Sarah,

Thanks for your prompt and informative response.

However, despite correct policies and best intents, the fact remains
that Turtle Volunteers in the field on Lighthouse Island have been
witnessed engaging in "non-aware behavior" more than once over the past
couple of years.  I have witnessed this personally, as has CRBO board
member and McClellanville resident Richard Wyndham and a couple of his
friends, as has Chris Snook.

Indeed, this past Saturday Dr. Snook was REPEATEDLY prevented from
obtaining numbered flag information from the Red Knot flocks he was
trying to document.

Apparently Saturday was some sort of final "close down" day and repeated
trips back and forth were taking place.  This is understandable to a
degree, but: when an observer is out there studying flagged shorebirds
through a spotting scope and writing down information, and trying to
wave down the ATV rider at critical junctures, only to be ignored, I
respectfully claim that this is a problem.

It would seem to indicate that at least one turtle volunteer needs to
have shorebird rules of engagement re-stressed to them.  It would not be
unusual for any group of people to have at least one member who gets
"slack" from time to time...

But to clarify - most of the "riding the beach with blinders on" comment
was aimed at places like Huntington Beach State Park and East Kiawah
Island, SC.

Sincerely,

Nathan Dias

---
Executive Director
Cape Romain Bird Observatory
PO Box 362
McClellanville, SC 29458
http://www.crbo.net/

[log in to unmask] wrote:
> Nathan,
>
> Thank you for the sightings.  I must address your comments regarding the
> turtle work on the Refuge.  The volunteers are not "riding the beach with
> blinders on" as you say.  They are well aware of the importance of this
> area to nesting and migrating shorebirds and many of those same volunteers
> help to post the closed areas for nesting sea birds each year.  The turtle
> crew is very cautious during the nesting season of not disturbing or
> harming any of the birds nesting within the posted nesting area or
> elsewhere on the beach.  The beach is run once a day to carry out turtle
> work and whether that be with an ATV or walked, birds would be flushed due
> to the narrow width of the beach.  This is true for just about any activity
> on the beach to include fishing, shell collecting, and bird watching or
> surveys.  I cannot speak of other beaches and conservation activities that
> are carried out but can assure you that shorebirds are taken into account
> in all of our management of the refuge.
>
> Sarah
>
>
> Sarah Dawsey, Biologist
> Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge
> 5801 Hwy 17 North
> Awendaw, SC  29429
> 843/928-3264 office
> 843/509-0555 cell
> 843/928-3803 fax
>