Portion of Point Reyes Beach Closed 4th of July Weekend to Protect Breeding Snowy Plovers

By Bay City News Service, image from NPS website

A portion of the Great Beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore will be closed this Fourth of July weekend to protect the nesting area of the snowy plover.

The closure, which runs from July 3-5 between the North Beach parking lot and the mouth of Abbotts Lagoon, will minimize disturbance to chicks, nests and breeding adults. It will help the chicks stay warm, have enough food and stay hidden from predators, Point Reyes National Seashore spokesman John Dell’Osso said.

The nesting season of the federally-threatened western snowy plover is underway, Dell’Osso said.

The Point Reyes National Seashore is one of the few remaining nesting grounds and typically supports 15-20 adult breeding plovers, Dell’Osso said.

In addition to the July 4 weekend closure, the portion of the Great Beach from the intersection of Kehoe Beach trail and Kehoe Beach to the North Beach parking lot is closed each year to dogs between March 1 and Sept. 30.

So far this nesting season, 37 nests have been located on Point Reyes, 13 of which are in the dune restoration area, Dell’Osso said.