Shorebird Monitoring & Protection

Among the team’s many work projects was shorebird protection and monitoring along the beaches of Sandy Hook, a significant migratory stop for over 300 bird species along the Atlantic Flyway. Every other weekend, the team protected the nesting areas of the federally threatened and state endangered piping plover, the endangered least tern, black skimmer, and oystercatcher. During a few weekdays, the Gateway NPC also canoed to Skeleton Island and assisted the SCA shorebird interns in monitoring. It was a much-needed change in pace from invasive plant removal and offered opportunities for the team to perform public outreach.