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This spring, migratory shorebirds found plenty of horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay
Make no mistake: the horseshoe crab population is not increasing
Instead, success came down to a stroke of bay waters finally warming
Read the blog by Dr. Larry Niles:
https://www.arubewithaview.com/2026/06/09/8245/
A lucky break for shorebirds this year - but good luck is not a recovery strategy.![]()
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This spring, migratory shorebirds found plenty of horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay. But make no mistake: the horseshoe crab population is not increasing. Instead, success came down to a stroke of good timing. After a long cold spell, bay waters finally warmed during the third week of May, triggering a strong, sudden spawn right when the birds needed it most.![]()
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Shorebird weights confirmed the story. After arriving at dangerously low, fat-free weights, the birds saw substantial increases during that third week of May. Thanks to that week-three surge, 70 percent of red knots left Delaware Bay weighing over 180g, the critical index used to predict favorable survivability and potential for Arctic breeding success.![]()
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Overall, during the year's final bay-wide survey, the NJ Delaware Bay Shorebird Project counted 33,132 red knots, along with 32,619 ruddy turnstones, 16,704 sanderlings, 91,778 semipalmated sandpipers, 12,362 dunlins and smaller numbers of other shorebirds.![]()
This year's numbers are a relief, but they underscore a stark reality: we can’t let the future of these shorebirds lie with a roll of the weather dice.![]()
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Read the blog by Dr. Larry Niles of Wildlife Restoration Partnerships for more details:![]()
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www.arubewithaview.com
Delaware Bay shorebirds have left for their Arctic breeding home in good condition. Horseshoe crabs are still breeding in good numbers, while early eggs are starting to hatch