This is my fifth year volunteering as a shorebird steward at Three Rooker Island in Pinellas County. I generally go out to the island on selected spring/summer weekends with my husband, John, who has volunteered for the same amount of time. We initially got involved because we are big fans of the Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuary program. 

We enjoy educating beachgoers about shorebirds—their requirements for successfully raising young, their interesting behavior, and the importance of sharing the shore. 

I was born in Colombia, South America, and spent my early childhood attending school in Banff National Park (Alberta, Canada). My environmental ethic was strengthened as an adult by years spent as a grants consultant to the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico.

For the past 12 years, we have lived on the Pinellas County coast and enjoy the antics and beauty of seabirds. My favorite non-shorebird species? The Osprey. On Three Rooker Island, John and I enjoy monitoring other favorites like Least Terns, Sandwich Terns, Black Skimmers, and American Oystercatchers.

For us, it’s a joy and a privilege to participate in the Audubon Florida shorebird nesting and protection program.

Would you like to join the Audubon flock? Volunteer with us today!