HARWICH- Parking restrictions at Red River Beach in Harwich due to piping plover chicks may soon be over, as the birds are clearing out of that area.
Nicole Smith, Assistant Conservation Agent for Harwich says that this area has served as a nesting point for plovers in the past, but not on this scale.
“I believe they have crossed the street before, but it hasn’t been to the need that we have ever had to barricade [that area]. This is the first time I believe that we have had to actually [close off a section of] the parking lot,” she said.
The rest of the lot is scheduled to re-open Monday morning.
A third of the total lot had been closed off after four chicks hatched earlier last month.
So far, Smith said that members of the public have been very respectful throughout the closure due to the shorebirds, and have not minded the fact that a few spaces were lost while they hatched.
“We did a pretty good job of telling people when they picked up their beach stickers. We had a picture and everything saying that portions of the lot were closed temporarily. We never really received any complaints in the Conservation Department… so I think people were pretty understanding,” said Smith.
Piping plovers are a state and federally protected species that require management efforts as they are considered to be threatened, and close to endangerment.
400 meters of barrier could be removed as soon as this morning.
By JOHN BONDAREK, CapeCod.Com News Center
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