Pearl Crescent male, Kent CT 22 May 11

Ventral and a dorsal views of a male Pearl Crescent in Kent (River Road), 22 May 11.

E Bway washout and re-nest mystery

(The first photo was taken on 16 May 2011 after exclosure was over washed)

Last night a high tide combined with a storm and washed out the nest within the exclosure on the East Broadway, Milford beach. Remarkably, this morning (15 May 2011) we found the Piping Plover pair with a new nest just outside the exclosure and wrack. At least two eggs were in the nest. Never before have we heard of or seen a new nest with recovered eggs after a washout. One possibility is that the locals who helped us protect this exclosure had a hand in the new nest. (We'll make enquiries.) Sadly the new nest will probably be washed over by the high tides coming tonight (Sunday) and the next two nights--we are about to have a full moon. If humans were responsible for the new nest, ironically they might be harming the PPs by tricking them into incubating unviable eggs. Attached are a few pictures of the exclosure and the site of the new nest. In the third picture the incubating adult may be seen just to the left of the exclosure.

Local support for E Bway PPs

We were informed by Louise at the CACC that local residents had located the East Broadway Piping Plovers' nest on Sunday, 8 May 11. Because the USFW and DEP could not be reached on a Sunday, we enlisted the help of a few local folks: here's a photo of four of them and another of the signage. They helped post our two handmade signs and they improvised stringing. Our thanks to everyone who lent support (about 14 people in all.)