Your help is needed to protect beach-nesting birds, nests, and young. Conservian is planning for Year 3 of their shorebird and habitat conservation program in the Bahamas. Come join them for the adventure of a lifetime!

BirdsCaribbean, the Bahamas National Trust and Conservian are seeking a weekly crew of 8 to 10 enthusiastic volunteers for our Bahamas shorebird and seabird habitat conservation project in May 2018 aboard our 75ft schooner research schooner. This is an excellent opportunity to gain field experience and shorebird ID skills. Trip cost for one week is $1,350 and includes your bunk, onboard meals, water, and ground transportation associated with project. Participants will fly to the Bahamas each week to designated airports for shuttle transport to schooner. A valid passport is required. Airfare and insurance are not included.

Project Summary

We need volunteers to help count birds and remove invasive plants from coastal habitats. This year we are visiting the Exuma Cays including two of the world’s largest Audubon’s Shearwater colonies and the world’s first and most beautiful Land and Sea Park. We are also going to the Joulter Cays and Andros for a week to some of the most important Piping Plover winter habitat. Both trips have ample opportunities to enjoy the beaches, islands, reefs, and marine life of the Bahamas while helping conserve the birds and other wildlife.

Our days will be filled with much adventure. The focus of the work is surveying for beach-nesting bird breeding pairs, nests and young, and working with local volunteers to implement protective measures in the field. Focal species include Wilson’s Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, Audubon Shearwaters and other colonial nesting species. We will work in both populated and remote areas, sail blue Caribbean waters, visit white sandy beaches, boat to little islands, conduct ground surveys for beach and cay nesting birds, nests, and downy chicks, and meet new people. We will work with local volunteers to post and sign shorebird sites and control invasive Australian pine. Field crew will assistant with collecting data on breeding pairs, habitat assessment and human-created disturbance.  Field crew will also assist with shipboard duties; sailing, cooking and cleaning. There will be time to fish, snorkel, enjoy the breath-taking beaches, and visit local island towns.

Project Activities:

• Protect, post & sign shorebird & seabird sites
• Collect new data on nesting shorebirds, seabirds & habitat
• Locate and protect shorebird & seabird nests and downy young
• Observe/assist with bird banding (conditions permitting)
• Control invasive Australian pine on beach habitats
• Work with local volunteers to accomplish the above goals
• Snorkel reefs in gin clear waters
• Learn saying crew skills
• Fish for dinner-catch of the day!

Qualifications: Applicants must be responsible, adventurous, in good physical condition, enjoy working in teams and be capable of walking several miles during warm weather in the Caribbean. Applicants must be comfortable living communally onboard a schooner and riding in small boats to access survey sites.

May 2018 Expedition Schedule and Locations:

Choose one week or more:

Week 1: Joulter Cays & North Andros – May 6-13 (Nassau Int. Airport) – shorebird focus

Week 2: Northern Exumas – May 13-20 (Nassau Int. Airport) – seabirds and shorebirds

Each week includes 7 nights aboard the schooner. If you have a special interest in seabirds, then participate in week 2.

The trip is being led by Margo Zdravkovic (Conservian) and Will Mackin (BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group co-chair) with assistance from Jennifer Wheeler, Lisa Sorenson, and The Bahamas National Trust. If you would like to join our conservation crew for a week or more, please contact Will Mackin, Margo Zdravkovic or fill out the short form here.  The review of applicants is ongoing and will continue until positions are filled.

If you can’t go, we can accept donations of any amount to sponsor the trip. If you know of someone who would want to come, please send us their contact information.

See the short video about the expedition.

See the article on 2016 project from our supporters at LightHawk.

Read the story of our successful 2016 expedition. 

Visit CoastalBird.org for more information about our 2018 expedition.

Visit Coastal Bird Conservation on Facebook for more information on Conservian’s coastal bird conservation work.

Download the expedition brochure.

Project partners include: BirdsCaribbean, Bahamas National Trust, International Conservation Fund of Canada, USFWS/NMBCA, LightHawk, Dow AgroSciences, Grand Bahama Nature Tours, Optics for the Tropics, Grand Bahama Port Authority, Bahamas Public Parks & Beaches Authority, Bahamas Environment, Science & Technology Commission, Rand Nature Center, Abaco Friends of the Environment, Treasure Cay Community Center, Royal Bahamas Police Force/Marine Support.