Tag Archives: Least Terns

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!

 

 

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.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MASSACHUSETTS WITH 1,100 PAIRS OF PIPING PLOVERS – OUTSTANDING COASTAL WATERBIRD COOPERATORS MEETING!

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The annual Northeast Coastal Waterbird Cooperators meeting was held live last week in Barnstable at Cape Cod Community College’s new science and engineering center. After several years of attending virtually, it was a joy to meet in person.

Conservation organization’s representatives from all eight Massachusetts coastal regions, along with representatives from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine share numbers and anecdotes about breeding pairs of endangered and threatened shorebirds including Piping Plovers, Least Terns, American Oyster Catchers, Roseate Terns, and Black Skimmers.  It’s fascinating to learn how we are largely all sharing similar experiences with predators and disturbances of all shapes and kinds. Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist, directs the event and she does an extraordinary job of weaving all the information together.

Sharing numbers is followed by “Strange and Unusual,” a super fun section where field agents share funny/odd occurrences, photos, and videos for example, PiPl nests with five eggs, strangely colored and oddly shaped eggs, parking lot nesters, and more. Carolyn shared the trailer for my forthcoming film, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, and I am happy to share that it was very much enjoyed by the attendees!

The afternoon programs are especially fascinating with presenters sharing experiments and projects including two of special interest; one on using odors to deter mammalian predators and another with music and different sounds to deter Black-crowned Night Herons from eating shorebird eggs. All the programs are wonderfully educational.

Perhaps the most outstanding piece of information is that this year, Massachusetts was home to 1100 breeding pairs of Plovers. That may not sound like a whole heck of a lot considering our hundreds of miles of coastline, but 1,000 pairs has been a long held goal of shorebird recovery programs in Massachusetts. 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!

Smooshed!

 

THANK YOU GOVERNOR BAKER AND THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION FOR PROTECTING PIPING PLOVERS AT DCR BEACHES!

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So proud to live in Massachusetts, a state where the lives of threatened and endangered shorebirds that nest along our coastline, birds such as Least Terns, Piping Plovers, and American Oyster Catchers are considered worth protecting.

Despite all that the State government is trying to manage with the pandemic at its very peak, a huge shout out to Governor Baker and his administration for continuing the fight to help protect Piping Plovers. The Governor’s list of essential workers includes natural resource workers and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has placed symbolic roping and threatened species signs on DCR beaches.

For over forty years, people have been working to rebuild the Piping Plover population and it will only add to the coronavirus tragedy if we cease protecting threatened and endangered wildlife.

The PiPls are having a tough time of it this spring, largely because so much of their overwintering habitat was ravished during last year’s Hurricane Dorian. Let’s all work together to share the shore with wildlife and to protect our own Good Harbor Beach Piping Plover family.

Males and females are pairing up at local beaches

Male PiPl building a nest scrape and tossing bits of shells and sand into the scrape.

Female PiPl keeping out of the path of gusty winds.

Winthrop Shore Reservations ‘Five Sisters’

Grant helps plovers have record year on Crane Beach, featuring Jeff Denoncour —

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Grant helps plovers have record year on Crane Beach
Local Ne.ws
By John P. Muldoon

ROTARY CLUB PAID FOR THREE SOLAR-POWERED ELECTRIC FENCES

IPSWICH — Those little birds you see running around the beach don’t have it easy.

Although they have wings, they won’t fly to trees to build their nests. Instead, they scoop holes, or “scrapes,” in the sand and lay their eggs there.

And that’s an invitation for all kinds of trouble: predators, rogue waves, dogs, or clumsy or malicious humans.

Combined with widespread loss of habitat, piping plovers are now on the federal government’s threatened species list. One estimate says there are just 8,400 left worldwide.

But along with lease terns, which are protected in Massachusetts, the plovers are well taken care of on Crane Beach.

In fact, they were so well taken care of in 2019 that a record number of chicks fledged and are now ready for the next perilous phase of their lives — a migration to the Bahamas.

This year, 49 pairs of plovers raised 96 chicks, said Jeff Denoncour, coastal ecologist with The Trustees of Reservations.

The last year that good for the birds was in 1999, when 44 pairs produced 89 fledglings, he added.

To show how precarious the species’ existence can be, Denoncour said the year 2000 was disastrous. Just 12 fledglings survived despite the efforts of 49 pairs. “That was due to a major storm,” he explained.

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE

Jeff Denoncour and Courtney Richardson last year at Jeff’s program on coastal ecology held at the Cape Ann Museum

NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT THREE PIPING PLOVERS TODAY AT GOOD HARBOR BEACH!

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Throughout the day, a threesome has been actively feeding, battling for territory, and two of the three, displaying courtship behavior.

Often times I have read that Piping Plovers in Massachusetts do not begin to actively court until mid-April. That simply has not been the case with our Good Harbor Beach pair. As soon as they arrive to their northern breeding grounds, they don’t waste any time and get right down to the business of reproducing! Last year, the PiPls were courting within a week of arriving, and this year, on the first day.

I only had brief periods of time to visit the beach this morning, but within that window, FOUR separate times the male built a little scrape, called Mama over to come investigate, while adding bits of dried seaweed and sticks, and fanning his tail feathers.

Papa scraping a nest in the sand.

Fanning his tail and inviting Mama to come inspect the nest scrape.

Tossing sticks and beach debris into the scrape.

Papa high-stepping for Mama.

It was VERY cold and windy both times I stopped by GHB and the PiPls were equally as interested in snuggling down behind a clump of dried beach grass as they were in courting.

Mama and Papa finding shelter from the cold and wind in the wrack line.

Good Harbor Beach was blessedly quiet all day. Our awesome dog officer Teagan Dolan was at the beach bright and early and there wasn’t a single dog in sight, I think greatly due to his vigilance and presence educating beach goers this past week.

Heather Hall, Katharine Parsons, Alicia Pensarosa, Laurie Sawin

Saturday we had the pleasure of meeting Katharine Parsons, Director of the Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program. She gave an outstanding program to a crowd of Piping Plover advocates and interested parties, which was held at the Sawyer Free Library. Katharine covered everything from life cycle, management strategies and tools, habitat conservation, and the fantastic role Massachusetts is playing in the recovery of Piping Plovers, Least Terns, Roseate Terns, and Oystercatchers. We are so appreciative of Alicia Pensarosa and Gloucester’s Animal Advisory Committee for sponsoring Katharine!

Ward One City Councilor Scott Memhard and Katharine

City Council President Paul Lundberg, Katharine, and Alicia

Fun Fact we learned from Katharine’s presentation–a Piping Plover chick weighs six grams at birth. In comparison, and after consulting Google, a US nickel weighs a close 5.5 grams.

CAPE ANN WILDLIFE 2018: A YEAR IN PICTURES AND STORIES Part Three: Summer

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Go here to read Part One: Winter

Go here to read Part Two: Spring

PART THREE: SUMMER

The most joyous story about Cape Ann wildlife during the summer months of 2018 is the story of the high number of Monarch butterflies and caterpillars in gardens and meadows, seen not only in strong numbers along the Massachusetts coastline, but throughout the butterfly’s breeding range–all around New England, the Great Lakes region, Midwest, and Southern Canada.

Three days after celebrating the two week milestone of our one remaining Piping Plover chick, Little Pip, he disappeared from Good Harbor Beach. It was clear there had been a bonfire in the Plover’s nesting area, and the area was overrun with dog and human tracks. The chick’s death was heartbreaking to all who had cared so tenderly, and so vigilantly, for all those many weeks.

Our Mama and Papa were driven off the beach and forced to build a nest in the parking lot because of dogs running through the nesting area. Despite these terrible odds, the Good Harbor Beach Piping Plover pair hatched four adorable, healthy chicks, in the parking lot. Without the help of Gloucester’s DPW, the Piping Plover volunteer monitors, Ken Whittaker, Greenbelt’s Dave Rimmer, and the AAC, the parking lot nest would have been destroyed.

These brave little birds are incredibly resilient, but as we have learned over the past three years, they need our help to survive. It has been shown time and time again throughout the Commonwealth (and wherever chicks are fledging), that when communities come together to monitor the Piping Plovers, educate beach goers, put in effect common sense pet ordinances, and reduce trash, the PiPl have at least a fighting chance to survive.

Little Pip at twelve- through seventeen-days-old

All four chicks were killed either by crows, gulls, dogs, or uneducated beach goers, and in each instance, these human-created issues can be remedied. Ignoring, disregarding, dismissing, or diminishing the following Piping Plover volunteer monitor recommendations for the upcoming 2019 shorebird season at Good Harbor Beach will most assuredly result in the deaths of more Piping Plover chicks.

FOUR WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN HELP THE GOOD HARBOR BEACH PIPING PLOVERS SUCCESSFULLY FLEDGE CHICKS: OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR

Piping Plover chick testing its wings

Not one, but at least two, healthy and very hungry North American River Otters families are dwelling at local ponds, with a total of seven kits spotted. We can thank the fact that our waterways are much cleaner, which has led to the re-establishment of Beavers, and they in turn have created ideal habitat in which these beautiful, social mammals can thrive.

Several species of herons are breeding on our fresh water ponds and the smaller islands off the Cape Ann coastline. By midsummer, the adults and juveniles are seen wading and feeding heartily at nearly every body of water of the main island.

In order to better understand and learn how and why other Massachusetts coastal communities are so much more successful at fledging chicks than is Gloucester, I spent many hours studying and following Piping Plover families with chicks at several north of Boston beaches.

In my travels, I watched Least Terns (also a threatened species) mating and courting, then a week later, discovered a singular nest with two Least Tern eggs and began following this little family, too.

Least Tern Family Life Cycle

Maine had a banner year fledging chicks, as did Cranes Beach, locally. Most exciting of all, we learned at the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird meeting that Massachusetts is at the fore of Piping Plover recovery, and our state has had the greatest success of all in fledging chicks! This is a wonderful testament to Massachusetts Piping Plover conservation programs and the partnerships between volunteers, DCR, Mass Wildlife, the Trustees, Greenbelt, Audubon, and US Fish and Wildlife.

Fledged Chick

Cape Ann  Museum

Monarch Madness

Friends Jan Crandall and Patti Papows allowed me to raid their gardens for caterpillars for our Cape Ann Museum Kids Saturday. The Museum staff was tremendously helpful and we had a wonderfully interested audience of both kids and adults!

In August I was contacted by the BBC and asked to help write the story about Monarchs in New England for the TV show “Autumnwatch: New England,. Through the course of writing, the producers asked if I would like to be interviewed and if footage from my forthcoming film, Beauty on the Wing, could be borrowed for the show. We filmed the episode at my friend Patti’s beautiful habitat garden in East Gloucester on the drizzliest of days, which was also the last  day of summer.

Happy Two-week Birthday to Our Little Pip

Common Eider Ducklings at Captain Joes

Little Pip Zing Zanging Around the Beach

Our Little Pip is Missing

Piping Plover Update – Where Are They Now?

FOUR WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN HELP THE GOOD HARBOR BEACH PIPING PLOVERS SUCCESSFULLY FLEDGE CHICKS: OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR

What’s For Breakfast Mama?

42 Pairs of Piping Plovers Nesting at Cranes Beach!

Fishing for Sex

Welcome to Good Harbor Beach Mama Hummingbird!

Least Tern One Day Old Chicks!

Welcome to the Mary Prentiss Inn Pollinator Paradise

Piping Plover Symbolic Fencing Recomendations

Good Morning! Brought to You By Great Blue Herons Strolling on the Beach

Two-day Old Least Tern Chicks

OUTSTANDING COASTAL WATERBIRD CONSERVATION COOPERATORS MEETING!

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Grow Native Buttonbush for the Pollinators

A Fine Froggy Lunch for a Little Blue Heron

Snowy Owls in Massachusetts in August!?!

Monarch Butterfly Eggs and Caterpillars Alert

Learning to Fly!

Snapshots from Patti Papows Magical Butterfly Garden

Keep Those Monarch Babies Coming!

A Chittering, Chattering, Chetamnon Chipmunk Good Morning to You, Too!

Butterflies and Bird Pooh, Say What?

Caterpillar Condo

Monarch Madness!

Thank You To Courtney Richardson and the Cape Ann Museum Kids

A Banner Year for Maine’s Piping Plovers

Snowy Egret Synchronized Bathing

Good Harbor Beach Super High Tide

Otter Kit Steals Frog From Mom

Monarch Butterfly Ovipositing Egg on Marsh Milkweed: NINETEEN SIBLINGS READYING TO EMERGE

Monarch Butterfly Rescue

FILMING WITH THE BBC FOR THE MONARCHS!

Learning to Fly!

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Three days after hatching the Rosetti’s Least Tern parents moved the chicks further down the beach and deep into the roped off sanctuary. Tiny gray and white speckled fluff balls well-hidden amongst the rocky shoreline became increasingly difficult to see.

Well-camouflaged and nearly impossible to see one-week-old Least Tern chicks.

Every now and then though I would catch a glimpse and one of the best moments was watching both chicks test their wings in short little take offs. Stretching wide their wings and in little fits and bursts, the flights lasted about two- to three-feet in length, and equally as high. After witnessing the tremendous hardships the Least Tern colony at Winthrop had undergone this nesting season, I was over joyed to see at least one family hit this milestone.

One-week-old Least Tern chick feeding.

Two-week-old Least Tern chick.

Eighteen-day-old Least Tern chick taking shelter under beach vegetation on a scorchingly hot day in July.

Eagerly waiting to be fed.

Airborne!

Winthrop Shores Reservation Beaches