Ongoing2009–present
Skimmer Island Rebuild
A severely eroded bay island rebuilt with dredged sand to hold colonial waterbird nesting habitat.
Wildlife
Tern Nesting Rafts
Floating nesting platforms give common terns safe ground as bay islands erode away beneath them.
Fish & Wildlife
About the program
How it works
Colonial waterbirds such as common terns and black skimmers nest on low bay islands — exactly the habitat being lost fastest to erosion and sea level rise. When an island washes out, a colony can lose an entire breeding season.
Floating nesting rafts, anchored in sheltered water and surfaced with shell and sand, give terns a predator-free place to nest that rises and falls with the tide. Nests are monitored through the season to track use and productivity.
Projects
Delivered through this program
- ActiveSeasonal
Tern Nesting Raft Deployment
Anchored floating platforms that give common terns predator-free nesting ground as islands erode.
Support the bays
Become a member of the Coastal Bays Foundation
Your contribution goes toward protecting the watershed, its habitat and its wildlife — monitoring crews on the water, marsh replanted at eroding shorelines, and students in the field. The Maryland Coastal Bays Program Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; all donations are tax deductible.