By Christine Williamson, Land Wildlife Habitat Team Chair

Chicago is making national headlines because a pair of piping plovers have chosen to nest on Montrose Beach. This is the first time in decades that this critically endangered species has attempted to nest on a Chicago Beach. There are only 70–80 known nesting pairs of piping plovers in the Great Lakes population, up from just 13 in the early 1980s.

However, the birds face a threat from the proposed Mamby on the Beach music festival scheduled for August 23–24. The Sierra Club Chicago Group joins with environmental allies in urging the Chicago Park District to deny Jam Productions a permit to hold this concert on Montrose Beach. You can show your support by signing this petition from our ally, the Chicago Audubon Society.

A huge, loud, two-day music festival with thousands of attendees could have an extremely detrimental effect on the plover family and other birds and wildlife using the beach and the protected Illinois Nature Preserve on the east end of Montrose Beach. Jam Productions does not yet have a permit for the concert, although tickets are being sold.

There still is enough time to urge the Chicago Park District to deny the permit and the concert promoter to find another spot for the festival. There are many other places in Chicago where concerts can be held but only one beach where federally endangered piping plovers have chosen to nest. Keeping the beach safe for birds and wildlife also makes it safer for human visitors.

The back story to the attention-grabbing press headlines is the determination of two small white shorebirds to breed. The pair, named Monty and Rose, first nested 35 miles north in a gravel parking lot at Waukegan Beach. Two eggs in the first clutch of four were crushed by a car and the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved the remaining two eggs as well as the next four Rose laid there because they were in danger of being crushed or predated. The eggs were sent to a USFWS unit in Michigan for captive incubation and rearing.

This tenacious pair did not give up. They flew south to Montrose Beach in late May and nested on a part of the beach that was close to a lot of human activity and prone to flooding. USFWS, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Chicago Park District worked together to protect the nesting site by roping it off and posting educational signage. Protecting this rare species is required by law under the terms of the federal Endangered Species Act.

But in face of a huge rainstorm, USFWS made the decision to remove the eggs again for captive rearing. Successful hatching of every egg of this endangered species is extremely important because it represents the potential expansion of the small population of piping plovers nesting in the Great Lakes region.

Chicago’s new favorite couple lost no time after the third clutch of eggs was removed and mated frequently while setting up a new nest site in a much safer place on Montrose Beach. It’s on higher ground unlikely to flood and is in an area on the beach that’s much less trafficked by humans and off-leash dogs (which are not allowed on Chicago beaches).

Rose laid another four eggs, which she and Monty likely will be allowed to rear themselves. USFWS put a protective cage around the nest to prevent predators such as raccoons and coyotes from raiding the nest. Volunteers are monitoring the beach during daylight hours until a protective fence is erected around the nest and will continue to remain on watch, educating beach goers about the importance of protecting this family of small shorebirds.

Protecting this nest will not be easy on a busy beach like Montrose, which already has many human user conflicts because so many sports groups, concert organizers, and families want to enjoy a day at the city's biggest beach. More than 150 volunteers are plover watching, but more people are needed. Please contact the Chicago Ornithological Society at piperwatch@chicagobirder.org if you want to help.