SCCF contributes survey data to FSA
For more than a decade, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation has been a part of the Florida Shorebird Alliance. It is comprised of a network of regional partnerships that work together for the conservation and protection of shorebirds and seabirds in the state, officials reported.
The SCCF is part of a Lee-Charlotte partnership. It is made up of various organizations, including federal, state, county and local municipalities, as well as nonprofits and volunteers. The group meets twice a year — in the spring and fall — to discuss the shorebird nesting season.
From March to August, the partners complete surveys of their designated routes during the monthly count windows. The synchronized statewide counts help the FSA estimate populations and identify trends. All nesting activity is reported in the Florida Shorebird Database. Nests of solitary nesting shorebirds, such as plovers and oystercatchers, are recorded and monitored differently than those of colonial nesting seabirds, such as skimmers and terns. In addition to ground-nesting birds, there are some species that also nest on rooftops.
The SCCF covers the same seven routes on Sanibel and two on Captiva, as well as a North Captiva route, SCCF Shorebird Biologist Audrey Albrecht explained. Additionally, staff assist with sites in Fort Myers when coverage is needed. The routes are covered monthly throughout the year for routine shorebird surveys, but additional nesting data is collected during the breeding season count windows.
For more about the Florida Shorebird Alliance, visit https://flshorebirdalliance.org.