Front row: Clara Margaret Flood, Jesse Tysinger Second Row: Rick Flood, Walt Tysinger, Julie Van Stappen, Branch Chief, Natural Resources, AINL, Josh Bray, WDNR Plover Guard Back Row: Sumner Matteson, WDNR Endangered Resources Avaian Specialist Photo taken on Long Island, AINL. - FWS photo by Glenn Miller

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ashland Fishery Resources Office is helping out this summer to monitor the federally listed endangered Piping Plover.  The FRO is partnering with the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (AINL), National Park Services Great Lake Monitoring Network, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and private landowners to protect and monitor Piping Plovers found in the AINL.  Fishery Biologist Glenn Miller provided boat transportation to Long Island several times over the monitoring season for the Plover Guard.

Once a nest is found along the shoreline a area around the nest is protected by signs and flagging surrounding the nest, and a wire enclosure is placed around the nest.  The wire enclosure is large enough to allow the adult plovers to go through, but will keep larger avain and mammal predators out.  A Plover Guard is also hired for the nesting season and is stationed at the area for the weekend to alert any boaters trying to land their craft in this area that it is a protected area and to please stay away from this area.  After the plover chicks have hatched they are rounded up before they can fly and banded.   

2007 was an exceptionally good year, with 4 confirmed nest on Long Island, part of AINL, and another suspected nest found there, along with a adult and two chicks spotted on Outer Island.  These numbers allowed for a total of 10 adults and 13 chicks seen in the Apostle Island National Lakeshore.  

One of the highlights of the season was a trip to Long Island with Julie Van Stappen, Branch Chief of Natural Resources for AINL and Sumner Matteson, Avian Ecologist, Bureau of Endangered Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  Accompanying the crew were 4 visitors, Clara Margaret and her dad Rick Flood, and Jesse Tysinger and his dad Walt.  The two young budding biologists had raised funds, over $500.00 dollars worth, to contribute to helping in the monitoring of the Piping Plovers. 

This special trip was made to allow the two youngsters the opportunity to see the Plovers in their natural habitat and view the newly hatched chicks.  They had the opportunity to see two adults and three chicks that day, and to help gather several eggs that did not hatch, which were collected and sent out for analysis.  Having the chance to talk with Clara Margaret and Jesse about their fundraising efforts and getting the chance to see the Plovers up close and personal made the work very worthwhile.  Both Clara Margaret and Jesse were very enthusiastic about next years’ effort to help the Piping Plovers again.