Snowy Plover Docent Day 5 at Abbotts Lagoon
After taking a few weeks off to visit family on the east coast, I was excited to join volunteer docents Lisa T. and Maggie D. at Abbotts Lagoon on Sunday July 21.
It was a cool foggy day which is typical for Abbotts this time of year. The fog softens the distant landscape and is a welcome relief to visitors from the scorching inland areas of the Bay Area or beyond. Seashore fog is the best air-conditioning though I’m not sure how the snowy plovers feel about it. They might prefer a sunny day to bring out all the insects.
We talked with many visitors about the plovers and answered other questions about wildlife and trail recommendations. The first person we encountered in the morning was a young birder who had spotted 24 snowy plovers at the intersection of the lagoon and beach. Wildlife biologist and snowy plover program manager, Matt Lau reported that many plovers have already finished with breeding and are flocking for winter, including some of the fledglings from this year. It’s party time for the plovers after all their hard work!
However, the big event of the day was recounted by a visitor who had been watching a river otter predate a pelican at Abbotts Lagoon, when all of a sudden a coyote came on scene and predated the otter and dragged it away and started eating it! Many visitors saw this happen.
On a less grisly note, the native Cobwebby Thistle - not far from the trailhead - is in full bloom and looking dramatically ghostly. It was hosting many bumblebee visitors. Check out a video of the bumblebee working furiously to collect nectar.
As of July 19, we had 5 active nests and 14-17 chicks on Point Reyes beaches. Fifteen chicks have successfully fledged and are on their own. We also had exciting news about a nest rescue! Read about it in the July 19th snowy plover update.
My next volunteer day is August 4th. Stay tuned for more snowy plover adventures.
