Snowy Plover Update - September 1, 2022

September 01, 2022 Posted by: Matt Lau

Overview

Hello Ploverites!

This will be the last western snowy plovers breeding update of the year—this breeding season went by quick! Our team of Point Blue Conservation Science and NPS biologists found a total of 34 known nests: three on Kehoe Beach, 19 between Abbotts Lagoon and North Beach parking lot (NP), five in the Abbotts Lagoon restoration area, and seven on Limantour Beach. We confirmed 28 total fledglings, a new record (see our previous update from August 27). Nest success was notably high as well—for example, only three out of 19 nests failed on North Beach (NB site), resulting in a 64.7% nest success rate. Most notably, there was not a single case of nest depredation by a common raven this season!

Preliminary results showed that the Point Reyes breeding population increased to 39 adults, up from 32 observed during the 2021 breeding season. This was partially due to the number of 2021 juveniles that survived the winter and decided to stay in the park to breed locally (i.e., natal philopatry). We are anticipating that the high fledge rate this season will continue this trend into the following season. Biologists will continue to periodically monitor the winter flocks and snowy plovers throughout the fall and winter, until the 2023 breeding season, which starts in March. Until then, thank you for your support for Point Reyes plovers and keeping up with the updates!

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 nest
    • 22 hatched
    • 12 failed nests
  • 0 chicks on the beach
  • 28 chicks fledged

A photo of a small black-speckled, beige-colored chick near a gray beanie a sandy beach.A newborn snowy plover hatchling escaped the warmth of the beanie during banding efforts, July 2022.

A photo of three small light brown shorebirds with white breasts standing on sand with water in the background.An adult male snowy plover dad with his two fledged chicks along the Abbotts Lagoon shoreline.


The National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (if available) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. For more information: https://www.nps.gov/disclaimer.htm

Point-Reyes, Point-Reyes-National-Seashore, bird, birds, plover, plovers, snowy-plover, snowy-plovers, western-snowy-plover, western-snowy-plovers, Charadrius-nivosus, Charadrius-nivosus-nivosus



Last updated: September 2, 2022

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone:

415-464-5100
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