they are about 2 pound each, same size as a small duck.
Regena M. Orr, Environmental Scientist with California State Parks, emailed me this information about this banded Snowy Plover.
"She was originally banded at South Spit Humboldt Bay in 2019 as a chick with a single metal band. She was seen last winter at Santa Rosa Creek. One of the plover monitors was able to photograph the band and get the number combination, so we then could figure out where she was from. She was recaptured on her nest this year at Zmudowski State Beach and rebanded as yy:ay [yellow yellow:aqua yellow] Another interesting tidbit is that one of her chicks is also on our beaches here in Morro Bay."
The first photo shows many Snowy Plover sitting on the inward side of the sand berm. The fog bow lasted for about 20 minutes, and then the intense, deep fog returned. The ocean beyond the shoreline was not visible all day.
Seeing two banded snowy plover at once was a pleasure. Given the disaster at Huntington Beach and Oceano Dunes in the past ten days, they need as much good news as possible.
Coal Oil Point Reserve. banded plover
Coal Oil Point Reserve. Lots of individuals resting in depressions in the sand. The Staff at COPR did a population count of the plovers and they saw just over 200 individuals.
Coal Oil Point Reserve. was chasing flies
Coal Oil Point Reserve. banded plover