During the Memorial Day weekend, Audubon Florida is reminding beachgoers statewide to be mindful of nesting birds, as even a minor disturbance can destroy a nest

During the Memorial Day weekend, Audubon Florida is reminding beachgoers statewide to be mindful of nesting birds, as even a minor disturbance can destroy a nest.

You can help protect the birds by moving parties, picnics and especially fireworks away from nesting areas.

Just approaching a bird is enough to flush birds away from their nest.

When birds are forced to fly off their eggs, it exposes the chicks to predators.

A variety of protected birds are currently nesting on Franklin County’s beaches, including terns, black skimmers, snowy plovers and Wilson’s plovers. 

Several locations across the panhandle experienced major flooding during the recent high tides, including Phipps Preserve, Dog Island, Little St. George Island, and St. George Island State Park. This makes it even more important to minimize added pressure from human activities.

Earlier this year, the FWC and other agencies posted signs around many nesting areas on Florida’s beaches. 

These closed areas protect the nesting birds from unnecessary disturbances and prevent humans from stepping on their nests. 

All of these species nest in the open and lay well-camouflaged eggs directly on the sand, making them nearly invisible to predators and to the untrained human eye. 

In Franklin County many birds also nest on the old St. George Island bridge causeway.

The causeway is only accessible by boat but is off limits to humans through August.

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