Piping Plovers in Miami

I hope all of you are doing well, staying home, and being safe. This is not how we thought our season would be progressing but, we are all making the most of it. AAfCW and CT DEEP Wildlife Division staff are working hard behind the scenes, mostly at home, and occasionally solo in the field, to do all they can for waterbirds this spring. String fencing and signage has been erected in several locations, with more to come. Constant communications with cities, towns, private land owners, state parks, and more are helping to do our best to protect habitat and nesting areas with increased usage by the public. While the State of Connecticut has paused volunteer monitoring for the month of April, we will be bringing you updates more based in media - photos, videos, and other special surprises. There is still so much we can do as a collective group in conservation and education via all of our social platforms, email, Zoom webinars, and other mediums.

Personally, my 2020 AAfCW season started of my own volition in Charleston, South Carolina in February followed by a couple weeks based out of in Miami from February to early March. I wanted to spend some time with the Piping Plovers on their wintering grounds along with other beautiful shorebirds, terns, and long-legged waders. I have a lot of photos from my trip to share with you throughout 2020 of various species - some we see in Connecticut in migration, during nesting season, only very rarely, or not at all.

To start off, here are a couple shots of an adult Piping Plover and an immature bird actually in Miami itself on February 26.

In upcoming posts I will share more of a flock of Piping Plovers. It was endlessly engrossing to watch their behavior on the wintering grounds, and to feel even more free to photograph them with my 500mm lens without concern for their nest or young on wide open, quiet beaches. I am grateful to have made the time to visit these birds and areas while it was safe. We hope all of you stay safe, and we will be speaking with you often, and soon!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Conservation & Outreach Coordinator