The Memorial Day Weekend is coinciding with the nesting season of a threatened shorebird

NORTH LIDO BEACH, Fla - A colony of state-protected birds has nested on Lido Beach, and wildlife advocates are urging beachgoers to keep their distance ahead of the busy holiday weekend. 

What we know:

More than 1,200 black skimmers are currently nesting on North Lido Beach, making it one of the largest colonies in the state of Florida. With Memorial Day right around the corner, Audubon Florida volunteers are working around the clock to ensure the state-threatened species can raise its young in peace.

You can hear them long before you see them. On North Lido Beach, the chatter of a large black skimmer colony fills the salt air—a sight and sound that is capturing the attention of both locals and tourists.

"Just awesome birds, a great spectacle and just another reason why Florida beaches are so fantastic," said Rolf Kroll, who is visiting the area from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The flock has its own space marked off but can venture down to the water during the hottest periods of the day, prompting visitors to tread carefully.

"Our first thought was they are in a block," said Elizabeth Paterson, also visiting from Harrisburg. "What should we do even before we got to the kind people? We were just thinking they were amazing creatures of flight that we did not want to disturb."

The challenges the colony faces 

What they're saying:

Abby O’Donnell, the Sarasota Shorebird Stewardship Coordinator for Audubon Florida, is working to ensure the black skimmers get the boundaries they need. She and a team of volunteers are monitoring the shoreline to make sure the black skimmers remain secure.

Right now, there are about 400 black skimmer nests dotting the sand, and the eggs are due to hatch any day. That timeline makes it even more critical for beachgoers to understand the importance of leaving both the parents and their future chicks alone.

"The biggest thing is just giving the birds space," O’Donnell said. "We do have this entire area posted off that people cannot enter into, but the birds love to hang out by the water as well. Especially during the hot times they will go down and take baths, cool off, drink water. Just giving them space."

The black skimmers will remain on Lido Beach until about August, which is when their chicks will finally be strong enough to take flight. Until then, the colony faces constant threats from habitat loss and human interaction. 

The case for conservation 

Why you should care:

"Our black skimmers are very important birds," O’Donnell explained. "They really keep a balanced ecosystem. Having biodiversity is definitely important out on the beaches and when you have a threatened species due to habitat losses and human disturbances, giving them those protections is definitely important."

As the summer heat and tourism season ramp up, O’Donnell is asking visitors to do their part by cleaning up all trash—including leftover food, which can attract dangerous predators to the nesting site. 

An appeal for help 

What you can do:

Additionally, officials remind the public that dogs are strictly prohibited on Lido Beach. Canines have been spotted in the area recently, and even a single dog can disrupt the black skimmers enough to cause the entire colony to abandon its nests completely.

Sarasota's coastline plays a vital role in the survival of the species, and conservationists hope that a successful season this year means the birds will return for generations to come.

"Sarasota County has one of the largest colonies, St. Petersburg does as well, but we do see a lot of success here," O’Donnell said. "If we can protect them and give them a safe area to nest, they will keep coming back here and raising their young year after year."