Prepping for the Plovers’ Return - Montrose Beach Cleanup

A large group of volunteers led by Shedd Aquarium staff and members of the Chicago Audubon, Chicago Ornithological, and Illinois Ornithological Societies, did a little spring cleaning at Montrose Beach this morning.

Despite what started as a gloomy, rainy morning, it turned into a nice sunny day for cleaning up the beach. Volunteers covered the beach and the protected area, meticulously plucking even the smallest particles of plastic from the sand. All in an effort to make the beach cleaner and safer for our beloved Chicago Piping Plovers, as well as the many other birds that breed in the dunes and stopover during migration.

One of the most important types of trash we wanted to clean up on the beach was plastic. Many of the plastic items that make it into the lake are eventually broken down by wave action and the sun. These small pieces are then deposited along the shoreline—right where many shorebirds and gulls feed. Unfortunately, many water loving birds ingest these little plastic pieces, either inadvertently or on purpose as they mistake it for prey. If this happens too often the birds can get malnourished and die, which is why we wanted to get out there early in the season before all the birds return for the summer.

Thanks to over one hundred volunteers, armed with just buckets and gloves, we were able to rid Montrose beach (and the dune area) of just over 400 pounds of garbage! This hefty number is even more impressive when you consider that the majority of the trash collected consisted of small plastic, glass, and foam pieces; items that on their own weigh very little. This will go a long way to support all the wildlife that share this space with us!

Thank you!