Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
A lone fisher greets the dawn in the rich waters where the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy meet.
SHARING THE BEACH
BEACH-NESTING BIRDS
along the Atlantic coast are threatened by increased commercial and residential devel-
opment and recreational use of beaches. The most endangered is the piping plover, a sparrow-sized shorebird
that nests on sandy beaches from Newfoundland to North Carolina. Today there are fewer than eighteen hun-
dred along the entire coastline. Piping plovers commonly nest with least terns—the smallest of the terns, at a
mere 23 centimeters (9 inches) in length—another beach nester under pressure. A third beach nester, the black
skimmer, is threatened in some areas of its range. Each of these species faces similar pressures: human disturb-
ance, harassment from pets, especially dogs, and beach developments that attract predators such as raccoons,
skunks, and foxes. The species partition nesting sites on the outer beaches, each selecting slightly different
areas. Oystercatchers, piping plovers, and least terns nest at the foot of the dunes, just above the tide line. They
