It’s been a big week for our Piping Plovers at Whitefish Point! The eggs from our nesting pair, Violet and Really Tricky, have finally hatched. Wednesday morning, I noticed movement in the nest while Violet incubated the eggs. As she got up to switch with Tricky, I spotted two chicks! The chicks slowly left the nest and began to wander from the exclosure throughout the afternoon.
Piping Plovers by Polly Sheppard
At around 12:30 p.m. that same day, I watched the third chick emerge from its shell. By 4 p.m., all three chicks were exploring the cobble and hunting for small insects. On Thursday morning, I was delighted to see that the nest was empty and a fourth chick was among the bunch! At five days old, the chicks spend most of their time roaming the cobble under the watchful eyes of their parents. Violet and Tricky can often be seen scaring off any male plovers or other shorebirds that stray too close to the chicks.
The chicks will take about 23 days to fledge, so they are most vulnerable during this time. I’d like to remind visitors to keep dogs on leashes and obey all Piping Plover signage to help us give these four the best chance of survival.
~ Joselyn Ralph
2023 Piping Plover Monitor
Piping Plover monitoring is a collaborative effort between Michigan Audubon and Seney National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS).
Piping Plover chick by Polly Sheppard
