Tag Archives: drones

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.

Drones and Sensitive Bird Nesting Areas

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The following is a question I have been asked with increasing frequency, “should drone operators fly their drones over heron rookeries and other sensitive bird nesting areas?”

One of several unfortunate situations that I have witnessed while observing herons was watching a Great Blue Heron desperately try to escape a drone operator that was harassing it. As the drone operator tried to get close to the bird, the GBHeron flew from one treetop to the next, back and forth across the parking lot at the Lighthouse. Finally, the Heron left the area entirely. Great Blue Herons love to forage there in the marsh and the drone was clearly preventing it from feeding.

In the case of nesting shorebirds and herons, hovering drones are even more traumatic because as much as the parent bird would like to escape the drone, protectively, the bird also does not want to leave its eggs and nestlings. One of the most troubling situations we Plover keepers have to contend with is drone operators flying over nesting shorebirds. It is illegal and considered harassment under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to operate a drone over breeding areas. However, 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. At first you may not see the drone and wonder what on earth is making the birds respond in such an extraordinary manner. And then there it is; whether flying high over head or close to the ground, the birds are in utter panic. Because they think the drone is a predator that has come to eat their eggs, hatchlings, or chicks. Oftentimes, the heron or shorebird will try to distract the drone, leaving the nest unattended and in even graver danger from predators.

There is accumulating evidence that the mere presence of drones causes direct harm to birds. The unfamiliarity and noise interrupts courtship, mating, and feeding. Entire tern and heron colonies have abandoned their nests  due to drone disturbances.

Least Tern and two chicks

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.

The American Oystercatcher is a relatively new-to-our-region and wonderful species of shorebird that has been trying to nest in the North of Boston area over the past several years. Tragically, word got out this past spring on one of the birding alert websites telling folks exactly where to look for the pair and their nest. The crowds of photographers was untenable for the nesting parents. With all the unwanted attention, the Oystercatchers became very confused and lost their first nest, where one of the chicks had already hatched! The pair re-nested. Again, word got out, the nesting area was again inundated with photographers and the Oystercatchers abandoned their second nest.

American Oystercatchers, New Jersey

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.

Just some of the birds negatively impacted by drones during the breeding season –

Great Blue Herons courting 

Juvenile Glossy ibis

HAPPY TEN DAY OLD MILESTONE LITTLE CREEK BABY!

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Good morning PiPL Friends,

Sunday marked the late nest little chick’s ten-day-old milestone. Thank you to all our GHB and CHB ambassadors for your wonderfully watchful eyes and updates. And thank you Deb and Duncan for the late day/ early evening misty sightings.

Susan Pollack writes from her morning shift,

“Good morning all,

On this drizzly morning I found the new dad and chick all the way down the beach, foraging at the water’s edge. It was high tide, no time to be at the creek.

The dad was as protective ever, chasing off sanderlings skittering at the tideline and piping at walkers to keep their distance. In quieter moments he and the chick, as lively as ever, resorted to some thermo-snuggling.

When Jane arrived at 8, I headed west to look for Handsome and the fledgling. I found them  with Mom, who seems to have lost a leg, and a plover I assume is the mother of the new chick. All four birds were resting contentedly in the sand, their bodies cocked into the wind. No other birds were in sight, a peaceful scene.”

and Jennie shares a haiku for Heidi,

Heavy cloud day—
refuge for chick and dad
at river’s bend.

A brief update from Dave Rimmer – although there were PiPls at Coffins Beach, for the first time in a long while, there were no nests. The good news is that there are three chicks in Beverly!! Thanks so much to Dave for sharing the 411.

Jill, please let me know if you touch base with Joe regarding the monofilament bin. Thank you 🙂

Have a great day!
xxKim

Some photos of our little ten-day-old chick and family

From a nest of three eggs, two hatched

The egg that didn’t

First daysThe tiny one-day-old chick that perished

Salt Island Dad puffed out, making himself look larger while defending the littlest chick from Handsome

DRONES AND GREAT BLUE HERONS AT GOOD HARBOR BEACH

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Good morning PiPl Friends,

Eventful day for our PiPls and our Ambassadors was yesterday!

Thank you Jennie and Ann for being on top of the drone issue. The City’s website only says 50 feet but I am not sure if that follows federal and state guidelines. I thought the distance was 200 meters (650 feet, or approximately two football fields as my husband pointed out), which is what I wrote on the informational one sheets. We can find out from Carolyn where specifically it is written and exactly what is the distance. Either distance, causing a disturbance to the Plovers is considered harassment and is fineable.

Last summer I watched a drone hovering over a Plover family with only one-day-old chicks. It was mortifying to see how terrified the adults were and it took hours for them to settle down. Later that summer, I observed a drone chase a Great Blue Heron from treetop to treetop. These drone operators were there intentionally to film the birds. It was difficult to observe how oblivious they were to the bird’s responses. I reported the PiPl drone incident to the DCR biologists, but the man had left the area.

Thankfully the two guys yesterday at GHB stopped after some talking to by Jennie, and the Plovers were not their focus. Thank you Jennie and Ann for seeing the issue through and staying until they packed up.

Regarding the Great Blue Herons at Good Harbor yesterday, GBH are frequent visitors to GHB, both in the marsh, at the Creek, and along the front of the beach, too. They eat everything, including adult Plovers and chicks 🙁 As much as I love them, I keep a close watch.

Sue Winslow has been by to check on the GHB PiPls. She hasn’t yet seen them but can hear peeps in the marsh. Hopefully all survived the unrelenting deluge this early am. High tide was at 6:07, precisely when the storm was at its worse.

Udate, the parent and chick have been spotted down the Creek.

Thank you so very much again to everyone for your kind well wishes and offers to help. I have an appointment with a specialist tomorrow afternoon and will know then whether an operation is needed.

Have a lovely Sunday, funday!
xoKim

Although I made this video over eight years ago its still fun to see the Great Blue Heron at GHB eating an eel.