Sullivan's Island Winter-Spring 2019-20

20 www.SullivansIslandMagazine.com | www.SullivansIslandHomes.com E ven if you’re a crafty and determined birder, you probably haven’t glimpsed too many Wilson’s plovers on the islands in recent years. Available data have indicated a declining population and a shrinking range for the beach-breeding bird. A 2012 assessment estimated the Wilson’s plover’s U.S. population at 8,600 birds, and Partners in Flight ranked it a species of high concern and placed it on its Yellow Watch List of bird species requiring constant care and long-term assessment to prevent declines, due to its restricted range and narrow habitat preference. Although it is not currently listed as federally endangered, it has been designated a state threatened species in South Carolina. Audubon South Carolina considers it a focal species because it nests here on our coast. The birds hide well in the dunes, but despite their efforts to keep a low profile, they have been spotted in recent years on Sullivan’s Island. “It’s pretty extraordinary,” said Nolan Schillerstrom, coastal program coordinator with Audubon South Carolina, who called it a “charismatic” bird in spite of its shy nature. A nesting pair of Wilson’s plovers was spotted at Sullivan’s Island in 2017 and 2018, though none were seen in 2019. “Every year is different,” added Schillerstrom. A medium-sized shorebird that breeds along the A Threatened Shorebird That Needs Our Help By Colin McCandless Wilson’s Plover