Point Is Open

[longcaster]

The POINT opened today, for walking. NPS says 2 groups of plovers that fledged 2 weeks ago, and another that fledged 10days ago, plus an Oystercatcher that fledged 2 weeks ago are too weak to fly well. NPS wants to keep the POINT closed to ORV until 7/31/09.

[derf]

NPS wants to keep the POINT closed to ORV until 7/31/09.

really following the guide lines aren't they!!
they close everything at the drop of a hat and drag their feet reopening it .........

[surffishn]

Less than a dozen birds NOT ENDANGERED close the whole area.

[fishdaddy]

Ya beat me to it LC

Pedestrian Access Open to Cape Point

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today that the east side of Cape Point
has reopened to pedestrian access, effective immediately, via a pedestrian
access corridor that begins about 60 meters south of Ramp 44. Although the
remaining piping plover chicks in the Cape Point area had fledged by last
week, access to the Point has remained closed due to a resource protection
closure for American oystercatcher (AMOY) chicks south of Ramp 44. The
AMOY chicks, which are provided a 200 meter buffer under the consent
decree, have now fledged and the access corridor has reopened to pedestrian
access. Because young AMOY fledglings are relatively big birds and weak
flyers, and are less capable of getting out of the way of moving vehicles
or pets off leash than are the fledglings of smaller shorebird species,
there is a two week waiting period after AMOY chicks fledge before an area
is reopened to ORVs or pets. It is expected that the access corridor to
the Point will reopen to ORV access and pets in about two weeks, provided
no new resource closures occur in the area.

Under the consent decree, the prenesting areas are to remain in place
“until the later of July 15 or two weeks after the last chicks within the
area have fledged, as determined by two consecutive monitoring events.”
Other closures, outside of the prenesting closures that were established
based on observed shorebird breeding behavior, are to remain in place,
depending upon the circumstances, until at least two weeks after a nest is
lost to see if the birds renest, or until all chicks have fledged. Colonial
waterbird nests and chicks and American oystercatcher chicks are still
present west of Cape Point and in the eastern portion of South Beach. The
prenesting areas and other resource protection areas that were established
in these locations earlier in the season will remain posted until nesting
and chick rearing activity is completed and the prescribed reopening
criteria have been met.

As a result of the reopening of pedestrian access to Cape Point, of 66.8
miles of Seashore beaches, approximately 24.7 miles are open to ORVs and
pedestrians, 26.8 miles are open to pedestrians only, 4.2 miles have
limited access for pedestrians only (i.e., “open” areas sandwiched between
two closures), and 11.1 miles are fully closed to visitors to protect park
resources. Currently, ramps 4, 30, 34, 38, 43, 44, 49, 55, 59, 67, 68, 70,
and 72 are open; and ramps 23, 27 and 45 are closed.

Temporary resource protection areas are established to protect threatened
and endangered species, including piping plovers and sea turtles, as well
as state or federal species of concern, including American oystercatchers
and colonial waterbirds (terns and black skimmers). For more information,
call 252-473-2111 ext. 148.

[derf]

just what i want to do walk to the point !!
eff the park service