Counts are conducted on active nesting beaches with least tern or black skimmer colonies every 10-14 days in order to determine the total number of adults present, the total number of adults that appear to be incubating and the total number of fledged chicks present. Monitoring also includes assessing the causes of nest failure and noting other potential inimical factors such as predators, human disturbance and use of off-road vehicles, occurring on the site. All other piping plover nests or least tern and black skimmer colonies are fenced as they are discovered. Fencing is increased as necessary to include expanding least tern and black skimmer nesting colonies. Fencing consists of PVC pipe or steel posts and string, occasionally augmented with additional rows of polypropylene rope.
Many sites also receive some weekday patrols.
Predator exclosures are the primary technique we employ to reduce the impact of predators on piping plover nesting success. Typically, ENSP staff erects predator exclosures on anywhere from 15- 35 plover nesting attempts each year. We have begun using electric fence around some exclosures to combat problems with some predators learning to target exclosures. This has proven to be a very effective means of increasing the effectiveness of exclosures that we plan to increase. Outreach and Municipal Cooperation Together, recreational beach use and municipal beach management activities create some of the most significant threats to successful beach nesting bird nesting.