The Great Piping Plover Pursuit
Mr. Pop has to go to Volusia County to do a little birding. His company has been hired to do a survey of piping plovers, a small shorebird that is federally protected. These little guys winter in Florida, where they feed and store up energy for their trip back north this spring to nest. A section of beach around the Ponce de Leon Inlet has been designated as critical habitat. It is also the site for a planned navigation project. Mr. Pop is going to determine how many plovers are currently utilizing that habitat in order to assess the effects of the project.
So, I’m going too. Who could pass up a chance to go and look for little plovers on the beach? I will be away from my computer until sometime Friday. Okay, sure I get to enjoy spending three nights in a lovely bed and breakfast in that area, but to quote the president, looking for piping plovers while walking on a sunny beach is “hard work”.
You guys to be sweet to one another and let me know if I miss anything while I’m away. See you late Friday or early Saturday.
I’ll miss you!
posted by pissed off patricia at 10:05 AM
24 Comments:
how wonderful!
Have a swell time!
Can I come along and help count the piping plovers on the sunny beach? Please please. Pretty please.
We saw the first Killdeer yesterday.
Have fun work hard but....play harder!
Have a cold refreshment for me.
Oh PoP, you lucky dog...I hope you're taking Murphy.
I love walking the beaches in Southern Maine and watching all the little shore birds running in the surf.
Have a great time!
Murphy is staying with his favorite baby sitter who has three white French poodles. He'll have old pals to hang around with. And Fred the Cat will be with his own favorite sitter. Mom and Dad will be free to travel, look for little piping plovers and have fun without any obligations. You all know I love my "fur kids" but I must admit it's nice to have a break ever once in a while. I can sleep late as opposed to waking up each morning about 3:30am to take Murphy out. :)
Late, to me, is any time beyond 5am.
Hope you & Mr. PoP enjoy yourselves!
Have a great time. I was going to say you should let Wayne know, but it looks like he already does. I knew he'd want to go.
Have a lovely time...I used to go to Sanibel and do bird counts..nothing better than checking on our little feathered friends...We will take care of Blogland ....
Have a ball on your break!
Have a great time. IN the meantime I'll pullover for passing plovers when I drive to the beach.
Nice Snap PoP. Have fun.
I wish I could take credit for the photo, but I can't. I googled "piping plover" looking for a picture and this picture popped up at the top of the page.
have a beautiful time ... hey I do similar work ...
How wonderful! Look at that precious bird. I would have a hard time naming my favorite bird - each one is my favorite when I am with them - fickle me. Have a great time and enjoy!
Sounds like a tough job, but someone's got to count the plovers... I bet it will be nice to be with dad too. Take photos.
Enjoy! Take pictures and be sure to share on the blog. And tell us what you ate at the B & B. Lucky!
don't these birds migrate up to the Delaware coast?
Yes. They may even nest on the beaches somewhere near Rehoboth or Ocean City or Lewes. I know that there are some that nest along the Jersey Shore, and there are ones that nest on Cape Cod, too.
They have a bad habit of putting their nests in perfect places to get trampled on (or where the eggs can be eaten by various and sundry predators).
Have a good time POP!
- oddjob
Sweet gig. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.
I've been a birder since 1990. We have a protected plover here in NJ at Sandy Hook. I think it's the Wilson's Plover. Never saw one, though. You're not allowed near the dunes where they nest.
Have a nice time. Enjoy the birds:)
Hope you lovebirds are enjoying each other. I'm jealous.
Hope the birds and bees are doing their thing...;>/
I feel kind of like a cat that just watched you walk around a corner:
Are you back YET? You've been gone forever!
Hope you are enjoying your time in Volusia county. I had a lot of good times at the Inlet when I was growing up. Try the grouper sandwiches at the inlet restaurant. Yummy!
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