Nineteen snowy plover chicks, a federally endangered bird, fledged from beaches in the Point Reyes National Seashore this season, the highest number in since 2007 and up from 15 last year. The fledged chicks may have been aided by a new policy of beach closures, in addition to other protective measures such as “exclosures,” or cages built around divots the birds dig in the sand to nest. The closures were established in part because the seashore lost a number of newly hatched chicks during a busy Fourth of July weekend a few years ago. Last year, the seashore closed the span of beach from North Beach parking lot to Abbotts Lagoon over the Fourth. This year, it closed the area for a total of 13 weekends, including Memorial Day, the Fourth and Labor Day. “We would basically assess need every weekend, based on where the chicks were and how old they were,” said seashore ecologist Dave Press. But the percentage of chicks that fledged was disappointing, he added; despite the cages and the closures, just 20 percent of 80 hatched chicks ultimately fledged, as defined by living at least 28 days until they can start flying. For the first time, the park also banded chicks—9 of the 19 that survived—in a new partnership with the nonprofit Point Blue Conservation Science. “The goal is to get a better sense of the extent to which our birds are returning to [the park] to nest,” he said. “I think it will help us understand how our plovers are connected to other plovers on the Pacific coast, and it may inform long term management.” A total of 38 breeding adults were counted at the seashore this season—the highest number since the late ‘80s, Mr. Press said, though still shy of a federal goal of 64 breeding adults for the park.