Then This Happened: Snowy Plover Nest Follow-Up

This is the spot on the beach where I discovered the Snowy Plover nest yesterday. This morning I was thrilled to see that there's fencing around the area, and a sort of cage dropped on top of the actual nest. I'm not sure if it's the Audubon Society or the State Wildlife folks who do this, but it certainly was a timely response. (This cage does not hamper the birds movements--they can walk in and out.)

The next photo shows why it's so crucial to protect the nest.

How would you ever spot eggs that look like rocks if you were driving a truck across the sand?

Based on the birds I saw this morning, I'm pretty sure there are at least a couple more nests out there on the open sand. When I get the fancy birder binoculars I ordered, I'm going to go back out to that spot and have a look.

Am I having fun? Yes, I am. This morning's beach walk also included dramatic divining pelicans, whimbrels, and black-bellied plovers. Paradise. Right here. Right now.

Bird of the Day: Snowy Plover

After a bit of training, I became a docent for the snowy plover a couple of weeks ago. But because the wind has been so fierce here the past week, I've barely been out on the sand at all. Today the wind has scaled back to a stiff breeze. so I went out to take a look at the fencing near the dunes, thinking maybe the cordoned off nesting area might have lost all its ropes and stakes in the wind. Everything was in tact, so I did what I usually do on the beach. Walk, look, think.

As I walked, knowing what I now know thanks to the training, I was a bit more observant than usual. When I saw a snowy plover running madly dragging a wing, I laughed and froze. No, this was not an injured bird--this was a nesting bird trying to lure me away from some eggs. I haven't yet splurged on a pair of bird watcher binoculars, but after staying still, scanning the sand, and observing the bird, this is what I found.

It's a blurry photo--but look to the right of the large center plant--see the 3 eggs?!?

I called in my find, feeling like the Jane Goodall of the bird world or something. Now, since the nest is on the open sand not behind the fencing, I'm hoping some kind of barrier goes up soon.