Piping plovers seen on Park Point
The St. Louis River Alliance, which runs a piping plover monitoring program in the Twin Ports, reports that two of the endangered shorebirds were spotted on Duluth's Park Point:
A male and female Piping Plover have been observed on the Park Point beach in the past two weeks- the first confirmed sighting of a both a male and a female for an extended period of time in this area for over three decades.
You can help these birds by spreading the word about giving them space! If you plan to visit the beach this weekend, leash your dogs! Give the birds plenty of space during this nesting window. Loose dogs and human activity are the biggest deterrent to successful nests. The birds have been observed near the airport. Signs have been posted to alert beachgoers.
Due to the critical time limits of nesting season (now until mid-June), there will be increased enforcement of Duluth's dog leash laws in this area. Dogs must be on a six-foot or shorter leash at all times, according to city ordinance.
SLRA staff and volunteers will be present in the beach area throughout this weekend and nesting season to provide more information and to keep a close eye on the birds.
The St. Louis River Alliance has been working for the past four year to restore habitat and educate the public about this small endangered bird, supported by a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Piping Plover are migratory shorebirds about the size of a robin, with a black band on their forehead and orange beak and legs. No piping plover have been known to nest in this area since the 1980s. You could help be a part of their return!
I checked up on the Lake Superior plover population last year:
Historically, hundreds of breeding pairs of piping plovers made nests beside the five Great Lakes, but those numbers plummeted after decades of habitat loss and human disturbance. Canada added the Great Lakes population of piping plovers to its endangered species list in 1985; the United States followed suit in ‘86, when just 17 breeding pairs were counted on U.S. shores.
Now, nearly 30 years later, the outlook is much less bleak. In fact, when Lake Superior Magazine polled various organizations about their biggest recent environmental successes, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore listed piping plovers as a top pick.
Bayfield residents named Badgers of the Year
Mary and Jerry Phillips, who founded and for decades operated Bayfield's Old Rittenhouse Inn, were named Badgers of the Year by the University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni association. Rick Olivo from the Ashland Daily Press has more.
Badgers of the Year
+ Brady Slater, Duluth News Tribune: "UMD research vessel sets course for unique study on Lake Superior."
+ Ashley Kirklen, reporting from Marquette, Michigan: "DNR releases thousands of fish into Lake Superior."
+ Mark Torregrossa, MLive: "Great Lakes surprisingly warm for springtime."
+ WDIO in Silver Bay, Minnesota: "Black Beach opens to the public."
+ A Duluth man will attempt to circumnavigate Lake Superior on a standup paddleboard to raise money for a community organization.
+ TBNewsWatch: "With David Letterman's final show airing Wednesday, Thunder Bay's most famous musician and Letterman's long-time sidekick goes with him. To honour the occasion Thunder Bay has declared May 20 as Paul Shaffer Day in the city."