Monday, August 22, 2005

Piping Plover News

Finally we get to have some good news about the endangered piping plover. The Great Lakes region appears to be seeing an increase in the population of piping plovers despite continued development. As on the east coast, plover nesting has become a cause for controversy between wildlife officials who want to protect the nests and would-be beachgoers. At one site in Ontario, the conflict centers on a former bombing range where piping plovers have begun to nest; in addition to the plovers, there may be unexploded ordnance on the beaches. Closer to Washington, the piping plovers at Cape Henlopen in Delaware managed to fledge twelve chicks despite continual interruptions, including plane crashes and the filming of surfing scenes for a movie (this one?).