FAQs • Southampton, NY • CivicEngage

Why as of today is everything shut off when there are no nests? There were no nests anywhere when we were all down there?: There were 3 nest locations, 2 inside the Picnic Area and 1 located 400m outside the Picnic Area. The beach is not closed to 4 x 4 access until 3-5 days before the nest hatches.

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Trustees - Endangered Species

1. Are you following guidelines or are there rules and regulations?

Both

The Endangered Species Act is a federal law that prohibits a “take” of endangered or threatened species. The term “take” means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct, and carries with it a civil penalty of $25,000.

The NYSDEC has regulations (6 NYCRR Part 182) that mirror the Endangered Species Act, including the definition of a “take.”

The Trustees’ Endangered Species Monitoring Program follows USFW Guidelines in order to protect these threatened or endangered species, which in turn protects the Trustees’ easement over the beach and all of the Town’s residents and freeholders from the liability of a “take.”

2. Why as of today is everything shut off when there are no nests? There were no nests anywhere when we were all down there?: There were 3 nest locations, 2 inside the Picnic Area and 1 located 400m outside the Picnic Area. The beach is not closed to 4 x 4 access until 3-5 days before the nest hatches.

3. Why can’t you guys put snow fence down when they hatch and run it down the beach and we can continue to use each side to drive on?: USFW and the DEC consider using fencing to control or direct the movement of the animals as actions that constitute a “take.”

4. Is there a shuttle to bring people down to the beach from the parking lot?: A Shuttle will be run by the Village of Southampton from the Parking Lot to the beach. Negotiated with NYSDEC and USFWS a monitor is present at all times 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday only.

5. Why do some homeowners have a pathway through the middle of perimeter fencing?: Oceanfront homeowners have the right to access the beach from their property. Pathways are laid out to direct homeowner beach access away from any nests in that specific area.

6. According to the guidelines you can do a 200-meter perimeter, if there is a monitoring organization and/or monitoring group. Why can’t monitoring groups monitor the birds so we can have a 200-linea: After the birds hatch, our program and monitors allow us to observe the birds’ behavior and movement in a specific location which then the 1000m may be reduced. 200m is the minimum and is only allowed with constant monitoring of the Brood.

7. How many nests are there on the beach? Ponquogue? Tiana Beach?: There was one nest at Ponquogue that hatched in May.

8. Is it possible to move the nests?: No. That would be a “take.”

9. Can you give us information about how many birds are in the area, and if that number is drastically up from years past?: This year’s numbers can be compared to previous years once the endangered season is over. The number that the Trustees look for is the number of fledged chicks throughout the Town. The number of nests fluctuates greatly throughout the season from predation, storms, and other loss and re-nesting.

10. Why don’t piping plovers nest on Village beaches such as Coopers Beach, in front of the Bathing Corp., or in front of the Water Mill Beach Club? Why are these beaches never closed down?: There have been nests at all of those locations in the past. Human activity may deter the birds from nesting in areas that are highly used, so nests at these locations are uncommon but they do happen. For example, there was a next at the Ponquogue Pavilion this year.

11. Are you planning on giving us a refund or rebate for the stickers that have already been purchased? Or, have you considered alternate parking areas, i.e. the parking lot you own in the Village of: The Trustee are going to open additional access for the daytime drive-on area at Cold Spring by extending the day time driving area from 300 ft. to 2000 ft east of Cold Spring Rd. Permit holders who have both a Trustees and Village 4x4 permit will be able to use the Trustee’s Lake Agawam Parking Lot.

12. Is there a way we can have a point of order or actually have a vote that has to do with the community that resides here?: The Board of Trustees are elected by the community to oversee the beach and facilitate the U.S. Threatened and Endangered Species Program.

13. Can you show the community where these nests are? And how many there are? And show us a map?: No, giving active nest locations may promote vandalism to the nests

14. Why is the entire beach closed, when there are no nests?: The entire beach is not closed. The closure only applies to 4x4 driving in areas where there are chicks. The Trustees’ monitoring program allows us to monitor the movement of the chicks and their behavior so that we can leave areas certain open to 4x4 access and where possible reduce the 1000m buffer.

15. Can we protect these birds with a cage? Is that considered a take? That is what other communities are doing to protect them from predators.: Cages can be used to protect nests from predators, but cannot be used to protect the chicks because they are highly mobile after hatching.

16. Is this the first time plovers have been in the picnic area?: This is the first time there have been plover nests in the picnic area in at least 5 years.

17. How will you alert the public on updates on beach driving closures?

The beach closure map is online and is updated daily.

https://gis.southamptontownny.gov/InfoCenter/