Summary of 2007 Massachusetts Piping Plover Census Data

SUMMARY OF 2007 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

July 2008

ABSTRACT

This report summarizes data on Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) abundance, distribution, and reproductive success in Massachusetts during the 2007 breeding season. Observers reported breeding pairs of plovers at 113 sites; 85 additional sites were surveyed at least once, but no breeding pairs were detected at them. The Index Count (statewide census conducted 1-9 June) was 550 pairs, and the Adjusted Total Count (estimated total number of breeding pairs statewide over the entire season) was 558 pairs. Overall statewide productivity was 1.25 chicks fledged per pair, based on data reported for 546 of 558 pairs (98 %).

SUMMARY OF 2007 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 2007, 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 198 sites in Massachusetts in 2007 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 2007, 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 may be more precise than counts based on observations made over the entire breeding season. The Index Count likely minimizes double-counting because it occurs over such a short time period. However, it probably underestimates actual number of breeding pairs 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 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 likely overestimates the actual population by double-counting pairs that establish nesting territories at more than one location in a given year. Without color-banded birds, however, it is impossible to accurately determine whether late-nesting pairs may have nested earlier at a different site, 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 suspect slightly 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, and hatching or 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, if determined; and general comments and management needs. Maps of sites showing the locations of all nests were submitted with census forms. If necessary after reviewing census forms, we contacted cooperators to obtain missing or incomplete data, resolve inconsistencies, and clarify ambiguities.

RESULTS

Observers reported breeding Piping Plovers at 113 sites in Massachusetts in 2007. An additional 85 sites were surveyed one or more times during May and June, but no breeding pairs were detected at them (Table 1).

The Adjusted Total Count in 2007 was 558 pairs (Table 1). The Index Count in 2007 was 550 pairs, or 99 % of the Adjusted Total Count. Overall productivity in 2007 was 1.25 chicks fledged per pair, based on data from 546 of 558 (98 %) pairs (Table 1). By comparison, in 2006 the Index Count was 466 pairs, the Adjusted Total Count was 482 pairs, and the overall productivity was 1.33 chicks fledged per pair (Melvin 2007).

Two regions harbored 62% of the total breeding pairs in the state: the Lower Cape (38 %) and the Upper Cape (24 %) (Table 1). Individual sites with the largest numbers of pairs were South Beach, Chatham (50 pairs), Sandy Neck, Barnstable (35 pairs), Crane Beach, Ipswich (25 pairs), South Monomoy Island, Chatham (20 pairs), Nauset Spit, Orleans (17 pairs), Dead Neck-Sampsons’s Island, Barnstable, (17 pairs), Little Beach/Barneys Joy, Dartmouth (16 pairs), and Coast Guard Beach, Eastham (15 pairs). Although the 16 largest sites, i.e. those with > 10 pairs, supported 51 % of all pairs in the state, the smallest sites (1-3 pairs) were also important, collectively accounting for 18 % of the total pairs.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We extend our sincere thanks to the many biologists, seasonal shorebird monitors, beach managers, landowners, and volunteers who participated in conservation efforts on behalf of Piping Plovers and other coastal waterbirds in Massachusetts in 2007. 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.

Melvin, S.M. 2007. Summary of 2006 Massachusetts Piping Plover census data. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Westborough, 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 f North Salisbury Beach, Salisbury nd nd nd nd nd e g South Salisbury Beach, Salisbury nd nd nd nd DCR 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 nd nd 0 DFW

Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester 0 0 nd 0 DFW

Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester nd nd nd nd nd h h Revere Beach, Revere 1 1 2 1 MAS, NEA

SOUTH SHORE i The Glades, Scituate nd nd nd nd 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 j k k k Saquish, Plymouth 2 1 2 1 MAS Plymouth Beach, Plymouth 13 13 20 13 Plymouth l Ellisville, Plymouth 4 5 2 5 FEM, MAS Sagamore Beach, Bourne and 3 3 3 3 MAS Sandwich m m m 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 0 MAS

Chappaquoit Beach, Falmouth 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Black Beach, Falmouth 0 0 0 0 MAS

Sippewisset, Falmouth 2 3 7 3 MAS

Woodneck Beach, Falmouth 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Acapesket Beach, Falmouth 0 nd nd 0 MAS n n Menauhant Yacht Club Beach, 0 0 0 0 WBNRR, MAS Falmouth 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 o o 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 p p East Sandwich Beach, Sandwich 8 9 10 9 MAS q q Scorton (Neck) Creek, Sandwich 4 5 13 5 MAS r p,q p,q 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 s s Bone Hill Road, Barnstable 0 0 0 0 MAS Dowses 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 0 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

Allens Harbor, Harwich 0 nd nd 0 MAS

Bank St./Merkel Beach/Wychmere, 4 4 4 4 MAS Harwichport t t Saquatucket Bluffs, Harwich 0 nd nd 0 MAS u u Red River Beach, 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 v Harding Beach Point, Chatham 0 nd nd 0 MAS North Monomoy Island, Chatham 1 1 3 1 USFWS

w 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 x x Tern Island, Chatham 2 2 2 2 MAS

d Location Number of pairs No. chicks No. pairs Source c fledged with fledge c data Index Total a b Count Count Claflin Landing/ Chatham Bars Inn, 0 0 0 0 MAS Chatham Nauset Beach, Chatham 10 12 2 12 Chatham, MAS y y y Nauset Beach, Orleans 6 5 6 5 Orleans z z Nauset Spit (Heights), Orleans 15 17 20 17 Orleans z z New Island, Orleans/Eastham 2 2 0 2 NPS Skaket Beach, Orleans 0 nd nd 0 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 MAS

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 aa aa Lieutenant Island, Wellfleet 2 2.5 3 2.5 MAS Indian Neck/Field Point, Wellfleet 1 1 1 1 MAS

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

Duck Harbor/Bound Brook, 6 6 19 6 NPS bb Wellfleet/ Truro Ryder Beach, Truro 1 1 3 1 MAS, NPS cc cc Pamet Harbor-South, Truro 1 1.5 3 1.5 MAS Pamet Harbor-North (Corn Hill 4 4 9 4 MAS Beach), Truro Pond Village Beach, Truro nd nd nd nd nd

Pilgrim Beach/Beach Point, Truro 1 1 3 1 MAS dd dd Newcomb Hollow, Wellfleet/ Truro 0 1 0 1 NPS dd dd 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 ee ee 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 ff Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown 1 1 3 1 NPS

BRISTOL COUNTY gg gg 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 hh hh Round Hill Beach, Dartmouth 0 1 0 1 MAS hh hh 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 ii ii Naushon Island > 1 > 1 nd 0 DFW, CSI jj jj Pasque Island-Robinson’s Hole 1 1 nd 0 DFW, CSI jj jj Pasque Island-Cobbly nd nd nd nd nd jj jj Pasque Island-Quicks Hole nd nd nd 0 DFW, CSI kk kk Nashawena Island-Quicks Hole > 2 > 2 nd 0 DFW, CSI kk kk Nashawena Island-Canapitsit nd nd nd 0 DFW, CSI ll ll 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 mm mm Eastville Point Beach, Oak Bluffs 0 0 0 0 MAS nn nn 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 oo oo Eel Pond/Little Beach/Lighthouse 0 0 0 0 MAS Beach, Edgartown Chappaquiddick Point Beach, 0 0 0 0 MVLB Chappaquiddick Cape Pogue Elbow/The Narrows, 3 4 2 4 TTOR Chappaquiddick Little Neck, Chappaquiddick 0 0 0 0 TTOR pp pp 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, MVLB Pond/Quansoo/Long Point, qq Chilmark Chilmark Pond, Chilmark 2 2 4 2 MAS, MVLB

Lucy Vincent Beach, Chilmark 0 0 0 0 MAS

Stonewall Beach, Chilmark 0 0 0 0 MAS

Squibnocket Beach, Chilmark 2 2 2 2 D. Swanson

Long Beach, Aquinnah 0 nd nd nd MAS

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

Lobsterville Beach, Aquinnah 2 1 2 1 MAS rr Menemsha Beach, Chilmark 0 nd nd 0 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

Sepiessa Point Reservation, West 0 nd nd nd MVLB Tisbury Tashmoo, Tisbury 2 2 5 2 MAS ss Wilfred’s Pond and Mink Meadows 1 2 0 2 MAS, MVLB Beach, Tisbury Northern Pines Shores, Tisbury nd nd nd nd nd

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 tt Coskata-West Beach 1 1 2 1 TTOR uu Coskata-Inner Trail 0 0 0 0 TTOR Coatue 5 5 10 5 NCF uu vv vv vv Coskata-East Beach 3 3 0 3 TTOR uu vv vv vv Coskata Inlet/The Haulover 1 1 0 1 NCF Wauwinet 0 nd nd 0 MAS ww ww ww Squam Pond 4 3 1 3 MAS, NCF Quidnet/Sesachacha Pond 1 1 1 1 MAS xx Low Beach/Tom Nevers 1 1 0 1 Nantucket Surfside 0 0 0 0 Nantucket

Hummock Pond 2 2 0 2 NCF yy yy yy Esther Is. / Smith Point, Nantucket 6 7 11 7 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 zz zz Ram Island (Polpis Harbor) 0 0 0 0 NCF aaa aaa Long Pond 0 0 0 0 NCF

Tuckernuck Island 7 7 8 7 TLT, CSI

Muskeget Island 5 5 6 2 TLT, CSI

bbb ccc UNADJUSTED TOTALS 550 565 684 553 ddd eee ADJUSTED TOTALS - 558 - 546

a Index Count = number of pairs counted between June 1-9, 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, Chatham = Town of Chatham, CSI = College of Staten Island, DCR = Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Dennis = Town of Dennis, DFW = Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Duxbury = Town of Duxbury, FEM = Friends of Ellisville Marsh, LCES = Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies, MAS = Massachusetts Audubon Society, MVLB = Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, Nantucket = Town of Nantucket, NCF = Nantucket Conservation Foundation, NEA = New England Aquarium, NPS = National Park Service, Orleans = Town of Orleans, Plymouth = Town of Plymouth, TLT = Tuckernuck Land Trust, TNC-RI = The Nature Conservancy - Rhode Island Chapter, 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 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 Merrimack River. f nd = no data available g At South Salisbury Beach, no plovers were detected during infrequent monitoring during April and May, 2007. No monitoring took place during June. h At Revere Beach, a beachgoer reported a Piping Plover nest with newly hatched chick on July 27. This pair may have been present during the Index Count period, but the site was not being monitored at that time. i At The Glades in Scituate, no Piping Plovers were observed when the site was visited on July 21.

j Saquish, Plymouth was reported as part of Duxbury Beach prior to the 2001 report. k At Saquish, the second pair of plovers was observed on June 7, 9, 12, and 15, at different locations. This pair may have nested earlier, but monitoring did not begin until June 7. No territorial behavior, nest, or scrapes were observed. This pair is tallied in the Index Count for Saquish, but not in Total Count or Pairs with fledge data because of lack of evidence of courtship or territorial behavior in a fixed location for at least 2 weeks. l Ellisville includes both Ellisville State Park and the private beach along the south side of Ellisville Harbor. m At Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sandwich, 1 or 2 pairs were observed sporadically in April and May acting territorial and scraping, but no nests were found. One male scraped for at least 2 weeks after the May 16 coastal storm. Any plovers that were at this site were suspected to have eventually moved north to Sagamore Beach. One pair is tallied for Scusset Beach under Total Count and Pairs with fledge data, but is not included in regional or state totals.

14 n At Menauhant Yacht Club Beach, Falmouth, although no breeding pairs were observed, plover tracks were observed consistently during May and June, and single adults were seen foraging there on May 3, June 8, 9, 11, 14, and 24, July 2, and August 3. Foraging birds often flew across the channel to Washburn Island o At Popponesset Spit, Mashpee, pair # 6 was first observed on June 15 and was irregularly observed scraping for about 4 weeks thereafter, until mid-July. No nest was found. We assume this pair had nested elsewhere earlier in the season, and so have included it in the Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for the site, but not in state or regional totals. p At East Sandwich Beach, pair # 6A (nest lost between May 16-24, likely flooded by new moon high tide on May 16) likely did not renest at East Sandwich Beach, but instead was suspected to have renested at Scorton Shores as pair # 3 or 4. This pair is tallied in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for both sites, but only once in state and regional totals q At Scorton Neck, Sandwich, pair # 1 (nest lost to overwash on May 16) likely renested at Scorton Shores as pair # 3 or 4. This pair is tallied in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for both sites, but only once in state and regional totals. r Scorton Shores includes the Sandwich portion of Bodfish Park. s At Bone Hill Road, Barnstable, 2 adult plovers were observed foraging on June 5, but there were no observations of territorial behavior or nesting prior to or after that date. t At Saquatucket Bluffs, Harwich, Piping Plover tracks were observed on June 7 and one adult plover was observed on July 3, but no nests or scrapes were observed during visits on May 6, June 7, and July 3. u At Red River Beach, Harwich, 1 adult Piping Plover was observed during the single survey of the site on June 6. It may have been a bird from the pair that nested on Pleasant St. Beach, Chatham. v Harding Beach Point, Chathham, is also referred to as “Morris Island Dike”. w “Minimoy” Island, Chatham, is a small, accreting island that has emerged during the past decade and lies west of the north end of South Monomoy Island, Chatham. x At Tern Island, Chatham, 2 pairs were present on June 2. Only one was known to have nested, but the site was surveyed only once in April and once in May, so the second pair may have been present for > 2 weeks as well. y At Nauset Beach, Orleans, 6 pairs were present on June 1. One of these pairs did not exhibit courtship or territorial behavior and was not present for > 2weeks, so it is tallied in the Index Count but not the Total Count or Pairs with fledge data. z At New Island in Eastham and Orleans, we suspect that nest # 2A (found with 1 egg on May 31) was likely a renest of either pair # 5 or 6 from Nauset Spit, Orleans, whose nests were lost to storm overwash and abandoned, respectively, on May 19. Neither pair # 5 nor 6 from Nauset Spit was believed to have renested at Nauset Spit. Pair # 2, New Island, is tallied in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for New Island, but not in state and regional totals.

15 aa At the northwest corner of Lieutenant Island in Wellfleet, a male plover was believed to have nested twice in succession with 2 different females. The first female, described as having a solid, connected collar, disappeared around June 11 and its nest was abandoned. A bird believed to be the male from this pair subsequently paired and nested with a female with a “light”, incomplete collar on June 25. These 3 birds are tallied as 1.5 pairs in the Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for this site. bb Data for Duck Harbor and Bound Brook, Wellfleet and Truro, were reported as part of Jeremy Point/Great Island prior to 2001. cc At Pamet Harbor - South (Fisher’s Beach), Truro, observers reported that a single male likely nested with 2 different females in succession, based on descriptions of females with “connected” versus “unconnected” collars. These 3 birds are tallied as 1.5 pairs in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for this site. dd At Newcomb Hollow, Wellfleet, a pair was present from late April through May. The birds were observed scraping, but no nest was ever found, and monitors suspect the pair eventually moved to the southern end of Ballston Beach. This pair is tallied in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for both sites, but only once in state and regional totals. ee At Race Point-South, Truro/Provincetown, one of the adults of pair # 3 was found dead on May 30 (coyote predation) and the nest was abandoned on May 31. The surviving adult was not seen again. ff A pair of plovers also nested at Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown in 2006, and plovers have nested there sporadically in previous years. However, prior to 2007, any plovers observed there were tallied as part of the Wood End-Long Point site. Herring Cove Beach is currently monitored during visits to Long Point/Wood End. gg At Stony Point Dike, Wareham, the count of 3 pairs was based on a single visit on June 8. hh At Round Hill Beach, Dartmouth, a pair of plovers was present and exhibited courtship behavior between April 26 and May 11, and then was believed to have moved to Salters Pond where they nested. This pair is included in Total Count and Pairs with fledge data for both sites, but is tallied only once in state and regional totals. ii Traditional and potential nesting beaches on Naushon Island were censused on June 19. One pair of plovers with 1 chick about 3 weeks old was observed at Kettle Cove. Three adult plovers were present at Crescent Beach but exhibited no territorial or courtship behavior. No plovers were detected at Tarpaulin Cove, West Beach, or Robinson’s Hole. jj At Pasque Island, Robinson’s Hole was censused on June 19. A pair of plovers was present, with the male scraping, but no nest or chicks were observed. 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. kk Traditional and potential nesting beaches on Nashawena Island were censused on June 19. At Quicks Hole, 1 pair of plovers with 2, 2-3 week-old chicks was present on the ocean-side beach. Two other adult plovers were observed on the ocean-side beach, south of the pair with chicks, and may also have been among the adults that were subsequently observed on the pond shore. At least 7 adult plovers were observed on the intertidal flats of the coastal pond behind the beach; a wide, deep channel to the ocean was present at the north end of the pond. No plovers were observed at Baret Rock or Canapitsit.

16 ll Cuttyhunk Island was censused on June 7. A pair of plovers was scraping along the north edge of the wire-covered gravel runway about 700 feet west of the northeast tip of Barge Beach. No plovers were present at the West End Pond beach, the bathing beach west of the town harbor, or on Copicut Beach across the harbor entrance from Barge Beach. A second survey of Barge Beach on June 19 found the pair of plovers incubating a clutch of 4 eggs laid in sand between the wire mesh laid on the runway, 2 feet from the tire of a small airplane parked on the runway! mm At Eastville Beach, Oak Bluffs, a courting pair of plovers was seen on May 2, but not thereafter. nn At Harthaven, Oak Bluffs, a pair of plovers was seen courting north of the jetty on June 6, but was not seen thereafter. oo At Little Beach, Edgartown, one adult plover was seen on June 3 but was not observed nesting or paired for the duration of the season. pp Although no breeding pairs of plovers were reported at Arruda’s Point or the Jetties on Chappaquiddick Island, a single bird was observed scraping in interdune habitat at Arruda’s on June 5, and 2 plovers were reported feeding near Shear Pen Pond and the Jetties earlier in the season. qq This site also includes the Lewis property and Long Point Wildlife Refuge. rr At Menemsha, a single non-territorial adult was seen once prior to the Index Count; it was assumed to be one of the nesting birds from Lobsterville. ss At Mink Meadows, Tisbury, an additional unpaired territorial male was present “throughout the season”. tt 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. uu 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. vv At Coskata-East Beach, 1 of 3 pairs that were present from early May into June eventually nested on Nantucket Conservation Foundation property at The Haulover. This pair is included in Index Count, Total Count, and Pairs with fledge data for both sites, but is tallied only once in state and regional totals. ww At Squam Pond, Nantucket, 1 of 4 pairs tallied during the Index Count was only observed on June 3, although single defensive adults or scrapes were observed on the same section of beach on June 2, 7, 9, and 12. This pair is tallied in the Index Count for Squam Pond, but not in Total Count or Pairs with fledge data. xx Low Beach/Tom Nevers runs from Siasconset south and west and includes the beach in front of Tom Nevers Head. yy Smith Point, Nantucket, breached at its base in mid-April 2007 and became Esther Island again. At Esther Island, no nests were found for 4 of 7 pairs of Piping Plovers that were present and exhibited courtship behavior over the course of the season.

17 zz At Ram Island in Polpis Harbor, Nantucket, 1 or 2 plovers were occasionally observed feeding, but exhibited no territorial or courtship behavior and may have been birds from Coatue. aaa The beach south of Long Pond, Nantucket, is monitored annually by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Although no breeding plovers have been detected there, plover tracks have been seen early in the season. bbb The Unadjusted Total Count is the sum of the Total Counts reported for each site. ccc The Unadjusted total number of pairs with fledge data is the sum of the Number of pairs with fledge data reported for each site. ddd The Adjusted Total Count is the average of the Index Count and the Unadjusted Total Count, rounded to the nearest whole number of pairs. eee 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.