Thanks to Scott Hecker for this Boston Globe article about the beach closure at Sandy Neck Park in Barnstable on Cape Cod. Interestingly, the preview of this story that was up on boston.com last night had a gorgeous photo of an adult piping plover and two chicks. The version in the link doesn't have the photo. Somehow I think a Globe editor realized that the extreme cuteness of the two PIPL chicks would undercut the angle that the hatching of piping plover chicks is unlucky break for Barnstable. From my point of view, it's a lucky break for the piping plovers that the Endangered Species Act still has enough teeth to get the beach closed to protect the chicks. 1700 off-road vehicles versus 4 piping plover chicks is pretty long odds. The chicks need all the help they can get.
The Cape Cod Times has a few photos with their story on the beach closure. Oh, and check out the comments section too. The plover haters are already out in force.
Meanwhile, I'm hoping my plover warden shift does not get rained out tomorrow because I could use a dose of wearing myself out talking to people about piping plovers. At least then I feel like I'm making a difference. There are those of us who truly would notice if the piping plover vanished from Atlantic coast beaches and would be saddened by it. Extinction is forever.
Parting thought, what is Sandy Neck beach like when all 1700 offroad vehicles are on the beach at once?
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