Nestled between the Saint George Sound and the Gulf of Mexico, Dog Island is a haven for both birds and people. Audubon has recently strengthened partnerships with residents on the island, as the beaches act as a critical nursery for nesting sea and shorebirds, especially Snowy Plovers.
Newsletter
Audubon staff contributed articles about protecting birds in the Dog Island Conservation District newsletter. Topics have included the start of nesting season, Red Knots, and migration.
Volunteer Event
At the start of nesting season, Audubon staff “post” protected areas to keep nesting birds safe. What does that mean? Signs are installed in the sand and joined together by brightly colored string—with 100 signs in this location, it’s a lot of work! In 2025, 14 volunteers from Dog Island met Alie MacVicar, shorebird biologist, and Collette Lauzau, Panhandle shorebird program manager, on the sand to help.
“With so much help we were able to divide and conquer
with some people distributing signs across the east side
of the island, while others dug holes and installed the
signs, and the last group focused on string and flagging.
Everyone was very enthusiastic and excited about the
work we were doing.”
— Alie MacVicar, Shorebird Biologist
Thank You
Thanks to engaged residents and helpful volunteers, Audubon hopes to see a successful nesting season for a range of species on the island. An extra thank you to William (Bill) Stone, Chair of the Dog Island Conservation District and Dog Island resident, for being such an amazing proponent of conservation efforts and our volunteer events.
This article originally appeared in the 2024 Coastal Report.
