By Daniel Galindo

A group of 14 people, including researchers and students from research centers, volunteers and staff of Terra Peninsular, visited seven sites in San Quintín Bay between January 17 and 19, 2016 for the winter bird count of snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus).

The types of habitats where the search was conducted included sandy beaches (Punta Mazo, Playa San Ramón, Punta Azufre, La
Pinta-Los Sabios), saltpeter beds (Laguna Figueroa, Marisma La Salina) and salt mines (Salinas San Martín). The counts were conducted on foot or in vehicles, and binoculars and telescopes were used to determine sex, age and read the combinations of colored rings on marked individuals.

This year, a total of 641 individuals were counted: 571 adults (95 females, 123 males and 353 of undetermined sex) and 70 juveniles. The number of adults, although lower than the previous winter (777 individuals), was very similar to the quantity observed in the winters of 2013 (577 adults) and 2014 (598 adults).

The saltpeter beds of Laguna Figueroa remain a critical habitat for snowy plovers during the winter, as it received 65 percent of the wintering population, while sandy beaches (mainly Punta Azufre and La Pinta-Los Sabios) and salt mines were used by 34 and 1 percent of the population, respectively.

With minimal search effort, 33 adults were re-sighted during the counts; this represents 15% of the 220 adults that were marked in breeding seasons from 2012 to 2014. In addition, 4 individuals of populations of the coast of California, United States were observed.

The monitoring was carried out with the participation of: Lucía Alfaro, Enrique Alfaro, Jorge Andrade, Alan Harper, Carol Baird and Gabriela Valle from Terra Peninsular A.C.; as well as Edgar Amador (CIBNOR S.C.), David Carenzo, Daniela Gámez and Estefanía Muñoz (UABCS); Salvador Gómez Del Ángel (UNAM-ICMYL) and Eduardo Palacios (CICESE-UPL).