Piping Plover Chick - Nap Time

Now that we have shared the shore all spring and summer it is time to safely share some more of the content. We are currently moving into the fall migratory season with nearly all of our Piping Plovers out of Connecticut and on their way to wintering grounds. I made this short video of a Piping Plover chick that was only several hours old on a lovely May afternoon. It was taken well outside of a fenced area with a 500mm lens on a full-frame DSLR filming 4K that I cropped substantially in editing. In short, I was extremely far away.

Look at that! This fresh bird wanted to find a comfortable place to nap, and it shows why vegetation on the beach is so important. Whether they want to hide from the sun, to evade people or predators, or feel safe for a snooze, our waterbirds need pristine and natural beach habitats that are not manicured and continually groomed for people. As it relaxed and closed its eyes it blended in perfectly with the shells and sand, all the more reason we need to stay out of and away from the areas around nests. No one would ever realize they were about to stop on this little one...

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs