A Least Tern protects her chick on a sanely nest on a dredge spoil island. Big Sweep volunteers fill hags with dehris was hed ashore on Battery Island. 



University's Thomas Quay, a noted orni- For example. Golder is working with 



thologist whose work was influenced by Donald Auer, a graduate student at Duke 



Pearson. Donald McCrimmon, who also University's Nicholas School of the Environment, 



studied under Quay, worked for the National to map Important Bird Areas (IBAs) using 

 Audubon Society. He collaborated on the Geographic Information System technology. 

 Battery Island project and proposed renewing "GIS is one of the most powerful tools 



Audubon sanctuary system, based on available for creating precise maps of our 



Parnell's management methods. Golder, now IBAs," Golder says. 

 Audubon deputy director, was Parnell's The emphasis is on identifying areas with 



student and worked with Parnell and habitat types known to support significant 



McCrimmon to design the sanctuary system. populations of birds, especially endangered, 

 Parnell, though, worries that as science threatened, of special concern, Watchlist, or 

 goes "high-tech," universities may be moving high-priority species, 

 away from natural history. "It's also true that "When completed, we will have a clear 



many colleges are cooling down on field- picture of important habitats and conservation 

 oriented studies. Naturalists are few and far needs for North Carolina's birds from the 

 between," he says. mountains to the coast," he adds. 



Other critical jobs — such as spring and 

 fall bird counts — don't require technology 

 any more advanced that an alarm clock to get 

 you up to catch low tide; a good spotting 

 Yet, Golder finds interest is still high scope or binoculars; a clip board with data 

 among graduate students and interns who are sheets; and a skiff to drift through shallow 

 eager for field experience. estuarine waters. Bottled water and sun- 



Full Agenda 



screen also are recommended. 



Like Pearson, Golder still gets excited 

 by unexpected sightings. 



On a fall shorebird count, he spots 13 

 Piping Plovers at Rich Inlet near Wilmington. 

 "Thirteen Piping Plovers in one place at one 

 time," he exclaims. "That's a great bird to 

 start the day with." When another nine of the 

 endangered birds show up at Topsail Inlet, he 

 is downright ecstatic. 



With no visible color bands, it's 

 impossible to know their "home" nesting 

 place. They may be from as far away as 

 Canada, or from nearby Hutaff Island where 

 a pair were seen last year. Scientists are 

 keeping a close watch on the Piping Plover. 

 Sightings are reported to state Fish & 

 Wildlife officials for the national count. Last 

 year, there were only 22 pairs of nesting 

 Piping Plover sighted in North Carolina. 



Because Piping Plovers lay their eggs on 

 sandy beaches, they are vulnerable to all sorts 

 of disturbances from beachgoers and family 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 9 



