Protected Bird Nests Return to Compo Beach April 21, 2021 James Bairaktaris Birds protected by the Department of Environmental Protection have returned to Compo Beach’s South Beach, and so too have the fencing that keeps pedestrians and bird-watchers away from their nests. The bird that typically takes up rent on the sand each year is the American Oystercatcher, a shoreline bird known for its long legs and bright coloured beaks. Nearby beaches in Milford and Westbrook have experienced full closures in the past due to the protection of herons, egrets, and plovers that inhabit the islands in those communities.