Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/170820
AN 80-PERCENT SUCCESS RATE FOUR OF FIVE SNOWY PLOVER CHICKS THAT HATCHED SURVIVED THIS SUMMER ON SIESTA KEY, SARASOTA AUDUBON VOLUNTEERS REPORT By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor The good news is that Sarasota Audubon volunteers realized an 80-percent success rate this season with the number of endangered snowy plovers on Siesta Public Beach that reached the fledging stage after hatching — meaning they could fly on their own. Bob Luckner of Siesta Key, who coordinated the work of the volunteers — or "chick checkers" — during the snowy plover nesting season, told about 20 people at the monthly SKA session that not only did four of the five snowy plover hatchlings survive, but Sarasota The bad news is that even an adult plover has Audubon also recorded four fledglings from Least Tern nests in the succumbed to what area of Beach Access appears to be a type of neurotoxin that We know the population we have 4 this year. has attacked all types on the [Siesta] beach is running from "We were really happy of birds on Siesta's about 16 to 22 birds. about that," Luckner beach, volunteers readded. Dr. Allan Worms ported during the Sept. Wildlife Biologist Last year, only one 5 Siesta Key Associasnowy plover chick tion (SKA) meeting. (Above) A snowy plover chick explores its home on Sanibel Island. Photo by Hans Hillewaert via Wikimedia Commons