January 25, 2018 at 2:03 pm
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A piping plover chick blends well into its surroundings. The Chickadee Checkoff is just one of the reasons piping plover numbers have rebounded.[/caption]
By Brad Zitske, MDIFW Wildlife Biologist
Maine’s Chickadee Checkoff is a simple way to support research and protection of Maine’s most vulnerable species, like Maine’s piping plover, which is on the state’s endangered species list and also listed as threatened federally. The Chickadee Checkoff and a strong coalition of public and private partners helped over 100 piping plover chicks fledge in 2017.
This small shorebird is inconspicuous to most as it blends in with its surroundings on sandy beaches along the Eastern seaboard. Each year, piping plovers arrive on Maine beaches in March and April, nest from April to August, and conclude their breeding seasons by congregating and migrating back to their wintering grounds in the southern U.S. and Caribbean islands by October.
In 1983, biologists in Maine recorded a perilously low number of just six piping plover nests with seven fledglings (a measure of success when a chick has reached the potential to fly and thus is deemed independent from its parents). Numbers have gradually increased over the decades due to community buy-in, educational outreach, and hard work of many people.
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An adult piping plover. The Chickadee Checkoff and strong partnerships have helped plover numbers rebound.[/caption]
Last year, southern Maine beaches hosted 64 nesting pairs of plovers, which resulted in 102 fledged chicks in 2017. This is the third consecutive year with over 60 pairs and over 100 fledged chicks, with a record 121 piping plover fledglings in 2015. Quite an accomplishment when you consider the low number of fledgling plovers not too long ago.
While a strong coalition of public and private partners is instrumental in the rise in numbers, its funding from sources like Maine’s Chickadee Checkoff that helps obtain matching federal funds, and the dollars from the checkoff can often double or triple the amount of money available for the conservation of these species.
The Chickadee Checkoff has helped fund research and management concerning the piping plover, but the success of these birds is a testament to the diligence of town employees and volunteers on beaches such as Ogunquit, Wells, Old Orchard Beach, and Scarborough, all very popular beaches for humans and shorebirds alike.
The coalition helping plovers to such a strong year includes the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Audubon Society, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, USDA Wildlife Services, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, municipalities, and a network of hundreds of volunteers and private landowners. Each year, these relationships are strengthened as more and more beachgoers are becoming aware of this once-critically endangered shorebird.
Ogunquit alone fledged a record of 26 chicks this year. These numbers are proof that humans and wildlife can co-exist on beaches with minimal restrictions. Volunteers help monitor nesting sites, repair and replace symbolic fencing and signage, contact officials in the event of problems, educate beachgoers on the presence of birds, and keep in regular communication with MDIFW and Maine Audubon about the status of birds in their towns. With the continued efforts of many, the outlook is promising for piping plovers on Maine beaches.
With the high number of fledgling plovers for the past three years, it’s clear that the strong partnership and the management program that is supported by the Chickadee Checkoff is working.
This tax season, make your mark in helping species like Maine’s piping plover and other state threatened and endangered wildlife by using the Chickadee Checkoff on Schedule CP of your tax form.
A piping plover chick blends well into its surroundings. The Chickadee Checkoff is just one of the reasons piping plover numbers have rebounded.[/caption]
By Brad Zitske, MDIFW Wildlife Biologist
Maine’s Chickadee Checkoff is a simple way to support research and protection of Maine’s most vulnerable species, like Maine’s piping plover, which is on the state’s endangered species list and also listed as threatened federally. The Chickadee Checkoff and a strong coalition of public and private partners helped over 100 piping plover chicks fledge in 2017.
This small shorebird is inconspicuous to most as it blends in with its surroundings on sandy beaches along the Eastern seaboard. Each year, piping plovers arrive on Maine beaches in March and April, nest from April to August, and conclude their breeding seasons by congregating and migrating back to their wintering grounds in the southern U.S. and Caribbean islands by October.
In 1983, biologists in Maine recorded a perilously low number of just six piping plover nests with seven fledglings (a measure of success when a chick has reached the potential to fly and thus is deemed independent from its parents). Numbers have gradually increased over the decades due to community buy-in, educational outreach, and hard work of many people.
[caption id="attachment_2656" align="alignleft" width="587"] An adult piping plover. The Chickadee Checkoff and strong partnerships have helped plover numbers rebound.[/caption]
Last year, southern Maine beaches hosted 64 nesting pairs of plovers, which resulted in 102 fledged chicks in 2017. This is the third consecutive year with over 60 pairs and over 100 fledged chicks, with a record 121 piping plover fledglings in 2015. Quite an accomplishment when you consider the low number of fledgling plovers not too long ago.
While a strong coalition of public and private partners is instrumental in the rise in numbers, its funding from sources like Maine’s Chickadee Checkoff that helps obtain matching federal funds, and the dollars from the checkoff can often double or triple the amount of money available for the conservation of these species.
The Chickadee Checkoff has helped fund research and management concerning the piping plover, but the success of these birds is a testament to the diligence of town employees and volunteers on beaches such as Ogunquit, Wells, Old Orchard Beach, and Scarborough, all very popular beaches for humans and shorebirds alike.
The coalition helping plovers to such a strong year includes the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Audubon Society, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, USDA Wildlife Services, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, municipalities, and a network of hundreds of volunteers and private landowners. Each year, these relationships are strengthened as more and more beachgoers are becoming aware of this once-critically endangered shorebird.
Ogunquit alone fledged a record of 26 chicks this year. These numbers are proof that humans and wildlife can co-exist on beaches with minimal restrictions. Volunteers help monitor nesting sites, repair and replace symbolic fencing and signage, contact officials in the event of problems, educate beachgoers on the presence of birds, and keep in regular communication with MDIFW and Maine Audubon about the status of birds in their towns. With the continued efforts of many, the outlook is promising for piping plovers on Maine beaches.
With the high number of fledgling plovers for the past three years, it’s clear that the strong partnership and the management program that is supported by the Chickadee Checkoff is working.
This tax season, make your mark in helping species like Maine’s piping plover and other state threatened and endangered wildlife by using the Chickadee Checkoff on Schedule CP of your tax form.Categories