A triumphant end to the Snowy Plover breeding season!
The final data is not yet in, but 2022 is clearly the best season in many years for the Western Snowy Plover! As of August 27, we’ve had a bumper crop of 28 chicks fledge (mature to the point of being able to fly and be independent) with 2 more chicks running around the beach. I’ll do a year-end summary chart once the final data is in and program manager Matt Lau is back from furlough.
Labor Day weekend marks the end of the breeding season and it’s a busy time at Point Reyes National Seashore. Saturday September 3rd, I was one of 5 docents at Abbotts Lagoon, not counting a guest appearance by long-time docent Jeff Wilkerson. It was a fabulous crew and we had a great time sharing information about snowy plovers and answering questions about the trail, giving directions, and offering advice on other trails. Many young children were happily hiking the trail and making discoveries — spotting otters swimming in the lagoon, watching a garter snake eat a mouse, watching bugs cross the trail, seeing quail perched on fence posts, and kicking around dirt because it’s there.
A highlight of being a docent is roaming the trail and talking with visitors. On this day, I had a long chat with a tracker who had hiked all the way from Kehoe Beach. Back at the trailhead where the docents were set up, we logged all the wildlife spotted on the trail and enjoyed the mild weather and cool breezes. Heather was amazing and brought a big jug of water to share with hikers who had none. One woman was feeling poorly but she recovered fully after having some water and sitting with the docents for a while. We tried to recruit her to volunteer!
It was bittersweet packing up the docent gear at the end of the day. I look forward to next year’s snowy plover docent adventures.
If you’re interested in volunteering as a Snowy Plover Docent, learn more on the NPS website and contact Matt Lau, the program director if you have any questions.
Snowy Plover docents: Joanne, Joan, Heather and Marianne