Staff from the East Lansing Field Office, Michigan, recently traveled to Canada to meet with Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service), the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, local officials and volunteers regarding the discovery of a piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nest in Ontario.

This is the first piping plover nest in the Great Lakes area of Ontario since 1977. 

Jack Dingledine, the Great Lakes piping plover coordinator for the Service, participated in a visit to the nest site to answer questions about piping plover biology and life history, and to share experience with recovery efforts in the U.S. 

Both birds of the breeding pair are banded, which indicated they were originally from breeding sites in Michigan.  

Following the site visit, Jack participated in an evening public information session and provided a more formal presentation on Great Lakes piping plover ecology. 

The session was well attended by the local community and there was an extended question and answer period.