Snowy Plover Nest Update

Western Snowy Plovers are getting laid on our beach! Western snowy plover EGGS are being laid and hatching 🐣on Lengueta Arenosa (The Spit). The chicks are with their parents wandering the upper beach for 3 weeks. Until then they are VERY VULNERABLE to our curious dogs and to vehicles on the beach.

John Kinabrew has been authorized and trained to search for the camouflaged nests and has been walking the beach above the high tide line carefully looking for nests at least once a week for the past two months. So far he has found SIX nests in front of beach houses, even though the nesting season continues through September! Two of the nests have hatched. One has been abandoned. One has been destroyed by a high tide despite an attempt to protect it with sandbags. And two have parents sitting on eggs.

Please control your dogs on the beach, respect the temporary fences around discovered nests, and contact John at johnkinabrew4@yahoo.com if you happen upon speckled eggs in the sand.

During the month of May, Pro Esteros carried out some conservation activities in the nesting area of the least tern and the snowy plover in the Estero de Punta Banda.

All of this was made possible by the efforts of our 54+ volunteers, who joined to work on various conservation actions, such as the removal of exotic vegetation, beach cleanups and the installation of temporary fence. This was all done to protect nests of both species from vehicles passing on beaches.

Working with local scientists to monitor and protect the western snowy plover, together we can coexist with these cute little birds on our beautiful Playa Dorado!