Category Archives: Birds

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS AND POKEBERRIES IS WHY WE RELISH OUR WONDERFULLY MESSY GARDEN!

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Oh my goodness, what was that fleeting and larger-than-usual red-headed woodpecker doing in our garden? We get lots of Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers but even though the sighting was merely a flash of red, black, and white, the visitor seemed like neither of these two.

The following morning when returning from an early walk, I crept down the garden path in hopes of catching a glimpse and to see what he was up to. Sure enough, the woodpecker was there, perched between the branches of the lilacs and plucking ripe juicy purple fruits from the Pokeberry plant. A male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and what a handsome fellow he is! The sapsucker stayed for a few minutes, long enough to capture some footage.

The songbirds (and we) are relishing in the messy disarray of of our cold weather garden. Fallen leaves provide shelter for birds, insects, and small mammals; the seed heads on the expired stalks of asters offer sustenance; and the fruits of the winterberry, holly, crabapple, and American Pokeweed  are filling the little bellies of many.

American Pokeweed, also known as Pokeberry, Pigeonweed, Inkberry, and Poke, is a North American native perennial herb that can grow as tall as 20 feet, although we are more likely to see a four to five foot plant. The stems of the Pokeberry are a striking shade of magenta, but otherwise, it is a rather ungainly plant.

We didn’t plant our Pokeberry. Perhaps the seed of the first plant to colonize our garde was deposited by a bird. Each berry contains 10 seeds. The seeds have an extraordinarily hard shell that allows them to remain viable for up to 40 years.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds reportedly drink nectar from the Pokeberry’s tiny white/pinkish/greenish flowers and the leaves are also the caterpillar food plant for the Giant Leopard Moth.

According to Cornell, “the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. Although a few individuals remain throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding range, most head farther south, going as far south as Panama. Females tend to migrate farther south than do males.”

Okay, well let’s get going Mr. Sapsucker!

 

GRAND NEWS FOR PIPING PLOVERS AND PROGRESS UPDATE ON OUR DOCUMENTARY #ploverjoyed

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Based on preliminary data from Mass Wildlife’s Endangered Species and Natural Heritage Program, approximately 1,145 pairs of Piping Plovers nested on Massachusetts beaches in 2023. This number is remarkable considering that when conservationists first began monitoring PiPls on Massachusetts beaches, there were fewer than 200 pairs. Because of the dedicated work of coastal waterbird conservation partners, volunteers, and regular beach going citizens, who all care deeply about the fate of these vulnerable little shorebirds, 50 percent of the Atlantic seaboard Piping Plover population now nests on Massachusetts beaches.

The short features two PiPl chicks and Dad Plover crossing handicap mats. The blue roll-out accessibility Mobi-mats have been installed at a number of Massachusetts beaches. They are wonderfully helpful for accessing the beach for wheel-chair bound people, and for families with baby strollers and wagons. I wondered how the Plovers would react. After a few moments of hesitation, our little Plover friends appeared unafraid, striding confidently across, and even stopping to investigate a bug.

The footage is from the forthcoming film, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. We are finessing, finessing, and finessing. With each edit, the film grows stronger. I am so proud of the work we have accomplished so far and in January we will begin submitting to film festivals!

Although Piping Plovers are slowly returning to the shores of Massachusetts, the Atlantic Coast Plover population as a whole remains at tremendous risk. Climate change, loss of habitat, vandalism, and predation are the primary challenges impeding the birds’ recovery. These same challenges are affecting not only Piping Plovers, but nesting shorebirds from coast to coast. I am thinking about the Western Snowy Plover, a closely related species that nests along the coast of California. Our documentary features the conservation policies and protocols of Massachusetts organizations. Whether a beachgoer recreating on the Atlantic Coast, shores of the Great Lakes, or Pacific Coast, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be tremendously valuable in helping communities better understand why these protocols are in place, precisely how the policies help Plovers, and how we can collectively, and individually, help plover species recover nationwide. And, I think too, you will be smitten by the loveable Plover family featured in our film.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online fundraiser to help complete our documentary. Filming is finished, however, post-production and festival costs have sky-rocketed; they are much greater than when we released our sister film project about species at risk, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly. Working with the community to produce Beauty on the Wing was by far the most meaningful way to launch a film and we could not have done it without your help.

Please donate here to our Network for Good online fundraiser .

Feel free to call or write with any questions. We are deeply appreciative of any gifts given. Thank you.

With gratitude to the following PiPl friends for their kind contributions – Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Marion Frost (Ipswich), Cecile Christianson (Peabody), Donna Poirier Connerty (Gloucester), Mary Rhinelander (Gloucester), Jane Hazzard (Georgetown), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂 Thank you so very much for your support and for seeing the tender beauty in the life story of the Piping Plover.

Very best wishes,

xxKim

FLEETING MOMENT WITH A BALD EAGLE SUB-ADULT, POSSIBLY 3.5 YEARS OLD

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An all too brief encounter with a young Bald Eagle, possibly 3.5 years old. You can tell by the tail feathers that are edged in brown, not yet fully white; and the amount of brown streaking around his eyes and the back of his head.

He flew in and out within a matter of minutes. What a beautiful scene though, despite being short lived.

TURKEYS IN THE MORNING LIGHT

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Lucky chance encounter this Thanksgiving morning!

Turkeys at daybreak, doing what Turkeys do when it’s not mating season. The males were foraging and preening in one group, while the females were across the way. The girls were very interested in the milkweed seed pods. I don’t think they were eating the seeds, but finding insects around the pods. The brilliant iridescence in the male’s feathers was extra beautiful in the morning light.

YELLOW-ORANGE RAINBOW HOUSE FINCH!

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What is that beautiful and unusually feathered friend eyeing me from the distant safety of a tree limb. He looks identical to a House Finch but rather than a bright pinkish red head, this boy’s feathers are shaded in hues of yellow, orange, coral, and pink.

He foraged along with the other House Finches, took a brief nap, and then departed. I couldn’t wait to get home and learn more about why this House Finch was so striking in plumage.

According to several online sites, the color of the male House Finch feathers results from 3 carotenoid pigments: ß-carotene, which produces yellow to orange color in feathers; isocryptoxanthin, which produces orange color in feathers; and echinenone, which produces red color in feathers. Yellow House Finches are frequently seen in the southwest and Hawaii where natural foods are low in some of these carotenoids. In the east, birds often feed on the high-carotenoid fruits of ornamental plants. For comparison sake, you can see in the first clip the more typical color of a male House Finch at this time of year.

A GIFT FROM THE SKIES – NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT ELEVEN HORNED LARKS!!

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A mini swirl of birds was heard overhead before scattering on the beach. At first glance, I thought of the little flock of American Pipits that was here last winter and was hoping for the same. Even more wonderful, it was a flock of eleven Horned Larks!  Only ever having seen singleton Horned Larks mixed in with flocks of Snow Buntings, I was overjoyed to see the troupe scampering through the seaweed and along the wrackline.

Horned Larks are called as such not because they have actual horns, but because of the little tufts of feathers that stick out on either side of its head which are sometimes, but not always, visible. Black stockinged legs, feathered knickers, horned and masked, the Larks are wonderfully fun to observe as they forage amongst the seaweed and dried wildflowers.

At 54 seconds, through 1:05, you can clearly see the difference between the male, with the yellow mask, and the female, with the more subdued markings.

I haven’t been able to locate the flock of Horned Larks for a few days and think they have departed our shores.  As one wave of travelers moves on, another soon follows. It’s a joy to see the bossy boy Buffleheads have returned to our waterways!

Horned Larks were formerly more prevalent in Massachusetts. With fewer farm fields and an increase in development, much of its breeding habitat has been lost. Look at the two maps created by Mass Audubon. These maps are called Breeding Bird Atlases. The Breeding Bird Atlas 1 was created from data collected during bird counts held from 1974-1979. The BBA2 Atlas was created from data collected from 2007 through 2011. Theses maps are of invaluable help for the future of conservation in Massachusetts and give clear proof of changing bird breeding habits over the past 45 years.

Note that there are fewer dark green squares from Atlas 1 to Atlas 2, especially in the north of Boston region, signaling a decrease in the breeding population of Horned Larks.
Horned Lark Breeding Bird Atlas 1 (1974-1979)

“During Atlas 1 Horned Larks were making a living at scattered locations inland, but their stringent habitat requirements meant that they were mostly coastal in distribution. The Marble Valleys had 10% Horned Lark occupancy, likely in areas of abandoned or fallow farmland. The Connecticut River Valley apparently had suitable breeding locations in 14% of the region, both in farm fields and at airports kept free of dense vegetation. Only a small scattering of occupied blocks bridged the gap from the Connecticut River Valley to the coast. The Coastal Plains had breeding Horned Larks on the beaches of Essex and Plymouth Counties, and the Bristol/Narragansett Lowlands reported several instances of inland breeding as well as nests found around the shores of Buzzards Bay. More than 60% of the species’ statewide distribution fell in Cape Cod and the Islands, where sandy dune habitat was readily available for Horned Larks looking to settle down.”

Horned Lark Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (2007-2011)

“Within the three decades between Atlas 1 and Atlas 2, the Horned Lark began to opt out of Massachusetts as a breeding locality. Distribution patterns in Atlas 2 weakly mirror those of Atlas 1: up the Connecticut River, sparsely spread eastward, with the species’ most notable breeding strongholds in the southeastern Coastal Plains and on Cape Cod and the Islands. Horned Larks completely retreated from the far west and almost completely retreated from the Bristol/Narragansett Lowlands. The birds posted only a symbolic guard in Essex County, and even in their stronghold on Cape Cod and the Islands they disappeared from a dozen of the most well-surveyed blocks.”

UP CLOSE WITH A YOUNG GLOSSY IBIS!

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Not a creature we see at Niles Pond everyday! The young Ibis stayed for awhile, resting, floofing its magnificent iridescent feathers, and drinking water before heading back out over the ocean. I used to see them only over on the west side of Gloucester, but this year there was a very large flock at pastures in Essex, and a beautiful flock foraging in the tidal marsh at Good Harbor Beach, too.

According to Cornell, “Glossy Ibises are found throughout the world. In North America, populations increased by an estimated 4.2% per year between 1966 and 2015 (indicating a cumulative increase of nearly eightfold over that period), according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. In 2002, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan estimated 13,000–15,000 breeding Glossy Ibises in North America and listed it as a species of low concern.”

The Glossy Ibis breeding territory is indicated in orange and the coast of Massachusetts is part of that territory.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD NOT SHARING GARDEN WITH MIGRATING MONARCHS!

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Our summer resident Ruby-throated Hummingbirds stayed at our Cape Ann garden well into the fall. Daily, and frequently throughout the day, they made their rounds from the back borders to the front borders, making brief stops at each nectar station. But the backyard was clearly their personal fiefdom. Here they spent a great deal of time splashing in the bird bath and preening while perched in the ancient pear trees.

The Monarchs and other late summer butterflies mostly stay in the sunnier front border however, whenever a Monarch ventured to the New England Aster patch round back, a hummingbird was sure to harass. The attacks were seemingly not vicious; the RTH would simply fly to and from the butterfly until it departed. I wondered if this was a juvenile RTHummingbird checking out a never-before-seen-butterfly-equal-to-its-size, or a more experienced female defending her territory.

Despite repeated attempts on my part, this was extremely hard to capture on film. I was looking at footage from this past season and was delighted to find a very few brief seconds of both beauties together.

MYSTERIAL MERLIN! A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY

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The Merlin seen perched atop the birch tree was spotted from a distance. I crept ever so cautiously toward her, expecting her to fly away at any second. I usually only see Merlins on the hunt, a dark silhouette torpedoing through the air. She was surprisingly very tolerant of my presence, allowing me to stand quietly under a tree observing her fierce beauty as she continuously scanned the surrounding landscape.

Merlins are a small falcon with a distinct robust shape. They are sometimes confused with Sharp-shinned Hawks for their similar feather patterning but Sharpies are more gangly in shape than Merlins. The Merlins small frame belies that fact that they are powerful, yet deft, hunters and can snatch songbirds mid-air. While filming the Merlin, two Bluejays took note of her. One even alighted on an adjacent branch. Not a good idea as Merlins regularly hunt Pigeons and have even been known to hunt small ducks.

Like so many species of raptors, Merlin populations are rebounding since DDT was banned in 1972. DDT interfered with the bird’s calcium production, which had the devastating effect of weakening their eggshells. Since the pesticide was banned, Merlin numbers are bouncing back in North America.

We are currently experiencing a wave of beautiful creatures migrating through and stopping over at our shores. Merlins travel through New England in the spring and fall. Fortunately, the Merlin’s breeding areas don’t overlap with Plover nesting sites along the Atlantic Coast. We don’t see Merlins on Cape Ann during the summer months. Why do I write fortunately? Because, like Peregrine Falcons, Merlins find nesting shorebirds easy prey (see article here).

The Merlin’s worldwide range is widespread.

 

NEW VIDEO – A BALD EAGLE SOARS OVER GLOUCESTER!

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What a thrill to see the Eagle close-up, and to see it fly by our City skyline!

After a great morning filming local wildlife and as I was heading home, flying down the road overhead was a large brown bird with an entourage of Crows and gulls in tow. Wow. That’s weird I thought, Crows don’t usually dive bomb Turkey Vultures. To everyone walking down the road’s utter delight, it was not a Turkey Vulture, but a gorgeous Bald Eagle.

The not yet fully mature Eagle hovered over Niles Beach at one location for some time, circling back several times. I couldn’t figure out what he/she was so interested in. Perhaps it was the giant fish head that had washed ashore several days ago. After a bit, the Eagle flew off to the tippy top of a pine tree overlooking the water.

Eagles are superb hunters and fishers, and also love to scavenge carrion.

I think the Eagle is a sub-adult, about 3 and a half to four and a half years old. The above photo is of a mated adult and a sub-adult, taken in Gloucester last spring.

THE SWEETEST PINK PLOVER ONESIES AND MATCHING T-SHIRTS NOW AVAILABLE AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD

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We now have PINK onesies (and a matching pink tee for Mom, Auntie, Grandma!).

Thinking about the current rage for Barbie and all things pink, we ordered six onesies and six tees in the pink to see if there is interest. The onesies are adorable and I hope so much everyone likes them! The pink tees are available in S, M, and L. The onesies are available in sizes 6-12 months and 18-24 months

Alexandra also has a brand new batch of unisex cerulean blue tees, in sizes small through extra large.

You can pick up your Plover tees, onesies, and stickers at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester. Alexandra also carries super cute Twin Lights onesies, too!

As we are building inventory and navigating our way through selling T-shirts, the sales from the tees/onesies goes to ordering more. Eventually, we hope that $13.00 from the sale of each T-shirt will go towards helping to fund our documentary, The Piping Plover of Moonlight Bay. To read our most recent progress update and learn how you can help support the Piping Plover Film Project, please go here.

WARBLERS AND WHATNOTS – CAN YOU GUESS?

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The recent whoosh of wind from the north brought a new batch of migrating songbirds. They are loving the great insect, seed, and berry feast found at Cape Ann woods, marsh sides, and roadways.

I am often puzzled about which species of warblers when out filming our local wildlife, especially at this time of year when many songbirds are in their non-breeding plumage and there are many juveniles on the wing. After I have a chance to look at the images at my desktop, it’s simpler to id, but not always.

This warbler is easier to identify than many. Is it a:

1) Magnolia Warbler

2) Yellow-rumped Warbler

3) Nashville Warbler

Clue – stay til the end of the clip and you can see why this warbler is named as such.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ARE DONATING TO OUR PIPING PLOVER FILM PROJECT!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

A huge shout out to our newest contributors to our Piping Plover film project fundraiser. My deepest thanks and appreciation to Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂 Thank you so very much for your support and for seeing the tender beauty in the life story of the Piping Plover.

Progress update – We are currently working with the stellar editing staff at Modulus Studios in Boston. Eric Masunaga and his assistant Shannon also worked on our sister film project, Beauty on the Wing. Keeping my fingers crossed and not wanting to jinx our progress, but the hope/goal is to have a cut ready to begin submitting to film festivals by the end of 2023. We have also received exceptionally helpful content advice from both Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist and Todd Pover, Senior Wildlife Biologist for Conserve Wildlife New Jersey.

Thank you so very much again for your kind help.

Warmest wishes,

Kim

To contribute to The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online Network for Good fundraiser DONATE HERE

 

To learn more about The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay documentary please go here.

HipHop

FUNNY PIPING PLOVER CHICKS NEW SHORT FILM

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Tiny Piping Plover chicks weigh about as much as a nickel at the time of hatching. Although capable of running about within a few hours after pushing out of their eggshells, one-day-old chicks are extraordinarily vulnerable. They are also adorably funny as they learn how to navigate the varied beach terrain and to forage for food. The hatchlings study their out-sized feet, stretch tiny wing buds, fall into mini fox holes, and tumble over even while only trying to scratch themselves. It’s not easy being one-day-old!

Mom and Dad spend a great deal of time helping the chicks to regulate their body temperature, especially in the earliest days of the chick’s life. In the last clips, Dad calls to the four siblings to warm up under his downy soft underwing feathers.  And by the way, Plover Dads are truly super heroes in the life story of the Piping Plover, co-parenting equally, and even then some.

The footage in this short is from the forthcoming film, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online fundraiser to help complete our documentary. Filming is finished however, post-production and festival costs have sky-rocketed; they are much greater than when we released our sister film project about species at risk, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly. Without our community’s help, we could not have launched Beauty on the Wing. Working with the community to produce Beauty on the Wing made it far more meaningful.

We are deeply appreciative of any gifts given. Thank you.

Please donate here to our Network for Good online fundraiser https://filmmakerscollab.networkforgood.com/projects/55077-filmmakers-collaborative-the-piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay

 

 

PLOVER T-SHIRTS ARE SELLING OUT AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD!

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A huge shout out and many, many thanks to Jon and Alexandra for distributing our Plover tees and stickers. Yesterday I dropped off the last few from the initial order and am placing a re-order with Seaside Graphics today!

Jon shares that customers are loving the positivity of the stickers and tees. Thank you community for supporting our Cape Ann Piping Plovers <3

Tees and stickers are available for sale at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester. 

There are several ways in which readers can help support our forthcoming documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Approximately $12.00 per each T-shirt goes toward the film project, the rest goes toward making more tees.

To contribute a larger gift, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online Network for Good fundraiser DONATE HERE

To learn more about The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay documentary please go here.

WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY – A CELEBRATION OF SHOREBIRDS!

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HAPPY WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY! Today, September 6th, marks the 10th anniversary of Worlds Shorebird Day. Worlds Shorebird Day was founded to help bring awareness to the plight of  shorebirds. More than 50 percent of shorebird species around the globe are in decline. 

Our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, shines a light on the Plovers and how these remarkably valiant little birds are surviving the pressures of habitat loss, human disturbance, and a warming climate. Massachusetts is at the fore of Piping Plover recovery and we are doing much that is right however, the recovery is not going as well in other regions.

Please think about donating to our film. I think of Plovers as a gateway species, similar to Monarch butterflies. Through developing a deeper understanding of the birds, people will be inspired to do all they can to join citizens around the world in providing safe habitat for nesting and migrating shorebirds.  Our sister film, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly is currently airing on PBS and has reached markets in 87 percent of US households, in all major cities. Wouldn’t it be wonderfully meaningful to have that kind of outreach for Plovers!

DONATE HERE https://filmmakerscollab.org/films/piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay/

 

FELIX’S FAMILY FARM IS THE BEST SUNFLOWER FIELD EVER!

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Come see the latest magnificently beautiful and wonderfully immersive creation by farmer Paul Wegzyn and his Dad (also Paul) at Felix’s Family Farm. Formerly named School Street Sunflowers, the farm with the new name is the same beautiful field, same wonderful family owned operation, only with many new additions. Just to name a few – a healthy, growing and glowing pack of alpacas!, a herd of baby goats <3, live music, picnicking, and yoga classes in a Yoga Yurt!  

The field is at its peak this week and next and Paul says it is truly their best field ever. I agree one thousand percent. Row upon row of freshly opened and newly opening flowers will take your breath away. The Farm is utterly enchanting. Bring your family and take lots of photos or just wander through the fields. I hope you will be as enthralled as was I.

Felix’s Family Farm is located at 20 Lowe’s Lane, just off 1A/Rt. 133, in Ipswich. For tickets and more information, visit the Felix Family Farm website here.

In year’s past, the sunflower field has had a theme. One of my favorites from several years back was “Transcendentalism.” This year, the theme is “Family.” Quotes placed throughout the field leave you to stop and take a moment to reflect on our families and how dear they are to us.

Father and Son Paul Wegzyn and Paul Wegzyn

ALL CREATURES TINY AND SMALL – NEW SHORT FILM – THE SUMMER POLLINATOR GARDEN

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Come to our summer pollinator garden and see all the creatures, tiny and small, and the flowers that are planted to attract these beautiful winged wonders.

Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Internet Archive of Royalty Free Music 

Featuring all manner of bees, including Honey, Bumble, and Sugar; Cedar Waxwing building a nest; Catbird fledgling and adult; Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Pipevine caterpillars and chrysalis; Cecropia Moth caterpillar, Pandora Sphinx Moth caterpillars; Clouded Sulphur; male Goldfinch;  Monarchs; teeny only 1/2 inch in length male Spring Peeper; Ruby-throated Hummingbirds male, female, and juveniles; and my favorite creature in our garden, nature girl Charlotte <3

NIGHTHAWK – MYSTERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL SPECIES IN SHARP DECLINE IN MASSACHUSETTS

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The exquisite young Nighthawk was seen quietly resting on a branch at mid-day. Nearly motionless and perfectly camouflaged in plumage that mirrors tree bark, the Nighthawk was easy to lose sight of even when staring directly at it. These ephemeral beauties are well-camouflaged at all stages of development, in fact the hatchlings are so well disguised that the parents don’t bother to build a nest; the female lays her eggs directly on the ground.

The name Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) is confusing as they are neither strictly nocturnal nor related to hawks. Nighthawks are crepuscular, meaning they typically hunt during the low light hours of  early morning and early evening. The Nighthawk’s diet consists entirely of insects. As insect populations are declining, so too are the Nighthawks.

These sublime creatures formerly nested in Massachusetts. It’s been a number of decades since a breeding pair was last seen in our state. They are long distance migrators and there is much still to understand why they are disappearing. Loss of food, loss of habitat, and pesticide use surely are at the top of the list.

I was awe struck by how sweetly peaceful the bird appeared, with its teeny beak and only occasionally opening its large black eyes, sleeping the day away in preparation for an evening hunt. I wondered, though, is this the last time I will ever see a Nighthawk?

Watch this very cool map of the the migratory route of the Common Nighthawk

PIPING PLOVER T-SHIRTS AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD!!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

We at long last have our Plover Tees!!! And it was well worth the wait, better than imagined! When picking up the shirts at Seaside Graphics, a customer purchased one on the spot!

The tees are available for sale at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester. 

These T-shirts are luxuriously silky soft, 100 percent cotton and wash beautifully!  We have two different blues, basically because I couldn’t decide which one everyone would like better 🙂 The Cerulean is a pretty sky blue and the Celestial is a more like a dreamy foggy day, powdery blue.

Mostly Large and Xlarge are available with this batch, with a few  mediums and one small remaining. The cost of the T-shirt is $30.00.

If you purchase a T-shirt or sticker, please send a photo. I am planning on asking friends and family to model the shirts, but in the meantime, our clothesline will have to do.

The chest measurements of the Unisex Tees are as follows. 

Small –  18 inches (total 36inch circumference), to fit 34-37 inch chest

Medium – 20 inches, to fit a 38-41 inch chest

Large – 22 inches, to fit a 42 -45 inch chest

Xlarge –  24 inches, to fit a 46-49 inch chest

Example – the large measures 22 inches across the front, which equals 44 inches total chest circumference, which would fit a 42-45 inch chest, depending on how you like your Tee to fit.

If you are not sure which size you would like, measure your favorite T-shirt, across the front, from underarm to underarm seam at the chest line at the widest point, and then double that measurement.

Years ago we had Plover T-shirts, thanks to former PiPl ambassador Heather Hall, and ever since then, we have been wanting to do it again. We are so grateful to designer Beth Swan, who created our Plover logo for both stickers and for the tees (the stickers are also available at Alexandra’s Bread). Beth was so fantastic to work with and I highly recommend her beautiful, thoughtful (and fun) designs. You can see a small sampling of Beth’s work here.

Many thanks too, to Seaside Graphics Samantha and Will for their fantastic customer service and speedy printing!

All profits will initially go toward purchasing more stickers and tees and then towards the fundraiser for the forthcoming documentary “The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay.”

 

GOOD HARBOR BEACH PIPING PLOVERS FEATURED IN TODAY’S GLOUCESTER TIMES!!

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Many, many thanks to Gloucester Daily Times’s writer Ethan Forman and Editor-in-Chief Andrea Holbrook for today’s story about out GHB Plovers.  Ethan always takes the time to get it right. Thank you!!!

By Ethan F orman Staff Writer

Despite the loss of some tiny chicks to storms this summer, efforts to protect the threatened piping plover shorebirds at Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach by the Piping Plover Ambassadors and Mass Audubon were deemed a success this summer.

Three pairs of piping plovers nested at Good Harbor Beach, one more than usual.

Those watching over the piping plovers said they again spotted Super Mom, the onelegged piping plover who has been coming to the beach since 2016.

“It was fantastic in many ways,” said Gloucester resident Kim Smith, who heads up the efforts of about 20 Piping Plover Ambassadors. She believes climate change affected the piping plovers “in a funny way this year.”

“I think because of the extreme storms that we had,” she said. “We lost basically six chicks during extreme weather. That’s a lot.”

Despite the loss of those chicks, efforts to protect them and the survivors were successful, Smith said.

“We worked with Mass Audubon this year, we had many more eyes on the chicks, and if we hadn’t had those storms, we would’ve fledged

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

OUR FIRST FULL WEEK WORKING WITH AUDUBON- JUNE 11th PLOVER LOVER WEEKEND UPDATE

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Dear PiPl Friends,

As many of our PiPl followers are aware, this year the City of Gloucester hired Mass Audubon to help manage Cape Ann’s Plover population. We’ve had our first full week of collaborating with Mass Audubon and I have to say it just could not be better for all involved, but most importantly, for the Piping Plovers! The Mass Audubon staff is tremendously professional, kind, friendly, dedicated to wildlife conservation, and very personable. Lyra, who heads the coastal waterbird program for Mass Audubon, and Devon, Gloucester’s assistant conservation agent both have a great deal of experience managing Piping Plovers and are quick to respond to questions and challenges as they arise.

A few changes have been made to the beach. The roped off Plover areas to protect the Plovers has increased, however, there is still loads of space for beachgoers. An added bonus to creating safe spaces for Plovers is that over time, we have seen how the established protected areas for the Plovers has vastly improved the overall health of the beach. Why is that? Because when people and pets aren’t recreating up against the dunes, new vegetation is allowed to take hold including native American Beach Grass (Ammophila breviligulata), American Sea-rocket (Cakile edentula), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus) and Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens). Protecting the dunes is one of the best coastal strategies for combating a warming climate. It’s truly a beautiful thing to see how much healthier are our dunes!

Another change that has taken place are the guidelines in how close we should stand when observing the Plovers. One of the most important ways to help the Plovers is to give them lots and lots of space. If we hover/stand/place camera gear for long periods of time pointing to the Plovers, wildlife biologists working with Mass Audubon have documented that this activity attracts Crows and Gulls! You may ask, “why is that a bad thing?” Crows voraciously eat Plover eggs and hungry seagulls eat Plovers at all stages of development, including eggs, hatchlings, and even 3 week old chicks.

The best way for we beachgoers to help the Plovers is to watch from a distance and not hover near the birds. With a half-way decent lens and a camera sensor with a good crop factor we can get beautiful shots from a safe distance. The City, Mass Audubon, and we Ambassadors are all asking this of the community and we are deeply appreciative of your help.

Piping Plover smackdown – The video is of our handicapped Super Mom. Her disability does not impede her determination nor ability in defending her territory. She is perhaps Good Harbor Beach’s most fierce Plover, despite her missing foot.

Piping Plovers ferociously defend their nesting territory from intruders of every shape and size; puffing up their feathers to appear larger, chasing, and even biting the offender. Here she is in early spring defending her little slice of Good Harbor Beach from Scruffy Boy’s shenanigans!

 

 

 

PIPING PLOVER JUNE 4th UPDATE

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Many have written looking for a PiPl update and I just want to assure everyone that the PiPls have so far managed to survive the high tides and very unseasonably cold temperatures. The tides are predicted to be very high this week so we’ll just keep our hopes up we won’t have a wash out.

A first ever for me this morning; I checked on the Plovers wearing a wooly winter weight sweater, heavy coat, and thick socks. The temperature was 45 degrees on the beach!

Super Mom foot pattering

Super Mom is doing especially beautifully. Plovers do a sort of “foot pattering” when foraging. The behavior is also called “foot-trembling” or “foot-tapping.” They shake their foot in the sand, then cock their heads as though listening. The vibrations caused by the foot pattering helps to bring worms and mollusks closer to the surface. The prey is usually a few inches away from where they are pattering, but sometimes as much as a foot away, nonetheless, the PiPl runs to the potential prey, plunges their beak into the sand, and almost always surfaces with some kind of invertebrate.

This seems like such an important behavior for the Plovers to enable them to successfully forage. I wondered if Mom would still shake her leg with her missing foot. Last week I observed Mom foot pattering! She doesn’t alternate feet, as is typical, but uses only her footless right leg to patter and stir up the sand. Her ability to adapt her behaviors to survive her handicap is extraordinary!

Super Dad napping (on a warmer day this past week)

 

 

 

TOPSY TURVY GOSLING BATH TIME

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Wait for it 🙂

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, PIPL UPDATE, AND HAPPY 98TH BIRTHDAY TO MY FATHER-IN-LAW CORNELIUS HAUCK!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

We returned last night from Ohio where we were celebrating Memorial Day and my father-in-law, Cornelius Hauck’s, 98th birthday. He is the most charming and kindest person; funny, witty, wry, full of wonderful stories, brilliant, and generous are just a few of the adjectives that describe him. I am writing this to you because he shared several secrets to his longevity. Stay active mentally and physically (PT every morning and walking every day) and a cold shower every morning! That last part was news to all of us 🙂 He didn’t mention this, but I am adding that he only retired when he was about 85 years old! He also eats well-balanced meals and has a bourbon (or two) everyday. We all just wish he didn’t live so far from Gloucester.

Grandpa shared a story about his service in WWII. When he first enlisted, he was rejected because he is well over six feet tall, but only weighed 140 pounds. As the War progressed and the Army needed more troops, they allowed him to serve but not in the usual capacity. He has had a lifelong interest in trains and because he was familiar with all the train lines running across the country, he was put in charge of scheduling soldiers traveling on leave.

My father-in-laws’ interest in trains only grew over the years and in his spare time, he went on to write and publish many photographs, books, and articles about trains, and to co-found the Colorado Railroad Museum, located in Golden, Colorado.

PiPl update –

This morning found Mom peacefully guarding her eggs on the nest and Dad foraging along the water’s edge. I was there early and the DPW hadn’t yet been to clean up the beach. We are so grateful to the DPW for the job that they do, but the crew would not have to be stuck with so much litter/trash/garbage if we enforced our litter laws. Also, dismayed to see remnants of several bonfires. I didn’t make it all the way down the beach; it’s lovely out now but this morning was very windy.

DPW’s beautiful new GHB boardwalk