Working with Wildlife

Protecting Beach Nesting birds in New Jersey

By Christopher Haxter, Seasonal Steward

Piping Plover returning to its nest. © Christopher Haxter.

Ever since I was young I knew I wanted to work with nature and wildlife.  As I grew up I learned many species were in trouble and needed our help.  Imagine my excitement when I got a job working for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.  I was hired to monitor Hereford Inlet, between Stone Harbor and North Wildwood in Cape May County, for the migratory and breeding bird season.

My first day on the job was the day after my last college final (I just graduated from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey).  After I met the people I would be working with for the next few months we were off to set up a predator exclosure, which is a special wire cage that protects piping plover nests from its many predators.  This is when I first got to observe a piping plover up close.  To put up a predator exclosure, we needed to temporarily cover the nest while we set up the cage.  The piping plover spent this time trying to draw us away from its nest; their defensive behavior is fascinating.  The first thing you notice is the ‘peep’, their call to distract you from the nest.  When you get closer to the nest, the piping p[lover starts exhibiting a behavior called ‘broken wing’.  The goal is to look injured to further distract a predator from their nest.  Ironically, looking for this behavior is one of the ways we use to find the nests.  After working this job for a few weeks, I have had the exciting experience of finding quite a few nests (including finding American oystercatcher nests).

Before the end of my first day I also got to see Stone Harbor Point, the location that I would be focusing on this summer.  This area is different every year, and this year it is quite large.  After enough exploring and assembling an accurate map I eventually learned the area well.  One area of concern I have for the future of the beach nesting birds at the “Point” is its history of flooding.  Hopefully the weather and tides will cooperate this summer.  This job has been an amazing experience so far; and when the eggs start hatching, I can only imagine things getting more exciting.

POSTSCRIPT:
Just after I submitted this blog, the first piping plover nest hatched at the Point. Now I have the challenge of keeping tracking of three highly mobile chicks. On the downside, quite a few nests were lost to flood tides already. Looks like my job as a “beachnester” will have  its share of ups and downs.