Plight of the Piping Plover

Last week Canadians learned that in parts of Atlantic Canada the endangered Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus melodus) is not recovering as well as expected. Numbers from the 2011 International Piping Plover Census in the region revealed that numbers declined 7% since 2010, leading to an overall decline of 14% since the early 1990s. This puts the Atlantic melodus population below the 2011 recovery target of 510 individuals, or 255 pairs. A total of 427 individuals was recorded throughout the region in 2011.



The Piping Plover is actually represented by two subspecies in Canada: the melodus subspecies on the Atlantic coast, and the circumcinctus subspecies in the mid-western interior of the continent. On the Atlantic coast the melodus population faces a number of threats including loss and degradation of nesting habitat, human disturbance (direct and indirect), harassment by domestic pets and recreational vehicles on beaches, increased predation, severe weather and abnormal tides, among others. Visit the Species At Risk Act Public Registry to learn more.



Several years ago I managed a recovery and stewardship program for Piping Plovers in southwest Nova Scotia. That program has evolved and continues today (picture above) as part of a province-wide effort coordinated by Sue Abbott at Bird Studies Canada (our Canadian co-partner in BirdLife International).



Earlier this summer my family vacationed in southwest Nova Scotia and had an opportunity to visit some of the Piping Plover nesting beaches found in the area (picture to left). It was a wonderful opportunity for me to see the real benefits of about 20 years of effort to recover the species and educate people about its plight. That effort was put in by many individuals and organizations, including many dedicated volunteers across the region. But as last week's report indicates, the increase in Piping Plover numbers in southwest Nova Scotia was not mirrored in other parts of the region.



Revisiting some of southwest Nova Scotia's plover nesting beaches reminded me of the many complex threats faced by species at risk. It underscored for me the importance of effectively stewarding and/or protecting the remaining habitats - especially the critical habitats - of these species and finding ways to restore those habitats throughout the species' historic range, whenever possible. Imperiled species such as the Piping Plover especially need to be free of human disturbance and other threats that 'piggy-back' on us - like pets roaming on beaches, coastal development, litter, etc. - so they have a fighting chance to deal with the many threats they naturally face, like predation and severe storms. And that leads me to a piece of great news in this otherwise unsettling story.



On August 6th the Nova Scotia Nature Trust announced the acquisition and protection of 33 acres of coastal lands at Crow Neck Beach, a beach in southwest Nova Scotia that supports more pairs of Piping Plovers than any other beach in the province. Crow Neck Beach (picture to right) is also part of the nationally significant South Shore (Roseway to Baccaro) Important Bird Area, which is also a key stopover site for thousands of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. This is excellent news for Piping Plovers and other feathered friends!



All photos by A. MacDonald

Note: My Piping Plover photo was taken at a safe distance using optical + digital zoom.

Piping Plovers Return to Sauble Beach for Fifth Season

Photo: Brendan Toews

Nature Canada supporters and volunteer Piping Plover guardians, Kim and Brendan Toews, have been providing us with updates on the return of Piping Plovers to Sauble Beach in Ontario for several years. Here is their update for the 2011 season:

Without question, Piping Plovers are one of the most glorious birds and worthy of every conservation effort. The Piping Plover is the rarest of Ontario's four breeding plover species.  There really is something special about seeing an endangered species in its natural habitat.  Piping Plovers have faced many threats in the past 45 years which have led to its endangered status.  Significant contributing factors to its decline are accidental destruction of nests by pedestrians and vehicles; the disturbance of nesting birds; predator species such as Merlin, gulls, crows, foxes, raccoons and skunks; high water levels from the mid 1970's, to the 1986 peak levels, either flooded or remodeled much of the suitable beach habitat in the lower Great lakes.  This extensive habitat loss coincided with the timing of the extirpation of the Piping Plover from the lower Great Lakes.  Additional threats to the Piping Plover include daily beach grooming, oil spills, hurricanes, boats and West Nile virus.  The Piping Plover was declared an endangered species in Ontario in 1977, and in Canada, by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), in 1985.

Mid April

North nest:
Our fifth field season officially began.  The first banded male in full alternate plumage arrived on the beach.  This male was a returning plover from the 2010 season.  It hatched in 2009 at Port Inland, Michigan.

Late April

North nest:
The male plover called vigorously while scraping a shallow depression with his feet in the sand.  The female inspected the scrape while the male stood in the depression with partially outstretched wings and a fanned tail. 

South nest:
A second banded male arrived on the beach.  In 2009, this male hatched at Platte North 4. In 2010, it had two nesting attempts at Tawas, Michigan but lost both nests to flooding.

Early May - Two nests this season.

North nest:
With the aid of my spotting scope, I observed one pale buff coloured, black-speckled egg in the scape (nest).  Once the full clutch of 4 eggs was laid both adults shared incubation duties.

Mid June

North nest:
The first 4 Piping Plover chicks of the year hatched.  Within an hour of hatching and drying off, the downy, young Piping Plovers left the nest and were carefully guarded by both parents.  Plover chicks are precocial, so the parents do not have to provide food for their young.  The newly hatched chicks moved around and pecked at things almost immediately.  During the first couple of weeks the chicks sought refuge and warmth under the adults due to the cold, wet weather.

Early July

North nest:
Observed two chicks and both adults were around to care for them.  A Merlin is a medium-sized falcon, and as suspected, they were the biggest challenge this season.  Day time disappearance of two chicks.  It is likely that the cause of this disappearance was predation. Merlins nested nearby and were observed hunting on the beach.  These predatory birds flew along the beach just above the sand spooking shorebirds into flight.  The two remaining chicks were active, foraging up and down the beach. Plovers walk with their feet turned inward, leaving a distinctive footprint in the sand.  The chicks were banded and very healthy.

South nest:
Three tiny, downy chicks hatched.  Within hours of hatching the chicks were on the run, scurrying about at speeds that made it challenging to follow them with a spotting scope or camera.  To keep warm, the chicks brooded often under the adults.  One egg was presumably not viable since the adults were no longer incubating it.  The egg was collected by an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources species at risk biologist.

Mid July 

North nest:
The female had abandoned the family to begin her southward migration, leaving the male to care for the two chicks as they built up strength and ability to migrate to the Gulf coast for the fall and winter.  The young plovers were beginning to stretch their wings and jump up into the air.  Later in the week they attempted their first short flights and are now able to fly proficiently.  The predatory nest exclosure and perimeter fencing were removed from the site.

Late July
It was a banner season and a tremendous success to have five fledged and healthy young result from two nestings which added to the Great Lakes population.  The success of these birds was a tribute to the great skill of the four adult plovers.  They have all begun their migrations to the Gulf Coasts where they will feed in small flocks until next April, when my Mom and I will be watching the beaches for their return.

Photos by Brendan Toews Photography ~ btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Taking Strides to Protect Habitat for the Piping Plover

Photo: Brendan Toews

We’ve talked about the Piping Plover quite a bit over the past few years. Many of you will remember the inspiring story of Annie Buckton – her fundraising efforts to protect the Piping Plover, a bird she grew to love during summer vacations on Sauble Beach, earned her the Nature Canada 2011 Charles Labatiuk Volunteer Award.

Here at Nature Canada, we have been working alongside Annie to protect this migratory bird. In our latest effort, we submitted comments on the proposed Species at Risk Act (SARA) Action Plan for the Ontario population of Piping Plover to the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment Canada.

The Plover, like 84% of Canada’s at-risk species, is threatened with extinction because of loss of habitat. It is also one of Canada’s most studied birds with two distinct populations – one which ranges from Alberta to Ontario (Charadrius melodus circumcinctus), and the other along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Charadrius melodus melodus). Unfortunately, Piping Plover breeding habitat often overlaps with popular areas for human recreation and is often destroyed by activities such as sunbathing, boating, and ATVs, as well as cottage and resort development.

Piping Plover populations living in Atlantic Canada and those living in the prairies, and around the Great Lakes are classified as endangered under SARA. The Act requires a recovery strategy and an action plan to be prepared for each species legally listed under SARA. The list is compiled using recommendations from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an independent body of experts responsible for assessing and identifying species at risk.

After combing through the proposed Action Plan (AP), we concluded that while it is generally good, it could be strengthened to better respond to the apparent expansion of the Piping Plover population in the Great Lakes region. As this Great Lakes population increases, the long term goals of the Plan should be updated to reflect the change in the Piping Plover’s distribution. However, we also agree with Environment Canada that not enough is currently known about the growing Great Lakes population – and so we suggested that yearly surveys be conducted to collect new breeding information in places like Manitoulin Island.

For more on Nature Canada’s comments on the proposed SARA Piping Plover Action Plan, read our letter to the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment Canada.

Piping Plover Art Exhibition Update

This past fall, nine year old Annie Buckton, fearful for the Piping Plover’s survival after learning that it would be passing through the oil-stricken Gulf of Mexico during its annual migration, raised funds through an art exhibition to support clean-up efforts in the affected areas. The Piping Plover is a small endangered shorebird that nests at Sauble Beach where Annie spends summers with her family at their cottage. Over the years, Annie watched as each season a dedicated group of volunteer guardians safeguarded the birds’ nests at the beach.

Here are few highlights of the exhibition:

• Number of artwork featured in the exhibition: 34
• Number of artists who participated in the exhibition: 21
• Money raised through artwork sales: $580 (9 pieces)
• Money raised through cash donations $55.00

In addition, Lake Huron Shoreline Coastal Conservation based out of Goderich, moved and inspired by Annie’s story, led a fundraising campaign with local businesses which raised approximately $1,000 for Annie’s Piping Plover cause.

Artists who contributed art pieces to the Piping Plover Art Exhibition are:

Mike Schwan Owen Sound, ON

Grant Murray/ Karen Murray Lion’s Head, ON

Dianne Sutter Shallow Lake, ON

Susan Gunter Hamilton, ON

Sharon Barfoot Sauble Beach, ON

Susan Enzensberger/ Glen Urquhart Kincardine, ON

Linda Bester Shallow Lake, ON

Cyndi Burgess Southampton, ON

Don Cavin Sutton West, ON

Jo Ann Strugeon Southampton, ON

Anna Nicholson Brantford, ON

Lynda Wills Southampton, ON

Carol Schmidt New Market, ON

Kate Kilty New Market, ON

Hannah Weaver New Market, ON

Michelle Van Nee New Market, ON

Steurat Scott Public School New Market, ON

Rhonda Uppington New Market, ON

Annie Buckton, New Market, ON

The proceeds from this exhibit and sale will go to Nature Canada to be directed to the National Audubon Society of the United States to support clean-up and recovery efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Nature Canada and the Audubon Society are both members of BirdLife International, a global partnership of conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. A special thank you to all contributed or helped raise funds for the Piping Plovers.

Photos were provided by the Southampton Art Gallery

Young girl takes up Piping Plover cause

Here’s an inspiring story. Annie Buckton is a nine-year-old girl from the small community of Southampton, ON, who spends summers at her family’s cottage at nearby Sauble Beach. There her fondness for nature and wild things developed, especially for the Piping Plover, an endangered bird species native to the area. This fall, as the Plovers wing their way into the disaster-struck Gulf, Annie has found a way to help, as her mother writes in a letter to Nature Canada:

Like so many of us, Annie watched and read stories about the horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year. Every day, she would ask her parents if the spill had stopped and every day she received the same grim answer – not today. Annie and her family traveled to the Gulf of Mexico last March and the magnitude of the disaster weighed heavily on her. As a nine year old, Annie couldn’t conceive the catastrophic havoc the spill would wreak on the ocean’s ecosystem, the damage to the livelihoods of fishermen, resort owners, land owners and all the endless industries that are indirectly affected. But what Annie did comprehend and what would consume her thoughts endlessly was what will happen to the wildlife, the water and shores? She watched in horror as the Audubon society plucked endangered species from the oily muck and attempted to clean them up and find new homes for them.

Things really hit home, however; when Annie and her mother read a story about the potential tragedy facing the Piping Plovers. For years, Annie has observed a dedicated group of bird lovers and environmentalists watch over the birds, protecting them from predators. The Piping Plover is just one of the many Canadian migratory bird species flying into the Gulf this season. Piping Plovers spend their winters mainly on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, Mexico and Cuba, particularly on beaches, mudflats, sandflats, bays, lagoons and inlets. Their spring migration peaks during mid-April; while many individuals would have already left the Gulf when the leak at Deepwater Horizon began, some may have been caught in the spill.

Although the fall migration peaks in August and September, plovers can begin to leave their breeding grounds as early as June or July if nest conditions have been unfavourable. These birds are heading straight to a region where their habitat and food sources may have been compromised and are still at risk from oil contamination.

Annie’s mother picks up the story:

This sad story broke Annie’s heart and led her to ask her mother a question that brimmed with the innocence and idealism of youth, “Mom, do you think I could paint a picture of a Piping Plover, frame it and ask that it be put it up in the Southampton Gallery for sale, and then I could give the money to save the Plovers?” Her parents, touched by the notion, called the Southampton Art Gallery, spoke to the Directors of both the gallery and the school and they in turn suggested they all take Annie’s idea one step further and invite talented local artists to join Annie and mount an exhibition and sale with proceeds going to efforts in the Gulf.

With the support of Annie and her family, the Southampton Art Gallery is hosting a month long exhibit in the Guest Gallery this Sunday, October 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The exhibit and sale will continue until November 4. Coincidentally the Gallery’s event launch day is also the same day that that has been declared by 350.org as the day “to do something that will help deal with global warming in your city or community. “

Artists from all genres are encouraged to follow Annie’s lead. The Gallery is looking for additional pieces of artwork to be donated to the exhibit for the sale. Proceeds will go to Nature Canada to be directed to the National Audubon Society of the United States to support clean-up and recovery efforts in the Gulf. Nature Canada and the Audubon Society are both members of BirdLife International, a global partnership of conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

Southampton Art Gallery is located at the corner of highway 21 and Main Street in Southampton, Ontario. For more details please call 519-797-5068 or 1-800-806-8838.

Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach - End of season

Piping Plover guardians Kim and Brendan Toews bring us a final update for the 2010 nesting season at Sauble Beach.

A sincere thank you goes to all the community members who volunteered this season as Piping Plover Guardians at Sauble Beach.

Sauble Beach will soon be empty of Piping Plovers, except for an occasional few passing through. They will all begin their migrations to the Gulf Coasts where they will feed in small flocks until next April, when we’ll be watching the beaches for their return. It is our hope that the Piping Plovers will survive to return to Sauble Beach in 2011. Until then...

17 July, 2010

We had many international visitors last year. One group from Buffalo, New York were so interested in the 2009 Sauble Beach Piping Plover Recovery Project that they returned again this season to help us out as guardians monitoring our birds. We really appreciate their continued support!

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male chased F1 from Nest 3 until she left the area. Chick tried to brood, but could only fit its head under the male's wing.

Four Sanderlings arrived on their fall migration and fed on the beach. Merlins seen in the area today.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Switch-overs continued every 90 minutes. Male observed limping when foraging south of nest area. Guardians will continue to monitor him.

18 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Male was vocalizing a loud, persistent pipe. Guardians were alerted to this and observed two, possibly three merlins flying over to the east.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Male is having some difficulty walking. Guardians are monitoring the situation. The male is still feeding and incubating and we are watching for any signs that he is having trouble doing either. The male will soon be doing much of the chick rearing. Female was off of the scrape twice to chase the male from Nest 2 away from the area.

19 July, 2010

Many visitors today. Children bringing their parents by to see the plovers. It has been a great season, and beach visitors have been so helpful and supportive of the recovery project. We have had many positive comments on how helpful our guardians have been.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Chick observed taking two flights. One was very short and the other approximately 70 metres.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The male is mostly using one leg as the injured leg is hanging somewhat loosely. He is still able to forage and incubate. The male does use his injured leg a bit when entering the exclosure, but even shifting positions while on the scrape seems a bit difficult. Guardians will continue to watch him closely. The female was feeding north as far as the Nest 2 exclosure.

Sanderlings are still in the area.

20 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The chick flew about 30 metres today. A Least Sandpiper arrived on the beach and has an injured leg that is not working well. The sandpiper remained close to the male. Everywhere that the male went the peep followed. Usually the male chases any other birds in the area, but he seemed content with the peep shadowing him.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Switch-overs still occurring and 4 were timed at 45 minutes apart. The male continues to struggle with getting inside of the exclosure, but is still foraging and incubating. Guardians are monitoring the male's behaviour. The female left the eggs at least three times this afternoon and evening to feed around the exclosure.

21 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male and chick fed and rested throughout the day. Several short flights were seen.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): One of our guardians had a really good look at the male. This plover seems to have a thread dangling a bit from his injured leg/foot. The male and female are still incubating. The male sits much lower on the scrape. The female is more easily recognized now as she sits more upright.

22 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Several short flights were taken by the chick today. The male and chick were observed feeding, resting and sunning themselves.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Officials from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Canadian Wildlife Service were on site today. A fine line (fishing or perhaps from a kite) had wrapped around the male's leg. The line was removed, as was the lower colour band and an antibiotic ointment was applied to the wounded area. Officials are uncertain about the future of the male's leg/foot, but at least now he has a better chance of survival. Guardians will continue to monitor this plover and their monitoring focus will switch more to this nest now.

23 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Chick appears to be eating more and it is about the same size as the male. The female from Nest 3 was foraging with these birds most of the afternoon and evening.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The male had a thread removed on his non-injured leg and monofilament removed on his injured leg. He seems to have adjusted to his leg/foot problem and continued to incubate the eggs for more than 7 hours while the female was foraging with the Nest 2 male and chick. M1 seemed content to have this female close by, as he didn't chase her away when she approached like he had on previous occasions. Both birds from this nest were observed poking at and moving the eggs on the scrape when they readjust.

24 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The chick is now able to fly proficiently. The chick will build up the strength and ability to migrate to the Gulf Coast for the fall and winter.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The nest has been abandoned. Neither plover was observed incubating the eggs today. The male was observed foraging south of the nest while the female was seen north of the nest. The eggs were clearly visible in the scrape and were collected by OMNR later on. Fox tracks were reported around the exclosure.

Thanks, Kim and Brendan, for all of your updates this year! This endangered species has definitely benefitted from the volunteer guardian program at Sauble Beach, and we've been excited to bring this on-the-ground news to our followers. We look forward to hearing more next year.

Read all of the 2010 Piping Plover updates from Sauble Beach:

• April 15-May 12, arrival
• May, nesting
• June 11-22, hatch
• June 23-30, chicks
• July 1-6, predators
• July 7-16, flight

Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach - Flight!

Volunteer guardians Kim and Brendan Toews follow the Endangered Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach through July 7-16.

7 July, 2010

Great public interest in the plovers with many informational brochures taken.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Female wasn't seen today. Male stayed with the two chicks the rest of the day inside the perimeter or shoreline just in front. The chicks and male fed and rested often. One brooding attempt was noted; however, the chick was not successful in getting under the male's wing. The young are getting their primary wing feathers and were observed flapping their wings today. Guardians are watching for the chicks' first flight attempts. When they do occur, the plovers could go anywhere on the beach and may also fly south soon after.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The birds seemed to have settled and shift changes were seen twice by the guardians.

8 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): One chick seemed to be separated from the male and other chick. The chicks were beating their wings, but no flight attempts were observed.

A single male was chased away by M1 on the ground and in the air.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Fox seen in the area. Both plovers continued to incubate. We are still hopeful for a hatch in the next couple of weeks.

9 July, 2010

A special thank you to the Ontario Stewardship Rangers! Six young men and their leader spent all day with us monitoring both nests, conducting a beach survey for other birds and being good ambassadors for the program.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The chicks spent most of their day close to the perimeter of Nest 3. Day 18 and short flights were recorded by the guardians. The flights have occurred earlier than last year. Once flights occur we usually consider the birds fledged. The plovers could leave for their wintering grounds (the Gulf Coast) at any time.

Fox were observed on the beach again.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Continued action with the single male plover. He was chased by M5 over this area of the beach.

10 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male and chicks were foraging closer to the perimeter of Nest 3. Chicks foraged a greater distance from the male. Short flights were seen again today. The two chicks attempted to brood twice but were not successful.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Both birds were incubating regularly. Fox seen in the area.

Additional bird: The one single male is being chased by M1 and M5 several times a day.

11 July, 2010 - Merlin Attack!

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The two chicks and male foraged near Nest 3. When they fed along the shoreline the plovers ventured further south.

Two merlins flew overhead and one dropped down to the plovers. The male flew over the water and drew the merlin away from the chicks who were frozen flat to the sand. Ten to fifteen tense minutes passed, the male returned and both chicks brooded and piped softly under his wings. It is easily possible that a merlin could take an adult. In 2008, we lost our original 2007 Sauble Beach male due to a merlin attack. Fox in the area at the same time as the merlin.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Plovers continued to incubate. Guardians did not observe any reaction to the merlin attack.

Additional bird: The single male seems content to remain in this vicinity.

12 July, 2010
Heavy rain for most of the day so monitoring was both limited and difficult.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): An adult fox was observed on the north end of the beach. Two chicks and the male foraged along the shoreline.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Plovers continued to incubate.

13 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male and two chicks flew a considerable distance down the beach.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Single bird rested inside the perimeter fencing, no aggressive behaviour was observed.

14 July, 2010

Many visitors including a Boy Scout troop from London, ON.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): One of the chicks was having a bath. Single male feeding in the water by the chicks and was chased by M1 out over the lake. Herring Gull approached the chicks but the male flew in front of it and lured it away. The two chicks flew about 2 m to avoid the gull.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Two switch-overs observed about 3 hours apart.

Additional bird: A single male still in the area.

15 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Chick missing overnight. Guardians are quite certain the plovers flew several hundred metres down the beach so it is possible this chick has left for the south.

The male and one chick seen today foraging near Nest 3. Late afternoon and evening, there was a big storm with high winds. After the big storm, the male and chick moved back inside the northern perimeter.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Female was on the scrape most of the day. Water approached the nest and may have covered the eggs. No bird was on the nest for about an hour. Female did return and a digging motion was observed. Perhaps removing washed up sand from the nest area. The female remained on the scrape later into the evening.

16 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male and chick were observed just north of the Nest 3 perimeter. The chick found a favourite clump of sand and rested all afternoon and well into the evening. The male visited the chick several times, but the chick did not move from this spot. The chick preened periodically, but no real feeding behaviour was observed.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Switch-overs are 90-100 minutes. This is faster than the 2-3 hour switch-overs observed 6 days ago. Times will shorten in preparation for the hatch.

Thanks for the wonderful update, Kim and Brendan. It sounds like the plovers are headed for a successful season.

Catch up on all of this year's Endangered Piping Plover updates:

• April 15-May 12, arrival
• May, nesting
• June 11-22, hatch
• June 23-30, chicks
• July 1-6, predators

Photo by Brendan Toews, btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach - Predators on the prowl

An update from volunteer Piping Plover Guardians Kim and Brendan Toews for July 1-6. Lots of action happened on the beach during this week!

1 July, 2010

We had numerous visitors on Canada Day.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The plovers were constantly on the move. Three chicks observed together while the fourth was often on its own feeding well away from the others. A fox was observed on the beach. The adult plovers did not react the first time the fox moved towards them, but the birds piped loudly when the fox approached them again later on. We hope that the plovers are able to continue to avoid this predator.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Switch overs were still occurring.

Additional Males: A couple of males were still in the area.

3 July, 2010

Guardians had 65 visitors in the morning and by afternoon there were 475 people counted between the 2 nests and many more beach-goers were arriving. Plovers kept within the perimeter fencing. The beach remained busy until the early morning hours.

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Three chicks only! One chick missing, cause unknown. Possible predation by fox or merlin, as both of these natural predators have been seen in the area.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The pair continued to switch over.

4 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Both adults inside the perimeter with the 3 chicks. This was observed a few times throughout the day. Other times the male and female switched duties. Male was observed displaying to the female. The female could depart for her wintering grounds within the week leaving the male to raise the chicks on his own.

The plovers stayed inside the perimeter area and moved north and to the shoreline all day. Brooding observed two or three times during the day. The chicks are growing rapidly and should be nearly full grown in another week. Chicks are beginning to flap their wings.

Merlin was seen in the area twice today.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The pair continued to incubate and switch over.

5 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Only 2 chicks observed today, so presumably one chick was lost overnight. One chick is noticeably larger than the other, and the smaller one feeds some distance away from the others.

Adults gave a loud alarm call and a merlin flew through the area. Both adults were observed inside the perimeter with the chicks. The male faced the female again and flared his wings in an aggressive manner. The female should be leaving for the Gulf Coast any day now.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): The female and male continue the incubating process.

6 July, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The male and 2 chicks were observed resting in the wrack and feeding along the shore. The female was not seen all day. No predators seen today.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Less than 3 weeks for this hatch date.

Thanks once again, Kim and Brendan, for sharing this great experience with us!

Catch up on all of this year's Endangered Piping Plover updates:

• April 15-May 12, arrival
• May, nesting
• June 11-22, hatch
• June 23-30, chicks

Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach - Learning to be a plover

The nesting season for Endangered Piping Plovers is almost done at Sauble Beach, but if you've been following the updates from volunteer guardians Kim and Brendan Toews (April 15 - May 12, May nest update, June 11-22) we'll be finishing the saga this week.

23 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): All 4 chicks brooded regularly, but for very short periods of time, perhaps due to the mild temperatures. A Ring-billed Gull got too close to the chicks. The female piped and the chicks froze, then she flew directly at the gull and landed right at its feet. The male flew in and both adults took on the gull in a furious display of flying and pecking. The gull soon left the area.

The chicks foraged up to 60 metres away from the perimeter and to the water's edge. Adults moved the chicks by running to different locations. Chicks caught up, fed and brooded when cool. Adult birds moved again and the process was repeated.

The male's shifts are much shorter than the female's - on average 15 minutes vs 32 minutes.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Please note that M3 (male from Nest 3) is not the new mate of F1 as previously reported. Leg band combinations have been confirmed. We do indeed have a new male, M5 with F1. The female was observed standing over the scrape and then later on sitting in it.

25 June, 2010

We were fortunate to have a visit from two Grade 2 classes. The classes were split into three groups. One of our guardians read the Piping Plover story, Ahmed and the Nest of Sands; a second guardian showed the students an abandoned scrape and had them act out plover behaviours; and a third guardian told the students about many other interesting Piping Plover facts. These Grade 2 classes had a great time!

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Switchovers occurred approximately every 45-60 minutes with the female taking the longer shift. Four chicks feeding well south of perimeter. One chick foraged along the shoreline while moving towards the beach-going public. Female piped, the chick stopped and moved towards her.

26 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Four chicks foraged along the shoreline during the rain. Adults chased a crow from the area. Later on an alarm call was given by the adults and the chicks froze. No predator was observed at the time. Much later, a merlin flew over the area and into the dunes behind Nest 1. The female watched the merlin, but did not sound an alarm. Both adults remained close to the chicks. One adult seemed to be drawing people and predators (gulls) away, while the other set up an area to brood the chicks. Guardians have observed this behaviour over other years.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Male was sitting on the scrape with the female inside the perimeter fencing.

27 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): The young fed and moved all over the beach. Lots of rain, therefore the chicks brood a bit more often. Crows and gulls in the area. The adults switched over approximately every hour. An additional plover in the area, but it was chased off by the adults.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): Fox in the area, but it did not pay attention to the plover nest. Incubating may have begun at this nest. The female and male switched over every 2 hours and took similar amounts of time incubating. The adults stayed on the scrape during heavy rainfall.

Additional bird: One single male on the beach.

28 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Cool temperatures, fog, wind and high waves. Chicks spent more time brooding than feeding. Both adults brooded chicks which was the first time this year that this particular behaviour was observed.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): High winds and waves have affected the shoreline. Waves moved close to the scrape, but stopped short of covering it. The pair continued to incubate. One bird fed along the shoreline and the other sat on the scrape.

29 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): High winds, but the plovers seemed to be fine.

Canadian Wildlife Service and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources brought in a team of experts to band the chicks. They did it quickly in order to minimize the stress on these young plovers. All 4 chicks were banded successfully. The leg band combination is yet to be confirmed, but guardians reported: upper left metal, lower left dark blue, upper right orange. Band colours used are determined by the master banders and are unique to each nest of chicks. Each chick in the nest is banded the same. Should any of these chicks be seen in future years they'll be easily identified as hatched in 2010 at Sauble Beach, north nest. In Michigan, the adult birds are often captured and another leg band is added so they can be identified as individuals. They do not do that here because of the small number of Piping Plovers in Ontario.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5): This pair selected an area to nest close to the surf, yet high enough to be mostly dry after the last two days of rain and high winds. Many perimeter fence posts were washed out, but will be replaced soon. Both female and male incubated and fed along the shoreline during their off-nest times.

30 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Chicks fed further away from the adults. The chicks are big enough that when all are brooding together the adult's toes barely touch the sand.

Nest 3 (F1 & M5):Perimeter fencing was repaired. This pair continued to switch over and incubate.

Thanks for contibuing to provide these great updates, Kim and Brendan! We look forward to sharing the next ones with our readers.

Photo by Brendan Toews, btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Nest Updates from Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach

As we've been updating throughout the season, Endangered Piping Plovers have returned to Sauble Beach this year. Here is the latest news from Kim and Brendan Toews:

11 June, 2010

Nest 1 (F1 & M2): Several fox were seen in the area with 4 being observed inside the perimeter fence. Three plovers were flying in loops over the area. F1 and M2 were switching-off of the scrape. This pair were off their scrape twice for 15-20 minutes.

12 June, 2010

Nest 1 (F1 & M2): F1 and M2 have abandoned their scrape due to predation. F1, M2 and a single male were in front of the nest perimeter. Both males were digging scrapes. M2 flared his wings (courtship), but F1 left the area. A single male plover was observed close to F1.

A fox wearing a collar was observed attempting to enter the nest. The fox's collar kept catching on the bottom of the exclosure. The Ministry of Natural Resources investigated and found that an animal had burrowed into the exclosure and taken the eggs.

21 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): First hatch! We have 3 soon to be day old Piping Plover chicks on the beach. Two chicks hatched earlier today and the third later this afternoon. There is still one egg from this clutch that has not hatched at this point. M1 and F2 continued to switch-over brooding the three young chicks and incubating the egg.

F1 (female from Nest 1): This female and her mate (M2) lost their nest to predation. F1 may have a new mate and there have been positive indicators of her attempting to renest. We are awaiting confirmation of the leg bands on this male.

22 June, 2010

Nest 2 (M1 & F2): Three chicks were observed in the early morning after which we saw only 2 until the evening. Guardians were reasonably sure that they saw an egg in the scrape in the morning, but heavy rain and fog limited their viewing. The weather cleared and it became quite warm. Four chicks were observed brooding and moving around the open beach. Two chicks moved 20-30 metres away from the adult, while two stayed close and brooded more often. One chick in particular seemed much smaller and was brooding more often. We are guessing that the two older chicks might be the most active. Both adults shared brooding duties. Four chicks are foraging successfully as they were observed picking up insects and worms.

Nest 3 (F1 & M3): This female has paired up with a new male (M3). Guardians are monitoring the nest, with no activity being observed today.

Thanks for the updates, Kim and Brendan! We can't wait to hear more about the chicks and whether or not any more nests are successful.

Photo by Brendan Toews, btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Piping Plovers persevering through snow, predators

Volunteer Piping Plover guardian Kim Toews has sent us a quick update on the nests at Sauble Beach this season:

Nest 1

F1 & M2 (1st female to arrive / 2nd male to arrive)

This female and male are a returning pair from last season. The female had several mating attempts with M1 before her 2009 mate returned. In 2008, the female successfully nested at Oliphant.

There have been indicators that the hatch may occur soon. It will be interesting to see how many chicks hatch as our female laid her third egg in a heavy snow-storm and we had two evenings of -4 degrees C temperature.

Two Merlins observed hovering inside the perimeter fence. One falcon flying towards a feeding male on the beach and the other flying over the exclosure.

Nest 2

M1 & F2 (1st male to arrive / 2nd female to arrive)

This male is from Gulliver Lake, northern Michigan and he is a year old. This female is a chick that hatched at Sauble Beach last season. As far as we know, this is the first Ontario Piping Plover to return and establish a nest in the same area.

Two Additional Males

Two additional males have been seen on the beach for several weeks now. These males are building scrapes to attract a female, but with no luck at this time.

Visitors

We have had several visitors recently from as far away as Germany, Holland and Elliot Lake. All heard about the birds when visiting the area and made a special trip to see them. Our volunteer guardians answer questions, monitor the plovers and share personal observations about this endangered species. The guardians provide visitors with information brochures on these birds and a spotting scope has been set up on the beach for visitors to observe the plovers. Their behaviour can be fascinating even to those who have never been birdwatchers.

Thanks for the update, Kim! It sounds like the plovers are persevering through all sorts of obstacles this year. We can't wait to find out how they do when their eggs hatch.

Photo by Brendan Toews, btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Endangered Piping Plovers Return to Sauble Beach

Nature Canada supporter Kim Toews and her son, Brendan, have been providing us with updates on the return of Piping Plovers to Sauble Beach in Ontario for several years. Here is their first update for 2010:

Brendan and I are extremely happy to report that the Piping Plover have once again returned to Sauble Beach for the 2010 season! This is their fourth consecutive year (2007-10) in a row!

Below is a brief update on what's been happening with the birds this year:

April 15, 2010 - Last year's south nest male (M1) is the first plover to arrive back on the beach.

April 19, 2010 - Last year's middle nest female (F1) arrives back.

April 21, 2010 - The plovers seem to be spending more time together feeding and checking out scrapes (nests). The male (M1) has constructed at least three scrapes but preferred one over the others. After feeding and resting, the male moved to his favourite scrape and called consistently. Three times today the female (F1) moved to the scrape and sat in it while the male mantled (flared his wings close to her). He soon gained an upright stature (looked very tall) and began to goose step.

April 26, 2010 - Courtship Behavior

This behavior, although specific to this 2010 Sauble Beach pair, has been observed similarly several times with other pairs from previous years.

At some point after resting and/or feeding the male moves across the beach to an area he chooses to make a scrape. The scrape is made by throwing sand in all directions, hollowing out a shallow nest-like structure.

The male then begins to ‘pipe’ constantly while sitting in the scrape or stands close by.

The female, after a suitable time, moves towards the male and sits in the scrape.

The male mantles by spreading or flaring his wings either over the female or close to her. He then moves to her side or rear and assumes an upright posture (stands tall) and begins to goose step rapidly – so fast in fact, that it is easy to miss if not watching closely. The male moves close to the female and often ‘kicks’ her side or tail feathers. If the female is receptive, the male mounts her back and may then attempt to copulate. We have observed this behavior several times when copulation doesnot seem to occur. Once the male tumbled forward off the female.

April 28, 2010 - Last year's middle nest male (M2) arrived back on the beach. There was lots of magnificent territorial display between the two males. It was non-stop for nearly 10 hours. The birds ran side by side, ran around each other – taking turns, flew in loops up and down the beach sometimes chasing sometimes looping over the female (F1).

At the beginning (M1) was by far the aggressor. When the three birds came in close contact, the female joined in chasing the second male (M2) away. In fact, this same male (M2) had a successful nesting with female (F1) in 2009.

April 29, 2010 - This year's first arriving male (M1) was clearly separated from the other two by at least 10 meters. Lots of courtship behaviour observed between second arriving male (M2) and first arriving female (F1).

May 1, 2010 - Confirmation of a fourth plover on the beach. A male (M3).

May 2, 2010 - Three plovers on the beach – no sign of our new-comer (M3).

May 5, 2010 - First egg! Confirmation of the first egg (F1 and M2).

May 6, 2010 - A second female (F2) arrived on the beach and has paired up with the first male (M1). Later on today, the perimeter fence was installed. The first female (F1) should be laying the second nest egg later today (every two days). So we have one nesting pair and a second pair. We will hope for a second nest soon. A Guardian information meeting was held with presentations from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Canadian Wildlife Service.

May 7, 2010 - Territorial flights mid morning and several stand-offs between the two males. Crows and foxes are in the area.

Two large Piping Plover signs were installed just inside the beach entrance. A class of Outdoor Education students arrived and they were shown the plovers through a scope. The students viewed the birds for 20 minutes. We talked about the plovers and what the students could do to help. We are focusing on Grade 6 students this year and have developed a learning unit about this rare, endangered species.

May 12, 2010 - We have one established nest this season (F1 and M2). We have a single male (M1) who had a mate (F2), but the female seems to have left or at least we have not seen her for several days.

The guardian program has been reintroduced with four shifts per day. There will be an announcement soon about a special guardian welcome and training session presented by MNR and CWS.

Thanks for sharing these on-the-ground observations with us, Kim! We look forward to hearing more about the Piping Plovers throughout the season.

Photos by Brendan Toews, btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com