Kleine Plevieren Charadrius dubius op de Meeuwenplassen

In 1999 Little Plovers were observed at the Meeuwenplassen, a fen surrounded by 50 ha of heathland in between coniferous forest and farmland. In the previous year, the turf of a large part of the heath was removed. The exposed bare soil had become a mudflat with pools because of the high water level in the winter of 1998/99 and the following spring. This newly created habitat proved to be very attractive to plovers. From 30 April through 15 July Little Plovers were present with a maximum of four pairs on 27 May. Nests were found on 13 May (C/4=clutch of four, predated by 27 May), an incomplete C/2 on 27 May and a C/4 on 30 May. Three one-day old chicks and two older ones were discovered on 13 June. On 15 July two pairs were present, accompanied by 3 and 2 young respectively; these were thought to have originated from repeat layings. Three independent juveniles were foraging on a dung heap of chicken’s manure on the nearby farmland on 15 July.