Summary of 2006 Massachusetts Piping Plover Census Data

SUMMARY OF 2006 MASSACHUSETTS PIPING PLOVER CENSUS DATA

Compiled by:

Scott M. Melvin Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Rte. 135, Westborough, MA 01581

August 2007

ABSTRACT

This report summarizes data on Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) abundance, distribution, and reproductive success in Massachusetts during the 2006 breeding season. Observers reported breeding pairs of plovers at 99 sites; 67 additional sites were censused at least once, but no breeding pairs were detected at them. The Index Count (statewide census conducted 1-9 June) was 466 pairs, and the Adjusted Total Count (estimated total number of breeding pairs statewide over the entire season) was 482 pairs. Overall statewide productivity was 1.33 chicks fledged per pair, based on data reported for 472 of 482 pairs (98 %).

SUMMARY OF 2006 MASSACHUSETTS PIPING PLOVER CENSUS DATA

INTRODUCTION

Piping Plovers are small, sand-colored shorebirds that nest along the Atlantic coast on sandy beaches and dunes from North Carolina to Newfoundland. The U.S. Atlantic Coast population of Piping Plovers has been federally listed as “Threatened”, pursuant to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, since 1986. The species also is listed by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife as “Threatened” pursuant to Massachusetts’ Endangered Species Act.

Population monitoring is an integral part of recovery efforts for Atlantic Coast Piping Plovers (Hecht et. al. 1996). It allows wildlife managers to identify limiting factors, assess effects of management actions and regulatory protection, and track progress toward recovery. In this report, we summarize data on abundance, distribution, and reproductive success of Piping Plovers breeding in Massachusetts in 2006, as reported by a coast-wide network of cooperators.

METHODS

Monitoring and management of Piping Plovers and other coastal waterbirds in Massachusetts is carried out by a coast-wide group of cooperators that includes wildlife biologists, seasonal shorebird monitors, beach managers, researchers, and volunteers. Data summarized in this report were contributed by over 80 individuals. Cooperators monitored 166 sites in Massachusetts in 2006 for the presence of breeding Piping Plovers.

Abundance

We measure abundance of Piping Plovers in terms of breeding pairs, defined as pairs observed with either a nest or unfledged chicks or that exhibited site tenacity and evidence of pair bonding and territoriality for at least two weeks. We report three different measures of abundance: the Index Count, Unadjusted Total Count, and Adjusted Total Count. The Index Count, as reported since 1990, is the total number of pairs tallied statewide each year during a 9-day count period in late May and early June, standardized each year for the entire Atlantic Coast. In 2006, the Index Count period was 1-9 June. The objective of the Index Count is to estimate population size with a minimum of double-counting of pairs that may move between or within sites, thereby providing an index to population trends that is likely more precise than counts based on observations made over the entire breeding season. We believe the Index Count minimizes double-counting because it occurs over such a short time period. However, we also recognize that it probably underestimates actual breeding population size, because it does not include pairs that leave the state before, arrive after, or are present but simply go undetected during the 9-day Index Count period.

Since 2000, we have reported two different “Total Counts”. The Unadjusted Total Count is a tally of the total number of pairs reported for all sites over the course of the entire nesting season, with limited effort made to adjust for any pairs that may have been double-counted if they nested unsuccessfully at one

2 location and then renested at another. We then derive an Adjusted Total Count by calculating the average of the Index Count and the Unadjusted Total Count, rounded to the nearest whole number of pairs.

The Unadjusted Total Count is simple and relatively objective to calculate, but likely overestimates the actual population by double-counting pairs that established nesting territories at more than one location in a given year. Without color-banded birds, it is impossible to accurately and objectively determine which birds nested at multiple locations within a breeding season or simply did not arrive or begin breeding activities until June. It is too time-consuming, subjective, and, we suspect, inaccurate to try and adjust the Total Count of pairs each year by not tallying late-nesting pairs (i.e., pairs reported as “new” pairs that nested after the first week in June), based on the assumption that these birds were probably already counted earlier in the season. We believe that the Adjusted Total Count is the most accurate estimate of the actual number of breeding pairs in Massachusetts because it falls midway between the Index Count and Unadjusted Total Count, which we believe underestimate and overestimate, respectively, the actual breeding population.

Reproductive success

The primary measure of reproductive success that we report is Productivity, measured as number of chicks fledged per pair. The denominator of this ratio is the number of breeding pairs for which fledging data were reported; this includes not only pairs that successfully fledged chicks, but also pairs that cooperators believed did not nest, pairs that nested unsuccessfully (eggs did not survive to hatch), and pairs whose chicks failed to fledge. Since 2000, we have reported two different Number of pairs with fledge data. As with counts of breeding pairs, estimates of the number of pairs for which fledging data are reported will be biased if any double-counting of pairs occurs. Double-counting will overestimate the number of pairs in the denominator of the productivity ratio, and thereby will underestimate actual productivity. To reduce the potential bias associated with double-counting, we multiplied the Unadjusted number of pairs with fledge data (a tally of the total number of pairs with fledge data reported for all sites, with limited effort made to adjust for pairs that may have been double-counted) by the ratio of the Adjusted Total Count to the Unadjusted Total Count to arrive at the Adjusted number of pairs with fledge data. We used this method to calculate productivity for the entire state, and also separately for specific regions of the state, unless examination of the count data revealed no pairs that were likely to have been double-counted (i.e., pairs that nested unsuccessfully and left a territory before or during the first week in June, or were reported as new pairs after the first week of June).

Data reporting and quality control

All data were reported by cooperators who filled out a standard Massachusetts Piping Plover Census Form for each site monitored. This form requested data on number of breeding pairs (Index Count and Total Count); frequency of site visits; design(s) and installation dates of predator exclosures; dates of nest discovery, completion, hatching, and failure; number of eggs when the nest was discovered; total numbers of eggs laid, eggs hatched, and chicks fledged; reasons for egg and chick loss; and general comments and management needs. Maps of sites showing the locations of all nests were submitted with census forms. Upon receipt of forms, we contacted cooperators to obtain missing or incomplete data, resolve inconsistencies, and clarify ambiguities.

RESULTS

Observers reported breeding Piping Plovers at 99 sites in Massachusetts in 2006. An additional 67 sites were monitored one or more times during May and June, but no breeding pairs were detected (Table 1).

3 The Adjusted Total Count in 2006 was 482 pairs (Table 1). The Index Count in 2006 was 466 pairs, or 97 % of the Adjusted Total Count. Overall productivity in 2006 was 1.33 chicks fledged per pair, based on data from 472 of 482 (98 %) pairs (Table 1).

Two regions harbored 64 % of the total breeding pairs in the state: the Lower Cape (39 %) and the Upper Cape (24 %) (Table 1). Individual sites with the largest numbers of pairs were South Beach, Chatham (53 pairs), Sampsons’s Island -Dead Neck, Barnstable, (26), South Monomoy Island, Chatham (24), Sandy Neck, Barnstable (23), Crane Beach, Ipswich ( 22), Nauset Spit, Orleans (16), Duxbury Beach in Duxbury and Plymouth (14), Coast Guard Beach, Eastham (14), and Race Point-North, Provincetown (14). Although the 14 largest sites in the state, i.e. those with > 10 pairs, supported 52 % of all pairs in the state, the 61 smallest sites, those with 1-3 pairs, collectively accounted for 22 % of the total pairs.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We extend our sincere thanks to the many biologists, seasonal staff, beach managers, landowners, and volunteers who participated in conservation efforts on behalf of Piping Plovers and other coastal waterbirds in Massachusetts in 2006. This work was carried out by cooperators from over 30 state and federal agencies, local municipalities and county governments, private conservation groups, and universities. We especially thank all the individuals who participated in population monitoring and submitted the data that are summarized in this report.

LITERATURE CITED

Hecht, A., D. Avrin, S. Melvin, J. Nicholls, C. Raithel, and K. Terwilliger. 1996. Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Atlantic Coast population revised recovery plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Hadley, MA.

4 Table 1. Abundance, distribution, and productivity of Piping Plovers in Massachusetts, 2007.

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count NORTH SHORE e North Salisbury Beach, Salisbury nd nd nd nd nd e nd South Salisbury Beach, Salisbury nd nd nd Nd Plum Island town beaches, 2 3 2 3 USFWS Newburyport/Newbury Parker River NWR, Newbury/Rowley 8 9 10 9 USFWS

Sandy Point State Res., Ipswich 4 5 5 5 USFWS

Crane Beach, Ipswich 25 25 19 25 TTOR

Coffin’s Beach, Gloucester 0 0 nd 0 DFW

Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester 0 0 nd 0 DFW

Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester nd nd nd nd Nd

Revere Beach, Revere 1* 1* 2 1 MAS, NEA

SOUTH SHORE

The Glades, Scituate nd 0 nd 0 MAS

Third Cliff, Scituate 5 5 4 5 MAS

Fourth Cliff, Scituate 0 0 0 0 MAS

Humarock, Scituate 0 1 0 1 MAS

Rexhame Beach, Marshfield 1 1 0 1 MAS

Duxbury Beach, Duxbury/Plymouth 10 11 14 11 MAS, Duxbury k Saquish Beach and Head, Plymouth 2 1* 2 1* MAS Plymouth Beach, Plymouth 13 13 20 13 Plymouth

Ellisville, Plymouth * 4 5 2 5 MAS, Friends of Ellisville Marsh Sagamore Beach, Bourne and 3 3 3 3 MAS Sandwich Scusset Beach State Res., Sandwich 0* 1* 0 1* MAS

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count UPPER CAPE

Mashnee Dike, Bourne 1 1 nd 0 MAS

Bassetts Island, Bourne nd nd nd nd nd

Little Island Beach, Falmouth 0 nd nd nd MAS

Chappaquoit Beach,Falmouth 0 nd nd nd MAS

Black Beach., West Falmouth 0 0 0 0 MAS

Sippewisset, West Falmouth 2 3 7 3 MAS

Woodneck Beach, W. Falmouth 0 nd nd nd MAS

Acapesket Beach, Falmouth 0 nd nd nd MAS

Menauhant Beach, Falmouth 0 * 0* 0 0 MAS, WBNRR

Washburn Island, Falmouth 4 4 3 4 WBNERR

South Cape Beach, Mashpee 2 2 2 2 WBNERR

New Seabury, Mashpee 2 2 3 2 WBNERR

Rock Landing/Maushop Village, 0 nd nd nd MAS Mashpee Popponesset Spit, Mashpee 5 6 * 4 6* MAS

Town Neck Beach, Sandwich 5 5 7 5 MAS

Springhill Beach, Sandwich 10 11 18 11 MAS

East Sandwich Beach, Sandwich 8 9* 10 9* MAS

Scorton (Neck) Creek, Sandwich 4 5* 13 5* MAS o Scorton Shores, Sandwich 4 4 1 4 MAS Sandy Neck, Barnstable 34 35 53 35 Barnstable

Sampson’s Is.-Dead Neck, Barnstable 17 17 30 17 MAS

Bone Hill Road, Barnstable 0* 0* 0 0 MAS

Dowse’s Beach, Barnstable 1 1 4 1 MAS

Long Beach, Barnstable 4 4 3 4 MAS

Craigville Beach, Barnstable 1 1 0 1 MAS

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Squaw Island, Barnstable 5 5 6 5 MAS

Squaw Is. Road, Barnstable 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Sea St./ Keyes Beach, Barnstable 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Kalmus Park Beach, Barnstable 5 5 0 5 MAS

Fortes Beach, Barnstable 0 nd nd nd MAS

Gray’s Beach, Yarmouth * 0 0 0 0 MAS

Seagull Beach/Radio City, Yarmouth 4 4 3 4 MAS

Great Island, Yarmouth 2 2 0 2 MAS

Bass River Beach, Yarmouth 0 nd nd 0 nd

West Dennis Beach, Dennis 5 6 7 6 MAS, Dennis

Depot St./Inman St. Beach, Dennis 0 nd nd 0 MAS,Dennis

Miramar Beach (Swan River), Dennis 1 1 3 1 MAS, Dennis

Haigis Beach, Dennis 0 nd nd 0 MAS, Dennis

Glendon Beach, Dennis 0 nd nd 0 MAS, Dennis

South Village Beach, Dennis 0 nd nd 0 MAS, Dennis

Chapin Beach, Dennis 2 2 3 2 MAS, Dennis

Mayflower Beach, Dennis 0 0 0 0 MAS, Dennis

Howes St./Corporation Beach, Dennis 0 0 0 0 MAS, Dennis

Cold Storage Beach, Dennis 0 0 0 0 MAS, Dennis

Sesuit Harbor Beach, Dennis 0 0 0 0 MAS, Dennis

Quivett Neck / Coles Pond / Crowes 0 0 0 0 MAS, Dennis Pasture, Dennis Wings Island, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Paine’s Creek, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Robbins Hill Beach, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Saint’s Landing, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Point of Rocks, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Town Beach (Grey Neck Rd.), 0 nd nd 0 MAS Brewster Ellis Landing, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Linell Landing Beach, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Crosby Landing Beach, Brewster 2 2 2 2 MAS

Mants Landing, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Breakwater Beach, Brewster 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Grey Neck Rd. Beach, Harwich 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Bank St./Merkel Beach/Wychmere, 4 4 4 4 MAS Harwichport Red River Beach, Harwich 0* nd* nd* 0 MAS

Allens Harbor, Harwich 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Saquatucket Bluffs, Harwich 0* nd* nd 0 MAS

LOWER CAPE

Pleasant St. Beach, Chatham 1 1 2 1 MAS

Forest Beach, Chatham 1 1 3 1 MAS

Cockle Cove/Ridgevale Beach, 1 1 3 1 MAS Chatham Harding Beach Shores, Chatham 0 0 0 0 MAS

Harding Beach, Chatham 4 4 5 4 MAS

Harding Beach Point, Chatham* 0 nd nd 0 MAS

North Monomoy Island, Chatham 1 1 3 1 USFWS

q Minimoy Island, Chatham 0 0 0 0 USFWS South Monomoy Island, Chatham 20 20 14 20 USFWS

South Beach, Chatham 50 50 44 50 MAS

Morris Island dredge spoil, Chatham 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Tern Island, Chatham 2 2 * 2 2* MAS

Claflin Landng, Chatham Bars, Inn, 0 0 0 0 MAS Chatham

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Nauset Beach, Chatham 10 12 2 12 Chatham, MAS

Nauset Beach, Orleans 6* 5* 6 5* Orleans

Nauset Spit (Heights), Orleans 15 1* 20 17* Orleans

New Island, Orleans/Eastham 2 2* 0 2* NPS

Skaket Beach, Orleans 0 nd nd nd MAS

Rock Creek (north side), Orleans nd nd nd nd nd

First Encounter Beach, Eastham nd nd nd nd nd

So. Sunken Meadow Spit, Eastham 3 3 12 3 M AS

Coast Guard Beach, Eastham 15 15 31 15 NPS

Nauset Light Beach, Eastham 0 0 0 0 NPS

Marconi Beach and Station, Wellfleet 4 4 2 4 NPS

Lecount Hollow, Wellfleet 1 1 1 1 NPS

White Crest Beach, Wellfleet 0 0 0 0 NPS

Cahoon Hollow, Wellfleet 0 0 0 0 NPS, Wellfleet

Lieutenant Island, Wellfleet 2 2.5* 3 2.5* MAS

Indian Neck, Wellfleet 1 1 1 1 MAS

Field Point, Indian Neck, Wellfleet 0? 0? 0? 0? MAS

Jeremy Point/Great Island, Wellfleet 9 9 14 9 NPS

Duck Harbor/Bound Brook, 6 6 19 6 NPS u Wellfleet/ Truro Ryder Beach, Truro 1 1 3 1 MAS, NPS

Pamet Harbor-South, Truro 0 1.5 3 1.5 MAS

Pamet Harbor-North/Corn Hill Beach, 4 4 9 4 MAS Truro Pond Village Beach, Truro nd Nd nd nd nd

Pilgrim Beach/Beach Point, Truro 1 1 3 1 MAS

Newcomb Hollow, Wellfleet/ Truro 0 1* 0 1* NPS

Ballston Beach, Truro 3 3* 2 3* NPS

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Longnook Beach, Truro 0 0 0 0 NPS

High Head/Head of the Meadow, 10 10 13 10 NPS Truro Race Point-South Beach, 11* 12* 18 12 NPS Provincetown/Truro Race Point-North Beach, 12 13 23 13 NPS Provincetown Long Point/Wood End, Provincetown 9 9 20 9 NPS

Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown 1 1 3 1 NPS

BRISTOL COUNTY

Stony Point Dike, Wareham 3* 3* nd 0 MAS

Long Beach Point, Wareham nd nd nd nd nd

Little Harbor Beach, Wareham 1 1 3 1 MAS

Strawberry Point, Mattapoisett nd nd nd nd nd

West Island, Fairhaven 2 2 4 2 LCES

Winsegansett Heights, Fairhaven 0 0 0 0 LCES

Round Hill Beach, Dartmouth 1 1* 0 1* MAS

Salters Pond, Dartmouth 2 2* 4 2* MAS

Demarest Lloyd State Park, 2 2 0 2 LCES Dartmouth Little Beach/Barney’s Joy, Dartmouth 16 16 13 16 MAS

Gooseberry Neck, Westport 1 1 1 1 LCES

Horseneck Beach, Westport 10 10 18 10 LCES, MAS

Acoaxet, Westport 0 0 0 0 TNC-RI

Cockeast Pond, Westport 1 1 0 1 TNC-RI

Richmond Pond, Westport 0 0 0 0 TNC-RI

Bay Point, Swansea 0 0 0 0 A. Waring

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count ELIZABETH ISLANDS * x Naushon Island > 1 > 1 nd 0 DFW, CSI Pasque Island-Robinson’s Hole nd* 1 * nd 0 DFW, CSI

Pasque Island-Cobbly nd nd nd nd nd

Pasque Island-Quicks Hole nd 0 nd 0 DFW, CSI z Nashawena Island-Quicks Hole > 1 > 1 nd 0 DFW, CSI Nashawena Island-Canapitsit nd nd * nd 0 DFW, CSI

Cuttyhunk Island, Gosnold 1 1 nd 0 DFW

Penikese Island, Gosnold 0 0 0 0 DFW

Ram Island, Mattapoisett 0 0 0 0 DFW

MARTHA’S VINEYARD

Eastville Point Beach, Oak Bluffs 0 0 0 0 MAS

Harthaven, Oak Bluffs 1* 0 0 0 MAS

Sylvia State Beach, Edgartown 5 5 2 5 MAS

Cow Bay, Edgartown 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Eel Pond/Little Beach/Lighthouse 0* 0* 0 0 MAS Beach, Edgartown Chappaquiddick Point Beach, 0 nd nd 0 MVLB Chappaquiddick Cape Pogue Elbow/The Narrows, 3 4 2 4 TTOR Chappaquiddick Little Neck, Chappaquiddick 0 0 0 0 TTOR

Arruda’s Pt./The Jetties, 0 0 0 0 TTOR Chappaquiddick *? Leland/East Beaches, 4 4 7 4 TTOR Chappaquiddick Wasque, Chappaquiddick 1 1 0 1 TTOR

Norton Point Beach, Edgartown 5 5 1 5 TTOR

South Beach, Edgartown 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Edgartown Great Pond/Job’s Neck, 1 2 0 2 MAS, MVLB Crackatuxet Pond., Edgartown

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Oyster and Paqua Ponds, Edgartown nd nd nd nd nd

Watcha Pond, W. Tisbury nd nd nd nd nd

Tisbury Great Pond/Black Point 3 3 0 3 MAS Pond/Quansoo/Long Point, bb Chilmark Chilmark Pond, Chilmark 2 2 4 2 MAS, MVLB

Lucy Vincent Beach, Chilmark 0 0 0 0 MAS

Squibnocket Beach, Chilmark 2 2 2 2 D. Swanson

Long Beach, Chilmark 0 nd nd nd MAS

Menemsha Beach, Menemsha 0 nd* nd 0 MAS

Moshup Trail Beach/Philbin Beach, 0 nd nd 0 MAS, MVLB Moshp Beach Overlook, Aquinnah Dogfish Bar, Aquinnah 5 5 7 5 MAS, L. Johnson

Lobsterville Beach, Aquinnah 2 1 2 1 MAS

Lambert’s Cove, West Tisbury 0 0 0 0 MAS

Cedar Tree Neck, W. Tisbury nd nd nd nd nd

Great Rock Bight Preserve, Chilmark 0 nd nd nd MVLB

Stonewall Beach, Chilmark 0 0 0 0 MAS

Sepiessa Point Reservation, West 0 nd nd nd MVLB Tisbury Tashmoo, Tisbury 2 2 5 2 MAS

Wilfred’s Pond. and Mink Meadows 2 2* 0 2 MAS, MVLB Beach, Vineyard Haven Northern Pines Shores, Vineyard nd nd nd nd Nd Haven

Nomans Land 0 0 0 0 USFWS

NANTUCKET

Great Point 2 2 0 2 TTOR

The Galls 2 2 3 2 TTOR

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count dd Coskata-West Beach 1 1 2 1 TTOR ee Coskata-Inner Trail 0 0 0 0 TTOR Coatue 5 5 10 5 NCF ee Coskata-East Beach 3* 3* 0 3* TTOR ee Coskata Inlet/The Haulover 1* 1* 0* 1* NCF Wauwinet 0 nd nd nd MAS

Squam Pond 4* 3* 1 3* MAS, NCF

Quidnet/Sesachacha Pond 1 1 1 1 MAS ff Low Beach/Tom Nevers 1 1 0 1 Nantucket Surfside 0 0 0 0 Nantucket

Hummock Pond 2 2 0 2 NCF

Esther Is. / Smith Point, Nantucket 6 7 11 3 Nantucket

Eel Point 9 9 9 9 NCF

Dionis Beach 0 0 0 0 Nantucket

Jetties Beach 3 3 5 3 Nantucket

Quaise Point 0 0 0 0 NCF

Ram Island (Polpis Harbor) 0* 0* 0 0 NCF

Long Pond 0* 0* 0 0 NCF

Tuckernuck Island 7 7 8 7 College of Staten Is.

Muskeget Island 5 5 6 2 College of Staten Is.

UNADJUSTED TOTALS gg hh

ii jj ADJUSTED TOTALS - - a Index Count = number of pairs counted between 1-9 June, 2007, the standardized Index Count period for the Atlantic Coast population.

13 b Total Count = total number of territorial or breeding pairs present for at least 2 weeks during the breeding season. c Chicks fledged are defined as chicks > 25 days of age or observed in flight, whichever occurs first. Number of pairs with fledge data includes all pairs for which it was determined how many chicks fledged; this includes not only pairs that successfully fledged chicks, but also pairs that did not nest, pairs that nested unsuccessfully, and pairs whose chicks failed to fledge. d Key to sources: ACOE = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Barnstable = Town of Barnstable , DCR = Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Dennis = Town of Dennis, DFW = Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Duxbury = Town of Duxbury, LCES = Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies, MVLB = Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, MAS = Massachusetts Audubon Society, NCF = Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket = Town of Nantucket, NPS = National Park Service, Plymouth = Town of Plymouth, TNC-RI = Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, TTOR = The Trustees of Reservations, USFWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WBNERR = Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wellfleet = Town of Wellfleet. e North Salisbury Beach is defined as the length of beach from the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border south to the center of the town of Salisbury Beach; South Salisbury Beach is the length of beach from the center of the town of Salisbury Beach south to the Merrimac River. f At South Salisbury Beach, a single adult was observed on 23 May during a storm with wind-driven rain. The site was checked daily for the next 6-7 days, with no subsequent sightings of Piping Plovers. g At Crane Beach, 2 adults from 2 different pairs (pair 4 and 9) were killed and their nests were abandoned during the last 5 days of May; the 2 surviving, unpaired adults were not tallied in the Index Count. Nest 18A was believed to be a renest of 15A,so these 2 nest attempts were tallied as a single pair in both the Index Count and Total Count. No evidence was reported to indicate that pair 3 was present during the Index Count (nest 3B was abandoned on 22 May). h At Coffins Beach on 12 June, 2 adult Piping Plovers were observed feeding on the lower beach. No evidence of breeding was observed, and these plovers may have been birds from Crane Beach. i nd = no data available j At Wingaersheek Beach on 12 June, 4 adult Piping Plovers were observed feeding on the lower beach. There was not evidence of breeding, and we suspect these may have been plovers from Crane Beach. k Saquish Beach was reported as part of Duxbury Beach prior to the 2001 report. l Ellisville includes both Ellisville State Park and the private beach along the south side of Ellisville Harbor. m Although no nesting Piping Plovers were observed at Menauhant Yacht Club Beach, tracks were consistently observed there during the first 2 weeks of April, and single adults were observed foraging there on 17 May and 23 and 25 July. n At Popponesset Spit, a fourth pair of plovers was observed during the Index Count (1-9 June), but was present for less than 2 weeks overall and was never observed scraping. This pair is tallied in the Index count but not the Total Count for Popponesset Spit; we assume it likely renested elsewhere, where it would have been tallied as part of the Total Count for the second site.

14 o Scorton Shores includes the Sandwich portion of Bodfish Park. p A pair of plovers was observed scraping at Saquatucket Bluffs, Harwich on 23 June, but there was no evidence that they nested there or maintained a breeding territory for > 2 weeks. q “Minimoy” Island is a small, accreting island that has emerged during the past decade and lies approximately 400 m west of the north end of South Monomoy Island, Chatham. r At South Beach, Chatham, we believe that pairs no. 9, 29, 50, 51, 52, and 53 were not present during the Index Count period (1-9 June). s At Tern Island, 2 Piping Plovers with a suspected scrape were reported on 17-18 June, but were not observed during May or the first half of June or after 18 June. t At South Sunken Meadow Spit, a third pair of plovers seen only on 27-28 May and 8 June is tallied in the Index Count but not in the Total Count or number of pairs with fledge data. u Data for Duck Harbor and Bound Brook were reported as part of Jeremy Point/Great Island prior to 2001. v At Demarest Lloyd State Park, 3 pairs of plovers nested, and a fourth pair was seen on numerous occasions at the north end of the beach, where they displayed courtship behavior but apparently did not nest. w At Cockeast Pond, only a single adult was observed during the Index Count, presumably from the pair whose nest was abandoned on May 29, possibly due to human and dog disturbance. x At Naushon Island, 2 adult plovers were present at Crescent Beach on 13 June, and a pair of adults with 1 chick was observed there on 9 July (fide Jeremy Hatch and David Stanwood). On 13 June, a single adult plover was observed feeding on the beach at Tarpaulin Cove, but it exhibited no behavior that would suggest it was paired and nesting. No plovers were detected at Kettle Cove, West Beach, or Robinson’s Hole on 13 June. y At Pasque Island – Robinson’s Hole, 1 pair was present on 13 June, acting as if they had a nest or chicks in dune vegetation. A third adult was observed feeding on the beach 100 yards to the south. Pasque- Cobbly was not censused (habitat was deemed too cobbly for nesting by Piping Plovers in June 2005). No plovers were observed at Pasque – Quicks Hole. z At Nashawena – Quicks Hole on 13 June, there was 1 pair of plovers with 2 chicks about 2 weeks old, a second pair with 2 chicks > 1 week old, and a third pair courting at the southeastern end of the beach. A single adult was feeding on algal flats along the pond edge behind the dunes, but it might have been from one of the 3 pairs observed earlier on the front beach. No plovers were observed at Baret Rock or Canapitsit. aa Cuttyhunk Island was censused on 13 June. No plovers were detected on Barge Beach (censused on foot), the bathing beach west of the harbor (scanned from a boat), the West End Pond beaches (scanned from a boat), or intertidal flats along the north side of the entrance to the main harbor (scanned from Barge Beach and from a boat). bb This site also includes the Lewis property and Long Point Wildlife Refuge.

15 cc At Great Point and the Galls, Nantucket, an unpaired adult was present from late May through early July, in addition to the nesting pairs reported. dd Coskata-West Beach refers to the beach along the Nantucket Sound side of Coskata, from the south end of The Galls south and west to the boundary of Coatue. This is the same area that was referenced as Coskata-North Beach in 1993 and as part of The Galls in 1991 and 1992. Census data for Great Point, The Galls, and Coskata-West Beach were not reported separately in 1996 or 1997. ee Coskata-Inner Trail refers to the inland trail running south and west from Coskata toward Coatue. Coskata-East Beach refers to the beach along the eastern (Atlantic) side of Coskata, including the washover at The Glades. Coskata Inlet is the inlet from Nantucket Harbor into Coskata Pond. ff Low Beach/Tom Nevers runs from Siasconset south and west and includes the beach in front of Tom Nevers Head. In 1999, this site was split and reported as two sites: Low Beach/Tom Nevers, and Low Beach-Siasconset. gg The Unadjusted Total Count is the sum of the Total Counts reported for each site. hh The Unadjusted total number of pairs with fledge data is the sum of the Number of pairs with fledge data reported for each site. ii The Adjusted Total Count is the average of the Index Count and the Unadjusted Total Count, rounded to the nearest whole number of pairs. jj The Adjusted total number of pairs with fledge data is calculated by multiplying the Unadjusted total number of pairs with fledge data by the ratio of the Adjusted Total Count to the Unadjusted Total Count, and rounding to the nearest whole number of pairs.