A record 18 endangered piping plovers have been spotted in Wasaga Beach.
The record number of birds this spring has translated to more nests than ever before. On Wednesday, five nests and 19 eggs could be found on the beach.
"It's been probably the best one I've done in nine years of looking after the plovers,” says Fiona Ryner of Piping Plover Guardian Program. “This one has just been a bumper year."
Every year volunteers with the Piping Plover Guardian Program spend thousands of hours protecting these birds and educating the public.
"When you see the population increasing, you know the time you've put into it is actually paying off, and that the species is slowly regenerating," says Ryner.
The success story doesn't stop in Wasaga Beach. Some of the birds which hatched last year are now nesting in Darlington and Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
"They haven't seen piping plovers in over 80 years at their site, so right now they're scrambling to put together a program. It's pretty exciting for them, but it shows our work is paying off at their site."
The plovers have become so popular, tourists are travelling to Wasaga Beach just to see the endangered bird.
"I think it's great that they're trying to protect them and keep them coming back. “I think it's great."
These eggs are expected to hatch between the middle of June and the beginning of July.
