Coasts

Beach Sweeps

How do you spend Sunday afternoons? Photo: Nolan Schillerstrom

Plastic ugh!  Nine million tons of it falls into our oceans each year.  When birds, sea turtles, and other wildlife gobble it down, it can easily kill them or limit their ability to grow and reproduce.  Today, 90 percent of seabirds eat plastic debris.

That’s why our volunteers regularly head to some of the state’s most beautiful beaches, and most important bird habitat, to haul in big loads of plastic and other trash.  Join us if you can it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors and meet other nature lovers!

Dates and times for beach sweeps are posted on our Events page, and if you have any questions please contact us directly.  There’s a roughly $40 fee to participate, which covers transportation costs and contributes to our efforts to protect coastal birds.  Many thanks to Nature Adventure Outfitters for providing kayaks and Coastal Expeditions for arranging boat travel to hard-to-reach places.

PROJECT CONTACT:  Nolan Schillerstrom, nschillerstrom@audubon.org

Long-billed Curlew

Latin:  Numenius americanus

Illustration for Long-billed Curlew

Greater Yellowlegs

Latin:  Tringa melanoleuca

Illustration for Greater Yellowlegs

Clapper Rail

Latin:  Rallus crepitans

Illustration for Clapper Rail

Willet

Latin:  Tringa semipalmata

Illustration for Willet