Thank you to everyone who helped this year! See you all next year!
Alex Froese
2009 Piping Plover Stewardship Program Coordinator
01 September 2009
29 July 2009
Dedicated Guardians Care for Piping Plovers
Dedicated guardians care for piping plovers
by Arielle Godbout
GRAND BEACH -- Each summer, Matt Tebbutt drives nine hours from his home in Minnesota to Manitoba, where he spends all of June and July at his cabin in Grand Marais. Tebbutt, whose father was originally from Winnipeg, said he'd limit his visit to a couple weeks if it weren't for the piping plovers -- small, white birds that could fit in the palm of his hand. Tebbutt is one of about 60 volunteer guardians who watch over the endangered birds as they nest in the white sand of Grand Beach and this year -- for the first time ever -- at Gimli Beach.
"How often do you get to see an endangered species in its natural habitat?" Tebbutt asked fondly, looking over to where one of this year's chicks scurried across the beach.
Click here to read the rest of the story in the Winnipeg Free Press
by Arielle Godbout
photo by Trevor Hagan
GRAND BEACH -- Each summer, Matt Tebbutt drives nine hours from his home in Minnesota to Manitoba, where he spends all of June and July at his cabin in Grand Marais. Tebbutt, whose father was originally from Winnipeg, said he'd limit his visit to a couple weeks if it weren't for the piping plovers -- small, white birds that could fit in the palm of his hand. Tebbutt is one of about 60 volunteer guardians who watch over the endangered birds as they nest in the white sand of Grand Beach and this year -- for the first time ever -- at Gimli Beach.
"How often do you get to see an endangered species in its natural habitat?" Tebbutt asked fondly, looking over to where one of this year's chicks scurried across the beach.
Click here to read the rest of the story in the Winnipeg Free Press
16 July 2009
Plovers Hatching!
Gimli
The Gimli nest hatched over a 10 hour period beginning just prior to 0800h through 1900h on Friday, June 26. All four eggs hatched. An intensive monitoring schedule commenced on June 26 and will continue through to fledging for all chicks at both Gimli (July 17) and Grand Beach (July 26).
Over the weekend of June 27/28, a severe storm shook both sides of Lake Winnipeg (Gimli and Grand Beach). The four chicks survived through the first two days (Saturday and Sunday day) however one was found missing on the morning on Monday (June 29). We presume that this chick was washed away over night as a result of intense wind/wave action (foraging close to the waters edge). The other three chicks have been thriving at this site and have fledged today at day 21.
Grand Beach
The nest at the channel site was first to hatch through June 30-July 1. One chick made its appearance around noon hour on Tuesday, June 30. The other three followed along on Wednesday, July 1 through the morning hours with the fourth being born around 12:30h. All four channel chicks have survived with seemingly no major obstacles thus far – As of today (July 16), they are 17-16 days old.
All three eggs in the Parking Lot #5 nest hatched on July 3, 2009, through a six hour period, beginning around 1400h-2000h respectively. Recovery staff were relieved as last years parking lot pair only hatched one chick out of four eggs. Unfortunately, between 2200h and 0530 on the evening/morning on July 7/8, two of the parking lot #5 chicks disappeared. There were no apparent vehicle tracks through the parking lot or on the shoreline so predation is assumed. There have been a few groups of ravens/crows hanging about in the parking lot from time to time (especially on the early morning shifts) and a fox seen in the Grand Beach area (however never seen on the shoreline or around the parking lot #5 area by staff/volunteers). Recovery staff will continue to concentrate much effort to ensure the parking lot lone chick survives to fledging keeping persons, dogs, etc. away from both the parking lot and shoreline area where the plovers forage.
As of July 16, the parking lot plover chick is 2 weeks old – from this date there are 10 more days of the intensive monitoring schedule at Grand Beach will promote the survival of our five chicks at Grand Beach.
The third pair at Grand Beach (West Beach pair) did not initiate a re-nest this year. Generally speaking most pairs that abandon their first nest will re-nest. One assumption this year is that the pair abandoned just prior to a week of extremely low temperatures southern Manitoba experienced in early June and this may have thrown the pair off a re-nest. They have been sighted along the shorelines of Grand Beach most days (last spotted on July 15). We are anticipating their return next year.
For the first time in Manitoba – all Piping Plover chicks were banded. The head of the Prairie Piping Plover implementation group banded all 8 chicks. Three bands were placed on each chick which will allow each individual bird to be identified (i.e. Manitoba, nesting location, and chick #3). In recent years, Manitoba has been producing increased numbers of chicks (2006 -13, 2007 – 6, 2008 – 8, 2009- 8?). Though chick survival has increased there has been relatively no increase in the adult breeding population in the province. Banding will allow recovery staff in Manitoba and other places where Piping Plovers occur to quantify where the Manitoba chicks are going (i.e. do they make it down to the Gulf of Mexico to over-winter, do they head to Saskatchewan or Alberta for breeding?). These are questions that we are currently unable to answer. We hope that banding will help further our understanding about our Manitoba’s Piping Plovers.
The Gimli nest hatched over a 10 hour period beginning just prior to 0800h through 1900h on Friday, June 26. All four eggs hatched. An intensive monitoring schedule commenced on June 26 and will continue through to fledging for all chicks at both Gimli (July 17) and Grand Beach (July 26).
Over the weekend of June 27/28, a severe storm shook both sides of Lake Winnipeg (Gimli and Grand Beach). The four chicks survived through the first two days (Saturday and Sunday day) however one was found missing on the morning on Monday (June 29). We presume that this chick was washed away over night as a result of intense wind/wave action (foraging close to the waters edge). The other three chicks have been thriving at this site and have fledged today at day 21.
Grand Beach
The nest at the channel site was first to hatch through June 30-July 1. One chick made its appearance around noon hour on Tuesday, June 30. The other three followed along on Wednesday, July 1 through the morning hours with the fourth being born around 12:30h. All four channel chicks have survived with seemingly no major obstacles thus far – As of today (July 16), they are 17-16 days old.
All three eggs in the Parking Lot #5 nest hatched on July 3, 2009, through a six hour period, beginning around 1400h-2000h respectively. Recovery staff were relieved as last years parking lot pair only hatched one chick out of four eggs. Unfortunately, between 2200h and 0530 on the evening/morning on July 7/8, two of the parking lot #5 chicks disappeared. There were no apparent vehicle tracks through the parking lot or on the shoreline so predation is assumed. There have been a few groups of ravens/crows hanging about in the parking lot from time to time (especially on the early morning shifts) and a fox seen in the Grand Beach area (however never seen on the shoreline or around the parking lot #5 area by staff/volunteers). Recovery staff will continue to concentrate much effort to ensure the parking lot lone chick survives to fledging keeping persons, dogs, etc. away from both the parking lot and shoreline area where the plovers forage.
As of July 16, the parking lot plover chick is 2 weeks old – from this date there are 10 more days of the intensive monitoring schedule at Grand Beach will promote the survival of our five chicks at Grand Beach.
The third pair at Grand Beach (West Beach pair) did not initiate a re-nest this year. Generally speaking most pairs that abandon their first nest will re-nest. One assumption this year is that the pair abandoned just prior to a week of extremely low temperatures southern Manitoba experienced in early June and this may have thrown the pair off a re-nest. They have been sighted along the shorelines of Grand Beach most days (last spotted on July 15). We are anticipating their return next year.
For the first time in Manitoba – all Piping Plover chicks were banded. The head of the Prairie Piping Plover implementation group banded all 8 chicks. Three bands were placed on each chick which will allow each individual bird to be identified (i.e. Manitoba, nesting location, and chick #3). In recent years, Manitoba has been producing increased numbers of chicks (2006 -13, 2007 – 6, 2008 – 8, 2009- 8?). Though chick survival has increased there has been relatively no increase in the adult breeding population in the province. Banding will allow recovery staff in Manitoba and other places where Piping Plovers occur to quantify where the Manitoba chicks are going (i.e. do they make it down to the Gulf of Mexico to over-winter, do they head to Saskatchewan or Alberta for breeding?). These are questions that we are currently unable to answer. We hope that banding will help further our understanding about our Manitoba’s Piping Plovers.
18 June 2009
June Plover Nesting Update
The 2009 Piping Plover Recovery Team is well into another season. Surveys have been conducted at 16 sites thus far and 9 Piping Plovers have been detected in Manitoba this season.
Yet again we have six Piping Plover at Grand Beach Provincial Park – The plovers arrived early in May and all pairs initiated nests by the end of May, one at “the Channel”, one in “Parking lot #5”, and one on “West Beach”. Our Channel birds have a full clutch of four eggs that are due to hatch from June 28-July 1, and our Parking lot pair have a clutch of 3 eggs which are anticipated to hatch from July 1-July 3. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason our “West Beach” pair abandoned their nest with only one egg on Sunday, June 1. This pair has been seen in the area since but have not established another nest as of yet. Recovery staff has been monitoring all pairs at Grand beach since early May, come the end of June there will be baby Piping Plovers roaming along the shorelines of Grand Beach which means there is a great need for added monitoring protection to ensure chick survival to fledging (sustained flight). The first 20 days of life are crucial for chick survival – The young have 3 weeks to learn how to forage and fly before becoming independent from their parent (father raises the chicks after the first few days after hatching). Due to limited human resources the recovery team will need the help of many volunteers to allow for continuous monitoring of the family groups. Over the past few years since the inception of the Piping Plover Recovery Program at Grand Beach Provincial Park there have been many record successes for Manitoba – including a highest ever number of chicks fledged (13 in 2006) and a 100% chick survival rate (8 out of 8 chicks fledged in 2008). These successes are directly attributed to our many dedicated volunteers and amazing recovery staff.
For the first time ever a pair of Piping Plovers have nested on Gimli Beach. Birds have been sighted at this location early in the season in past years however the high frequency of human disturbance on this beach usually displaces the birds before a nest can be established. This year with a cold start to the summer Gimli Beach has been relatively “people-free” allowing the birds to initiate a nest. The birds were discovered by a recovery team member on May 16, and a nest was found with one egg on May 27. The fourth egg (full clutch) was laid on June 1, 2009. Protective fencing, signage, and a predator exclosure were installed around the nest site to provide the utmost protection for these delicate birds. Consistent incubation does not usually occur until the fourth egg is laid in most cases and Piping Plovers have a 25-28 day incubation period. This nest is due to hatch from June 25-June 28. Daily monitoring of the nest is ongoing by recovery staff an intensive monitoring schedule will commence beginning June 26 through to July 16 (from the hours of 0600h-2200h).
Yet again we have six Piping Plover at Grand Beach Provincial Park – The plovers arrived early in May and all pairs initiated nests by the end of May, one at “the Channel”, one in “Parking lot #5”, and one on “West Beach”. Our Channel birds have a full clutch of four eggs that are due to hatch from June 28-July 1, and our Parking lot pair have a clutch of 3 eggs which are anticipated to hatch from July 1-July 3. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason our “West Beach” pair abandoned their nest with only one egg on Sunday, June 1. This pair has been seen in the area since but have not established another nest as of yet. Recovery staff has been monitoring all pairs at Grand beach since early May, come the end of June there will be baby Piping Plovers roaming along the shorelines of Grand Beach which means there is a great need for added monitoring protection to ensure chick survival to fledging (sustained flight). The first 20 days of life are crucial for chick survival – The young have 3 weeks to learn how to forage and fly before becoming independent from their parent (father raises the chicks after the first few days after hatching). Due to limited human resources the recovery team will need the help of many volunteers to allow for continuous monitoring of the family groups. Over the past few years since the inception of the Piping Plover Recovery Program at Grand Beach Provincial Park there have been many record successes for Manitoba – including a highest ever number of chicks fledged (13 in 2006) and a 100% chick survival rate (8 out of 8 chicks fledged in 2008). These successes are directly attributed to our many dedicated volunteers and amazing recovery staff.
For the first time ever a pair of Piping Plovers have nested on Gimli Beach. Birds have been sighted at this location early in the season in past years however the high frequency of human disturbance on this beach usually displaces the birds before a nest can be established. This year with a cold start to the summer Gimli Beach has been relatively “people-free” allowing the birds to initiate a nest. The birds were discovered by a recovery team member on May 16, and a nest was found with one egg on May 27. The fourth egg (full clutch) was laid on June 1, 2009. Protective fencing, signage, and a predator exclosure were installed around the nest site to provide the utmost protection for these delicate birds. Consistent incubation does not usually occur until the fourth egg is laid in most cases and Piping Plovers have a 25-28 day incubation period. This nest is due to hatch from June 25-June 28. Daily monitoring of the nest is ongoing by recovery staff an intensive monitoring schedule will commence beginning June 26 through to July 16 (from the hours of 0600h-2200h).
31 May 2009
Looking for Plover Guardians!
The Piping Plovers have returned and are nesting at Grand Beach and for the first time at the Gimli Town Beach. As a result we are recruiting Volunteer Guardians to help keep the eggs and chicks safe.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Guardian at either site from now until about mid-July, please contact me!
Alex Froese
2009 Manitoba Piping Plover Stewardship Program Coordinator
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Guardian at either site from now until about mid-July, please contact me!
Alex Froese
2009 Manitoba Piping Plover Stewardship Program Coordinator
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