The Tribune

ENVIRONMENTAL experts and Bahamas National Trust park wardens have been working together in the Joulter Cays, gathering data on the endangered Piping Plover population.

The Joulter Cays, in Andros north of Lowe Sound, is renowned as a flyfishing paradise with some of the highest quality bonefish habitat in the world. It is also becoming known for the expansive sand flats, which provide the safe habitat for thousands of shorebirds, including the largest congregation of the Piping Plover.

National Audubon Society (NAS) scientists travelled to the Joulter Cays and other areas in Andros, to work with the BNT Park Wardens to conduct a bird banding (tagging) exercise to help gather more data about the distribution of the bird in The Bahamas.

“It was a great learning experience to work with the team of scientists,” said Stephen Smith, BNT Senior Park Warden. “Holding the Piping Plover, which I learned is an endangered species, in my bare hands was a great feeling. Then assisting with the banding of these endangered birds helped me to better understand the importance of wildlife conservation and the need for laws to protect wildlife.”

The goal of the project was to band 20 birds while in Andros. Two scientists, Daniel Catlin from Virginia Tech and Melissa Bimbi from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, worked together on the project starting at Stafford Creek and working their way toward the Joulter Cays. In addition to the scientists, Walker Golder and Matt Jeffrey from the NAS, Catherine Wise of PBS Newshour and her camera crew, Stephen Smith and Liz Brace, BNT Education Officer comprised the team.

The bird banding team started at the Blanket Sound flats, where, after three full days of survey and banding efforts, they successfully captured and banded one of the elusive Piping Plovers. The team moved to the Joulter Cays, where three birds were banded, and the last stop was Cargill Creek, where 16 Piping Plovers were tagged.

The NAS has been a huge supporter of the BNT, helping the organisation to study the Piping Plovers and other species, such as Flamingos and White-crowned pigeons in The Bahamas, for many years. The BNT hopes this bird banding project will help convince the Government to declare the Joulter Cays a national park.