Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring Celebrates a Successful Shorebird Nesting Season!

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITW) is celebrating a successful shorebird nesting season, despite significant challenges from predators that affected the nesting colonies of two Threatened bird species.

The season began in May with the promise of a banner year, as more than 120 Black Skimmers and 80 Least Terns were observed sitting on an unusually high number of nests. Unfortunately, both colonies experienced significant predation by avian and mammalian predators.

The Least Tern colony that remained included 39 adult birds tending 18 nests. The colony produced 17 chicks, 11 of which survived to become flight-capable—a 65% fledging rate, the highest success rate recorded for Least Terns nesting on Bradenton Beach since the species started nesting there in 2021.

Six of the Least Tern chicks were fitted with colored identification bands. When members of the public spot a banded bird and report its location and the color combination of its bands, that information helps scientists track the birds’ movements and learn more about their migration and survival.

As of press time, all 11 surviving chicks have become flight-capable and joined migrating flocks on their journey toward the Caribbean. With the nesting season complete, the enclosure surrounding the nesting site is now being dismantled.

Least Terns are designated as a Threatened species in Florida and are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Their successful nesting on Bradenton Beach highlights the importance of protecting suitable nesting habitat and giving these vulnerable birds the space they need to raise their young.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring extends its thanks to Bradenton Beach Police Department, Bradenton Beach Code Enforcement,

Manatee County Beach Patrol, and the Anna Maria Island Club for their support throughout the season. AMITW also thanks the hundreds of beachgoers who stopped to learn about the nesting birds and respected the posted boundaries and signage.

A special thank-you goes to Shorebird Monitor Kathy Doddridge, who spent 87 mornings monitoring and protecting the Least Tern colony.

“That’s a wrap … until next season!”