During today's bird survey, I spotted several groups of birds resting on Topsail Island during their long-distance migrations, including 14 Piping Plovers. Any of these plovers could breed as close as Lea-Hutaff Island (less than a mile away, as the plover flies) or as far away as Atlantic Canada (over 900 miles away).

I also spotted some Sanderlings (above) and a Semipalmated Plover (below) roosting with the Piping Plovers. These birds will have to travel at least least 1,000 miles before they arrive on their breeding grounds and possibly as much as 2,600 miles.

-- Lindsay Addison