Those of you who frequent Crescent Beach may have seen what I did last week - the roped-off areas of habitat next to the dunes for nesting Piping Plovers. Piping Plovers are small shorebirds with excellent camouflage. They are often difficult to distinguish by sight from their sandy surroundings, but it's easier to hear their soft chirps that give the species its name. As I walked along the enclosed area, I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to see a plover right now?" And two seconds later...I did! A flurry of movement along the sand gave it away - a little white and black, neck-less ball of bird skittering along th e sand next to the dune grass.

According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, in 1986, there were only 790 breeding pairs of Piping Plovers left along the Atlantic seaboard. Their decline was due primarily to destruction of their beach nesting habitat. Piping Plovers lay their eggs right on the sand; they're easily crushed by people, dogs and motor vehicles. Thanks to twenty years of hard work from federal services as well as beach visitors, the Piping Plover population now has almost 2,000 breeding pairs!

Take a hike at Crescent Beach and see if you can spot one. Look for movement along the sand; if you're lucky it will be a plover hunting small crustaceans and insects. Stay a safe distance away from the bird so that you do not stress it. Their rebounding population is a reminder that, while it takes work to live in harmony with our local ecosystems, it is possible and indeed enjoyable to share our beaches with the Piping Plovers and other resident beach wildlife.