Piping plover count continues downward trend on P.E.I.

Annual tracking has begun for the piping plover population on the beaches in Prince Edward Island — and the numbers are low. 

The piping plover has been listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada since 1985.

Parks Canada and Island Nature Trust are tracking 51 adult birds, along with a few nests and chicks. Last year, they counted 69 piping plovers.

In 2020 the two groups counted 49 adult piping plovers in P.E.I., but pandemic restrictions meant researchers couldn't get to all the beaches they would normally check.

Parks Canada monitors the piping plover population throughout the P.E.I. National Park, while Island Nature Trust monitors the rest of the population at other North Shore beaches.

Sarah Hirtle is the coastal conservation program co-ordinator with Island Nature Trust. She said this year's number fits into a longer-term trend showing a significant decline in piping plover populations. She said that decline suggests P.E.I. beaches may not be as robust as they once were.

"I think the healthier a beach is, the more birds, ultimately, it should have," Hirtle said.

Similarly, Lindsey Burke, resource management officer for the P.E.I. National Park, said the piping plover population in the park is low compared to last year, but she's hopeful it will recover.

"We'll still have a bit of time where birds might be moving around and establishing." 

Monitoring of the birds typically begins in mid-May and continues throughout the summer, sometimes into early fall. The piping plovers then migrate south for the winter. 

Hirtle said active bird watchers are the first to notify Island Nature Trust when they see piping plovers have returned for the season.

"When we hear that there are birds back, we're sort of ramped up and ready to go at that point ... we just try and get out to beaches as much as possible."

Stay off the dunes

Burke said people can expect more signage at the beaches this summer, and more dune closures.

"We're really ramping up our dune closure messaging and educating visitors about staying off of the dunes," she said. "Within the parks this year, all of our dunes are closed off to visitor access."

There are a few things Islanders and tourists can do to help protect the piping plover population.

Hirtle asks that beachgoers lie in the wet sand areas, walk the beach carefully and keep dogs on leashes.

Though, in the national park, dogs are prohibited from April 1 to Oct. 15 each year.

"If you're coming to the beach, maybe leave the dog at home," said Burke. "That can just help limit some of the disturbance to plovers."

Where are the piping plovers?

Neither Hirtle or Burke would identify the exact locations where they have found piping plovers. It's because humans, unknowingly, and dogs, are the plovers' greatest predators, said Hirtle. 

"For anyone who is coming back [to P.E.I.] for the best summer ever ... just admire the birds from a safe distance and do not present as a disturbance," Hirtle said.

If an area has a plover nest, it is usually marked off with ropes to keep people away from it. 

If someone discovers a nest, they are asked to report it to national park staff or Island Nature Trust to ensure it can be protected.