Category Archives: Piping Plovers

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A Piping Plover’s Bon Appetit – Day 89

Ever wondered what Piping Plovers EAT to give them the energy they need for all that running they do along the shoreline?


Teeny tiny insects, marine worms and crustaceans comprise their “bon appetit” each day, and when they first arrive here they sure are MIGHTY hungry!


Bon Appetit!! 😉

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A Gift by the Sea

Just when I think that our Red River Piping Plovers are all grown up, and probably off and away at some other beach

I find one along the shore, scootling in my direction…


Pausing to look, to make sure I am no threat…


Its tiny black bill, still covered with salty sand sprinkles after digging for breakfast.


Someday I know that I’ll arrive at the beach and they will be gone.

But for right now still being able to see them with their family, watching them grow up, is a gift I can’t even begin to describe.


I hope you’ve been enjoying them, too.


❤

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On to Bank Street Beach – In Search of Piping Plovers

I’d been hearing from my small circle of Piping Plover pals that there might be chicks getting ready to fledge over at Bank Street Beach.


So I headed over to Wychmere Harbor, and was greeted by Mamma Osprey and her very tall and growing single chick.


I noticed that the tall sailboat she and Papa Osprey had been using as a perch had not only been moved to a new spot, but was occupied by the other osprey couple!


But no need to fear…

Daddy O was keeping watch from a new vantage point now, much closer to the nest.


As I walked along the harbor it was fun to check out all the new boats that had arrived over the holiday.

There were plenty of big, splashy sailboats.

But I happen to love the dories, the workhorses in this harbor world of boats and fishermen.


Walking out to the beach I had forgotten how beautiful the dunes here can be in the fog.


And I was delighted to see that the rosehips were coming along nicely, all beautifully sprinkled with fresh, crystally beach sand.


The sun was doing its darnedest to burn off the fog, but you could just barely make out the Cormorants that were perched awaaay out on the channel marker jettie.


Yet sun or no sun, the beach was filled with those who are pulled like plovers to the sea…


I never did see any plover chicks.

They were probably recovering (like me) from a very noisy Fourth.  😉


But I’ll be sure to drop in on them again, to see how they’re doing.

On my way home, I passed by the harbor once again and noticed that Mrs. O was perched over a very tuckered-out chicklet.

Keeping watch, as they always do.


Here’s to a Happy DAY AFTER the Fourth!  😉