Rose hatched in 2017, at Muskegon State Park on Lake Michigan in Michigan, to Mom Bahama Mama and Dad Little Guy.  

When she was only a few weeks old, she flew across or around Lake Michigan to Illinois, where she spent a few days at Waukegan Municipal Beach.  Guess who was there at the same time?  You guessed it…Monty!  

Rose likes to spend her winters at Anclote Key, off the west coast of Florida.  She has been spotted there during the winters of 2021, 2020 and 2019. 

Rose sports an orange band with a red dot on her lower left leg, a silver band on her upper right leg, and a dark blue band with the alphanumeric characters B158 on her lower left leg. She is Piping Plover -,O:X,B (Rdot, B158).  For information on how to read Piping Plover bands, visit greatlakespipingplover.org/great-lakes-pipl-color-bands 

Monty hatched in 2017, at Silver Lake Park on Lake Michigan in Michigan, to Dad YOGi. 

When he was only a few weeks old, he flew across or around Lake Michigan to Illinois, where he spent a few days at Waukegan Municipal Beach, where Rose was hanging out as well. 

Monty’s winter whereabouts were a bit of a mystery.  In December 2020, however, Kristen Vale with the American Bird Conservancy spotted Monty at Bolivar Flats on the Gulf Coast in Texas.   

Monty sports an orange band with a yellow dot on his lower left leg, a silver band on his upper right leg, and a green band with the alphanumeric characters G202 on his lower right leg. Based on this unique combination, Monty is Piping Plover -,O:X,G (Ydot, G202). 

Prior to June 2019, Monty and Rose were known only by their band colors and numbers, which made communicating about them difficult (Try saying -,O:X,G (YDot) several times in an email or in a conversation!).  Tired of having to remember and type these alphanumeric codes, Plovermother decided to name them after the place where they had chosen to nest in 2019: Montrose.  Monty and Rose, get it?  Other than some friendly teasing, the names have been very well received by the community and Monty and Rose have become local and national celebrities.

One day, on her way to Montrose, Plovermother found herself thinking that Montrose was named after Monty and Rose, but quickly remembered it was the other way around! 

© T. Itani 2021.  All images subject to copyright and may not be copied or used without permission.