Piping Plover Recovery Update - 18 Oct 2004
18 October 2004 Status of Piping Plovers in Michigan – from Daryl Aspery
2004 was a banner year for the Great Lakes population of Piping Plovers with a record number of pairs and young fledged in the wild.
Here is a summary of 2004 nesting efforts:
Here is a summary of 2004 nesting efforts:
# pairs # fledged Michigan, lower peninsula
Ludington State Park 3 10
Sleeping Bear Dunes NL, mainland 12 18
Sleeping Bear Dunes NL, North Manitou 7 18
South Fox Island 1 4
Fisherman's Island State Park 1 2
Cross Village and Bliss townships 9 12
Wilderness State Park 9 7
High and Beaver Islands 3 2
Sleeping Bear Dunes NL, mainland 12 18
Sleeping Bear Dunes NL, North Manitou 7 18
South Fox Island 1 4
Fisherman's Island State Park 1 2
Cross Village and Bliss townships 9 12
Wilderness State Park 9 7
High and Beaver Islands 3 2
Michigan, upper peninsula
Pointe Aux Chenes 4 8
Port Inland area 3 10
Grand Marais 2 2
Vermilion 1 0
Total 55 93
Port Inland area 3 10
Grand Marais 2 2
Vermilion 1 0
Total 55 93
Including 10 Captive Reared birds 103
There was much to be excited about in the 2004 Great Lakes Piping Plover
breeding season. We documented:
breeding season. We documented:
* greatest number of breeding pairs recorded since listing (55 pairs)
* greatest number of chicks fledged in wild since listing (93 fledged)
* recolonization of South Fox Island in Lake Michigan
* return of large numbers of young from 2002 and 2003
* exploration and use of new habitats by Piping Plovers on lakes Huron, Michigan
and Superior
* an increase in population by >300% since listing in 1986; Great Lakes Piping Plovers are ~1/3 way to recovery goal of 150 pairs.
