DNREC Beach-Nesting Bird Program
The Point at CHSP is closed from March through September to safeguard endangered beach-nesting birds. Your cooperation during this period is crucial to prevent nest abandonment and protect vulnerable eggs and chicks. Thank you for your understanding and support in preserving these precious species.
Victoria Smith
Threats to Birds
Piping plovers, American oystercatchers, red knots, and least terns nest at the CHSP Point from March through September. While loss and degradation of habitat, climate change, and predators may contribute to the loss of chicks, human disturbance is also a factor and the reason the Point is closed during breeding months.
American Oyster Catcher
​CHSP is an essential way point for these species to gain weight for migration to points as distant as the Arctic. The birds also are dependent upon the thousands of eggs produced by Delaware's beloved horseshoe crabs. DNREC Fish and Wildlife staff monitor the birds and take appropriate actions to help their breeding, such as installing exclosures around nests. To volunteer as a site monitor, complete this linked form.
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For more information about Delaware's beach nesting birds and DNREC's efforts to provide habitat protection, visit Beach-Nesting Birds.
Terri Campbell
Semipalmated Sandpiper