PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 30, 2022
The delicate balance between protecting piping plovers and allowing people to enjoy the beaches is familiar to many local beachgoers, but it requires vigilance nonetheless. Most people are respectful of the birds, which are endangered in Maine, but others disregard the stakes and twine around nesting areas and walk past warning signs without a second glance. Last year, 125 pairs of piping plovers nested on Maine beaches, a record high since monitoring of the tiny shorebirds began in 1981, when just 10 pairs were found. This year looks like it will yield another record high, but the numbers are still small, said Laura Minich Zitske, coastal bird program director for Maine Audubon.