Motorists kill three oystercatcher chicks on Chappy

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Oystercatcher chicks were killed by motorists in three separate incidents on Chappaquiddick. — WikiMedia Commons

Over the weekend, three oystercatcher chicks died under the wheels of motorists on Chappaquiddick’s East Beach. Despite dozens of warning signs and fencing by the nest sites, three different vehicles killed the baby birds — two south of Aruda Point, and one just north of the jetties, according to Chris Kennedy, Vineyard stewardship manager for The Trustees of Reservations.

“People are usually very mindful,” he said. A witness to one of the incidents indicated the chick was slain by a vehicle traveling faster than the 5 mph beach limit, he said, but efforts to find that vehicle weren’t successful.

Had the driver been caught by a ranger, Kennedy said, at a minimum their permit would be terminated. “We would not let them back on the property for one year,” he said.

While not listed as endangered, the American oystercatcher population in Massachusetts isn’t rosy. “State Fish and Wildlife is concerned with their numbers,” he said.

Nests are ample on Chappaquiddick, Kennedy said, but oystercatcher reproduction over the past two years has been “pretty dismal.”

For those who drive on Trustees’ beaches, he said, “People need to be aware of their surroundings.”

3 COMMENTS

  1. a few weeks ago, I was on Franklin street and witnessed a driver that had about 5 seconds to slow down after a squirrel came onto the road — he never touched the brake and ran it over…
    Andrew– are you proud of these people ?
    We could use a comment from the “kill them all” side here– just to liven up the conversation–
    Otherwise, we will think people who do this are jerks.

    • I was driving on a two-line road with limited visibility due to hills, curves, and plant growth. I rounded a curve and saw something in the road. I didn’t have many seconds to stop but I did … and saw parents with a little boy at the end of their driveway to retrieve that toy fire truck in the road.

      It’s not difficult to pay attention. And automobiles have brakes suitable for emergency stops.

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