Volunteer
A note of thanks to the volunteers who have helped the Lloyd Center and an invitation to any of you who will offer a bit of your time to “give us a hand” in low maintenance projects to enhance the Lloyd Center.
Much of our success at the Center can be attributed to our volunteers who so cheerfully and generously give us their time and energy!
Volunteering can be engaging and rewarding, and here at the Center we offer a number of volunteer opportunities, ranging from greeting visitors to event planning to trail work, and can be a one-time occasion or a weekly or monthly commitment.
For more information on how you can help, please contact Liz Moniz at Liz@lloydcenter.org, or call 774-628-9241 and leave a message.
Attention Fairhaven Birders: American Oystercatcher Volunteers Needed
In recent years there has been a growing interest in the nesting success of the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), a shorebird which is thought to be increasing in Massachusetts, in what is likely a reoccupation of former breeding range. These large-sized shorebirds are perhaps the most striking bird one finds along our shoreline - the trademark red bill used for prying open shellfish in inter-tidal zones unmistakable.
Their nesting habitat of sandy shoreline areas is similar to that of plovers and terns, and oystercatchers suffer similar stresses to rare shorebirds including nest overwash, predation, and human disturbance.
Oystercatchers by nature are a more secretive bird that mostly avoids larger public beaches used by the endangered shorebirds. Instead they prefer secluded sandy areas, often sand spits at inlets to salt marshes. Fairhaven, including West Island and many surrounding small coves and inlets, offers many such locations where 3-4 estimated breeding pairs nest.
The oystercatcher nesting season runs mid-march through August, eggs often present in early April. The shy oystercatchers are less defensive of nests, so finding eggs can be more challenging.
Even though the American Oystercatcher isn't endangered, population decline due to low productivity is a concern. This and the fact that relatively little breeding data exists has resulted in inclusion of the species in the state's Coastal Waterbird Monitoring Program.
Each year we monitor numbers of pairs and nesting success for territories we're able to locate. We suspect however, that pairs are also nesting on privately-owned waterfront areas, which are accessible only via nearby private property. This is where we need your help. Do you have AMOY nesting “in your backyard”?
Anyone suspecting American Oystercatcher nesting activity on or near their property, and would either like to allow a site visit by qualified biologists, or provide documentation of the breeding activity, are urged to contact us.
Please call Research Associate Jamie Bogart at 774-628-9241 x 23 or email jbogart@lloydcenter.org if this applies to you and you wish to help us track oystercatchers!
Piping Plover Volunteers Needed
Plover pair at rest prior to nesting
Do you enjoy spending time on the beach while helping protect an endangered species? Then read on, this opportunity involving the storied Piping Plovers may be for you!
The Lloyd Center for the Environment seeks volunteers for beach patrols on select sites with nesting Piping Plovers in Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven. The plovers (and on some beaches Least Terns) nest every April through August on coastal beaches which become active with human recreation during the spring and especially summer seasons. Click here to see Piping Plover page for further project background.
Incubating birds, eggs/nests, and hatchlings are all under stress from human presence during the nesting season. The refuges require frequent surveillance to help ensure birds aren’t disturbed and data is collected.
Plover chicks
We are looking for volunteers to help educate the public, deter potential human disturbances, maintain fenced areas, monitor the birds, collect nest status data, and document other sightings/events during site visits.
Preferable requirements: a passion for conservation, interest in ornithology/birding, ability to interact with the public, and to record basic field data. Any time commitment is appreciated and useful, with scheduling suited to volunteer availability.
Prospective volunteers will receive on-site training at their chosen location, and be provided with background materials and data sheets to take in the field.
Interested individuals please email Jamie Bogart at jbogart@lloydcenter.org.
Other categories:
- Research - Butterfly garden maintenance, Collections, dragonfly/butterfly monitors, SEANET
- Grounds & Maintenance - Butterfly Gardening, Trail Work
- Education - Canoe & Kayak Assistant, Monarch Watch Assistant