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It’s Piping Plover nesting season across the Great Lakes and that means special restrictions are in place to help protect this rare species that nests in our archipelago. The primary known location is on the High Island spit.  Signs have been posted there by the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Natural Resource Department. Please respect these signs and do not enter the spit area that has been posted until after August 15th. Four nests were observed there earlier. Two are active and two had to be sent to a captive rearing facility due to loss of parent birds.

It is OK to walk the shoreline, but stay off the spit area. You might see enclosures designed to protect nesting birds. The 4 by 6 foot cages allow the birds to come and go, but keep our predators and protect the eggs and hatchlings. Don’t approach the cages.  They are equipped with trail cameras to monitor the progress of the birds and capture the hatch time.

A few tips to protect the Piping Plovers and other birds during nesting season: Keep your dogs on leashes during this time, especially on the island’s beaches. Report human activity on the High Island spit to the LTBB Conservation Enforcement Program or the DNR.

LTBB Conservation Officers can be reached @ 231-242-1670. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division Report All Poaching Hotline (RAP call or text) is at 1-800-292-7800.

This story first appeared on wvbi.net.

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