Surprise! Our two remaining Piping Plover nests have hatched early! In addition to the arrival of wild crowds and star-spangled banners, Whitefish Point had a few new fluffy visitors on Independence Day. While the first of the Piping Plover nests hatched earlier this summer, the other two nests were not predicted to hatch until several days after the 4th of July. This was a surprise to us all and a reminder that nature doesn’t care what day of the week it is.

As I alluded to in my last blog post, we were all slightly concerned for the safety of the Piping Plovers during a holiday that seems to involve so much noise, partying, and airborne explosions. Thus, while we had many visitors to the beach that day, someone from WPBO was always watching to be sure the birds were safe from rogue crowds or canines. After my office hours, I grabbed my camera and a spotting scope so I could take over. It was a wonderful evening.

Watching the sunset (and the plovers) on 4th of July. Photo by Blake Carlile.

As I monitored the status of each nest and scanned the shoreline for potential rule-breakers or dogs off-leash, I couldn’t keep myself from grabbing a few photos — I am the outreach intern, after all. While the chicks continue to stay out outside the reach of my camera’s telephoto lens, the adults are much more confident. So while I was disappointed to see only glimpses of the fluffy newborns, I found respite in snapping photos of the adults as they scurried along the seashore. These are now some of my personal favorites from the entire summer thus far.

A Piping Plover stands on the shore of Lake Superior. Photo by Blake Carlile.

A Piping Plover eyes my camera curiously. Photo by Blake Carlile.

The more time I spend here at Whitefish Point, the more I develop my skills and gain a deeper understanding of how to produce content that accurately conveys the beauty and importance of nature. I couldn’t ask for a better place to improve my bird identification, wildlife photography, and interpersonal skills. Simply through finding new birds, taking more photos, and talking to visitors, I feel a sense of progress and fulfillment. Of course, the fact that adorable Piping Plover chicks are walking all over the beach here definitely sweetens the deal. Every day since they hatched, I have attempted to get a great photo of a Piping Plover chick, but their minuscule size and long distance from shore have made it a difficult undertaking. One of these days I will capture the innate charisma of these walking marshmallows in stunning 4K resolution, but until then, I have no problem walking the beach and enjoying the fantastic sunsets.

The sun sets over Whitefish Point on July 4th. Photo by Blake Carlile.

Many thanks to everyone who reads my blogs!

Cheers,
Blake Carlile
2021 Summer Outreach Intern

Featured Photo: The sun sets over the boardwalk at WPBO. Photo by Blake Carlile.

You can read Blake’s weekly blog posts and follow WPBO’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for more highlights of his experiences this season.

If you want to chat with Blake in person, he holds office hours at the Owl’s Roost every Friday through Sunday from 3 – 5 p.m.