PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 25, 2025
This summer, Scarborough’s beaches were home to 37 pairs of piping plovers, seven more than last year. Counters found 46 fledglings, or birds that are old enough to fly, a slight decrease from last year, which saw 55. The piping plover is an endangered shorebird that builds its nests on the sandy beaches. “They’ve always had a challenge,” said Brad Zitske, a shorebird specialist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “They nest in the same places humans like to recreate. Unless humans decide they don’t want to recreate on the beach anymore, these birds will be endangered.”