Nesting Season Field Notes
- Power to the Plover
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Our biologists share real-time field updates from Ormond Beach, highlighting the nesting progress of snowy plovers and least terns throughout the season.
Week 7: Successes, Setbacks, and Familiar Faces
published 4/29/25
The 2025 nesting season is well underway, and our Ventura Audubon biologist team has been out at Ormond Beach every week since mid-March conducting snowy plover and least tern nesting surveys.
Here’s the latest from the field...
Snowy Plover Nesting Progress
To date, we have located 16 snowy plover nests on Ormond Beach. All but one remain active, and we are closely monitoring their progress. It takes about four weeks for a nest to hatch.
Unfortunately, we experienced our first predation loss last week. A skunk depredated one nest, which had survived nearly three weeks before being lost. Skunk predation is a recurring challenge for snowy plover success, particularly in the northern habitat area.
​ | Total Nests | Hatched Nests | Failed Nests |
Snowy Plover | 16 | 0 | 1 (skunk) |
California Least Terns: Awaiting Their Arrival
This week, no California least terns have been observed at Ormond Beach. This is normal, as terns generally start arriving in early May and typically don't begin nesting until late May or early June. Our team is monitoring the situation closely, as they are expected to arrive soon during our upcoming surveys.
Challenges This Season
Two major concerns have emerged so far:
Off-road vehicle trespass: Habitat fences are regularly being pulled down, and off-roaders are driving into sensitive nesting areas. Two nests have already been narrowly missed by vehicles. Our team is working hard to repair the fences and protect the habitat (below left).
Skunk predation: After causing significant losses last season, skunks remain a serious threat this year. The first nest depredated this season was in the same northern habitat area where most losses occurred last year (below right).
Familiar Friends: Sunny and Sergeant Return
Among the good news, we are thrilled to report the return of two well-known banded snowy plovers:
"Sunny" (band combination y/w:y): Hatched in 2020 at Coos Bay, Oregon, Sunny first appeared at Ormond Beach in March 2021. Unlike many plovers, Sunny stays year-round at Ormond, enduring winters and breeding seasons alike. He has successfully fledged several chicks and has already been seen paired with a female this year.
"Sunny" y/w:y; photo by Rachele Ameche 1-24-25 "Sergeant" (band combination O:yy): This veteran plover fledged from Camp Pendleton in 2018 and first arrived at Ormond in 2020. Sergeant migrates elsewhere during the winter but reliably returns each spring to nest. He has nested successfully every season since his arrival, and this year he is again paired and likely incubating a nest in his usual territory on the north end.
Sunny and Sergeant are often rivals, with their territorial disputes being a common occurrence during surveys. Male plovers do not tolerate one another during the nesting season.
