Field Notes

A section of the shoreline will be closed through Aug. 5. People can still access the tip of the Point from the bayside shoreline. Before I talk about the recent Piping Plover activity, I want to give a quick update on the beach closures at Whitefish Point. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife [...]

Piping Plover Chick Over the weekend, we were fortunate to have two nests of Piping Plovers hatch at the Point! Nest 2 hatched first, and all four eggs hatched. Nest 1 hatched a couple of days later, and both eggs hatched as well. As of today, July 5, all six chicks are [...]

Really Tricky. Photo by Alec Olivier Greetings Piping Plover lovers! This summer's Piping Plover field season has started very successfully! As it stands, we are currently at four active Piping Plover nests! This ties the record of four, which was set in 2013. This year, almost all of the nesting adults were also [...]

It's 7 or 8 p.m., and I'm listening to the sound of my hiking boots crunch against the rocks and sand with every step. The sky is showing its characteristic amber glow, a trait which the slowly churning lake water reflects eagerly, creating the illusion of a softly glowing Lake Superior. Though this short walk [...]

Unfortunately, this will be my last "quick-update style" blog of the season. This is because, as much as it pains me to admit it, my next blog will be my last one. At the beginning of next month, I will start my long journey back to the West Coast. For this reason, next week's [...]

This week Whitefish Point has been graced with warm weather (albeit with some rain) and an astounding lack of biting insects. I assume these factors could help explain why the Point has been the busiest I've ever seen it this summer — even outpacing the 4th of July weekend. Yet, the influx of crowds [...]

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 [...]