Weather, Predators Affecting Piping Plovers

July 22, 2009

Topics: Conservation | Piping Plovers

Seasonal biologists working with Maine Audubon and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to manage endangered piping plover conservation in Maine report that weather has challenged piping plovers this year, with six nests lost to extremely high tides created by storms and a new moon around the solstice.

The biologists work on 19 Maine beaches from Ogunquit to Reid State Park. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge manages six additional beaches where piping plovers nest.

As of mid summer 2009, biologists, aided by volunteers, have recorded 31 attempts plovers have made to nest, with just 18 nests currently viable. In addition to the six nests washed away by tide, three were destroyed by predators, and two were abandoned.
Twenty-two piping plover chicks have disappeared, most likely because of predators, and possibly because of the high tide. The current count of fledglings is 39.

Final 2009 numbers will be reported in September.