A file photo of a plover parent and chick. (Courtesy of Susan Szeszol)
There’s never a dull moment in Ploverville.
The latest twist in the saga comes courtesy of Imani, born in 2021 to Chicago’s plover power couple Monty and Rose.
Spotted last week in Duluth, Minnesota, Imani was then seen Sunday at Montrose Beach, photographed by lead plover monitor Tamima Itani.
Whether he will stick around or fly the coop again is anyone’s guess. Folks have been theorizing on social media that Imani’s return was somehow tied to the recent death of Monty, and the absence of Rose, although young plovers are known to move around in spring, according to Vince Cavalieri, a biologist with the Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Effort.
Regardless, members of Chicago’s birding community, and the wider circle of piping plover advocates, have found solace in Imani’s presence as a symbol of his parents’ legacy.
Coincidentally or not, if Imani extends his visit, he’ll be on hand for Wednesday’s planned commemoration of Monty and Rose, set for 6 p.m. at Montrose Beach.
Sweet Home Chicago
Imani has returned to his natal shore. Just visiting? We are not sure. For now we are reveling in the moment.If you visit Montrose Beach, please remember to give Imani his space. Thank you!
: Tamima Itani (Imani, Montrose Beach, May 23, 2022) #plover pic.twitter.com/XKIyYgOlvL
— Chicago Piping Plovers (@ChicagoPiping) May 23, 2022
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
