Plovers--Feeding and Nesting

Here are two Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus)--one feeding at the edge of the bay, and the other sitting on its eggs well above high water on the pebbly/rocky beach nearby.

This is typical habitat for these plovers, which breed mainly along the Atlantic coast in the northeastern U.S. They are listed as endangered or threatened, depending on location and jurisdiction. Here at Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary around 12-15 pairs nest each year, and they are closely monitored by staff from the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Chicks should be hatching in the next couple of weeks--stay tuned. I blipped another plover on my visit last week. For more related images see here.