Plovers, shown here in a pet carrier, were recaptured to take measurements including weight, wing length, bill length and tarsus (leg) length. The chicks were recaptured every five to seven days to monitor their growth rates.
Jonathan Cohen (right) and Michelle Stantial (center) of ESF are among the researchers working to protect piping plovers. This photo was taken at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park in Barnegat Light, New Jersey, in 2016.