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Here’s your friendly annual reminder before the 4th of July this weekend. The weather doesn’t look superb, but our threatened shorebirds on Coatue are still in need of protection, space, and consideration. If you do make it over to Coatue this weekend, please follow the map above to locate good spots to land your boat. These closures change every year based on where the birds decide to nest and how vulnerable their eggs and chicks are. Avoid landing in the areas marked in Yellow, indicating that we have some chicks or testy bird parents nesting there. We have signs and fencing in place to provide some extra landmarks and information around bird nesting areas. Be sure to avoid fenced areas and read all signs you can find before choosing a spot to spend the day on the beach. If you are in a bad spot, our monitors will ask you to move in order to #sharetheshore!

American Oystercatcher chick (Haematopus palliatus)

We support great trails and places to take your dog around the island, but Coatue is not one of them! Please leave your dog at home when planning for a day on the beach. The video below from The Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative, FWC Florida Shorebird Alliance, and BiodiversityWorks explains the reasons for shorebird restrictions and how people can work to safely co-exist alongside birds in these shared spaces. Watch through the link below or Here en Espanol!