7/9/17, Piping Plovers, Shell Ave Beach, Milford CT

7/9/17, Piping Plovers, Shell Ave Beach, Milford CT.  Female 2E was not around this morning; it's possible it has left. I've always been struck by the early departures of female PIPLs once the chicks are close to fledgling.  The males hang around longer, usually for at least a few days after the chicks are all fledged. Checking BNA Online reveals that most shorebirds follow the same pattern, often with the females leaving about halfway in the development from chick to fledgling--and in the case of the SB Dowitcher, "females' role in chick-raising is minor."  In almost all cases the males leave the fledglings to migrate south in fledgling groups (often of mixed species).   My guess is that females use much more energy carrying eggs and giving birth than males, hence their need to leave early.  Also, it's my impression that females' plumage tends to be more worn than the males' as the breeding season moves on.  A good example is the female 2E at Shell Ave Beach.