Piping Plovers at Mlf Pt 16 June 11

Storms on 9 June and subsequent rain and high tides have washed out at least 4 nests of 4 eggs each on the Milford Pt spit and adjacent Cedar Beach. But today on my usual monitoring rounds I found one adult tending 4 chicks and another tending 2 chicks. Also, at least 8 more adults look to be thinking of renesting. One video shows a male performing symbolic scraping; the other video shows one of the two-chick group with an adult piping to it. Other adults were courting and chasing, but I did not witness any copulation. If these Piping Plover do renest they will be around until the last two weeks of August.

Mlf Pt, 16 June 11, White-rumped SP, Sanderling

At Milford Point today, while monitoring the Piping Plovers and the American Oystercatchers, observed a decent sampling of shorebirds, including Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Black-bellied Plover. Below, images (including a brief video of the White-rumped SP) of two rather out of season species, a Sanderling and a White-rumped Sandpiper (one of a tight-knit trio). The Sanderling has a swelling at the top of his right leg--probably the reason he's around here.

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.)

Falcate Orangetipes, 30 Ap 11

A few pictures, male and female, of the Falcate Orangetips found on the CBA walk at West Rock led by Larry Gall.

E B'Way PPs mating 25 Apr 11

The East Broadway Pipers were courting and mating on a sunny, warm (67 degrees) afternoon (around 3:30). The following videos show mating (1 minute, 30 seconds) with the male goosestepping, extending his neck to reveal his broad necklace, leaning backwards, kicking the female, mounting, tatooing while on her back, finally copulating, and treating her roughly after the dismount. The second video shows a tilt display: the male spreading his wings and tail while the female sits sheltered in a scrape.