If you are planning to visit Anna Maria Island on this Memorial Day holiday weekend then you may meet a small group of people on the beach with binoculars.

The group consists of a blend of volunteers from Audubon Florida, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Mote Marine Laboratory. They are bird stewards, who are dedicated to protect coastal birds.

Marianne Korosy, an important bird area coordinator for Audubon Florida, said that Memorial Day Weekend comes around the peak nesting time for all of the beach-nesting birds, due to which, it’s the time when one can find the largest number of birds.

Korosy added that some of them in fact have chicks by now who are little, tiny, fluffy chicks. These chicks are quite vulnerable to the hot sun and to getting stepped upon.

On Tuesday, Audubon Florida issued a press release in which it has asked the boaters and beachgoers statewide to protect coastal birds this holiday weekend.

Korosy said that it's absolutely a wonderful time of year to enjoy the beach. He mentioned, “Our concern at Audubon is that people aren't usually aware that birds lay their eggs right on the sand so when they see an area on the beach that is surrounded by posts and signs, they don't really know what it is”.

In addition, Korosy said that most of the people thing that birds nest in trees. But, sea birds and shore birds lay eggs directly on the sand due to which it looks like the birds are just sitting there.

On Anna Maria Island, there are four roped-off bird nesting colonies, including least terns and black skimmers, the birds that congregate over their eggs.