The Snowy Plover Chronicles

 Every year, a new spring arrives. At Pajaro, volunteers spend several months helping a little creature – the Western Snowy Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus. The Snowy Plover, weighing between 1 to 2 ounces, is on the Federal Endangered Species List primarily because it has lost vast areas of its habitat due to human intrusion. Volunteers all along the West Coast participate in a program to assist the Snowy Plover in surviving and regaining its population. Over the next few months, the Friends of Pajaro Dunes will maintain a weekly log of activities and progress of the Snowy Plover on beaches at and around the Last Mile.

Log Entry, June 17

New nests have slowed down in the last few days. It seems that the task at hand is to take care of the broods and hatch existing eggs. Because of the number of chicks on the spit, predators are becoming a big problem.

It appears that ps027 was lost to a predator, possibly a weasel. Weasels are not common on the beach but others have been lost to them in the past.

Gulls are also suspected for some chick losses. On June 13th, it appears that ps017 has lost all three of his chicks to gulls. There are a lot of gulls on the spit and they, of course, are always hungry. Young chicks are an easy meal for them. Of course, gulls are not the only predator. On the same day, a human destroyed ps031 by stepping on the nest. It was outside the fence and the individual may not have even known what they had done.

Of course, the fence is intended to be a guide for beachgoers. On the next day, a biker decided that the area behind the fence was worth the trip. Luckily, it barely missed ps040 which is still intact.

So far, no ravens have been sited on the beach. Ravens can wreak havoc on Snowy Plover populations as they methodically patrol the beach in search of prey. Ravens are new visitors to beaches that have been introduced due to the dumping of refuse nearby.

Despite this influx of predators, the Snowy Plovers continue to enjoy a great nesting season this year. 7 chicks have fledged this week bringing the total of 12 new juveniles on the beach along the Last Mile.

Many resources are available for anyone wishing to know more about the Snowy Plover.

 

Location
Other Info
Plover Nest Data for Pajaro Spit and Zmudowski Beaches
June 16, 2004
  Nest Hatch Fledge  

Pajaro Spit

ps001
3
3 
 2
 Hatched 4/30; fledged 5/31!
ps002
3
 
 
Lost to tide on 4/8
ps003
3
 
 
Lost to gulls approx 5/3
ps004
3
3 
 2
Hatched 5/11; fledged 6/11.
ps005
3
2 
 1
Hatched 5/7, one egg damaged, cause unknown; fledged 6/11
ps006
1
 
 
Lost to wind on 4/12
ps007
3
3 
  3
Hatched 5/17; 1 chick adopted by ps010; fledged 6/15
ps008
3
1
 
One egg hatched on 5/18. Assumed lost as male has be seen paired with a new mate.
ps009
3
 
 
May have been lost to wind on 5/10.
ps010
3
3 
  1
Hatched 5/18; fledged 6/15
ps011
1
 
 
Lost to wind on 4/23
ps012
3
2 
 
Hatched, date unknown.
ps013
3
2 
 
1st chick banded 5/28; second chick 6/3; third egg not viable
ps014
3
 
 
May have been lost to wind on 5/10
ps015
2
 
 
May have been lost to wind on 5/10; confirmed 5/29
ps016
2,1
2
   Hatched 5/27; one egg not viable
ps017
3
3
   Hatched 6/2; lost 6/17 - gulls suspected.
ps018
3
3
   Hatched 6/8; lost 6/11 cause unknown.
ps019
1
     Lost 6/1, unknown causes
ps020
3
      
ps021
3
      
ps022
3
     Lost to gulls on 6/3
ps023
1
     Lost to wind on 5/29
ps024
3
     Lost to gulls on 6/3
ps025
3
      
ps026
3
      
ps027
3
      
ps028
3
     Lost to high tide on 6/3
ps029
3
     Lost to gulls on 6/3
ps030
3
      
ps031
3
     Lost to humans on 6/13
ps032
1
      
ps033
1
      
ps034
1
      
ps035
3
     Nest outside of fence
ps036
3
      
ps037
1
      
ps038
1
      
ps039
1
      
ps040
2
      
ps041
1
      
ps042
2
      
Active (19)
41
26
9
Lost (14)
25

Zmudowski Beach

zb001
3
  3
  3
Hatched on 5/7; fledged on 6/7
zb002
1
     Lost possibly to human intervention, 4/11
zb003
1
     Lost to wind on 4/18
zb004
3
     Lost to wind on 5/15
zb005
1
     Lost to wind on 4/15
zb006
2,1
2
   Lost 1 egg 5/12, unknown reason; hatched 5/19
zb007
3
     Lost to wind on 5/15
zb008
3
1
   Hatched; adult and chick seen on 6/7
zb009
2,1
2
   Hatched on 5/20
zb010
2,1
2
   Lost one egg week 5/2, unknown reason; hatched 5/23
zb011
2,1
     Lost one egg on 5/12, unknown reason
zb012
2
     Lost to raven on 5/26
zb013
3
      
zb014
1
     Lost unknown causes.
Active (2)
6
10
3
  
Lost (7)
15
      

 

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