PINELLAS COUNTY, Florida - On one of the busiest beach days of the year and on a day when we remember those who have sacrificed guarding our shores, there's another sort of shore guard on duty. 

"I see a pair of oyster catchers nesting," says Beth Forys, peering through binoculars.

At Fort De Soto Beach, volunteers like Forys keep a close watch out for intruders and defend a line in the sand. This line separates the public beach from a bird nesting area.

"With the crowds here today, you'll have tens of thousands of people on one side of the line and tens of thousands of birds on the other side," says park ranger Jim Wilson.

Throughout the shorebird nesting season, dozens of volunteers help educate Fort De Soto visitors about the beach nursery. Black skimmers, Least Terns and Plovers are all setting up nests here now.

But despite the ropes, signs and warnings, some people still want to tromp through and Pinellas County deputies are on speed dial. "I think that some people just don't like being told what to do," says bird steward Hope Hurley.

People walking through the nesting area can cause several problems; the bird nests are very camouflaged and it's easy to just step on the eggs. If birds are scared off the nest for too long, the eggs can also cook in the sun. And if there are too many people around, the birds won't nest in that area again.

Forys, a conservation biologist and professor at Eckerd College, says with dwindling habitats, the bird steward program is necessary. "I think it's absolutely needed," says Forys. "There's no way these birds could survive without us helping on a crowded beach like this one."

Bird stewards say most beachgoers are cooperative and many also enjoy the chance to learn more about the birds. The stewards often have high-powered telescopes set up, so people can observe the nesting birds.

After all, visitors come to Fort De Soto because of the natural beauty and they understand the reasons for getting close, but not too close, to the birds.