Hampton Beach fireworks postponed due to rare nesting birds

Piping plovers nested in more open areas during COVID-19 pandemic

Piping plovers nested in more open areas during COVID-19 pandemic

AND PEOPLE I SPOKE WITH SAY THEY DON'T MIND MISSING FIREWORKS IF IT MEANS KEEPING THESE BIRDS PROTECTED. MEMORIAL D AY WEEKEND - A TI WMEHEN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER FLOCK TO HAMPTON BEACH TO KICK F OF THE OFUNFICIAL START OF SUMMER. BUT THIS WEEKEND - SOME OTHER VISITORS GOT COMFY IN THE SAND.... PIPING PLOVS ER- A RARE SPECIESF O BIRD THAT NESTS IN SANDY BEACHES. <BRENDAN CLIFFORD // WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTNEW , HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME: "THE PIPING PLOVERS THAT HAVE NESTED NEAR T HE FIREWORKS SO AND HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW."> PLOVERS ARE NO STRANGERS TO NEW HAMPSHIRE - BUT THIYEAR, S 16 PAIRS ARE NESTING ACROSS THE STATE... A RECORD HIGH. BREND AN CLFOIFRD - A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME - SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR BEACH GOERS TO GIVE THE BIRDS SPACE. <BRENDAN CLIFFORD: "TH EY ARE PROTECTED AS A FEDERALLY THREATENED SPECIES. SO THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO TRYO T CONSERVE AND TRY TO MANAGE BECAUSE THEY NEST IN N OW WHAT IS A HUMAN DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE BEACH."> CFFLIORD SA YS THE BIRDS TYPICALLY NEST IN DUNES OR DUNE GRASS - BUT WN HE BEACHES CLEARED OUT DURING THE PANDEMIC... <BRENDAN CLIFFORD: "THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE AND ND ESTE UP THERE. AND NOW THEY TYPICALLY RETURN TO THE MESA SITES EVERY YEAR."> WHICH IS WHY TONIGHT'S FIREWORKS SHOW HAD TO BE POSTPONE D. <BRENDAN CLIFFORD // "WE DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATTHE E PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO ACCOMMODATE THE BIRDS AND THE FIREWORKS JUST WERE GOING TO BE TOO CLOSE TO THE NEST THIS YEAR."> BUT MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND. <JOHN // VISITING FOR THE WEEKEND: "WE'RE JUST LUCKY, I THINK, TO HAVE THE PLOVERS IN THE AREA. TO HAVE SOME AT HAMPTON BEACH, Y OU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL AND CLIFFORD SAYS JUST TO AVOID THOSE AREAS IF POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE

Hampton Beach fireworks postponed due to rare nesting birds

Piping plovers nested in more open areas during COVID-19 pandemic

Firework shows at Hampton Beach are on hold for a few weeks, including Sunday night because of an endangered species of birds.The birds are called 'piping plovers'. They are a rare, federally-threatened species that only nest on sandy beaches like at Hampton Beach and Seabrook.Officials tell News 9 there are a record number of plovers that are nesting right now so it's important for beachgoers to keep an eye out and keep their distance.There are only 2,000 pairs of birds that nest every year.This year, there are 16 pairs of piping plovers nesting in New Hampshire, which is a record. Brendan Clifford, a wildlife biologist with New Hampshire Fish and Game, said they typically nest in dunes or dune grass. However, when beaches cleared because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the birds began nesting in more open areas that officials have now roped off. “It’s a strong conservation effort that we have, we use a lot of volunteers, we use a lot of community outreach," Clifford said. "The more support we have for the Plovers, the better. Spreading word of mouth is really how it works best.”While there are a lot of volunteers on standby to help with conservation efforts, Clifford said the public has to give the birds some space, too. The quicker the birds feed, the quicker they leave, and then regular beach activities can resume.“We do our best to accommodate the people, but we have to also accommodate the birds and the fireworks just were going to be too close to the nest this year,” Clifford said. The first nest hatched on Saturday. "We're just lucky, I think, to have the plovers in the area, to have some at Hampton Beach, that's something special and one missed night of fireworks, I think, is worth it," said John, a beachgoer visiting for the weekend. Clifford said you should try to keep your pets away if you happen to be near a nest and said the bulk of the birds are expected to hatch between now and the end of June.

HAMPTON, N.H. —

Firework shows at Hampton Beach are on hold for a few weeks, including Sunday night because of an endangered species of birds.

The birds are called 'piping plovers'. They are a rare, federally-threatened species that only nest on sandy beaches like at Hampton Beach and Seabrook.

Officials tell News 9 there are a record number of plovers that are nesting right now so it's important for beachgoers to keep an eye out and keep their distance.

There are only 2,000 pairs of birds that nest every year.

This year, there are 16 pairs of piping plovers nesting in New Hampshire, which is a record.

Brendan Clifford, a wildlife biologist with New Hampshire Fish and Game, said they typically nest in dunes or dune grass. However, when beaches cleared because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the birds began nesting in more open areas that officials have now roped off.

“It’s a strong conservation effort that we have, we use a lot of volunteers, we use a lot of community outreach," Clifford said. "The more support we have for the Plovers, the better. Spreading word of mouth is really how it works best.”

While there are a lot of volunteers on standby to help with conservation efforts, Clifford said the public has to give the birds some space, too.

The quicker the birds feed, the quicker they leave, and then regular beach activities can resume.

“We do our best to accommodate the people, but we have to also accommodate the birds and the fireworks just were going to be too close to the nest this year,” Clifford said.

The first nest hatched on Saturday.

"We're just lucky, I think, to have the plovers in the area, to have some at Hampton Beach, that's something special and one missed night of fireworks, I think, is worth it," said John, a beachgoer visiting for the weekend.

Clifford said you should try to keep your pets away if you happen to be near a nest and said the bulk of the birds are expected to hatch between now and the end of June.

Hampton Beach fireworks postponed due to rare nesting birds

Piping plovers nested in more open areas during COVID-19 pandemic

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Top Picks