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June 27, 2021 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Snowy Plover Interpretive Walk – Sitka Sedge (RSVP required)
When: Sunday, June 27th at 9am
Where: Sitka Sedge State Natural Area (just north of Pacific City)
Join Bird Alliance of Oregon Coastal Community Science Coordinator, Allison Anholt, and learn about the endangered snowy plover life history, conservation challenges and habitat. There will be good opportunities to view plovers and other birds at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area. Walks last 2-3 hours and involve walking on uneven, sandy terrain. We will have a scope but please consider bringing your own binoculars. We will adhere to COVID-19 social distancing.
Other Interpretive Snowy Plover walks will occur on: June 19 (Nehalem Bay State Park), July 2 (Nehalem), July 10 (Clatsop Spit).
Why Western Snowy Plovers?
The Pacific coast population of Western Snowy Plovers has been in decline for several decades due to loss of habitat and disturbances from development, recreation, and other human pressures. In Oregon, the population hit a low of about 50 individuals in the early 1990s. Subsequently this species was listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act in 1993.
Due to targeted recovery efforts in Oregon, mostly focused on the south and central coast, the bird has bounced back to a few hundred individuals and are starting to recolonize traditional north coast nesting sites.
Plover Patrol engages communities to monitor plovers on the north coast, helping Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Bird Alliance of Oregon track where Plovers are and how they are recovering to inform management.
