Despite best efforts, the Piping Plovers were again driven off the beach.
Knowing an off leash weekend day was going to be tough on the PiPl, I spent most of Sunday at Good Harbor Beach. During the morning hours, it wasn’t so bad because most dog walkers were with their pooches by the water’s edge. As the tide came in, the situation quickly deteriorated. Countless dogs ran into the roped off area; I lost track after forty. The PiPl gave up on courtship and tried to forage. A pair of bird dogs chased all three Plovers up and down the beach repeatedly, when they finally gave up.
I searched for an hour and couldn’t find. As I was leaving, there were Mama and Papa, in the parking lot. Mama was sitting quietly on the painted white lines and Papa was desperately trying to dig a nest scrape in the course gravel. This exact same scenario happened last Saturday, on the off leash beach day.
Papa trying to scrape a nest in the gravel parking lot
I had hoped that by spending the day trying to keep dogs out of the #3 nesting area, the parking lot scene would not be repeated. Volunteers are desperately needed during this last week of off leash days. For the area around #3, where I was stationed, at least two are needed, because as you are trying to keep dogs out of one side, they are coming in from the opposite end.
Please email Ken Whittaker if you would like to help. His email address is: kwhittaker@gloucester-ma.gov
The worst days are going to be Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, the three last off leash days of April, with Saturday being by far the hardest.
High tides for the upcoming weekend off leash days:
Thursday April 26th – 9:03 am – off leash day
Friday April 27th – 10:01am – on leash
Saturday April 28th 10:54am – off leash day
Sunday April 29th 11:42am – on leash
Monday April 30th 12:27pm – off leash day
Our Piping Plover pair are resilient. They left the parking lot and returned to the beach at sunset, but again, the same pair of dogs chased them off the beach.
Mama and Papa Plover, and the little Bachelor, survived this past off leash weekend day, but as you can imagine, courting and nesting are again delayed. The most important thing for folks to understand is that the earlier in the season the Piping Plovers are allowed to nest, the earlier the chicks will hatch, which means they will have a thousand fold better chance of surviving.
Some good news—overnight four new additional Piping Plovers arrived! They are in a battle with one another over turf at the roped off area by boardwalk #1.
Good Morning Gloucester 
I emailed Mr. Whittaker on April 20th, but never got a response. I’m sure he’s really busy, especially this time of year. Sounds volunteers are still needed.
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Hi HHall, I don’t think Ken has organized volunteers for these last few dog off leash days. If you would like to help, please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com
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Information and education through various mediums are a very big plus too cause and effect)! 🙂 Dave & Kim 🙂
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Thanks Dave 🙂
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There is a dog park over at Stage Fort Park. There are plenty of other beaches. The dog owners could even leash their dogs on Good Harbor. I’m a dog owner. I don’t understand why some people are so in considerate. These same people will rant when a law is passed not allowing dogs on the beach when in fact it was their fault.
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i agree with you Arunas. Thank you so much for leashing your dog during these last few days of off leash, so grateful 🙂
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I will come to Good Harbor Beach Thursday, April 26th, around 11AM to volunteer.
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Hi Lucy, Thank you! I don’t think Ken has organized volunteers for these last few dog off leash days. If you would like to help, please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.
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Perhaps we could have the plover arrival signal no off leash on GHB and instead all days off leash on Winger until the season comes to a close? That way we protect these birds and give the dogs a place to run.
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Hi oldironclas. I think for this year there was not enough time to make changes, but before next year we will have to decide what we can do to help the PiPl. Brooke Welty has suggested the same idea about Wingaersheek.
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I emailed Ken Whittaker; it’s going to be raining Thursday morning, so we agreed it was not necessary for me to be at GHB.
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Thursday afternoon, as well as Friday-Monday are going to be a challenge. Please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com
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I think the dogs off the beach should start mid April to help with this conflict. I also think that people breaking the law by disregarding the barriers should face harsh penalties. This is an endangered species and federal laws are in place for it’s protection. It cannot nest elsewhere, but dogs can be walked in Ravenswood Park or go to the dog park or many other places for a couple of months.
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