftop where their parents will continue to care for them. Typical volunteer activities include driving within the county, monitoring tern activity at historic colony sites, educating property owners/employees/residents of buildings with rooftop nesting, chasing down chicks in parking lots and lifting them back onto rooftops using a chick-a-boom, and recording and submitting basic data. If you want to volunteer, please click HERE to watch the training video..... also, contact Kara Cook-Durda.
A project in cooperation with St Pete Audubon and Audubon of Florida Eagle Watch.
Description and physical requirements: This project has been under way for many years. Over the last ten, the bald eagle has soared off the endangered species list. While the eagles are doing very well as of December 2010, careful observations subsequent to their delisting are critical. The rate of habitat loss may rival the rate of adaptation. Participation requires driving within the county, monitoring and
reporting on bald eagles and their territories.
Participants must have at least one but not all of the following equipment; spotting scope, digital camera, or binoculars. GPS and laser measuring devices can be helpful as well. Scouting begins in August and monitoring begins on October 1st each year. The season is officially complete on May 15th however late nests may require monitoring throughout the entire year. Several optional team surveys take
place annually depending upon annual goals. We are monitoring a record number of bald eagle nests throughout the entire county.
Volunteer opportunities exist for Audubon members, local citizens, educators, college students,
Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. Volunteer positions include: field monitors, photographers, citizen watchers, presenters, speakers, organizers and
advocates.
Contact Barbara Walker or call 727-798-2385 to volunteer with The Raptors at Moccasin Lake Nature Park.
Click on the links below to read about Migration, Home Range, and Important Use Areas of Florida Sub-Adult Bald Eagles, The Migration and Nesting of Florida Bald Eagles and the Success and Survival of Urban vs. Suburban raised Eagles.
Migration and Nesting of Florida Bald Eagles
Comparative Fecundity and Survival
Bald Eagles Mojica satellite eagle FR final 2006
