Piping Plover Nesting Results in New Jersey - 2004

This document reports on a Piping Plover nesting survey done in 2004. It shows that a total of 135 pairs of piping plover nested in New Jersey in 2004, a 6% decrease from 2003 (144 pairs) and the first drop in pairs in six years. The number of active nesting sites increased slightly to 30 in 2004, up from 29 in 2003. Looking at the major nesting sites across the state, Sandy Hook had one its poorest years on record with just a 34% pair hatching success and only 0.66 chicks fledged per pair (for 32 total pairs). Fox problems plagued Sandy Hook for the second consecutive year, resulting in high rates of both nest predation and abandonment.Second title: 2004 NJ Piping Plover Nesting Results, Summary and Table