June 9, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 261

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.

Newly Hatched Piping Plover Chicks Brave Wet Weather

Delaware’s beachnesting birds have gotten back their momentum after the flooding in late May. Two piping plover nests that survived last month’s storms have hatched at Cape Henlopen, and five chicks have been observed foraging with their parents despite the persistent wet, cooler weather.

One nest on the Point at Cape Henlopen hatched June 5, and as early as June 7 the plover family with four chicks was observed feeding on the bay side of the Point. The hatch at Gordons Pond probably occurred on the afternoon of June 3, but the nest was not monitored until June 4 due to cold and stormy weather that occurred from June 3 to June 5. One chick has been seen with its parents in that area.

“Cold, wet weather is especially hard on newly hatched chicks, so we feel fortunate that even one chick made it through this nasty spate,” said Wildlife Biologist Matthew Bailey.

Two new piping plover nests have been found on the Point. Both had one egg when found and have since gone to a full clutch of four eggs.

The June 1-9 piping plover census is nearly complete. All state-owned beaches on the Atlantic coast were censused along with numerous Delaware Bay beaches. Some Atlantic municipal beaches were also censused. Beyond the known nesting sites at Cape Henlopen State Park, no piping plovers were observed on the Atlantic, although several municipal beaches censuses are still pending.

However, a census conducted Sunday, June 7 at Fowlers Beach on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge turned up two piping plovers that may even be a pair. One plover was definitely a male but the other kept too far a distance to be determined. The male was observed doing territorial flights, but a search of the area turned up no nests or plover scrapes.

In other beachnester news, although the least tern colony at Gordons Pond has not re-established, least tern nests are popping up in other spots. The Point has a small colony, as do South Bowers and Fowlers beaches. The least tern census for the Atlantic coast runs from June 5 – 20, so these sites will be monitored closely for the next two weeks to determine their status.

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.