Plovers shut down p.i.
 

Refuge News & Updates
Please Note: Effective immediately, the entire refuge beach is closed to all public access, including that portion of the beach that is normally open at Lot 1. The decision to close the beach was made because of the movement of federally threatened piping plovers and their chicks into the area of the Lot 1 beach. The beach closure will be lifted once the plovers have left the closed areas for three consecutive days. The decision to reopen the beach will be announced on this web site.

Wow, i have heard of them closing beaches to ORV traffic but not to all public access. That seems totally unreasonable.

I am surprised that the coyotes haven't eaten them all, or some random feral cat ... have to believe they exist on the refuge.

boy if i was a surfcast guy id be pissed.....

Probably 3 or 4 birds??? Really??? What a waste.....foxes will get them eventually anyway!!:smash:

Don't worry, happens all the time on the outer Cape. You'll be back out there by December 31st.

The stretch of beach between Green Hill and Moonstone has been closed to foot traffic for several years from May to October or so. At low tide it can be walked in the water. However everything else from the waterline over the dunes and down to Trustom Pond is closed.

They *have* to close the beaches. Someone might step on a plover chick while casually walking on the beaches.

All this is, is a perfect example of "give the government and inch, and they'll take a mile." All people have been far too complacent in allowing Uncle Scam to shut down beaches based on an ineffective number of plovers intruding on specific beaches. Two bird decide to nest near a beach access point and an entire beach is shut down to hundreds of people. I just doesn't make any sense.

The birds nest in tidal zones, nest in areas of high exposure to predators and refuse to nest in close proximity to one another - they *should* be extinct.

I was speaking with someone over the weekend about the number of birds on the island, they said it was more like 16 pairs ... which still isn't all that much, but it certainly is more than I thought.

THANK YOU!! stupid plovers

They are frigging stupid. Think about it a bird that hasn't figured out how to conceal their nests or their young and protect their own well being sounds like natural selection at work. They nest in tire tracks for cryin out loud.
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this is nothing new.. they have been closing that stretch of beach since the 80's.... plenty of coyotes( they are very vocal this time of year while bringing back live prey to their young) in the area.. but the skunks do the most damage to the nests/eggs.. it's just one more reason why i fish from a boat on Plum Island...

cheater:)

talk about the pot callin the kettle black :hee: beige tin boat

It's not how you play the game.. it's how many you can catch...:wave:... and I REALLY cheat... I use eels.:uhuh:

Are they the same birds I see nesting on ballasted roofs?

LOL. I Haven't been out in that thing in a month. I am fishing from my other boat now:).

I have fished that area with Joe in his boat. I was just pulling his leg as I am not worthy to carry his giant pail of eels.:uhuh: