By Thea Kastelic, Coastal Birds Crew Field Technician
The summer is drawing to a close, and with it, the work of the Maine Audubon Coastal Birds Crew comes to an end. After spending months lugging heavy equipment, surveying, and managing shorebirds up and down Maine’s brutal and beautiful sandy coast, the crew is excited for the chance to rest and recuperate—at least, you might think that’s the case. But while the opportunity to finally sit down and relax on the beaches we have for so long called our office is alluring, the ending is bittersweet.
The Piping Plovers and Least Terns we watched and supported for months have begun their migration, traveling as far as South America. Their chicks have grown into strong, hearty fledglings that are gearing up to take their place in the great cycle of nature, making their journey using only the internal maps they are born with. While we wish them well, as a crew, we can’t help but feel a little bit abandoned. We have spent months getting to know these birds, growing our understanding of their individual personalities and behaviors. We have watched them lay their eggs and tend to them for weeks, we’ve watched their eggs hatch, and we’ve quietly cheered on the chicks taking their first steps. We have grieved every loss and celebrated every successful nest, fully raised chick, and unscathed adult.
Now, the beaches are quieter. There are no more tiny peeps from the Piping Plovers or shrill squawks from the Least Terns. The puffball chicks have flown away, no longer tripping over their long legs as they search for insects in the rockweed. We don’t see the sudden flash of fish scales as a Least Tern returns triumphant from a dive with a wriggling sand lance in its beak. Along with our sadness at watching our beloved birds go, we are so proud of how much they’ve accomplished this year. They have faced numerous challenges, and despite rough weather, loss of habitat, and human disturbance, they raised and fledged a record number of chicks this year! As a crew, we are comforted knowing that because of our work and the strength and perseverance of the birds, we will have even more friends returning to the Maine coast next summer.
