POSSIBLE LITTLE CHICK SIGHTINGS!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns
A postscript to yesterday’s “Farewell Little Chick” ~ 

Thank you to Everyone for your kind notes, thank yous, love, and interest in our Little Chick. 

I thought  readers would like to know that since Little Chick departed Good Harbor Beach Friday morning several friends have shared that they have seen a small flock of Piping Plovers at other local beaches!

Carol Ferant wrote that Friday afternoon she was swimming by Corliss Landing and saw a small group feeding on lots of worms at the low tide sandbar. They stayed for a good long while and then flew off towards the marsh.

Abbie Lundberg wrote that in Annisquam this morning, Saturday, she saw a group of four Piping Plovers, three the same size, and one seemingly appeared smaller, about 2/3 the size of the others.

It makes complete sense to me that the Piping Plovers would move around from local beach to local beach before undertaking the long journey south. Comparing notes from last year, a mixed group of adults and fledglings grew larger and larger in number until one day, nearing the end of August, they all departed.

Today I was looking through the photos, from back in April though yesterday. We have every aspect of our Good Harbor Beach plover family documented–courtship, mating, eggs, all the different stages of development, friends, predators, other species of migrating shorebirds, scenery–thousands of images to organize. And after that, the next step is tackling all the film footage.  Big Project!

 Four-day-old and five-week-old Little Chick

Published by Kimsmithdesigns

Documentary filmmaker, photographer, landscape designer, author, and illustrator. "Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly" currently airing on PBS. Current film projects include Piping Plovers, Gloucester's Feast of St. Joseph, and Saint Peter's Fiesta. Visit my websites for more information about film and design projects at kimsmithdesigns.com, monarchbutterflyfilm.com, and pipingploverproject.org. Author/illustrator "Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden."

13 thoughts on “POSSIBLE LITTLE CHICK SIGHTINGS!”

    1. I think perhaps the mated pair that was here this year may be the same as last year. This year’s nest was about ten feet away from last year’s, so there is a good possibility at least one of the adults is the same. At this point in time, birds are not banded in our region so it would not be possible to know for 100 percent certainty. Our Little Chick may or may not return–nature’s way of insuring genetic diversity.

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    1. Thank you Kathy 🙂 I have read that the PiPl parents will sometimes begin to migrate sooner than the chicks or possibly they could have been taken out by a predator. The family of Plovers that I filmed last summer all stayed together–it appears to be a bird-by-bird situation–and we’re learning more everyday!

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  6. Thanks so much you and other people involved in your concern and coverage of ‘Little Chick’ ~ I am sure she is flying with her flock and soaring because Gloucester people cared enough ~ thanks again ~ would love to purchase a photo from you ~ let me know how to do this Carol McKenna

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  7. Kim,

    Very nice post! Reminds of the classic song fitting for the team and all the love shown to the plovers especially little ones on their journey! 🙂 Dave & Kim 🙂

    (Natural High by Bloodstone)

    Why do I keep my mind on you all the time?
    And I don’t even know you (I don’t know you)
    Why do I feel this way thinking about you every day?
    And I don’t even know you (I don’t know you)

    Take me in your arms
    Thrill me with all of your charms

    And I’ll take to the sky on a natural high (I wanna take to the sky)
    Loving you more till the day I die (oh, natural high)
    Take to the sky on a natural high (I want you to be mine)
    Loving you more…

    If you have anything to do, call me and I will do it for you
    And I don’t even know you (I don’t know you)
    (Hey, genie)
    If I only had one wish to give
    That wish would be for you to live forever and ever (I don’t know you)

    When I see you on the street
    My heart skips a beat

    And I’ll take to the sky on a natural high (I’ll just take to the sky)
    Loving you more till the day I die (oh, natural high)
    Take to the sky on a natural high (loving you more)
    Loving you more…

    I’m gonna try to do all the things you want me to
    If you just give me a chance (I don’t know you)
    I’m trying to make something out of nothing
    And I don’t even know you (I don’t know you)

    Take me in your arms
    Thrill me with all of your charms

    And I’ll take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving you more till the day I die
    Take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving you more…

    And I’ll take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving you more till the day I die
    Take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving, loving you

    Take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving you more till the day I die
    Take to the sky on a natural high
    Loving, loving you…

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