Field and Intern Program

Field Program
The staff of the CWP manages and protects coastal nesting birds at over 75 sites on the Massachusetts coast. Assistance is also provided by staff at our coastal sanctuaries (Wellfleet Bay, Allens Pond, Felix Neck, North River). The vast majority of these sites are public beaches with little or no resources dedicated to the protection of these birds. The primary focus of the field program is the direct protection of nesting, feeding, and resting areas. We accomplish this using signs, rope, and fence, as well as the presence of staff and volunteers. We conduct an annual state-wide census, which includes the location and number of nests, the survival of nests and young, and the causes of nest or young loss. All data is submitted to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program at Mass Wildlife. Additional projects include analyzing the microhabitat needs of threatened species and suspected human impacts (e.g. the predominant use of sparsely vegetated areas by Piping Plovers and the impact of beach grass planting). The field program runs from late March when the Piping Plovers arrive in Massachusetts to early September when most nesting and migratory activities have been completed.

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Staff and interns of CWP assist with Mass Audubon's ongoing project to survey terns, waterfowl, and seabirds in Nantucket Sound and Horseshoe Shoal in response to the proposed windfarm. For more information on this project, including our current position statements, and our project reports, go to: massaudubon.org/wind.

Intern Program
The CWP Intern Program is critical to the core of what we do—protect birds on the beaches. Our intern program, supported by contributions from foundations and individuals, allows us to hire up to 30 seasonal staff each season, consisting of paid field assistants and interns with stipends.

Seasonal staff are often recent college graduates wishing to gain experience in conservation biology; interns are less experienced but many return in subsequent years for paid positions and college thesis projects.

Our program also includes over 50 volunteers each season who work with our interns and staff. Volunteers include school students building tern chick shelters, senior environment corps helping put up fencing, Americorps assisting with beach clean up projects, and many individuals patrolling the beaches in the local communities where we work.

Cape Cod Center for Bird Conservation, Barnstable

At our Cape Cod Center for Bird Conservation in Barnstable, we house up to 7 seasonal staff each season; other staff are housed in private homes provided by volunteers, or in field housing with other organizations.