Overview
Hello Ploverites!
We now only have a few western snowy plover broods left to monitor—these plover hatchlings are due to fledge within the next 2.5 weeks and all can be found between Abbotts Lagoon and North Beach parking lot. Breeding activity on all other sites has wrapped up and plovers have joined the increasing number of winter flocks on Point Reyes beaches. Migrants from inland breeding populations and populations along the Pacific Coast are coalescing into these flocks, which will persist until February and March when they begin dispersing to their breeding grounds again.
Recently fledged juveniles are beginning to disperse and are being observed outside of Point Reyes National Seashore! For example, a fledgling (av:aa) that hatched from North Beach on May 9, 2022, and fledged on June 6, 2022, was observed at Ten Mile Beach in MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County last week. A similarly banded 2022 fledgling (va:aa) was observed near Half Moon Bay last week as well.
Here are updates organized by beach sites:
Kehoe (K):
There is no breeding activity remaining on this site. There is a growing winter flock near the Abbotts Lagoon mouth.
Abbotts Lagoon Restoration Area (RA):
No breeding activity remains at this site.
Abbotts Lagoon to North Beach parking lot (NP):
Five to six chicks from four different broods are active on this long stretch of beach. Winter flocks can be found scattered along this site.
North Beach (NB):
No breeding activity has been detected on this site this year.
South Beach (SB):
No breeding activity has been observed at this site this year.
Limantour (L):
No breeding activity remains on this site. A couple winter flocks can be found here—this site typically has the park's largest winter flock in December–January.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Matt Lau, the park's Snowy Plover Ecologist, via email.
CURRENT STATS:
- 34 total nests this season
- 0 active nests
- 22 hatched
- 12 failed nests
- 5–6 chicks on the beach!
- 24 chicks confirmed fledged
© Gina Graziano
NPS biologist Matt Lau checking a snowy plover nest for signs of hatching. August 2022.
The last active nest of the 2022 breeding season. This nest was unfortunately deemed nonviable—the eggs showed no sign of hatch several days after it was projected. The female of this nest has had a history of nonviable eggs. August 2022.
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