On a remote cay of sand and rock off the northern end of Andros, The Bahamas, in the newly established Joulter Cays National Park, our shorebird research team settled in for several days of shorebird research. Our primary goal was to band Piping Plovers with small, pink, flag-style bands, each bearing a unique letter-number code that would identify the individual. From these banded individuals, we can track their movements along the Atlantic Coast during migration, determine where they nest, and learn more about their life history. Over the period of about a week, 21 Piping Plovers were captured, weighed, measured, banded and release unharmed by the experience. While the plovers are not aware, every bit of new data gathered from these birds will add to our current knowledge of this threatened species and contribute to more informed conservation decisions.

Banding team included: National Audubon Society, Bahamas National Trust, VA Tech Shorebird Program, and US Fish and Wildlife Service.