Welcome back to another exciting Piping Plover season at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge!
Welcome back to another exciting Piping Plover season at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge!
We will be updating this page regularly as reports come in from the biologists out on the beach, so be sure to check back throughout the summer for the latest news on our beloved plovers and least terns.
Chicks Everywhere, All at Once: A Plover & Tern Update as of Mid-July
Chicks Everywhere, All at Once: A Plover & Tern Update as of Mid-July
The back half of July on the Parker River beach brought exactly what we’d been hoping for: chicks, chicks, and more chicks.
The Second Wave Has Hatched
Most of the nests that were lost to the late-May storm and subsequently re-nested have now hatched, largely between July 6–13. Only two nests remain on the beach, expected to hatch sometime between July 23 and August 5 (we hope!). if they make it that far.
Meanwhile, the earlier generation of chicks, those that survived the May storm and hatched out in June, re now more than 25 days old, fully feathered, and officially fledglings. Some are still sticking close to the beach under a watchful parent's eye; others have already moved on, hopefully off to a strong start on their first-ever southward migration. Good luck out there, fledglings!
As of Wednesday, July 15, our numbers stand at:
49 breeding pairs
2 active nests
48 chicks
29 fledglings
Least Terns Keep Climbing
Our Least Terns continue to impress. A colony census (B-count) conducted July 16 produced an estimated 110 breeding pairs, a significant jump from our initial A-count of 78 pairs back in June. We observed 17 LETE chicks of varying sizes during the count, though that's likely an undercount given how quickly they move and hide. No tern chicks have reached fledging size just yet, but nests are still being incubated and more chicks are on the way.
More Migrants Passing Through
As the season shifts, we're seeing more migratory shorebirds stopping to rest and refuel on refuge beaches — Sanderlings, Whimbrel, Semipalmated Plovers, and even Piping Plovers from other beaches have all made appearances over the past week.
Help Us Keep Them Safe
With nests, broods, and fledglings all on the beach at once, this is a critical stretch for our shorebirds. Please respect posted closures, keep dogs leashed and out of restricted areas, and never approach or linger near birds showing signs of distress. And as always, specific nest locations are strictly confidential, so please don't share them!
We'll keep the updates coming as the last nests hatch and more fledglings take to the air.
Thanks, as always, for following along and helping us protect these birds!!
The 2026 Plover Nesting Season: A Big Bounce Back
The 2026 Plover Nesting Season: A Big Bounce Back
Updated July 15, 2026: It's been a busy few weeks on the beach, and we have a lot of good news to share. After the windstorm and high tides at the end of May wiped out a large share of our nests, the Parker River plovers have rebounded in a big way — and our Least Terns are having a record year too.
The Rebound
By mid-June, many of the pairs that lost nests in the storm had already re-nested and were incubating second clutches, while nests that survived the storm began hatching out chicks. As of June 17, we counted:
- 46 breeding pairs
- 32 active nests
- 8 active broods
- 27 chicks
First Fledglings & a Second Wave of Nests
The past couple of weeks have brought even more milestones. Fourteen nests that survived the May storm have now hatched, producing 35 chicks of various ages running the beach under the watchful eyes of their parents.
One nest in particular deserves a shoutout: Nest 09A hatched between June 4–8. Its four chicks are now more than 25 days old, fully feathered, and have been observed taking short bursts of flight — our first fledglings of the season! They're still sticking close to the beach and their parent for now, but it's an exciting milestone.
Most pairs that lost nests in May did go on to renest, and that second wave is due to start hatching between July 6–11. With 91 eggs still on the ground, there's potential for quite a few more chicks in the coming weeks.
As of July 2, our updated totals are:
- 48 breeding pairs
- 24 active nests
- 14 active broods
- 35 chicks
- 4 fledglings
A Banner Year for Least Terns
Our Least Terns are having one of their best seasons in years. A colony census conducted on June 19 counted 98 adult Least Terns, an estimated 78 breeding pairs — the largest count we've recorded since 2020, when we saw 92 pairs.
The largest colony concentrations remain near Lot 2 and Lot 7, and several nests in these areas have already hatched.
Help Us Keep Them Safe
With so many nests, broods, and now fledglings on the beach, this is a critical time for our plovers and terns. A reminder to all beachgoers: please respect posted closures, keep dogs leashed and off restricted areas, and never approach or linger near birds showing signs of distress. And as always — specific nest locations are strictly confidential, so please don't share them.
We'll keep posting updates as the second wave of nests hatches and more fledglings take to the air. Thanks for following along and for helping us protect these incredible birds!
Early Arrivals and a Promising Start
Early Arrivals and a Promising Start
Our Piping Plovers (PIPL) made an early and enthusiastic return this year. During our first beach survey of the season on April 8th, they were already here! By late April, we had 16 confirmed pairs actively displaying courtship behavior. The first nest of the season was discovered on April 23rd with a single egg, which quickly grew to a clutch of three by the end of the month.
Weathering the Elements
As we saw during the 2025 season, nesting on the edge of the Atlantic comes with its fair share of challenges. Over the first weekend of June, a potent combination of very strong winds and a full moon high tide dramatically altered the landscape of the refuge beach. Thick layers of sand were blown up onto the upper beach and dunes.
Sadly, this heavy wind and overwash buried many areas, resulting in the loss of 22 nests. Interestingly, nests located in the middle of the beach fared a bit better than those at the northern and southern ends, likely due to the beach being much narrower in those outer sections.
A Season of Resilience
Despite the difficult weekend, there is plenty of good news! Thirteen nests bravely survived the storm and are still going strong. True to their resilient nature, one pair that lost a nest has already re-nested, bringing our active nest count to 14 (as of June 5th).
Currently, there are at least 35 pairs of plovers on the beach, and we expect our total pairs for the summer to exceed that number as a few more pairs are hanging around. Most of the pairs that lost their nests have been seen back on their territories, giving us great hope for a wave of re-nesting since it is still early in the season.
Least Terns Join the Fray
Our Least Terns (LETE) are also just starting to nest! Stay tuned for our upcoming weekly updates, where we will share more information on adult counts and approximate colony locations as more terns arrive on the scene.
A friendly reminder: To protect these vulnerable birds, please remember that specific nest locations are strictly confidential. Do not share nest locations with anyone. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep the wildlife safe!
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