Easter 2010: plover

One of the other special things about this beach is the Snowy Plover. This is a teeny tiny shorebird which makes its nest in the sand. From afar it looks like it's wearing Devo glasses and taking itself very seriously skittering in and out of the surf -- it's comical to see it in action. They've been on a threatened list since 1993, and since 2001 there has been a plan in place to help them out. This means that sections of beach are cordoned off for their nests. No dogs or horses are allowed. We can't fly kites or build structures or fires down by the beach either. Any of these things might cause them to abandon their nests or have a wee avian heart attack. The good news is that there are more snowy plover now than there used to be. We were sullen when we first had to abide by these rules, but truth to tell, we're rather protective of them now.

Comments

Jessica said…
They say that is the key to conservation efforts. Get the locals to view the thing-needing-protection as if it were their own pet, something they take personal pride in.
Mary Ann said…
Totally works. There used to be a guy at the beach place who would come around and tell people not to fly their kites or to make structures on the beach. We called him the Plover Lorax; he spoke for the birds.

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