In this IssueAugust 5-11: This is the last survey count window for the breeding season. Please see the Breeding Bird Protocol for details. Florida Communities Step Up for Shorebirds During 250th Anniversary Celebrations  Wilson's plover chick. Photo by Emily Hunter, FWC This year’s Fourth of July celebrations carried special significance as communities across Florida marked the 250th anniversary of the United States. Even with larger crowds and heightened festivities, partners across the state observed encouraging signs of greater public awareness and care for Florida’s nesting shorebirds. Much of this success is thanks to the continued dedication of bird stewards, many of whom have been protecting shorebirds for years. Their commitment, combined with strong support from law enforcement personnel, helped ensure that beachgoers respected posted areas and stayed alert for nests and chicks. In addition, many municipalities throughout Florida took proactive steps to adjust their firework shows to reduce disturbance to shorebirds. These thoughtful changes made a meaningful difference during a critical part of the nesting season. FSA partners also reported that beach visitors are increasingly recognizing posted areas and choosing to give nesting birds the space they need. This heightened public awareness plays an important role in reducing disturbance and giving chicks a better chance of survival. A heartfelt thank you to all bird stewards, volunteers, partner organizations, and law enforcement officers whose efforts helped make this landmark Fourth of July more enjoyable for both people and Florida’s shorebirds. Partner Spotlight: Yagen Gutierrez  Yagen Gutierrez is finishing her second shorebird breeding season as the lead for the Space Coast Shorebird Partnership and has already proven instrumental to the partnership’s success. Through her work with East Coast Zoological Foundation, the parent company of Brevard Zoo, she plays a central role in Brevard County’s shorebird conservation by organizing route surveys, guiding volunteers in monitoring rooftops and ground nest sites, and collaborating with local businesses and property managers to support nesting least terns, black skimmers, and other imperiled shorebird species. Yagen’s background includes marine wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and habitat conservation, with experience working with manatees, sea turtles, and shorebirds. When she stepped into her role as a partnership lead, Yagen took initiative to understand the needs of the partnership and her role as the leader. She reached out to FSA partners and biologists statewide, asked questions, and gathered resources to guide her efforts. That outreach helped her quickly orient herself to monitoring strategies and protocols and set herself up for successful facilitation of communication and collaboration among partners. One of Yagen’s greatest strengths is her ability to bring new volunteers into the partnership through East Coast Zoological Foundation. She provides hands‑on training and helps volunteers navigate tasks like rooftop monitoring. These efforts have helped build a reliable and engaged volunteer network that supports shorebird monitoring throughout the season. Despite inactive rooftops, development pressures, and other challenges unique to Brevard County, Yagen remains hopeful. Seeing new volunteers show genuine excitement keeps her motivated and she finds encouragement in the willingness of local partners and businesses to protect nests once they understand what species are present and why the work matters. Her work blends field knowledge, outreach, and practical conservation strategies, which has enriched shorebird conservation efforts in the Space Coast Shorebird Partnership. The FSA is proud to highlight Yagen Gutierrez for her dedication, leadership, and growing role in protecting Florida’s vulnerable coastal birds. |
The Defensive Plover Playbook  Wilson’s plover displaying broken wing (left) and false brooding (right) behaviors. Photos by Joseph Marchionno, FWC Shorebirds may be small, but their nest‑defense strategies are nothing short of impressive. Many nesting shorebirds use dramatic distraction displays to steer danger away from their eggs or chicks. The broken‑wing display is one of the most famous. The adult moves away from the nest and assumes a posture that mimics an injury, with wings held awkwardly, body low, and movements that appear slow or uncoordinated. To a predator, the bird suddenly looks like an easy target. It’s a risky tactic and often a last resort, but it can be remarkably effective. Another clever move in their playbook is false brooding. The bird moves away from the nest and crouches as if incubating eggs at a new location. When the predator approaches, the adult quickly escapes, leaving the real nest location hidden. These displays may look unusual, but they’re part of a finely tuned strategy that helps shorebird families survive on busy beaches. If you see a shorebird acting “injured” or sitting strangely on the sand, it’s likely that a nest or chick is nearby, and you are too close. Do the flock walk and maintain a buffer of at least 300 feet from nesting birds and posted areas. Actions like these give these devoted parents the space they need to keep their young safe.  Late Season Chick Data  Black skimmer chick. Photo by Emily Hunter, FWC Late-season surveys capture important data about this season’s chicks, especially flight-capable young. Documenting where young shorebirds and seabirds are hanging out as well as their age, the number of adults with them, and (for shorebirds) their natal nest (if known) helps inform adaptive management and can be used to refine abundance and productivity estimates. How you report late-season chick data in the Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) varies by species and chick age. Seabird chicks of any age that are still within or very near their colony should still be counted as part of their colony using the Seabird Colony Form. Seabird flight-capable chicks that have ventured away from their colony should be documented as staging young on the Roving Chick/Staging Young Form. Avoid double counting seabird chicks and adults. Seabird chicks only need to be reported on one form at a time. For example, if you use the Seabird Colony Form to document flight-capable chicks observed inside their colony, then you do not need to also document them using the Roving Chick/Staging Young Form. Unlike seabirds, shorebird chicks typically leave their nest cup shortly after hatching. Downy, feathered, and flight-capable chicks seen outside of their nest cup should be documented as roving chicks using the Roving Chick/Staging Young Form. Rarely will you observe downy chicks still in the nest cup, but if you do, these chicks are considered nestlings and can be documented on the Shorebird Nest Form. Shorebird chicks can be tricky to observe as they tend to be more secretive than seabirds. Sometimes you may observe a shorebird breeding pair acting like they have chicks, but no chicks were seen. Did you know that you can still report these observations? If you are confident that the breeding pair has a brood based on the pair’s behavior (this may differ by species), you can enter this data on the Roving Chick/Staging Young Form. And don’t forget the natal nest! You can tie shorebird roving chicks back to the nest they hatched from (if known). Thank you to all FSA partners for your hard work this breeding season! Keep up the fantastic work! 50th Annual Meeting of the Waterbird Society The Waterbird Society’s 50th Annual Meeting will take place in Cape May, New Jersey, November 2-5, 2026. Hosted at the Grand Hotel & Conference Center, the meeting brings together researchers, conservation practitioners, students, and partners for three days of plenary talks, symposia, workshops, and community‑building events. Attendees can also join field trips and guided bird walks at iconic migration hotspots such as The Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows and Cape May Point State Park. With Cape May’s rich coastal habitats, Victorian charm, and world‑class birding, this year’s meeting offers an ideal setting to celebrate The Waterbirds Society’s 50th anniversary of advancing waterbird research and conservation globally. | 
