Plover chicks brave weekend

Life for Snowy Plovers on Siesta Key can be nasty, brutish and short, because of their small size and lax protective regulation. But, two nests of the quick-footed endangered birds have appeared since Tropical Storm Debby wiped a final one out, and two plover chicks are under the watchful eyes of Siesta Key Association members.

The baby shorebirds are located in the dune vegetation on the northern end of Siesta beach, which has several areas staked off to protect the heavily camouflaged hatchlings. President of SKA Catherine Luckner, who voluntarily monitors activity with her husband Bob, said the birds survived Friday and Saturday nights after hatching late last week.

Sarasota County Parks and Recreation manager George Tatge during an Aug. 2 meeting of SKA said plovers don’t have the same stringent regulatory protection as sea turtles, which have neighboring nests during summer. And since they like feasting on the marine life that washes ashore riding on seaweed, they face danger from beach crowds. But, Luckner said the chicks’ mother stays close and protective.

For more about snowy plovers, and an update on sea turtles, pick up a copy of the Aug. 9 issue of the Pelican Press.