GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - During the summer months, migrating birds make their temporary homes on the beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
There are plenty of helpers making sure the least terns grow and thrive.
“Being able to watch these colonies grow every year has been beautiful,” said Novalee Booth, an employee for the Audubon Delta Mississippi Coastal Stewardship Program.
When temperatures start warming up, the least terns migrating from Central and South America look for places to nest.
“They absolutely love Harrison County beaches, and that’s because we help maintain them, courtesy of the Sand Beach Authority,” said Jessica Martin, stewardship manager for Audubon Delta’s Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship Program.”
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“We see all of the vegetation, dune grass and things like that, and they love it. It’s very important to protect these birds. They have a decline in population, and Mississippi has the highest nesting population here. We’re trying to help them grow their numbers and make sure they have a safe migration to and from Mississippi.”
Martin and other members of the stewardship program track the birds’ activity and also let beach visitors know they’re sharing the sand with a federally protected species.
“We have the opportunity to tell them there’s the birds that are small, about nine inches in length as fully grown adults,” Martin said. “They’re here to make families and make friends with the beach goers.”
Novalee Booth and Ragen Bellman started watching the beach as volunteers for Audubon, they’re now in paid positions.
“I really like it because I think I’m doing something good for the environment here,” Booth said.
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“It really encouraged me to keep advocating on behalf of the unique animals we have here and the unique environment,” Bellman said. “It helped encourage me to go back to school for conservation biology.”
More volunteers are always needed.
“When people come out here and help, they can help protect them,” Booth said. “If people are bothering the birds, they’re going to flush off their nests, which decreases the amount of birds we get every season, and that doesn’t help with their populations. It’s good when we have volunteers that can come out, educate the public, and learn more about their own home and the animals we get here.”
The recruiting pitch for new volunteers is simple.
“If you enjoy the beach, enjoy the outdoors and looking for a good suntan, this is perfect for you,” Martin said.
With the team effort working, we can expect to see the least terns keep setting up nests year after year.
”Share the love, share the shore,” Martin said.
Volunteers are especially needed when the beaches are crowded around holidays like Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July.
If you’re interested in getting involved with protecting the least terns, visit Audubon’s website.
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