I鈥檓 going to get a piping plover, I鈥檒l show you. This here is Little Miss Sunshine. Don鈥檛 try this at home folks, piping plovers are illegal tender. For real 鈥 they鈥檙e protected by a whole bunch of bird laws like the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act because folks like you want to keep them around. It鈥檚 my job to keep piping plovers like Little Miss Sunshine safe and happy so they can raise lots of little plover kids and help their species recover.
Sunshine came to Fowler Beach after being a regular nester at the Point of Cape Henlopen State Park for several years. She was originally banded there, too! She had a bit of a mix up last year when some of her chicks were taken by a red fox and the remaining chick was adopted by a different set of plover parents. She must have feared the worst and decided to skedaddle. Luckily, she found a new beau who was ready to open his heart again 鈥 Nomad.
Piping plovers typically lay four eggs per nest. Sometimes plover pairs that lose their nests will try again, a phenomenon that we call 鈥渞enesting鈥. Because eggs are so costly for plovers to produce, renests will often have fewer than four eggs. Plover law in Delaware, it鈥檚 not governed by reason. Sunshine only ever lays three eggs per nest 鈥 even when it鈥檚 her first nest of the season! Sometimes birds do things that even we scientists can鈥檛 explain. We are looking forward to seeing if this observation holds true for another year.
From March 1 to September 30, Fowler Beach is closed to public access to prevent disturbance to nesting birds and their young as well as migrating shorebirds like the red knot. Please obey all posted signage and avoid entering areas that are marked as closed so that vulnerable wildlife, plants, and their habitats can thrive!
