Friday's survey, as explained in a post from last week, will help create a snapshot of the bird populations in Northeast Florida. "It will help us build a benchmark of what is going on here," explained Bill Brooks, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who put together Friday's bird survey. Two species in particular, Piping Plovers (pictured here © RJ Wiley) and Red Knots, were of considerable interest. Piping Plovers are a threatened species and Red Knots are being considered for federal protection. Hopefully, Brooks' survey will shed some light on these two populations and what must be done to safeguard their future. For a more detailed account, read on.