According to Experts here in Ohio there have not been nesting Piping plovers since the 40's  Hard to believe huh.

Read this before you watch my little tribute film to the Maumee Bay Plovers

The piping plover in the Great Lakes area is an endangered species. Endangered species are animals or plants that are in danger of becoming extinct.
I got word of piping plovers from another Birder and photographer friend while I was at Maumee Bay State park photographing the Eastern Screech owls. I had never seen a piping plover in person ever, So A friend and I went over to where they were reported and sure enough a handful of birders and wildlife authorities were on hand watching them trying to figure out if and where the plovers might nest. it was midday I took a couple direct harsh sunlight pics for the lifer bank in case they decided to move on and it would be my only chance to photo one and decided to try again the next morning in backlight situations as the whole summer my main goal was to focus on that type of light direction photography. When I first got into outdoor landscape photography I'd always setup that way as its imo more dynamic than front lit subjects.

The following morning I got up before sunrise to get that pre-sunrise blue hour glow hoping for Piping plovers to step into that light.  found one. It was Nish and in fact in the video production the final handful of pics in the video are of that first morning, besides that first day being at the end of the video  All the pictures you'll see in the video are in sequence on how they happened over the course of 2+months of taking them. After all the video clips were shown I included the pictures from that day of filming or days following leading into the next video sequence. 

I decided since I'm only a 25-minute drive away to Maumee bay state park to make this my next video project. I would be sacrificing most of my summer weekend mornings to this project. my beloved Ospreys and Eagles families from previous springs and summers are gonna have to wait.  I hope you love the video and if you found something moving or interesting or beautiful about the video or this important message below about "conservation of plovers"   to pass it along to your fellow birders, photographers or birding forums or groups.   I wish I could have spent more time with the Plover birds, I know I missed out on key moments of the raising of the 4 kids they raised but monday-friday with my line of work I'm lucky to have 2 hours to myself each night to do anything but eat then go to bed.  I can only photograph these birds in the mornings only on weekends I did manage to sneak in a couple friday evenings though after work.

My decision to spend all this time on this project I do regret a bit though after seeing the actions of a couple volunteers,  I thank as you will see in the video all these volunteers for taking the time to monitor (thats the key word) monitor these Piping plovers. After talking to a few of them they have sacrificed a lot and have traveled some distance to see and help out with their plover patrol shifts. quite a remarkable amount time was spent by certain few to watch over these birds.

the last 20+ years of my life have revolved around photography and observing whatever subject I point my lenses to. It is was I live for, most of the time my only reason for waking up. My end goal in life, my happy time, my time to be creative and hopefully create some good imagery and footage for myself or the viewers.

Everything I'm about to say next is %100 true, re read if you are one of the offending Volunteers and do not comprehend

When walking over to my spot by the water to set up my stool and tripod as much of these backlit shots came from, I would scan the area on the sand looking for the plovers, watching where I stepped as to not step on any eggs or birds of any kind. set up my tripod and did not move for 2 plus hours photographing for whatever came into view.  %100 of the time I was there Nellie and Nish the nesting adults and Nellie's sister came over to me,  preen in front of me, bathed in front of me, fed in front of me.  The sister(I forget the name they gave here) she is seen in this video as well.   Nish would come over and chase her off each day.  Not once did any of these adult plovers Alarm peep me. As I was established as part of the landscape and earth when they got there. The plovers asset the safety and went about their day.

There was a few days I left without any content as I was content on staying in one spot looking for backlit high contrast footage, you will see in the video I did succeed on a few of those scenes playing out with backlit Plovers looking glorious.

Here is where the Do as I say and not as I do comes from a couple of the Volunteers and managers.  Lets say Every time you and I go to a national park, you've known for years not to affect the behavior of the animals, if you impact how they are behaving well your not doing your part.  These Adult plovers all 3 of them know EXACTLY that humans are not a threat. time and time again I saw these plovers walk close to us humans.   the only time the Adults give out alarm calls is for other birds that they know can kill their kids who cannot fly.  after the kids were born I witnessed Canada geese each morning walk through the roped-off area very very close to the little plovers but the plovers did not care, those geese look like dinosaurs but Nellie and Nish know they are not threats.  Nellie and Nish are 1 year old adults and they figured out Humans are not a viable threat to the raising of their kids.  In fact, I would say that with all the plovers in the World captured( I don't care who you are but that is stressful and memorable for that species, despite what the experts say ) banded we the humans have imprinted ourselves as a safe haven that would not be killed.  just the opposite of a wild species right?  I have been around a lot of birds most flee when you get near or even think about getting near.  MOST do!  but these adult plovers walk towards us.  Yet we are told about plovers not to go near them.  but they come to us. it was remarkable seeing how friendly and social this species of bird was. unlike any bird I've been in front of

If you watch the behavior and actions of any animal they will tell you a lot.  Such as

The Brown bears feeding in Alaska's lake Clark or Katmai National Park on the river as the salmon run up the river, They are sometimes feeding right next to Guides and photographers and local fishermen in the waters.  they could care less about a human standing there.  Big azz Brown bears standing next to you, yet they know you are not a threat. They the bears have accepted us as part of the landscape, co-existing with humans on earth.

when I approach Elk or Deer,  I Never walk straight to them,  you flank them, why?  think of this you are walking down the street you see a scary looking dude walking straight at you. you might tense up right? keep a eye on them because your uncomfortable. but when that scary dude veers off at an angle you relax.   Again Plovers walked straight at or around humans every time I was there.  Why? well we are safe enough to them to coexist in that space,  you only behave like you are taught and I bet those 4 kid plovers saw EVERYthing the parents taught and did around us.  So who's affecting who?

Mountain Goats in the mountains, we climb these mountains and often times the goats are right next to you and often come to you, unless they the big game are not being shot at they know they can outmaneuver that slow pathetic human climbing in their backyard.

Atlantic Puffins come to shore and nest every year, they let humans right next to them as they the humans are a deterrent to other birds and predators to the puffins.  they learned just like Nish and Nellie plover did, these humans did not kill us and are some protection. We affected their behavior since birth.
 

its estimated We loose 10,000 species a year.  Why protect Piping plovers? Why put them on the endangered species list,  cute yes, but how bout we don't intervene at all.  if the federal government were to put 3 bands on your human legs to monitor if you go to walgreens  I bet you'd be pissed right.  well plovers can't speak English  but Im' sure we violated them.  pretty dang sure.  I just took pictures and videos and made a film hopefully some find as a pretty momento of that summer.  

All these volunteers and trained professionals should know this right? but they insisted on enforcing a stupid rule of if the baby plovers act like they want to come out of the barriers you need to give them 100 feet thats 33 yards  thinks about that on a football field, thats huge, well the whole enclosure width wise is not even that I'd say  and each and every one of them broke their own rules daily.  I witnessed baby plovers feed within 10 feet of two volunteers they did'nt back 100 feet.   some birders or volunteers do not like Photographers  I've seen it many places I've traveled well guess what many times we the photography who spends 100's of hours watching one subject know our subjects much more than a birder or a conservationist or wildlife activist we spend so much time observing waiting for that subject to step in the right lighting position or foreground and background we can see and sense behavior, there are tells often times we can see better than a bird watcher who just id a bird then moved on to look for more birds to add to the daily list.

This one sunday morning the only time I along with 5 other photographer friends was told politely to move back even though we were behind the roped off barriers if the baby plovers come towards us.  we said ok and did it once on our own judgement when a baby plover ate some bugs close. no problem, play by the hypocrite's rules.   Each Time I personally looked over my shoulder I could see two of them glaring at us. Yep both of them are photographers and apparently they don't get it. Do as I say not as I do. When you get any group of people with the word security or patrol on the back of their shirts sometimes power gets to their heads. And yes to the people in the same shirts us photographers do talk as well we too know exactly that it is BS and know you broke your rules.  Do as I say not as I do.  

We humans at all times unknowing are killing insects and never think twice about it, heck standing there monitoring plovers or photographing plovers we are killing insects,  Think about it we are altering the behavior of every animal every time,  even that deer that we almost hit on our way to work. we altered that deers behavior.  with me here? you can't avoid altering behavior of animals   you can be aware but you'll still do it.  Animals always learn as well, Every man-made structure you put your eyes on, your roads, your houses, your cars.  each time they were made we humans knowingly or unknowingly killed birds and animals to get those luxuries. We choose to live by the water because its calming and pretty, yes its where many species live but you can't deny humans living near water.  Big azz signs on the beach telling people to keep their animals on leaches and WATCH where you step would help tons

Back to the plovers The plover chicks have what 100 insects to eat in a 10 foot radius,   If they are approaching us well they are altering our Behavior.  Yes they are altering our behavior.   they the volunteers and officials gave them a chance to live in a nice protected area.  many of them I'm know have bonded and had a great time playing plover patrol.  thats fine I am Glad lifetime friends were made.  but as I said earlier how much conservation is going on?

I am against the banding of birds, we do not need to know where animals are, you would'nt want those bands on your legs would you? no.  Everything has the right to be free. not controlled by humans.  If the bird or animal is injured yes rehab and save, those rehab places need to exist and are vital to saving species. The fact is if a 20foot monster would throw a net over your head and captured you  you would fear for your life, that is exactly how a bird feels it is caught in a net, they had a near death expierence in there minds.  I would too.  feeling trapped is altering behavior. period.

I know of at least 3 photographers that have told me without me bringing the subject up first that they stopped going there after one or two times because of as one my friends called them the Gatekeepers were too aggressive on stalking them. always had binoculars or scopes on them.   I get that there are certain unethical photographers that chase and push wildlife to get photo's  I am not one of them. and I saw when I'm was there zero pushing birds at all!   (just the volunteers read below) 

I counted 4 times that I overheard on walkie talkie's of the leader of the volunteers that day said he was gonna move the plovers into the fenced-off area  or down the beach, or into another cove.   Yep a professional trained volunteer affecting the behavior of the piping plovers.  when the same words from that guys mouth to us photographers were,  "hey we don't want to affect the birds behavior, lets not push them"   Hypocrite!   oh and always I was not, I set up for light direction, foreground or background and let the birds work their way towards me, a handful of times I just stopped shooting not moved and watched the Piping plover walk around me.  Heck, I learned that day one observing a piping plover for the first time, They are ok with people. I saw the 4 plover kids run on the ground (After they could fly btw)  they were running in and out and around of clueless toddlers on the beach when they were feeding at the time. Again plovers taught by human behavior and their own parents.

Twice I was there and they were short-staffed and I was asked if I could help with a walkie talkie as the plovers came towards me I'd give out some locations of the birds. I happily helped.  I was only there for the first couple of early morning hours of golden light then I left to go play tennis.  From what I gathered there was one photographer who was always in the ears of other volunteers and spread bad fake news on other photographers, it was clearly obvious, But I stuck it out.  As I had beautiful Bird(other birds) and plover moments happen most days I was there, I found out that location is a hotbed for shorebird and other birds to come through.  This Film I could see was unfolding early on was in front of me. I had to stick it out.  

4 things for conservation of anything,  

1. pick up your damn Trash, The earth is Gorgeous, been that way for millions of years

2. Tread lightly

3. Watch where you step especially on the beach for shorebird families

4. Treat others how you would want to be treated.

that in a short count of 4 is conservation

There were Lots of key personal satisfaction moments of being on these beaches for this time with the Plovers but if I had to pick one moment with my time With the Maumee bay Piping plovers was this.  I will never forget the Audible voice of Nish as he walked past me, so close I could see his mouth open and hear clear as day his voice. It was so distinct, unique and cute.  Nish is and was the Greatest Dad for raising and protecting his Nellie and kids.   Hope he comes back and I get another chance to take his photo again. (minus the do as I say not as I do volunteers)

I am publishing this video with a couple of copyright audio because well those songs really hit home for me. Most of my video's have it. According to Youtubes fine print If I ever make a dime on this video someday I'll have it pay George Strait some money on this video, I'm fine wih that. because George is king

Hope you love the music choices, I hope to get to 1000 subscribers with this Video so if you loved the video or know someone that loves shorebirds or plovers please like, share and subscribe to my channel(its free to do so on youtube). if you have a favorite moment please leave a comment on the video at Youtube and I'll reply to each comment.   I've spent easily over 100 tedious hours editing this video soo any shares in emails, social media or fav birding forums or pages would be much appreciated

In the video my fav moment is when Ottawa and Maumee are running in the rain and criss-cross each other on their runs in the rain. 

Besides some of the personal agenda-driven volunteers, I do want to thank the Organizations, volunteers, and photographers that were sincere and genuine and shared Birding stories with me as we waited for the next cute Piping plover moment.

As one of my favorite youtube birders  Leslie the bird nerd Says (check her channel out btw you will learn about birds in a fun way)
 

"Hope you enjoyed" and "Happy Birding"    

Cheers

Capn

You can click on these pics below for viewing full size and more Nish & Nellie & kids are found on my flickr website as well

Nish on my last day of photographing him

Happy New Year!