Dear PiPl Friends!
I just had to share this study with all of you as many of us who have been looking after Plovers may relate to the following. This past week I attended the annual Northeast Coastal Waterbird Cooperators meeting, an event that brings together all the different conservation groups and individuals that monitor Piping Plovers, Least Terns, Roseate Terns, and American Oystercatchers from across New England and the mid-Atlantic. This outstanding meeting, with many moving parts, is organized by Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist. I eagerly look forward to the meeting every year and it is so uplifting to be with such an incredible group of caring conservation minded organizations and individuals.
The morning hours may sound a little wonky, where all the different states and regions share data on pairs and fledged chicks for the different species, but I love it and find it very interesting to learn how individual beaches are faring and why and why not numbers are up (or down as is sometimes the case). Next on the agenda is Strange and Unusual, which is always engaging (our Good Harbor Beach Plovers have been featured several times!).The after lunch part of the meeting is especially interesting because people share reports and updates on shorebird studies that they are conducting throughout the regions. I was very happy to learn about several studies being conducted to determine how wind farms will impact migrating shorebirds and hope as much at least is being done for whales, dolphins, and other sea creatures.
Truly fascinating is an ongoing study that is taking place at Fire Island, Long Island. The research is about Piping Plover dispersal, with ten plus years of data collected. 600 individual banded Plovers were monitored. All of us Plover ambassadors know that adult Plovers show tremendous fidelity to nesting sites; for example, at Good Harbor Beach our Super Mom and Dad have nested within several feet of their previous year’s nest for the past nine years. Over the years we had learned that the offspring don’t generally return to the nesting site and it was assumed they traveled far and wide. This movement is referred to as “natal dispersal.” Well, this new study may very well prove otherwise. Roughly 85 percent of offspring at Fire Island return to the same area, the median distance is 5.5 km, and the closest returning offspring was only 5.1 meters. What does this mean? I think Good Harbor Beach has become populated with Super Mom and Super Dad’s offspring! We have all often wondered if the little chicks from one year are returning as adults the following year. For the most part, Plovers are not banded in Massachusetts; we have no way of knowing precisely but it sure is exciting to think that we have this wonderful little population of Super Mom and Super Dad’s extended family returning annually to GHB! Something to think about 🙂
Other wonderful news is that our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, was awarded Best Family Friendly Film by Cine Paris Film Festival. For local friends, the Newburyport Film Festival is running September 20th through the 22nd and as soon as we have a screening date, I will let you know, and hope you can come!
Happy August,
xxKim
P.S. We have Plover Lover T-shirts at Alexandra’s Bread (all profits go towards the film) and please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to our online fundraiser to bring The PiPls of Moonlight Bay to public television. LINK HERE We are also hoping to connect with possible underwriters – foundations, local businesses, corporations, and individuals. Please let us know of your thoughts and possible leads. Thank you!