Endangered Shorebird Protection: Be A Good Egg Program

Since 2015, the Group has been educating children and adults about the plight of endangered shorebirds on the North Fork, thanks to an annual grant from Audubon New York’s Be A Good Egg program. Beachgoers learn that when people or dogs wander unintentionally into an area where piping plovers and least terns are nesting, they can easily scare away adult birds, expose chicks to extreme weather conditions, and increase the chances of predation. To help protect these endangered species, we:

• Conduct outreach events on beaches and encourage people to take the Be A Good Egg Pledge, promising to:
  (1) respect fenced-off areas on beaches where birds are nesting
  (2) properly dispose of or take home their trash
  (3) keep dogs off the beaches where birds are nesting

• Educate elementary school students about the plight of the endangered birds. They hand draw “share the shore” signs, some of which get mounted and placed along the shoreline, attracting the attention of beachgoers of all ages.

• Lead birdwatching walks on beaches for pledge takers.