—By Kevin Mullan, Coastal Birds Seasonal Outreach Coordinator; photo by Rachel Dupre, Coastal Birds Seasonal Shorebird Technician
Four sand-colored cotton balls hatched in Biddeford over Memorial Day weekend. The Coastal Birds Crew and volunteers have been preparing for this moment all spring, surveying beaches for breeding pairs, searching for nests, and putting up fencing and exclosures to protect and raise awareness for these birds. We have done some heavy lifting (literally, those exclosures are not light), but now begins the most difficult period of these Piping Plovers’ young lives. We will need your help to get them to their fledge dates.
These chicks are precocial, meaning that within hours of hatching, they are already moving around the beach and feeding themselves. Chicks are often found foraging more than a mile from their nest site, a feat made all the more impressive when you consider their size—just a few inches tall.
But despite their independence, they are unable to fly for at least 25 days. During this time, their best defense is to stay hidden by freezing in place. Their down feathers allow them to blend in with the sand and wrack, helping them evade predators like crows, gulls, and foxes. Against people? It can work almost too well. Even experienced monitors miss them at first glance.
So how does one share the beach with a bird they cannot see?
First, pay attention to fenced-off areas and posted signs. Areas near nests will be clearly marked. While the fencing gives plovers a protective buffer around their nests, the birds still use the entire beach. If you are setting up camp, digging a hole, or starting a game near one of these areas, consider moving farther down the beach to give them extra space. And remember: never leave a deep hole unattended. Without the ability to fly yet, chicks can stumble into them and get stuck. Please fill in any holes before leaving the beach.
Second, watch for defensive behavior from adult plovers. While chicks forage along the beach, the adults stay nearby, watching for danger. If you’re too close, adults will peep loudly to get your attention. Then comes the “broken-wing display,” where a plover drags one wing along the sand and pretends to be injured to lure you away from its chicks. Once you are far enough away, the bird suddenly recovers and flies off like nothing ever happened. A tad dramatic, but nonetheless clever and effective.
If you see this behavior, stop and take a careful look around before continuing down the beach. Chances are there are chicks nearby that you didn’t notice.
The best way to appreciate these tiny shorebirds is from a respectful distance to avoid disrupting feeding during this critical stage of growth. If you have binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens, bring them along so you can observe the birds without getting too close. As a bonus, if people see you scanning the beach with binoculars or a camera, they will probably ask what you are looking at. Then you get the chance to introduce someone new to the world of Piping Plovers! Call me biased, but that sounds like the gift that keeps on giving.
The four chicks in Biddeford are just the beginning. With more than 120 nests already identified, we expect many more chicks to hatch in the coming weeks. Each will face the same challenges and require a little help from us to survive. We hope you will join us in giving them the space and support they need.
