Work has begun in earnest sorting through all the Piping Plover footage and editing the documentary. In the mean time, I thought readers would enjoy this rare moment where we catch a glimpse of the new born chicks, with both mom and dad together.
Impossibly tiny—no larger than a marshmallow—moments after hatching a Piping Plover chick is on the move, running, tumbling, somersaulting, face-planting, and curious about every little thing in their brand new great big world. PuffPuff, FluffFluff, and TootsiePop are less than twenty-four hours old in this clip. Our East Gloucester neighborhood kids named the Plover family after spending an afternoon getting to know them, watching safely from outside the roped off area.
Dad Joe finds an impression in the sand and the chicks come running to warm under his protective wings. Piping Plover chicks can feed themselves at birth but can’t yet perfectly regulate their body temperature. They need Mom and Dad for protection and for the warmth they provide. After a few moments rest, Joe pops up and Joy zooms in to take his place. Watch how PuffPuff does a somersault and FluffFluff gives her a little bump out of their cozy nest. Mom runs off camera to create a new resting spot and the chicks are chided by piping calls to come join her.
In shades of bone and driftwood, note how beautifully the Plovers are camouflaged in the colors of the sand and dry beach grass. There isn’t a living thing that doesn’t pose a threat to these most vulnerable of creatures. For protection against predators they will soon learn how to stand perfectly still when Joe and Joy pipe commands, but for now, it’s willy-nilly around the beach, much to the parents great consternation.
Thanks to Esme, Lotus, Meadow, Frieda, and Ruby for naming the Piping Plover family!
The male Piping Plover is on the left, the female, on the right. The male’s little black forehead band makes it easier to distinguish between the two.
Kim,
Thanks for sharing this and you have you work cut out for sure lot’s of footage and views keep moving forward! 🙂 Dave & Kim 🙂
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As usual, I over shot, enough footage for ten films 🙂
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No such thing and it’s better to have too much than not have enough my old school theory goes against the KISS principle 🙂 Dave
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Kim,
Keep up the good work! The plovers are my favorite friends when walking the beach in Gloucester. Thanks for the closeup.
Judy
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Thanks so much Judy. Love them too, and their melodious piping makes it easy to find them.
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Thank you so much Kim for filming this and posting. I love the Piping Plovers, I have never seen anything so cute, I was very distressed when so many people on the beach seemed to care nothing for their safety. Thank you so much for bringing all of this to our attention!
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Very welcome Cheryl Allen. I hope to have the documentary finished for the coming summer and then we can use it as an informational tool.
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Love it! Thanks so much, Kim
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Thank you Hazel, I am planning to post more short clips from this summer and then post to use as trailers for the documentary. Also, look for a short seven minute film about the Tree Swallows massing, which was happening simultaneously while filming the PiPl. Spectacular to see!
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Kim – Sweet memories of summer on this chilly January morning. Thanks for all you do to educate us with you insightful commentary and gorgeous photos and films.
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Thank you Mary for your lovely comment, so very much appreciated ❤
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Go Kim go! What a body of work!
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Thanks so much Catherine 🙂 🙂
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