SNPL 07

One of the significant challenges faced by a pair of breeding Snowy Plovers is human disturbance. This species prefers flat, wide expanses of sparsely vegetated sand--the same habitat favored by recreators of all types, from hikers to dog walkers to equestrians to four wheelers. Nests and chicks are highly vulnerable in areas of human activity, so measures have been taken in our area to limit use of the beaches in order to safeguard critical nesting habitat. However, in the end, one is hard-pressed to make the case for asserting the priorities of tiny plovers over those of people, so this very popular beach still sees a fair amount of traffic (though now only by foot) and very low nesting success. It's one of the most challenging sites for the birds, and for us, the people who watch them try to make it work all season. This pair has been together a nice long while and continues to stay at this beach despite its hardships. The female is called Orange-Red-White-Green and the male is called Violet-White-Orange-White (or, affectionately, V-Wow).