Pre-Nesting Areas Set For 2009 Shorebird Breeding Season

Park staff will establish the 2009 pre-nesting areas for breeding shorebirds in Cape Hatteras National Seashore during the week of March 9th in accordance with the terms of a court-ordered consent decree.

The areas to be posted are based on breeding areas used in the past four years and a recent habitat assessment conducted by park natural resource staff to adapt the closures to current conditions.  These temporary closures will be installed by March 15th on sections of the Bodie Island Spit, Cape Point, South Beach, Hatteras Inlet Spit, North Ocracoke Spit and South Point Ocracoke. The pre-nesting areas will be marked with “symbolic fencing” consisting of wooden posts, bird usage signs, string and flagging tape.

Dates and locations for the installation of specific pre-nesting areas will be determined by prevailing weather and tide conditions.  Maps of the pre-nesting areas are available by clicking on the link below.

For more information, call 252-473-2111 ext. 148.