May 13, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 218

For more information, contact Matthew Bailey, Wildlife Biologist, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, 302-382-4151, or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Fair Weather Inspires Piping Plovers to Fill Four Nests

With the recent break in the foul weather, the piping plovers at Cape Henlopen State Park have shifted into high gear. All three nests that had been found during the first week of May have gone on to complete four egg clutches, and a fourth nest found on May 10 also has four eggs.   

“Piping plovers lay one egg every other day, so it takes them about a week to lay a complete nest,” said Wildlife Biologist Matthew Bailey.

Three of the nests are at the Point and one nest is at Gordons Pond. The plover nest and an American oystercatcher nest also found at Gordons Pond last weekend are both located on small sandbars on the mud flats of the pond.  

“The bars on which they have been laid are mere inches above the elevation of the mud flats. We’ll be watching nervously as the high tides that follow this weekend’s full moon lap at the bases of the sandbars. Last week, during the many rain storms, the plover nest was on a one-meter square island with a resolute adult plover incubating in the face of the flood,” Bailey said.

Precautions are being taken to protect the tiny and vulnerable plover nests. This past Sunday, the first predator exclosure of the season was built around one of the nests at the Point. Predator exclosures surround a nest with wire fencing that has grids just large enough for a plover to enter, but too small to admit larger animals.

“Although working close to a plover nest causes disturbance to the adult plovers, it has been proven that the use of a predator exclosure more than doubles the chances that a nest will avoid being taken by predator,” Bailey said.

In addition to the four known nests at Cape Henlopen, at least three other pairs of piping plovers have set up territories at the park, and hopes are that these pairs will be making nests in the near future.

For more information on beachnesters and monitoring efforts, please contact Wildlife Biologist Matthew Bailey at 302-382-4151 or email matthew.bailey@state.de.us.