DNREC reports mixed results for beach-nesting piping plovers this year.
This year a total of 30 nesting piping plover pairs were recorded in Delaware - 21 at Fowler Beach on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and nine at the Point at Cape Henlopen State Park.
Kat Christie is the coastal waterbird biologist with DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. She says while that number is within the recent range, it’s productivity that’s lacking.
"We've been kind of bouncing between somewhere between 24 and 31 for the last several years, but our productivity - that fledglings prepare rate - was a little lower than the previous year,” said Christie. “So, we were at 0.9 statewide, which is not honestly terrible compared to some of the nearby states."
27 chicks were raised to fledging or flying age which is 25 days old. Last year, 41 chicks were raised to fledging or flying age.
Christie notes the challenges the piping plovers endured include predation by owls at Fowler Beach on top of threats from red foxes, coyotes, ghost crabs and other predators.
"It seems like an owl at Fowler may have reduced their productivity by a good bit. Both by stressing out adults and maybe directly taking chicks or nests," said Christie.
She adds there were some adult mortalities.
Weather was also an issue as excessive heat in late June potentially contributed to chick and nest loss during breeding season for piping plovers.
Nesting areas at the Point and Fowler Beach are closed through October 1.
