A recent win at Oceano Dunes and our hopes for a safer shore For many Western Snowy Plovers, the tiny, adorable puffballs you may be lucky to see skittering back and forth along the Pacific Coast, this time of year marks their first steps into parenthood. I think about what it must be like for them—the journey and struggle to find a safe place to nest, ensuring that the site will provide enough food to nourish their new young while avoiding predators and dangerous situations. With small eggs that are perfectly camouflaged to match the sand and chicks about the size of a human thumb, they navigate a fraught landscape of giants, like off-leash dogs and motorized vehicles speeding down the beach. As I recently became a new parent myself, I’ve often reflected on that deep protective instinct to safeguard our offspring and have a newfound respect for this resilient species. It’s incredible how instinctual it is for them to care for their chicks, all while navigating new and unexpected challenges along the way.…