Another entry in Abby’s Birdbrained Summer. Abby, the summer communication intern for the Coast Office of Audubon North Carolina, is visiting sites with Audubon’s field staff and our community of volunteers. After she goes into the field, she’ll post blogs detailing her experiences.
The south end of Wrightsville Beach is a very special area for shorebirds this summer. Within the posting, there are nesting Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Common Terns, American Oystercatchers, and Willets. Fluffy hatchlings are emerging from their speckled shells every day. Audubon North Carolina is lucky to have a large community of stewards to watch the birds’ progress and share their developments with the public. These are just a few of the volunteers devoted to the birds.
Eileen Klem is a first year Wrightsville Beach Bird Steward. She lived in New York and Charlotte before moving to Wilmington, North Carolina. “It’s beautiful how it evolves in such a little space,” she remarked as skimmers, terns, and gulls huddled together on the shoreline. She trained her binoculars into the posting and analyzed the birds’ characteristics. “Black Skimmers are splayed like someone sleeping on a sofa,” she said.
Sandra Carapezza is quiet, but observant. She walks about four miles each morning and is a member of St. Therese. When I asked which bird was her favorite, she replied, “I like them all.” After a moment of reflection, she decided she preferred the Least Terns because “they’re tiny, but they’re spunky,” and “they always seem to be in conversation.”
Peg Cahill thinks the best thing about being a steward is “meeting different people and doing something different.” She always liked backyard birding, but was not familiar with shorebirds until she started volunteering with Audubon. “The oystercatcher chicks are just adorable,” she said. Three little chicks relaxed in the sand, remaining in close proximity to their parent. In her free time, Peg also likes gardening and golfing.
Craig and Gretchen Murden came to the beach three or four years ago and saw the sand covered in Black Skimmers. They’ve been watching the birds ever since. Craig grew up around birds; his mother raised parakeets and rehabilitated many species with broken wings and other injuries. The couple spotted a Willet and her small chicks scampering through foliage on the beach. They have nine grandchildren ranging from 15 months to 21 years old.
We at Audubon NC are extremely grateful for our extensive community of volunteers and stewards. If you want to support bird conservation, but don’t have time to dedicate, please make a donation! You can make a vital difference.
