Category Archives: #sharetheshore

Just Me and My Shadow

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Happy Bday to our 45-day-old Piping Plover fledgling! He/she is the last of the Good Harbor Beach flyers. The photo/video was taken on Thursday when the little one was 42 days, or six weeks old. This is the age when we typically see them head out for their southbound migration. He’s still here as of Saturday but we are hoping to not see him any day now 🙂

I am very sorry to share that the rescue Plover did not survive. Tufts wrote that the chick had multiple chronic healed fractures and that the wing was held in a permanently drooped position. He would never be able to fly.  I was at first feeling extremely low about this but both our partners at Audubon and Lis from DCR wrote that if left on the beach its demise would have been very traumatic and, if not eaten by a predator, would slowly starve to death.

Thank you so very much to everyone who wrote with well-wishes for the injured Plover.

Plover Rescue!

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Our Plover partners at Audubon received a call over the weekend that there was a Piping Plover at Coffins Beach with a broken wing. Plover Ambassador Deborah B located the Plover yesterday afternoon and Charlotte and I headed over to Coffins.  Sure enough, its left wing was dragging on the ground but it appeared otherwise in good shape, foraging and running the length of the beach.  It also seemed very bonded with another Plover, possibly a sibling.

Through Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist with Mass Wildlife, we received clearance to rescue the Plover. Because Plovers are listed as a threatened species there are specific protocols that must be followed before handling the bird. Next we needed to get the go ahead from Tufts Wildlife Clinic that they could at this time accept the Plover.

After the all clear, Lis Kernan , Mass DCR Shorebird Recovery Program Coordinator, and I met at Coffins. We quickly found the Plover. Lis had brought two nets and she expertly guided me on how we could safely steer the bird into the nets. She was soooo fast and in no time, the bird was safely tucked into a waiting cardboard box outfitted with a soft towel, as was recommended by local wildlife rehabber Jodi Swenson from Cape Ann Inc..

As I was driving the little one to Tufts Wildlife Clinic in Grafton he/she began piping. It wasn’t the sharply piercing warning call Plovers make when stressed but the gentle sing-song piping that we hear when they are communicating with one another. I think it was calling to see if there were other Plovers in the vicinity. I responded (with words, not piping) and we seemed to have a back and forth conversation but then I wanted it to conserve its energy and stop piping. I tried singing lullabies to see if that would soothe its little soul, but he kept piping all along until the car stopped.

A very kind staff member, Patrick, was waiting at the clinic. He provided us with a case number so that we can check in periodically. If all goes well, it should take about three weeks for the broken wing to heal and then several more weeks to learn how to fly. I am afraid it will miss peak migration and see a road trip to North Carolina in our future 🙂

As Jamie from Audubon mentioned, today was a great example of cross-organization collaboration to help an injured creature.

Above photos courtesy Lis Kernan

Mystery Plover at Good Harbor Beach

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The morning after the first super high tide at Good Harbor Beach we were surprised and delighted to see a third Plover had joined our Fierce Dad and his almost-fledged chick. We found the three on the narrowest strip of beach that had not been impacted by the hurricane tide. They have been seen together ever since!

Mystery/Butterball left, Fierce Dad right30 day old Piping Plover chick

I think my daughter may have solved the Mystery and we believe this Plover could be what would now be the 54-day-old fledgling we were calling Butterball. He appears to be a similar stage of development and it makes sense; after Butterball’s Dad departed, Butterball attempted to forage alongside Fierce Dad’s chick several weeks back, but FDad would have none of it and was in maximum defensive mode for his little one at that time. Now that his chick is older and more independent perhaps he feels it’s safe to socialize with other Plovers; although at one point FDad planted himself firmly between his chick and Mystery.

Below are photos of 40 to 42 day old Plovers from years past and they are the only photos I can locate at the moment of Plovers past 36 days. Our Mystery Plover looks to be at least as old as the Plovers in the photos

This last photo is of HipHop, Super Dad, and HipHop’s 46-day-old sibling. Although the sibling is out of focus, you can see its feather patterning is similar to the Mystery Plover. This was such a sweet sibling; he stayed with HipHop until he could fly. You may recall HipHop who was developmentally challenged. The first year Mom returned to Good Harbor Beach missing a foot, one of her chicks sustained a hip injury.He was nicknamed HipHop for his hopping gait and it took him many, many weeks to catch up to his siblings. Both Super Dad and this one sibling gave HipHop lots of snuggles and stayed with him well beyond the time frame in which they would typically migrate.

For my New Jersey Friends and Family –

For my New Jersey Friends and Family – Montclair Film and The Nature Conservancy of NJ are hosting a special screening of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay on Tuesday, August 26th at 7pm. QandA with me to follow. To purchase tickets, please go here: https://theclairidge.org/events/the-piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay/

I hope you can come!

Piping Plover August Update

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Dear PiPl Friends,

The anticipated update for the 2025 season with these most beautiful and most vulnerable of mini beach friends I feel is finally ‘safe’ to write. I only write safe because we try very hard to find a balance between sharing information to help create an awareness about the Plovers and also not bringing too much attention to the nesting birds.

First off I would like to thank our outstanding crew of kind-hearted volunteers, especially our core group who sign up for shifts that are an hour or longer and come everyday. This summer we had a very extended season with the chicks (more about that below) yet despite that, they stuck it out to the very end. Thank you to Jennie Meyer, Paula and Alexa Niziak, Kim Bouris, Steve Spina, Sandy Barry, Deborah Brown, Barbara Boudreau, Jill Ortiz, and Marty Coleman. We’d also like to thank our subs Heidi, Velia, Sally, and Jonathan.

If you see these kind and caring people around town, please thank them for their dedicated wildlife conservation work that they do so graciously and so tirelessly.

Thank you to Lyra Brennan, Rose Caplan, Jamie Infanti, and all our Audubon partners. We saw a great deal of Emma this summer and she is wonderful, staying extra long hours in the summer’s heat to watch over the chicks. Audubon does such great work and are responsible for not only Good Harbor Beach, but many other shorebird nesting areas all along the Massachusetts coastline. We appreciate their thoughtful and action oriented responses so much, especially  when it comes to some of the more serious issues that arise over the course of the season. With thanks and gratitude to Lyra, Rose, Jamie, Will, Emma, Charles, and Claudia.

Thank you also to Gloucester’s  Joe Lucido, Tom Nolan, and the entire DPW Crew. These guys are amazing and are always working so hard to make our beaches safe and presentable. Despite the double load imposed on the Crew (because of the additional work they are doing during the garbage strike), they are ever present and so very much appreciated.

DPW Crew setting the roping in place n March

We’d also like to thank several gentlemen who are at GHB nearly every single morning, starting in the spring. While most beach visitors are still sleeping, these gentlemen voluntarily pick up the plethora of garbage found littering the beach leftover from the previous day. They ensure our beaches look pristine by the time the gate opens at 8am. Chris Cefalo, his brother Fred, Michael Cook (and there is a fourth gentleman whose name I don’t know), work tirelessly cleaning the beach, from the tiniest bits of plastic to hauling off the larger items like chairs, tables, umbrellas, and tents. If you see these gentlemen around town, please thank them for the good work they do.

And a huge shout out to all the many, many beachgoers who express interest in the Plovers, want to learn more, give the chicks lots of space, and respect the cordoned off areas.

Piping Plover Smooshies

One of the many gifts we receive as Plover Ambassadors is watching tiny baby birds the size  marshmallows develop into beautiful little flyers. The clips are of Fierce Dad and FairFeathered Mom’s offspring; the first clip is of two-day-old hatchlings, the second clip is of two-week-old chicks, and the last clips of the three- and a half-week-old chick.  When Plovers hatch they can feed themselves entirely independent of the parent however, they need to thermoregulate to keep warm (otherwise known as thermo-snuggles and smooshies). The birds instinctively know to tuck under Mom and Dad’s wing to keep warm.

The 2025 Piping Plover Season at Good Harbor Beach

The season started phenomenally well, with the earliest arrival ever of Super Dad and our footless Handicapped Mom. Fierce Dad also arrived on the very same day as this original pair. It is always a much anticipated and joyful moment when we begin to see the first Plovers returning, especially Super Mom and Dad. This resilient little pair are at least 11 years old. We know this because they began nesting at Good Harbor Beach in 2016 and Plovers have to be at least one year old before they can begin breeding. Each year its become more and more tenuous as to whether or not we will see the return of our wonderful original pair. Plovers only live on average 3 to 5 years and this pair, at 11 years young, are quite a respectable age for their species.

Piping Plover Courtship

Fierce Dad and Original Dad spent a good part of the first few weeks in competition for territory and for Super Mom, with Fierce Dad even putting the moves on Mom several times. At one point we had nine Plovers, and four were nesting pairs, the most ever! There were lots of territorial disputes, some ending in serious smackdowns but for the most part, the birds began to settle in to brood their eggs.Piping Plovers Mating

Original Mom and Dad’s clutch was nearing hatch date when on May 22nd, the coast of Massachusetts was walloped by a late season nor’easter. The tide rose higher than we have ever seen in late May and three of the four nests were washed away. As devastating as that was, it was a joy to find one remaining nest, the young parents that are a new pair to Good Harbor Beach. From their nest of three eggs, two chicks hatched.

Over time original Mom and Dad attempted to re-nest.  After a brief recovery period, Mom laid a new clutch of three eggs. However, this second clutch of eggs was predated by a Crow. As the season progresses there are more and more Crows and gulls scavenging the beach, seeking garbage left behind by people. We know it was a Crow from the tracks found around the nest.

Remarkably Mom and Dad laid four more eggs, a grand three clutches, 11 eggs in total. Once again, the eggs were snatched and Crow tracks were found encircling the nest scrape.  Our Handicapped Mom left shortly after the third nest was lost. Super Dad hung on for a bit longer but he too departed. All was not lost as the one remaining chick from the young parents grew and developed into a lovely, albeit super chunky, fledgling and has begun its southward migration. Note – we love super chunky fledglings. They’ll have lots of stored fat reserves to get them through their first migration.

FairFeathered Mom and one-day-old hatchling

Today we still have one almost-fledged chick remaining at Good Harbor Beach. This little chunkola is Fierce Dad and FairFeathered Mom’s offspring, from their re-nest.  Because the eggs hatched so late in the season and the females usually begin migrating before the males, FairFeathered Mom left when her chick was only five days old, leaving Fierce Dad to raise the chick solo. Fierce Dad has lived up to his name, fighting off every gull, crow and even other shorebirds that dare to come within 100 yards of his offspring. He is still parenting the chick who is quite independent at this point. Nonetheless, the almost fledged chick still goes in for snuggles and smooshies and relies on Dad to keep the gulls at bay.

Along with a great bounty of seaweed washed in with the late May nor’easter, the seaweed was littered with zillions of pieces of small yellow and green plastic

Just as has happened at GHB this summer, nests were washed out along the entire coastline of Massachusetts. With many pairs re-nesting, the conservation biologists from every Mass coastal region saw much lower productivity with these second nests, and in some cases (Super Mom and Dad), third nests.  What does low-productivity mean? Not as many eggs were laid and of the eggs that were laid, fewer than usual hatched. So, for example a second clutch with only three eggs, only one or two of the eggs may hatch.  And all coastal areas across the region experienced higher than usual heavy predation by Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Crows, and Eastern Coyotes. My own theory for that is because when chicks hatch in May for example there are far fewer flocks of seagulls on the beach. But when chicks hatch in July and August, Crows, Gulls, and Coyotes are acclimated to finding free food, i.e. garbage, at the beach, which leads to greater interest in shorebird eggs and chicks. Also at this later time in the summer, there are thousands of hungry fledglings on beaches begging their parents for food.

We are hopeful that next year we won’t have another late, late nor’easter and all the pairs that attempted to nest at GHB this season will return and try again. If you would like to join our volunteer team of Plover Ambassadors, please contact me either by leaving a comment or emailing me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com. We would love to have you!

If you would like to learn more about how we can all help protect shorebird wildlife and their habitats, please watch our film The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Our documentary is streaming on the PBS Passport AP anytime you would like to watch it. Everyone can become a member of PBS Passport by donating to PBS. It’s so worthwhile, especially for young children with curious minds.  What other streaming service can you get for $5.00 a month!!

If you are interested, please click here to read a recent PSA about why dogs are not permitted on beaches during the summer.

 

 

 

 

PSA: Dogs on Beaches

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Why Can’t I Bring My Dog to the Beach?

According to the Gloucester City ordinance code, it is a $300.00 fine (doubled during the season) to bring a dog to Good Harbor Beach. For example, if you bring two dogs, that is 600. x 2 = $1200.

But stating the fines right off doesn’t explain why.

Health and Safety

Our beaches are wonderfully filled with beachgoers during the summer months. Can you imagine adding dogs, either on or off leash, to the mix? Dog ownership is at a record high, much greater than even a generation ago. In 2000 there were roughly 68 million pet dogs, today there are about 90 million dogs. What if everyone who owns a dog brought theirs to the beach?

Let’s face the facts, a great many dogs are not on voice command. We have dogs jumping on children, knocking over the young and old, biting people, and getting into dog fights and biting each other. That is not a safe scenario for any beachgoer.

But what if the law were changed to allow dogs on leash?

We would have half abiding by the leash law and half saying “I left my leash at home,” or “I thought it was okay to let my dog off leash after 5pm,” or “I thought it was okay before 8am,” etc. etc. How do we know this? Because we already hear these statements during the off leash/on leash days at Good Harbor Beach.Pile of poop at the Good Harbor Beach snack bar area

Dog Poop is a consequential environmental issue. During the season when dogs are allowed on the beach we see the gamut of poop-maintenance behaviors. Most people clean up after their pet. However, many people bury the poop in the sand or leave their poop bags behind. When someone leaves their bag by the footbridge, then other dog owners take it as a sign as a place to deposit their bag. The pile of dog poop in a rainbow color of bags grows and grows. Do we want beachgoers stepping in sand covered poop or being confronted with piles of dog poop? There is no poop cleaning fairy. It is left  to our awesome DPW or one of the very nice volunteers, like Chris Cefalo, his brother, and Michael Cook who regularly cleans GHB to remove garbage and also the bags of poop.

Good Harbor Beach footbridge

Keeping Dogs out of the Dunes During the Growing Season Helps Protect the Dune Ecosystem

If you regularly visit Good Harbor Beach during the off season, you can’t help but notice, the “Keep out of Dunes” signs are frequently ignored by pet owners. There are many who do respect this vital habitat, but also many who don’t. Dogs running and playing vigorously through the vegetation tears at the roots and weakens the plants. Vegetation holds the dune sand in place and without plants the dunes continually recede.

Over the past several years, you may also have noticed the vast improvement in the overall health of the dunes. There is a direct correlation to keeping the symbolically roped off areas up through out the summer season and into the fall because by preventing people and pets from recreating right up to the base of the dunes, it allows just that much more room for vegetation to take hold, and is one fantastic tool in the tool box against fighting erosion.

Dog going pooh within nesting area

Keeping Dogs off the Beach Helps Nesting Shorebirds Survive

Last, but not least, dogs on the beach are a well-known threat to shorebird nests and especially to young birds that can’t yet fly to escape danger.

How so you may wonder? “My dog is so sweet and would never harm a baby bird.”

When there are baby birds on the beach, the Plover parents do their absolute utmost best to keep the chicks safe. The parents exhibit all sorts of distraction behaviors including dragging and fluttering their wings on the ground to fake injury, thereby encouraging the predator to follow it and drawing the threat away from their most vulnerable chicks.

Plovers cannot tell the difference between a domestic dog, Fox, or Coyote. Dogs bound exuberantly on the beach through nesting areas and Coyotes and Fox dig in the sand for eggs and chicks. The ever vigilant Plover parent will  leave the nest and fly at any creature Canid. Often, both parents will fly away from the nest in a sort of tag team distraction method. But while they are busy defending the chicks from a member of the dog family, that is the perfect time for a gull, crow, hawk, or falcon to swoop in and snatch the eggs or eat the baby chicks. Crows focus on eggs and gulls not only eat the eggs, they also eat chicks at every stage of development, even fledglings that have grown as large as the parent. Coyotes eat both eggs and chicks.

Especially during pupping season, Red Fox scavenge the beach looking for shorebird eggs, small mammals, and birds to feed their growing family. Plovers cannot distinguish the difference between a Coyote, Fox, or domestic dog. 

Fierce Dad and FairFeathered Mom tag team distracting a Herring Gull

As I am writing this message, please know that we still have young birds at Good Harbor Beach that can’t yet fly well enough to escape predators. This is extremely late in the season and is due to the tremendous loss of nests during the May Nor-easter; losses all along the coast of Massachusetts. Many of the nesting birds eventually re-nested and we are seeing their offspring. Shorebird managers across Massachusetts  are contending with taking care of these late flying chicks.

Here are on Cape Ann we are blessed with many beautiful alternative locations to walk our dogs, including Crab Beach (adjacent to  the Boulevard), which is open year round to dogs and dog owners.

If you would like to see scenes of Plovers displaying their fascinating distraction techniques and learn more about predators on beaches, please watch our film The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, which I created specifically for people to learn more about how we can all help protect shorebird wildlife and their habitats.  Our documentary is streaming on the PBS Passport AP 24/7. Anyone can become a member of PBS Passport by donating to PBS. It’s so worthwhile, especially for young children with curious minds.  What other streaming service can you get for $5.00 a month!!

As I first wrote, it is a $300.00 fine and doubled during the season to bring dogs to Good Harbor Beach, so please dog owners, for your sake, for the health of the beach ecosystem, and for the safety of growing shorebirds, please do not walk your dog at Good Harbor Beach or any beach where there is precious habitat and baby birds. Thank you!The No Dogs from April 1st through September 30th signs are boldly displayed at every entryway to Good Harbor Beach

Massachusetts is Leading the Way in Piping Plover Recovery – Outstanding Coastal Waterbird Cooperators’ Meeting!

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Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist

Last week I has the opportunity to attend the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Cooperators’ Meeting. The meeting is held annually to bring together people and organizations that are involved with population monitoring and conservation efforts on behalf of coastal waterbirds.

Representatives from the seven Massachusetts coastal regions gather to share information, anecdotes, and data collected throughout the season. This year the meeting was held at Audubon’s stunning Barnstable Great Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary; hosted by Audubon staff and Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist.

American Oystercatcher chicks

Threatened and endangered species such as Least Terns, Piping Plovers, Roseate Terns, and American Oystercatchers are given the greatest attention.

It’s fascinating to learn how we are all sharing similar experiences including egg predation by Crows, gulls, and Coyotes, disturbances of all shapes and kinds, low egg hatching, and storm washouts. Carolyn directs the event and she does an extraordinary job of weaving all the information together.

Reporting population numbers is followed by “Strange and Unusual,” a super fun section where field agents share funny/odd occurrences, photos, and videos. A special tribute was given to honor Shiloh Schulte, who perished in a tragic helicopter crash while studying shorebirds in Alaska. Shiloh Shulte was a beloved friend and mentor to shorebird conservationists every where and one of the  coordinators for the American Oystercatcher Recovery Program. You can read more about Shiloh and his work HERE.

The afternoon programs are especially interesting with presenters sharing experiments, projects, and best practices, including two of special interest to our region; one on launching in-depth data collection on fireworks, and best practice for engaging with landowners. All the programs are wonderfully educational.

Handicapped Mom and Super Dad’s second attempt at nesting

Despite an extremely challenging year, largely due to the fact that most of the nests around the State were washed out in a late spring storm, perhaps the most outstanding take-away is that this year again, Massachusetts is at the leading edge edge of Piping Plover recovery.  We should be super proud of our state. While many regions are seeing very little, none, or even worse, declining numbers, Massachusetts is leading the way in Piping Plover recovery!

 

 

Piping Plovers at the New Hope Film Festival!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

I hope you are having a lovely summer. I am so looking forward to these last three weeks of August and then we go into the wonderfully atmospheric months of September and October. Is there anywhere in the north Atlantic region where these months aren’t sublime?

I have held off on writing about PiPls all summer because we have had some very late season nesters. I’ll share an extensive report about the Plovers when I feel its safe for them and they are well on their way to fledging. In the meantime, I am very delighted to write that our Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay has been accepted to the New Hope Film Festival and is screening on Monday, August 18th at 6:00pm. We are sharing the billing with another animal welfare documentary, The Ramba Effect, about an Asian Elephant and her 2,550 mile journey to her new home at an elephant sanctuary. If you are in the New Hope area and would like to see The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay and The Rhamba Effect, please go here: https://www.goelevent.com/NewHopeFilmFestival/e/AnimalWelfareDocumentaries

For the NHFF official program guide, please go here: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/102134961/

We also have all new Plover Lover T-shirts in all sizes and a great color, a sort of light sea green. For fans of West Coast Snowy Plovers, these chicks could easily pass for Snowy Plovers too.  Please let me know if you like the new color. They are a beautiful quality, all cotton, unisex sizing from xs to xl. The Tees are 30.00 plus 5. shipping.

We have had some adorable “Butterballs” on the beach this summer. I define a Butterball as a fledgling that is so pudgy it looks nearly as big, if not bigger, than its parent and barely seems as though it can become airborne. Rest assured these Butterballs do fly, eventually <3

Common Tern fledgling squawking to parent, “Feed Me, Feed Me, I’m Starving!”

Happy Summer,
xxKim

Gull Trouble!

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Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls are the species most commonly seen in our region. And both species pose a deadly, serious threat to Piping Plovers.

The gulls eat both Plover eggs and chicks. It’s not just tiny hatchlings they go after. We have seen Great Black-backed Gulls swoop in and take out a 25 day-old nearly-adult bird.

Plover parents employ several strategies for trying to prevent this from happening. They often call to their mate to come help and both will try to avert the gull’s attention. A Plover may drag its wing on the ground, faking injury in hopes of luring the gull away, or it may dive bomb the gull, or latch onto its tail feathers, and all the while making an angry, loud rattling call. Usually, the parents are successful, but not always.

In the above sequence you can see both parents left the chicks unattended in order to distract the gull. This tag teaming is usually very effective and the Herring Gull left after a short time.  Mom ran back to back to locate her babes, calling to the chicks to rejoin her, and soon the two chicks were thermo-snuggling beneath Mom’s protective wings.

Sometimes it takes a gull many minutes to lose interest and the chicks become increasingly vulnerable to predation. In our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, a Herring Gull swooped off with a chick. Despite the parents best attempts to save their offspring, the Gull mortally wounded both the adult male and the chick.

What is the Number 1 way you can help? – Please Don’t Litter

Prior to 1931, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls did not breed in Massachusetts and were not present year round. Their populations increased significantly during the 20th century  because of the food resource available from landfills. They also prey on other birds and their eggs, and compete for nesting sites.

Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls are scavengers and thrive on the trash left behind on beaches. Never feed the gulls  on the beach. Please do not leave behind garbage and please do not bury trash. Gulls will find the garbage, as will the Crows, which are another species that is  equally as threatening to nesting shorebirds as are Herring and GBBGulls.

Plover Lovers Update!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

I am behind in providing updates and I apologize for that. Frankly, with the scale of all that is so very dark currently taking place in our country, I struggle with focusing on what is positive and good in the world of wildlife. Fortunately for them they know none of this. Happy news to share is that our Good Harbor Beach Plovers are recovered from the very late season nor’easter and are back on track with nesting activities. Not only Gloucester Plovers, but Plovers all around the region are regaining their bearings after the catastrophic loss of nests and habitat.

Plovers will re-nest (in other words, lay another clutch of eggs) as much as 3 to 4 times and in some extreme cases, have been known to re-nest 7 times. We always hope the first clutch is successful for several reasons. The earlier in the season the chicks hatch, the earlier they will fledge and be off the beaches. It is also very taxing on the female to lay additional eggs. Conservation biologists are very protective of breeding pairs, in a way even more so than chicks, because pairs that are known to breed are the birds that will carry on the species.

Wonderful news for our documentary The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, which has been accepted to the New Hope Film Festival, a truly stellar festival founded by a gentleman Doug Whipple, with the intention of highlighting independent filmmakers. New Hope sounds like a fun boho arts community and I am looking forward to attending this festival. The dates are August 15-24th and as we get closer to the event,  I’ll let you know more.

Rockport Middle Schoolers Cora and Juniper reached out to me for information about Piping Plovers for a project they were working on for their civics class. Don’t you love that Plovers are part of a civics discussion! I was delighted to help the girls with their project. They did an absolutely fantastic job and with permission, I am sharing the storyboard they put together for their presentation. Many thanks to Juniper and Cora for their interest in Plover conservation. I have been inspired by the two of them to create a shorter program for middle school kids as an hour long film presentation is suitable for high school, but the class periods are shorter in middle school from what I have learned.

My friend Jane in Nova Scotia shares an amazing ‘Plover Resiliency’ photo – the Plovers in her community are nesting at the TOP of the breakwater. The pair have found a tiny bit of grass and sand amidst the rocks. In case you were wondering, as was I, she reports that the tide never goes that high.

And my new Plover friend, Rhonda, in Ocean City, New Jersey, shares that their chicks have hatched and are doing well. Like Good Harbor Beach, the beach where their Plovers are nesting is also a highly trafficked location and has been consistently voted New Jersey’s most popular beach. Rhonda organized a screening of POMB with a virtual QandA at the Ocean City Public Library and the audience was so engaged. It was an utter joy to present to this very enthusiastic crowd. You can read more about the screening here: Ocean City Has Some Good Things to Say About The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay

That’s all the Plover news for now. Happy Sunday!
xxKim

 

Ocean City, New Jersey Has Some Good Words for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay!

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Through our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, I have had the joy to meet a kind and dedicated Plover ambassador for Ocean City, New Jersey. Rhonda helps watch over the Plovers in her community. She arranged a screening and QandA  of The PPoMB at her local library, the Ocean City Free Public Library. It has been a pleasure getting to know she and Julie, the librarian. Rhonda wrote a lovely note and I am sharing it for the benefit of other communities and organizations that may be interested in hosting a screening and QandA.

Ocean City is one of New Jersey’s most popular, and most highly populated, beaches. Image courtesy wikicommonsmedia

Good morning, Kim,

Thank you so much for your screening of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay followed by your generous Q & A session! Your footage is amazing and I could watch your film again and again. 

This documentary is a gift to all of us in so many ways. For those of us who already adore these birds, it is a visual treat to see them up close in all of their cuteness. As someone who only has a pair of binoculars and a wobbly scope, to finally see them with clarity and zoomed-in is glorious! To be able to follow each step of their journey, including the hardships and dangers, really allows those who are not familiar with the world of beach nesting birds an opportunity to understand the threats plovers face and the impact, both positive and negative. Through the plovers’ incredible story and your beautiful images your film raises awareness in the most meaningful way.

I was excited to learn that the adults could feel the heartbeats of the chicks as they were incubating and that the chicks peep even while in their shells! I adored the footage of the chick sitting in the clam shell and the one where the chick does a head over heals cartwheel. And nothing beats the snuggling that they all do as they brood! We had one chick last year that brooded until he was quite old, and the shots that you had in your film of the brooding older chicks resonated with that memory and was very touching.

I am so glad that you made the link and password available so that folks could stream the film from their own device while we also streamed it through the library. That was a great suggestion and worked perfectly. I appreciate the stories and information that you shared during the Q&A session and I could listen to your stories for hours.

Thank you so much for sharing your film with all of us in our city and beyond. We had attendees even from out of state! I hope that this film will be just one step of the many that our community takes to help piping plovers. 

It was such a pleasure to meet you and I hope that as the awareness level around plovers increases in our community that there will be many reasons for us to be in contact in the future!

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for plovers. Your film is such a gift to us all.

With gratitude,

Rhonda

Common Eider Crèche

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The ducklings just kept coming and coming! Moms, aunties, grandmoms, and sisters raise Common Eider ducklings in large communal nurseries called crèches. This crèche of Common Eiders was feeding at Good Harbor Beach on the abundant seaweed brought in by the recent nor’easter.

Common Eider male, duckling, and female

Hilary Frye, Extraordinary Duckling Rescuer!  The Common Eider ducklings in the photos above are a pair that Hilary Frye and I rescued several years back. With soooo many ducklings in a crèche, it’s easy for ducklings to become separated from their family. But, as I learned from Hilary, the adults aren’t too fussy about taking in a few more!

Why Can’t I Fly My Drone Over Good Harbor Beach?

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Fairly frequently when coming onto Good Harbor Beach to check on the Plovers, we find the birds off their nests and in utter panic. I have learned over time that there is only one reason why the birds along the one mile stretch of beach are frightened enough to leave their nests, in unison.  Sure enough, in a moment or two, you hear the drone’s whirring motor first and then observe as it passes over the protected areas of the beach. Usually not one go around, but the operators make repeated passes over the birds. Whether zooming at top speed or hovering, the Plovers are terrified by these modern day avian predator-like cameras.

It is illegal and considered harassment under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to operate a drone over breeding areas. People are either unaware, feign ignorance, or even worse, are aware and simply don’t care. Countless times we have come onto our shifts to find all the birds in the area in complete meltdown mode. The birds think the drone is a predator that has come to eat their eggs, chicks, or themselves. There are even instances where a bird has flown after the drone and becomes injured. Today a man told me he was fully licensed to fly his drone over Good Harbor Beach. Drone operators need to understand that state, federal, and local ordinances supersede any licensing permit (see below for Good Harbor Beach regulations regarding drones).

There is accumulating evidence that the mere presence of drones causes direct harm to birds, not just during breeding season. The unfamiliarity and noise interrupts courtship, mating, and feeding. Entire tern and heron colonies have been abandoned due to drone disturbances.

Plover in crouched position, frightened by overhead drone, and off her nest

This past spring there was a political rally at Good Harbor Beach. We thought it tremendous that people were gathering in support of their views and the birds had absolutely no problem with the steady stream of people entering the beach from all directions. However, the representative’s organizers began preparing a sign that could be read only from an aerial pov, which meant they intended to fly a drone over the beach. We asked the organizers to please not fly the drone but they ignored our pleas and told us the drone was only going to fly over the water and the drone would only be on the beach for a few minutes. Of course we knew that would not be the case and sure enough the drone flew repeatedly over the dunes, disturbing every bird along the entire length of the beach. After fifteen minutes of sounding their alarm calls, all the birds on the beach flew off in unison. The drone was documented flying low over the beach for 45 minutes. Clearly, a beach with nesting birds is not the place to hold a rally if a drone is part of the equation, particularly when there are other locations as easily accessed.

Over millennia, nesting birds evolved with the constant threat of avian predators, including hawks, falcons, crows, gulls, and eagles. They have not adapted to understand that a drone is not a predator, no matter how much the drone operator protests that the birds are unbothered by the drone and have become used to its presence.

It is imperative for the safety of the birds that they have a healthy fear of drones. The last thing we want are nestlings thinking that hovering airborne shapes are nothing to be afraid of.

In our collective experiences monitoring the Plovers, we come across unethical behavior not only on the part of drone operators but also by fellow wildlife enthusiasts. We have seen photographers mashed up against the symbolically roped off areas, despite massively long telephoto lens, parking themselves for hours on end, and also following the birds relentlessly up and down the beach, despite the bird’s clear signals it is trying to get away and/or tend to its chicks. Early on in the pursuit of my dream to document wildlife, I was part of crowds that photographed owls. Observing how sensitive are owls, I no longer film owls in known locations. If I come across an owl or rare bird when out filming, I take a few photos and footage and go on my way. Crowds and hovering persons are also the reason why I no longer post specific locales and keep location information general.

To ethically document wildlife requires thought and is also a tremendous responsibility. We can all do our part to protect the beautiful creatures in our midst by being mindful and sensing their boundaries, especially, especially during the time of year when they are breeding.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information. I hope your question is answered, and why. Please share this post. Thank you 🙂

Nesting birds that are negatively impacted by drone operators include, but are not limited to, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, Little Blue Herons, and Piping Plovers

City of Gloucester Good Harbor Beach Regulations for Model Airplanes, Radio Controlled Aircraft, Drones

Good Harbor Beach Parking Lot

1. Permitted to fly only when beach parking lot is not in operation (no attendant on duty).

2. Restricted to times when pedestrian and vehicle traffic are at a minimum.

3. Not permitted before 8:30am.

4. Shall fly over the parking lot and marsh areas, not the road or beach.

5. Noise levels will be restricted to an acceptable level (non-flow thru, expansion chamber mufflers only).

6. Pilots shall fly in a safe and responsible manner at all times.

7. Pilots will be responsible and liable for their actions.

8. Pilots will abide by regulations in effect and maintain a safe environment.

9. Pilots will be considerate of wetlands and wildlife.

Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay Free Virtual Screening!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Please join me Thursday at 6:30pm for a free virtual screening and QandA of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. My new Plover friend Rhonda, from Ocean City, New Jersey, has created this event. She is hosting the screening along with the Ocean City Free Public Library. They have very generously made the screening free and open to the public. To register, please go here:

https://oceancity.bibliocommons.com/events/681f62880537f314d2fd563e

Featuring Sweet Warblers and The Bird Collision Prevention Alliance

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Dear PiPl Friends,

This lovely little Yellowthroat accompanied me on a recent early morning walk, or rather, we were both headed in the same direction. The warbler foraged all along the way, snatching insects as he darted from branch to branch before descending to the ground, where he found a rotting log rife with bugs.

His official name is Common Yellowthroat, but I don’t see anything common about the striking feather pattern of this petite bandited warbler.

According to Cornell, Common Yellowthroats are “resident to long-distance migrant. Most populations migrate; some go short distances and others journey all the way from northern Canada to Central America. Some populations in the southern United States and Mexico stay in place year-round.”

Speaking of bird migration, I met in person a new friend this week, Jane Alexander. Not exactly a new friend as Jane and I have been corresponding for many months over email. She stopped by with her son, Tony Sherin, on their road trip northward. What a joy to meet this extraordinary woman and her son. Jane is not only a gifted actress of stage and screen, but a passionate conservationist. And she has been an ardent social activist her entire adult life (The Great White Hope, Testament, Eleanor and Franklin). Her son is a documentary filmmaker and editor (and also a fellow Fujifilm camera lover) so we had lots and lots to talk about.  The time flew by and was much much too short.

Jane has been watching over Piping Plovers at her summer home for decades. She very kindly donated to our documentary The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay and I am so grateful for her generosity and for her true love of these valiant little birds. Amongst many of her projects, Jane has been involved in launching the Bird Collisions Prevention Alliance. Their brand new website is up and running with the tagline: More than 1 billion birds die in collisions with glass every year. The time to act is now! The website includes the reasons as to why birds hit glass, guidelines on solutions on how to help, and a call to action. Please visit the website to learn more more about how we can prevent a billion birds perishing every year.

Note the difference between the female and male Common Yellowthroat

Happy Mom’s Day!

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms, Aunties, Grandmoms, Sisters, Friends, and Dads who are Mom’s, too. Thank you for being you <3 Wishing you joy and happiness on this sunniest of Mother’s Day. xoKim

Our Good Harbor Beach footless Super Mom

One of ten clutches of eggs that Super Mom has laid at GHB since she and her mate first arrived in 2016.

In 2021, Super Mom’s right foot became very tightly wound with seaweed and fishing line. The following year, she returned to Good Harbor Beach footless. Yet despite that, her handicap does not prevent her from doing all the usual things Plovers do daily.

Piping Plovers, and many species of shorebirds, have a foot tamping technique, where they rapidly shake their feet in the sand to stir up invertebrates. Also called foot trembling, the action brings invertebrates to the surface where the Plover sees and catches the prey. Watch how Super Mom expertly forages for tiny mollusks and in this case, appears not hindered by her missing foot. Not all is great for our footless Mom, though. Occasionally I see her legs become very tired and she does a series of spazzy movements across the sand, as though she is having some sort of leg cramping going on.

The first clip is in slow motion so that you can see the technique; the second clip is in real time.

 

Darling Dunlins

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We see Dunlins in late summer and fall as the birds are heading south for the winter. They often travel in great flocks however, last October, a singleton was migrating along with an American Golden Plover and the two spent a few days at Brace Cove.

They are rather plain looking in feathers shaded sandy gray and taupe.

Dunlin in October

What a treat to see a northward bound Dunlin that is transitioning to its striking breeding plumage. I almost didn’t recognize the fellow in his fancier feathers!  

Dunlin at Eastern Point in mid-April

Dunlin range map

Listen, Earth Sings!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

I wanted to share with you two things of beauty for Easter Sunday –

This image of three Piping Plovers eggs in the sand is one of my forever favorite PLover nests. The nest was located in the most impossibly dangerous area, dangerous because it was on a highly crowded beach several feet from a City sidewalk. Not only that, as you can see from the photo, it was fully out in the open; not near a patch of beach grass or piece of driftwood, stone, or shell. The new, inexperienced PLover parents had not added a single bit of broken shell or pebble to line the nest either. Like all Plover parents though, they did sit on the eggs night and day. Unlike many PiPl parents, when danger arose, they did not leap up and try to distract the predator, but sat very, very still, camouflaged in the naked sand by their sheer stillness.

We who were aware of the nest had serious doubts as to whether or not the eggs would survive the plethora of crows and dogs off leash that frequent this beach. Miracle of miracles, all three chicks hatched. And all three grew to fly and to migrate.

Our Charlotte is seven and like all grandparents the world over, we think she is tops. She writes and illustrates these sort of sing-songy poems and for Easter she wrote one each for myself, her Grandfather, and her Dad. Here is mine –

the trees told the bushes and
the bushes told the flowers
and the flowers told the rain
and the rain told the sun
and the sun told the clouds
Happy Easter! Spring is Here!

Time to add Emily Dickinson to our nightly bedtime reading I think.

Easter greetings of joy to you.
xxKim

Piping Plovers Coming to France! Les pluviers siffleurs de Moonlight Bay

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Our Piping Plovers are crossing the Atlantic Ocean! The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be featured at the splendid Festival de l’Oiseau et de la Nature on April 18th and 19th.

This annual festival takes place at the Bay of Somme and is not only a film festival but a magnificent celebration of the natural world. There are over 400 guided walks, photo and art exhibits, screenings of the best nature documentaries, activities dedicated to children such as workshops and shows, debates, and conferences.

Our documentary has been translated into French for the exhibition and the festival organizers have created a new trailer, also in French, which you can watch here: https://www.festival-oiseau-nature.com/film/les-pluviers-siffleurs-de-moonlight-bay/

Les pluviers siffleurs de Moonlight Bay

Un film de KIM SMITH 

Ce documentaire raconte l’histoire de pluviers siffleurs, des petits oiseaux menacés. Ses héros sont un couple courageux et leurs turbulents petits.

Elever des poussins de la taille d’un marshmallow sur une plage urbaine très prisée n’est pas de tout repos et la famille doit faire face à de nombreux obstacles. Les pluviers siffleurs sont des indicateurs qui montrent comment humains et faune peuvent cohabiter, en particulier dans le cadre de la réduction de leur habitat. Ces oiseaux très résilients sont bien adaptés à la vie sur la plage, cependant, sans mesures de protection adéquates, ils ne pourront résister à la pression causée par les humains et les prédateurs.

Google Translate

This documentary tells the story of piping plovers, endangered little birds. Its protagonists are a courageous couple and their boisterous young.

Raising marshmallow-sized chicks on a popular urban beach is no easy task, and the family faces many obstacles. Piping Plovers are indicators of how humans and wildlife can coexist, especially in the face of shrinking habitats. These highly resilient birds are well adapted to beach life; however, without adequate protection measures, they will be unable to withstand the pressures caused by humans and predators.

Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay to Air in LA on Tuesday April 15th at 8pm

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See what Los Angeles PBS has to say about our film!

The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay airs Tuesday, April 15 at 8 PM

“Against the ever-changing tides of the Atlantic, a tiny but mighty family fights for survival. The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay follows a devoted pair of these rare shorebirds as they raise their marshmallow-sized chicks on a bustling urban beach. Every day is a test of their resilience—avoiding predators, braving unpredictable weather, and navigating a world where humans and wildlife collide. Will their fragile brood make it to adulthood?

This heartwarming and visually stunning special takes you inside the incredible journey of one of nature’s most determined parents. Witness breathtaking moments of survival and the deep bonds that keep these feathered families together. A story of hope, adaptation, and the delicate balance of our ecosystems.

Tune in for an unforgettable look at one of nature’s most compelling underdog stories. Sometimes, the smallest creatures have the most powerful stories to tell.”

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is airing at your local stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight bay is airing at the following California stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

Thank You Plover Friends!

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Thank you to all who attended our documentary screening of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay on Sunday afternoon. We had a terrific group of attendees, both very generous and wonderfully engaged in the Qand A following the screening. I loved discussing Plovers and filmmaking with our guests and appreciate so much everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to come and support the film.

Many, many thanks to Sarah, MAGMA’s founder and director, for hosting the event. In addition to offering a range of youth and adult dance classes, MAGMA provides an exceptional space for the community. Sarah hosts a range of events including films, dance performances, and local musicians, from punk bands, to string quartets! See MAGMA’s upcoming events here.

A very special shout out to Piping Plover Ambassadors Jonathan and Sally for their continued support and kind generosity. They provided all the beverages, Jonathan made an excellent bartender, and they both made everyone feel very welcome.

Male and female Piping Plover

Piping Plover Film Screening and Fundraiser!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Please join us Sunday afternoon, March 23rd, at 4pm, for a film screening and fundraiser for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. MAGMA Director Sarah Slifer Swift has very generously donated her lovely and spacious dance/event studio for our screening. A QandA with me will follow.  We’ll talk about the film, community outreach plans for the upcoming Plover season, conservation status, and any other relevant topics you would like to discuss.

We’ll have refreshments, too. MAGMA is located at 11 Pleasant Street, Suite 64, in Gloucester, with elevator handicap accessibility.

To purchase tickets, please go here: https://magma.center/event/film-fundraiser/

I hope to see you there!

Warmest wishes,

Kim

See one of our latest 30 second promos –

 

Happy almost-Spring

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Dear PiPl Friends,

At last, spring-like temperatures! It won’t be long before the crocus are peeking through (and for some friends, you may already have seen signs of life in your gardens). I think we could all use a breath of fresh air.

Lots to share – we are extremely occupied getting the files ready for our American Public Television debut, which takes place on April 1st, to coincide with PBS Earth Day month-long programming. I am overjoyed to write that The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be airing on over 289 stations, representing 85.5 percent of the US TVviewing audience, including 9 of the top 10 stations, and 21 of the top 25 markets (the major urban areas). And we were accepted to the Santa Monica Film Festival! Which is also a lovely segue to sharing about my recent trip to Los Angeles to visit our daughter. I arrived at her home with the flu, left with a virus, as did she have an entirely different virus, nonetheless, it did not stop us from adventuring all along the Central Coast. My daughter had planned a wonderful itinerary for our visit (she travels around the world through her work and could be a travel guide if she wanted!) and she took me to all her favorite wildlife hotspots, which are also some of the most staggeringly beautiful places along the Pacific Coast.

From Malibu to Ragged Point, we filmed and photographed many species of wildlife that are considered conservation success stories, along with species continuing to struggle against habitat loss and a warming climate. Some highlights of which I will be sharing their stories include Snowy Plovers, Sea Lions, Elephant Seals, and Sea Otter Moms and pups (THE most adorable). We saw many splendid bird species, some that we see on the East Coast, and many only found on the West. It was so interesting to compare Snowy Plovers to Piping Plovers, her garden’s Allen’s Hummingbirds to our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Black Oystercatchers to American Oystercatchers, and Black Phoebes to Eastern Phoebes, to mention just a few. We visited bays and estuaries and along the way found heron rookeries, a Surf Scoter up close and actually in the surf (not far off as they are typically seen here in the East) and even met Malibu Lagoon’s resident Osprey.

Snowy Plover

Sadly, the Monarch Reserve at Pismo Beach was abysmal. The winter of 2024-2025 has been the second lowest count on record of the Pacific Monarchs however, I was very disappointed to see that there were absolutely no nectar plants blooming at the Reserve for the few Monarchs that were there. The butterflies were flying around, clearly looking for nectar. We did see about a dozen Monarchs further north at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort, but then again, the proprietors had taken the time and forethought to plant many nectar-rich flowering plants that were inviting to both the Monarchs and to the hummingbirds.

A reminder that our film screening and Q and A fundraiser is the afternoon of March 23rd at 4pm at Sarah Slifer Swift’s lovely MAGMA dance studio. As soon as I finish organizing the files to send to APT, I’ll send an evite postcard with information on how to purchase tickets. Thank you to all who are planning to come. I think it is going to be a wonderfully fun afternoon and I am looking forward to seeing everyone and talking about all things Plover!

Happy Spring <3
xxKim

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine’s Day Friends!

Thank You Plover Friends!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Thank you to all our Piping Plover ambassadors, volunteers, shorebird organizations, film donors, and well-wishers. Your kind support over the years for both our volunteer program and film project is so very greatly appreciated.

We have many people and conservation organizations to be thankful for, especially here in Massachusetts, where we are at the forefront of Piping Plover recovery. Organizations such as Mass Audubon’s Coastal Waterbird Program, Mass Wildlife, Trustees of Reservations, and Essex County Greenbelt Association have created stellar programs to help protect , monitor, and engage in our communities. Nationwide, Piping Plovers were once on the brink of extinction. In 1986, there were fewer than 200 pairs breeding in Massachusetts. Preliminary data from MassWildlife reports that there were 1,196 nesting pairs in 2024, a whopping 500 percent increase from 1986. PiPl recovery is not as bright in other regions as it is in Massachusetts. Plovers are counting on Massachusetts peoples and programs!

We have new and expanded Plover projects and programs planned for the coming year and more good news to share for our forthcoming documentary. If you are interested in becoming a Piping Plover Ambassador, please leave a comment or email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.

Wishing us all peace and joy and more conservation success stories in the coming New Year!

Warmest wishes,

Kim

Migrating Piping Plover “Elwood” News – Delaware to Florida Express!

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Piping Plover first-hatch-year Elwood, who was banded as a tiny baby in Delaware this past spring, was recently photographed in Jacksonville, Florida! Photographed by Jacksonville resident Brett Moyer, Elwood was spotted foraging at the tidal flats of Huguenot Memorial Park. Sightings of birds making their first year migration are particularly rare.

PiPls are listed as endangered in Delaware. Historically, they typically nest at Cape Henlopen State Park but since 2016, PiPls been breeding in increasing numbers at Fowler Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources.