A rare bird is about ready to pack its feathers and head south.
For the second consecutive year the endangered Piping Plover has nested and reared chicks on Sauble Beach.
Another nest was also spotted in Oliphant.
All told four birds were hatched and according to Stuart Nutt of the Piping Plover Program in Sauble Beach, two of the birds have already left the nest.
Nutt says there are 115 volunteers from Sauble and Oliphant who act as guardians in keeping an eye on the birds from morning to night every day.
He says the birds that were hatched survived through the elements and predatory animals and it is a testament to the dedication of the volunteers.
Nutt says the sand dunes at Sauble are ideal for nesting and it is an indicator of the good health of the dunes.
He says the Friends of Sauble Beach have spent a lot of time trying to regenerate the dunes and improving the beach areas.
Nutt says he is encouraged by the number of nests that were set up this year.
He says they spotted four nests in Sauble and in Oliphant.
He says they did lose a couple of chicks to predators but is pleased overall with how things went.
