DNREC to Hold Training at Cape Henlopen for Volunteer Beach-nesting Bird Monitors Saturday, May 2

State conservation efforts need help from volunteer bird monitors to protect threatened and endangered species like the piping plovers/Delaware DNREC photo

Annual Effort Helps Protect Delaware’s Endangered and Threatened Coastal Birds

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is once again seeking volunteers to help protect Delaware’s beach-nesting birds, which include federally-listed threatened piping plovers and state-listed endangered American oystercatchers and least terns. Anyone interested in becoming a beach-nesting bird monitor is invited to attend a training session held by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 2 at the Officers Club in Cape Henlopen State Park located at Queens Road, Lewes, Del.

Monitors are an important and valued resource in the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s conservation efforts for beach-nesting bird species. Stationed at the boundaries of the birds’ nesting areas, volunteers explain to beachgoers the importance of closing sections of the beach to prevent human disturbance, thus helping increase the nesting success of the birds.

The May 2 volunteer training session will begin with light refreshments and a slideshow presentation. A discussion will follow explaining the beach-nesting bird monitoring program and how volunteers help to ensure shorebirds are not disturbed while nesting and rearing their chicks during the summer months. Weather and time permitting, the group will conclude the session with a visit to The Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds feeding on the tidal flats. Binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own if they have them.

Submission of an interest form prior to the training is encouraged so supervisors can prepare material, but walk-ins are welcome. Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training.

For more information on the training, beach-nesting birds and volunteer monitoring efforts, visit the de.gov/beachnesters webpage or email Beach-nesting Bird Biologist Shawn Sullivan at deshorebirds@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 75,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Alyssa Imprescia, alyssa.imprescia@delaware.gov

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