The endangered Piping Plovers have returned to Maine beaches as they do each spring.

While most of the nesting beaches require dogs to be kept on a leash after April 1st, the Plovers are now returning to Maine in late March. Today I saw several dogs run through a group of Pipers foraging in the sand. Fortunately the four-leggers did not see the birds (or simply ignored them).

A few years ago, a dog killed a Plover which resulted in a $12,000 fine.