Friday, May 31, 2013

This Year's Piping Plover Chicks

Piping Plover Chick

My original plan was on Wednesday morning to travel to Allens pond to observe if the piping plovers eggs had hatched, however, because of the heavy rain, I postponed it until Thursday. Arriving at the beach loop, to my surprise there were the adults right in front of me calling and displaying their wounded wing display. Looking around, there were two chicks running all over the sand and rocks. They blended in really well. I knelt on the cobbles, with my tripod and camera down low. Good thing I had a gimbal head, because the little ones didn't say still very long, and they were hard to follow because of their speed. Remember, if you go to a beach that has piping plovers on least terns nesting, watch where you step and do not harass the animals. By me being low to the ground and not moving much the adults, accepted my presence and continued to watch over the chicks.