June 4, 2010
Vol. 40, No. 188

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.

Three piping plover nests hatch on the Point over Memorial Day weekend
Chicks now total 12, with
more due to hatch soon

Memorial Day weekend was a busy one at Cape Henlopen State Park for beachnesting birds as well as human visitors to the park, with three newly hatched broods of piping plovers joining those that hatched earlier last week.

A total of four piping plover nests have now hatched on the Point at the park, and as of June 2, 12 tiny plover chicks were running around on the beach being carefully attended by their parents. Three broods have set up foraging territories on the Delaware Bay side of the Point, with the fourth brood foraging in an overwash that faces the ocean. Two nests on the Point have yet to hatch but hatching is expected within the next 10 days.

In a long anticipated move, one pair of plovers at Gordons Pond has laid a nest in a territory they have defended for at least two weeks. The nest was found late in the afternoon of June 1.  Another pair has been seen courting at Gordons Pond, so another nest may soon follow. With the discovery of the first plover nest comes the closure of the ocean side beach at Gordons Pond in front of the typical plover nesting habitat.

In other beachnester news, oystercatchers are incubating two nests at Cape Henlopen, one at the Point and one at Gordons Pond. The Gordons Pond nest is expected to hatch any day now.  The Point nest has an estimated hatch date of mid-June.

A colony of least terns has also settled on the Point, with an estimated 10 nests already laid. About 30 terns are defending the nesting area, so as many as 15 pairs might lay eggs in this colony.

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.