Plover Primetime: Issue #6 - Harrow
Welcome to the sixth installment in our new interpretive series � Plover Primetime!
A piping plover standing at the edge of an incoming wave along bay shore. The sand is scattered with pebbles in various shades of brown, black, and tan. The text reads “Harrow†and is bookended by graphics of a sword and a skull and placed on a gray jagged background. Three graphics of bird skeletons sit along the sand and in the water. A skeleton of a human in the foreground rests its elbow casually on the plover’s back. In the upper right, there are four cylinders illustrating this piping plover’s band co
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Whether she’s Harrow the Ninth or Harrow the First, she’s second to none in our hearts.   Harrow was banded in 2021 as an adult, right here at Fowler Beach, and given her name due to her rather dark and dreary band combination.   Her namesake would appreciate the sentiment. 

One of the things we check for when we are banding piping plovers is their age. Birds grow their feathers at predictable ages and times of year and in a predictable order in a process referred to as “moltâ€�.   When we band a piping plover that has come back to nest for the very first time, we can usually see little buff-colored tips on a patch of feathers behind their shoulder.   Older birds would have white tips on the feathers in that patch.   Harrow had fresh feathers with white tips instead of old feathers with buff-colored tips when she was banded, so we can only say that she’s at least 5 years old now.   The photo below illustrates what we see when we band an older adult.   The feathers in the circle are a nice medium brown and still have bright white tips which wear down over time from sunlight and regular use.   In contrast, there are old feathers to the right of the circle that are tan and abraded with little tipping left. 

A piping plover held in bander’s grip with its right wing held open to show its feathers. White text on a red background bubble reads “FRESH FEATHERS!†and a red arrow leads from the bubble to an area of medium brown feathers circled in red.
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We know that piping plovers become more skilled at raising young the older they are (seems obvious right?) and older female birds are worth their weight in gold.   Okay, okay, we know they only weigh about 55 grams â€� how about they’re worth OUR weight in gold.   Really! Harrow has successfully raised a respectable 4 chicks across three years.   She was also our only female bird affixed with a radio transmitter (NanoTag) in 2024!   Only time will tell if she and her prospective mate, Loki, will prove to be the dream team.

From March 1 to September 30, Fowler Beach is closed to public access to prevent disturbance to nesting birds and their young as well as migrating shorebirds like the red knot.   Please obey all posted signage and avoid entering areas that are marked as closed so that vulnerable wildlife, plants, and their habitats can thrive!

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