Least Terns and Wilson’s Plovers have settled in to nest in St. Johns County once again, with over 100 nests scattered along the sandy shore. Just like at other beaches, these birds will have to face a variety of challenges: overwash from tides and storm surge, a variety of predators, and disturbance from beachgoers (and their dogs!). Lucky for these birds, this beach is frequented by volunteer bird stewards from St. Johns County Audubon, Flagler Audubon, and other members of the St. Johns Flagler Shorebird Partnership.

And this year – the birds have a new ally: 9-year old Blair Clark.

This is Blair’s first year as a steward, but he plans on making the most of it judging by the number of shifts for which he has signed up. He stewards with his mother, Elizabeth, who volunteers her time gladly – though Blair’s dedication leaves her little choice.

They first learned about stewarding while visiting Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina last summer. A large area of the beach was fenced off for nesting Least Terns, Black Skimmers, and American Oystercatchers. Blair enjoyed talking with the volunteer stewards and said that he would like to steward one day. Upon returning home, Blair met Chris Farrell, Audubon’s Northeast Florida Policy Associate, and learned about the stewarding program in St. Johns County. After months of waiting, Blair finally got his chance to start stewarding in April.

Blair may be the youngest steward in the partnership, but he has been fascinated by – and learning about – birds since he was 2. He has been reading about and drawing birds since the age of 4 and observes them carefully in zoos, gardens, sanctuaries, and in nature. As a bird steward, Blair has several hours each weekend to study the terns and plovers – when he’s not educating dog owners about the need to use a leash. His favorite part of stewarding is finding new chicks in the colony.

Audubon and our partners in the shorebird partnership are lucky to have such a dedicated and caring young steward on duty this season watching over the birds and reaching out to beach visitors with his mother, Elizabeth. Just as Blair helps the young birds of Summer Haven have an opportunity to grow and take flight, this experience will help Blair do the same with his plans to care for birds and educate people in the future.