NH beachgoers to blame for 90% mortality of piping plover eggs

Only 2 piping plover chicks survived from 20 eggs laid on NH beaches in 2009.
Photo credit: Beaun

In 2009, five breeding pairs of piping plovers returned to New Hampshire beaches, according to a report released Thursday by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NH F & G). This represented a 66% increase over the 2008 total of 3 nesting pairs, so when the birds established nests with a total of twenty eggs this year, birders throughout the state rejoiced at the bounty.

The nesting areas were protected by roped off areas or even fences to alert beach-goers to the nesting sites which are protected from molestation by law in New Hampshire. Despite this, beach goers routinely ignored the roped off areas at Seabrook Beach and were observed chasing the birds from their nest there on repeated occasions. As a result, one pair of piping plovers at Seabrook Beach was unable to properly attend to its nest and eventually abandoned it altogether because of the disturbances.

A piping plover nest on Hampton Beach was fenced off from the public, but the fence was intentionally opened one night and one of the eggs of the endangered species was stolen from the nest. Of the remaining eggs, only one hatched after the nest was disturbed by this unlawful incursion.
Only three of the original five 2009 piping plover nests were sufficiently protected for the parents to stay with the nest until hatching time. Of all the eggs that hatched the NHF & G reports that only two piping plover chicks survived. From a promising crop of twenty eggs, only two piping plovers were added to the population of this threatened bird species.

Setting aside the deliberate stealing of a piping plover egg for some unknown purpose, NH beach-goers simply ignored barriers and walked directly through the nesting areas, presumably because it would have involved a few more steps to go around the roped off areas. Piping plover nests are small and not easily noticed on the beach sands, so these barriers are really the only way for people to know that a nest is present before they are too close.

Barriers and roped off areas on public beaches exist for a reason, generally to protect an endangered species that is known to be present, or to prevent beach erosion. When beach-goers ignore them, they are causing real and often immediate damage to threatened species and important habitat. It is vitally important for the bio-diversity of New Hampshire’s seacoasts that these protected areas are respected by locals and tourists alike. Remember, bothering piping plovers or their nesting sites is a violation of New Hampshire state law, if you see anyone disturbing nesting piping plovers or violating roped off nesting areas, notify the New Hampshire Fish & Wildlife Enforcement at (603) 271-3211. If possible, use your cell phone to take photographs of the individuals who are harassing the protected birds for law enforcement officials. 

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