STATUS DF PIPING PLOVERS IN : 1988 SUMMARY

Observers re-ported a total . o-F 134 breeding pairs of Piping Plovers (Charadri us melodjjs.) from 55 sites in Massachusetts in 19B8 (Table 1). This statewide total was higher than the 1987 total o-F 126, but lower than the 1986 total o-f 139. Observer e-f-fort in 1988, measured as number- o-f sites surveyed and intensity o-f census efforts at each site, was equal to that in 1987. Thus, we believe the 19B8 total reflects a slight increase over the 1937 total. . >: :>:V-.'..." We define breeding pairs as .pairs that are observed with either a nest or unfledged chicks, or that exhibit site tenacity £xnd evidence of pair bonding and terri tor i al i ty Single- birds that are observed during the breeding season and exhibit agitated, site tenacious behavior or distraction displays when approached are generally considered indicative of &. breeding pair at a site. y

Breeding plovers were present at coastal sites from Plum Island south to the Rhode Island border and east to Cape Cad and Mantucket. Eleven pairs (8V.) occurred at si tes on the North Shore (New Hampshire border south to Boston), 9 pairs (77.) along the South Shore (Boston south to .the Canal), 25 pairs (197.) on upper Cape Cod sites (Capes Cod Canal east to Brewster and Harwich, 31 pairs (237.) on the outer Cape (Chatham and Monomay NWR north to Province-town, 29 pairs (227.) along the west shore of (Wareham south 'to Rhode Island border) and 29 pairs (227.) on the outer islands (Elisabeth Islands east to ) .

Meatn number of pairs per site was 2.5, with a range of 1 to 17 pairs per site. Forty—five sites with 3 or fewer pairs accounted foror 527-^^/.. otf thmee state's populatiopopulationn . Only 6 sites reported 6 or more pairs. This distribution continues to dictate that management efforts for Piping Plovers be directed at many different sites with relatively few pairs of plovers per site.

Overall mean productivity for the state was 1.29 chicks fledged per nesting pair, based on data reported for 114 breeding pairs (B57. of state total) at 47 sites (857. of total). Mean productivity per region was: North Shore - 1.82, South Shore - 0.5-0, E

Thanks to all who contributed data, and for your effort; during the past year. /' /

Table 1. Summary of abundance, distribution, and productivity of Piping Plovers in Massachusetts, 1988.

-••^ui Chicks i-^f , '/ Location Pairs v fiedged ••!.. f . '4:;•'•'^ -'"'• ,-"' •<'*':; NORTH SHORE . ~~

\ 'J Salisbury Beach, Salisbury nda nd nc* /;.-.: Plum Island, Newbury and Ipswich r£§• 2 0 j) .-;• 5 If.:. l-f '-{{I 1 'n- 1 • -' ' Crane Beach, Ipswich ~~ * 9 20 ' - / / // v" ~- lf SOUTH SHORE ~~/ir~ : Third Cliff, Scituate 2 2 z z a ./ Fourth Cliff, Scituate 0 o ..""•'' Duxbury Beach, Duxbury 5 nd 3 o 3 0 i • Plymouth Beach, Plymouth 2 0 -a O O

: '* West Island Beach, Fairhaven 1 1 / O / 0 1 ''Round Hill Beach, Dartmouth 00 ^ , Salter's Pond, Dartmouth 0 ' ' / 3. Little Beach, Dartmouth 15 24 • 5- A 7 ^ 3 ' ,jjc - Barney's Joy, Dartmouth 2 o 5. J- £ / ' '-; •' / 2 A<; y Gooseberry Neck, Westport 1 \ ^ 7 •':'• ', Horseneck Beach, Westport 3 2 6 •'•' Acoaxet Beach, Westport 7 Richmond Pond, Westport 3 o 'f<*'' Bay Point, Swansea _•* - UPPER CAPE 0 /^T Black Beach (Sippewisset) .Falmouth 2 nd nd l^f) Washburn Island, Falmouth 2 0 !x/9 ' South Cape"Beach, Mashpee 1 2 | ^^Popponesset Beach, Mashpee 1 0 !'.'•] :" Town Neck Beach, Sandwich ! •- [ ' -'" 3 1 1 -.; ' • / Springhill Beach, Sandwich 0 •' - - - J -•<- T3^»A,v, QanHulch 1 1. Continued.

Location Chicks Pairs fledged Scorton Creek,' Sandwich 6 Sandy Neck, Barnstable 7 3 1 'Dead Neck-Sampson's lslandj Barnstable Long Beach, Barnstable 0 1 Kalmus Park Beach,- Hyannis 3 •2 Gray's Beach, Yarmouth 2 0 Seagull Beach, Yarmouth 0 ^ Radio City, Yarmouth 0 ';'•'/ West Dennis Beach, Dennis ' •S* 1 Chapin Beach, Dennis 0 OUTER CAPE Harding's Beach, Chatham 3 Morris Island Dike, Chatham 6 0 _ /.v North Monomoy Is., Chatham ;V ;_/ 1 ,,z\h Monomoy Is,, Chatham 3 4 4 , North Beach, Chatham and Orleans 0 _ South Beach Island, Chatham 3 /,. Nauset Heights, Orleans 3 5 nd New Island, Orleans and Easthara 1 0 ', Coast Guard Beach, Eastham 6 ' Marconi Beach, Eastham 5 2 Jeremy Point, Wellfleet . 6 ^ 1 0 Corn Hill Beach, Truro "o v Pilgrim Beach, Truro 1 nd 1 High Head, Provincetown 1 0 French's (Exit 9), Provincetown _ 0 Race Point, Provincetown 3 1 Wood End Light, Provincetown 0 Table 1. Continued. \1L

Chicks Location Pairs fledged

OUTER ISLANDS r |,. '- /, n^j \j$.& , Gosnold 0 - *, ; • '• Pasque Island, Gosnold 0 - JJ$«U Nashawena, Island, Gosnold 2 7 6 ;>/ . 2

Martha's Vineyard , >\) 2 ' Tashmoo 1 0 ^5^^' State Beach 1 0

1$&?C\n 1 nd J• A l/l Long Beach (Gay Head) 1 nd £ .^V V*f , Je ^ J|)3 Lobsterville 1 nd 3 2- Norton Point 1 0 Dike Bridge, Chappaquiddick 1 0

" j "H! Cape Pogue, Chappaquiddick 0 nd

Nan tucket .. **••" /03^ Great Point 6 16 ,- **** «" P ij H'The Galls 1 0 (7 ^3*7 Haulover Pond 1 2 . '(?yj$ Quidnet 0 nd •* Siasconset 1 0 ^£,'V/> Low Beach 0 nd *,-'•' ' ' x* "*"" Tom Nevers 1 2 Surfside 1 1 C?6*|3" Smith Point 0 nd

'/E-| 2 4 ^S/J^SMuskeget Island 1 nd / * Total 134 147

nd = no data available