I am very delighted to write that our Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is screening on Monday, August 18th at 6:00pm. We are sharing the billing with another animal welfare documentary, The Ramba Effect, about an Asian Elephant and her 2,550 mile journey to her new home at an elephant sanctuary. If you are in the New Hope area and would like to see The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay and The Rhamba Effect, please go here https://www.goelevent.com/NewHopeFilmFestival/e/AnimalWelfareDocumentaries
This annual festival takes place at the Bay of Somme and is not only a film festival but a magnificent celebration of the natural world. There are over 400 guided walks, photo and art exhibits, screenings of the best nature documentaries, activities dedicated to children such as workshops and shows, debates, and conferences.
Ce documentaire raconte l’histoire de pluviers siffleurs, des petits oiseaux menacés. Ses héros sont un couple courageux et leurs turbulents petits.
Elever des poussins de la taille d’un marshmallow sur une plage urbaine très prisée n’est pas de tout repos et la famille doit faire face à de nombreux obstacles. Les pluviers siffleurs sont des indicateurs qui montrent comment humains et faune peuvent cohabiter, en particulier dans le cadre de la réduction de leur habitat. Ces oiseaux très résilients sont bien adaptés à la vie sur la plage, cependant, sans mesures de protection adéquates, ils ne pourront résister à la pression causée par les humains et les prédateurs.
Film screenings are designed to be presented to conservation organizations, schools, libraries, clubs, and special events for both private and public groups.
Film Screening and Q&A with the Director, Kim Smith
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay
Discover how we can all become stewards of these pocket-sized, endangered shorebirds.
Synopsis:The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is a one-hour nature documentary that tells the life story of these captivating and endangered birds. The film features a pair of courageous Plovers and the adventures of their blended brood of chicks. Raising tiny, marshmallow-sized baby birds on a crowded urban beach is a perilous occupation and the family overcomes many life-threatening obstacles.
Piping Plovers are a bellwether species that speaks to how successfully wildlife and people interact with one another, especially in light of the growing threat of habitat loss. These remarkably resilient birds are well adapted to life on the beach however, without adequate protective measures, Piping Plovers will fail in the face of pressure created by people and predators.
We are inspired by the beauty of the Plover’s life story and also highly aware of the formidable challenges these valiant little birds face at every stage of life
For schedule a screening, please contact Kim Smith at kimsmith.designs1@gmail.com and visit the film’s website here: The Piping Plover Project
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay was made possible by the generous contributions from the following – Jane Alexander (Nova Scotia), Applied Materials (Gloucester/Silicon Valley), Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Garth and Linsay Gremainn (Cambridge), Cornelius Hauck (Cincinnati), Jennie Meyer (Gloucester), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), New England BioLabs (Ipswich), Cape Ann Garden Club, Brace Cove Foundation (Gloucester), JH Foundation/Fifth Third Bank (Ohio), Janis and John Bell (Gloucester), Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Lauren Mercadante (New Hampshire), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Marion Frost (Ipswich), Cecile Christianson (Peabody), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Donna Poirier Connerty (Gloucester), Mary Rhinelander (Gloucester), Jane Hazzard (Georgetown), Duncan Holloman (Gloucester), Karen Blandino (Rockport), Duncan Todd (Lexington), Sue Winslow (Gloucester), Amy Hauck-Kalti (Ohio), JoAnn Souza (Newburyport), Karen Thompson (San Francisco), Carolyn Mostello (Rhode Island), Susan Pollack (Gloucester), Peggy O’Malley (Gloucester), Hilda Santos (Gloucester), Maggie Debbie (Gloucester), Sandy Barry (Gloucester), The Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution, Mary Keys (Madeira, Ohio), Barbara Boudreau (Gloucester), Suki Augusti, Jonathan and Sally Golding (Gloucester), Sue Winslow (Gloucester), Cecile Christensen (Peabody), Marty and Russ Coleman (Dallas, Texas), David Brooks (Troy, Michigan), Karen Maslow (Gloucester), Lisa Craig (Winchester), Menotomy Bird Club (Winchester), Lyda Kuth (Belmont), Kimberly Bouris (Gloucester), Alexandra and Jon Hardy (Gloucester), Jane Wulf (Rockport), August Mirabella (North Wales, PA), Gloucester Movement Arts, Tom Hauck, and viewers like you. Thank you!
Thank you to all who attended our documentary screening of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay on Sunday afternoon. We had a terrific group of attendees, both very generous and wonderfully engaged in the Qand A following the screening. I loved discussing Plovers and filmmaking with our guests and appreciate so much everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to come and support the film.
Many, many thanks to Sarah, MAGMA’s founder and director, for hosting the event. In addition to offering a range of youth and adult dance classes, MAGMA provides an exceptional space for the community. Sarah hosts a range of events including films, dance performances, and local musicians, from punk bands, to string quartets! See MAGMA’s upcoming events here.
A very special shout out to Piping Plover Ambassadors Jonathan and Sally for their continued support and kind generosity. They provided all the beverages, Jonathan made an excellent bartender, and they both made everyone feel very welcome.
I hope to see you Sunday at our film screening fundraiser. Refreshments will be provided and following the screening, we’ll have lots of good discussion and wonderful news to share.
Although the postcard says handicapped accessible, unfortunately the elevator is now temporarily not working. Please let me know if you have purchased tickets and can no longer attend due to inaccessibility.
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is a 57-minute narrated documentary by Kim Smith that tells the story of the Piping Plover as it unfolds along the North Atlantic coastline. The film features a pair of courageous Plovers that overcome life-threatening obstacles while nesting at one of the region’s most popular beaches.
On Sunday March 23 at 4pm, MAGMA will host a fundraiser to help support the production and distribution of the film. This evening will include a showing of the film and a Q & A with filmmaker Kim Smith. Refreshments will be served. Suggested donation for this event is $50 (or what you can afford). For tickets please go here.
Each spring, northward migrating Atlantic coast Piping Plovers return to breeding sites located from North Carolina to Newfoundland. Amazingly, nesting often takes place on public beaches, where anyone can observe their beautiful life story unfolding. But in such areas, where people enjoy a full range of recreational activities, nesting and raising chicks is a perilous occupation.
Set against the backdrop of the ever-dynamic Atlantic shoreline, the documentary illustrates how conservation partners have provided safe corridors that allow these highly vulnerable birds to raise chicks to fledge at even the most well-loved beaches.
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is a film for all ages, and was created to inspire a love for wild creatures and their habitats, and to develop a deeper understanding of the vital role that wildlife play in our interconnected ecosystem.
Every stage of the Plover’s life cycle is experienced in vibrant HD and 4K close-up, from egg to chick to adult.
Production and distribution of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be made possible by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and public agencies.
To date, among other generous donations, we have received a leadership grant of $15,000 from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Gifts for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will support post production and distribution costs, color and sound editors, picture mastering, studio time, festival fees and applications, music and map rights, and an underwriting agent to bring the film to the wide audience of public television. Our goal is to raise $115,000.
I hope all is going well with your holiday making. I am grateful for the return of warm weather even if it is only going to last a few days, not only for the sunshine but also because our visiting Wood Duck has also been spotted basking in the warmth.
I have excellent news to share. The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay has been accepted to the Festival de l’Oiseau et de la Nature! It is the largest nature festival in France and takes place over a nine day period at the Bay of Somme. Located in the North of France, the Bay of Somme is an internationally recognized migratory site. For the past 33 years, in celebration of spring migration, the Festival has offered documentary screenings, activities for children, lectures, courses, and photo and art exhibits. This is a festival we were really, really hoping to be accepted to and I am over the Moon. We also recently received Best in Festival at the Nature Without Borders Film Festival and Outstanding Excellence at their sister festival, Documentaries Without Borders. It’s been a very exciting last couple of weeks.
Many readers who receive this newsletter have already contributed to the first phase of fundraising, to bring our documentary to festivals, and we are beyond grateful. We are now in the second round of fundraising, to bring the film to public television. A bunch of PiPl friends have mentioned they would like to contribute to this second round by year’s end. We are so appreciative of all the generous donations given to date and this is just a gentle reminder. If you are planning to contribute, or if I can answer any questions, please let me know. Again, all contributions, both through our online fundraiser and larger contributions, are tax deductible as we work with our 501c3 fiscal sponsor, Filmmakers Collaborative.
On a much less positive note, here is a link to a recent story that I wrote about the parasitic disease mange, the connection between the disease and rodenticides, and how rat poison is impacting both mammals and raptors. I shared photos of a local Coyote suffering from an advanced stage of mange, so don’t click on this link if you are feeling at all low.
Perhaps the most positive news of the month is that the Monarch may soon be listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Many organizations and individuals have worked tirelessly to bring this proposed listing about. USFWS is seeking public input on the Monarch’s ESA listing over a 90 day period, from December 12th through March 12th. If you would like to comment, please follow this link.
The photo below is of a Monarch and Seaside Goldenrod and was taken at the beautiful Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences this past October.
Happy Holidays and holiday-making! Warmest wishes, xxKim
Isn’t this bird just beyond exquisite?! The Pied Avocet. It returns each spring to the Bay of Somme to breed. I read that after mating, a pair will cross their bills as part of the bonding ritual, and you can see how absolutely adorable are the chicks. Composite image and chick photo courtesy wikicommons media.
In thinking about Thanksgiving, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your generous contributions and tremendous help in our efforts to bring our documentary to public television. We still have aways to go, but are making good headway in the fundraising department. Your gifts have been tremendously impactful and we could not have gotten this close without your help.
After my last post about the continued harassment and heartbreaking death of one of the recently arrived Snowy Owls, I wanted to share with you a much more joyful story for Thanksgiving, a story about a very inspiring person and her gift to our Plover documentary.
Through a mutual friend, Scott Hecker, I have met the actress and wildlife conservationist Jane Alexander. Many of our PiPl friends in Massachusetts will recognize Scott’s name. He has been a resolute force in Atlantic shorebird conservation for decades. Scott led Mass Audubon’s Piping Plover recovery efforts, resulting in the threatened species’ state population increasing from 126 pairs in 1987 to 530 pairs by 2002. He subsequently served as Director of National Audubon’s Coastal Bird Conservation program and currently works with the International Conservation Fund of Canada to manage and develop the organization’s shorebird conservation efforts.
Jane Alexander is the multi-talented Emmy and Tony award winning stage and film actress, producer, and director who you may recall, starred with James Earl Jones in the groundbreaking film, The Great White Hope, political thrillers such as All the President’s Men, and many, many other plays and films that have captured the zeitgeist of our times. She also served as chairwoman for the National Endowment for the Arts under President Clinton.
In addition to her wide-ranging theatrical accomplishments, Jane is also a dedicated conservationist and champion of creatures great and small, and their habitats. She uses her powerful voice to write beautifully thoughtful stories about wildlife. I have loved reading her most recent book, Wild Things Wild Places, Adventurous Tales of Wildlife and Conservation on Planet Earth and think you will love it, too. One of the main themes of the book is documenting the work that field biologists are doing within communities to save the species where the species they are studying lives. She writes about biologists who are helping people understand what they have in their own backyards and to feel pride in their beautiful place, recognizing there is no conservation without inclusion.
Jane is also a Piping Plover guardian at her home in Nova Scotia! She has been monitoring Piping Plovers in Shelburne County for close to 25 years. Jane spoke about her responsibilities in an Audubon article “Bird Talk with Jane Alexander,” “I go out two times a week to check on the nests that we know of on the beaches in the southwest area here in Nova Scotia. If there are people with dogs off the leash, I speak to them. I make sure the signs are still up, and if it’s a beautiful, sunny day and there are many people on the beach, I talk to them about the birds. Lots of people are doing this all over the Maritimes during the nesting season, which began about a month ago and will go rarely past the second week of July.”
In addition to the many conservation organizations she works with, Jane has been deeply involved with the Indianapolis Zoological Society for a number of years. She is an honorary chair and jurist for the Indianapolis Prize, which was explained to me as something akin to the Nobel prize for conservationists. It is the world’s largest individual award given for animal conservation and brings attention to the achievements of Earths greatest conservationists.
As a thank you gift for Jane’s invaluable guidance to the deliberation committee, she was given a $5,000 honorarium. Jane in turn has directed her honorarium to our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Jane’s honorarium will go towards our fundraising efforts to bring the film to public television.
Thank you to Jane Alexander and the Indianapolis Zoological Society. Words cannot express how very deeply touched I am by this incredibly generous gift.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you my dear friends for your continued support of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay.
Warmest wishes,
xxKim
With gratitude to the following PiPl friends for their kind contributions – Jane Alexander (Nova Scotia) Lauren Mercadante (New Hampshire), Cornelius Hauck (Cincinnati), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Cape Ann Garden Club, Brace Cove Foundation (Gloucester), JH Foundation/Fifth Third Bank (Ohio), Janis and John Bell (Gloucester), Jennie Meyer (Gloucester), Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Marion Frost (Ipswich), Cecile Christianson (Peabody), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Donna Poirier Connerty (Gloucester), Mary Rhinelander (Gloucester), Jane Hazzard (Georgetown), Duncan Holloman (Gloucester), Karen Blandino (Rockport), Duncan Todd (Lexington), Sue Winslow (Gloucester), Amy Hauck-Kalti (Ohio), JoAnn Souza (Newburyport), Karen Thompson (San Francisco), Carolyn Mostello (Rhode Island), Susan Pollack (Gloucester), Peggy O’Malley (Gloucester), Hilda Santos (Gloucester), Maggie Debbie (Gloucester), Sandy Barry (Gloucester), The Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution, Mary Keys (Madeira, Ohio), Barbara Boudreau (Gloucester), Suki Augusti, Jonathan and Sally Golding (Gloucester), Sue Winslow (Gloucester), Cecile Christensen (Peabody), Marty and Russ Coleman (Dallas, Texas), David Brooks (Troy, Michigan), Karen Maslow (Gloucester), Lisa Craig (Winchester), Menotomy Bird Club (Winchester), Lyda Kuth (Belmont), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂
I have the best news to share with you. Our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, has been accepted to the world-renowned Boston Film Festival. Even more exciting, we are having the live screening premiere locally at the Shalin Liu! The event is presented by the Boston Film Festival and Rockport Music. Tickets are free, a wonderfully generous gift to our community from the BFF and Rockport Music. Please save the date, Monday, September 23rd, at 5:15pm, and make your reservations today! Here is the link to reserve seats: https://tickets.rockportmusic.org/9769/9770
The Boston Film Festival is celebrating 40 yearswith a record six premieres, including three feature films and three documentaries. Please find the stellar line-up of films and screening schedule here: https://bostonfilmfestival.org/schedule-and-tickets/
Each and every friend receiving this email note has contributed in some way or another to helping launch our documentary, whether a friend to the Plovers on the beach, a beloved Ambassador, an advocate, a well-wisher, or contributed financially with a generous donation. We are continuing fundraising in our efforts to launch the film on public television, part two of the fundraiser, so to speak however, launching our documentary at film festivals is a huge milestone and we are so appreciative of everyone’s generosity. My most heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation for your caring kindness for the Plovers.
I hope to see you at the premiere!
Warmest wishes,
xxKim
To become an underwriter on public television for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, please contact the director at 978-290-3804 or visit our online fundraiser here.
I hope you are having a joyous holiday season. If you live in the area, please be sure not to miss Gloucester’s Lobster Trap Tree. It’s extra magnificent this year, with 400 traps to honor Gloucester’s 400th anniversary. The tree is fancifully decorated with hundreds of buoys hand painted by local kids. Very generously, the traps for the tree were permanently given to the community by Jim Knott, CEO of Riverdale Mills, with the labor for making the traps donated by Brooks Trap Mill. Every year the tree is built by David Brooks, Shawn Henry and a fantastic group of local volunteers.
The clip is of a young Plover chick and his Dad. I love watching the little ones pop up from the warming wings of an adult. You never know what direction they are going to zoom off to but often enough, they stretch their tiny developing winglets and give a yawn after emerging from thermo-snuggling.
This is just one of hundreds of clips from our forthcoming documentary. Film finishing editing is going beautifully and we are planning to have a cut ready to submit to festivals in January.
Please consider making an end of the year tax deductible donation to our ongoing film funding efforts. Your contribution goes directly to the cost of finishing the film and is absolutely invaluable!
We are deeply appreciative of every gift given, small and large. For large contributions, your name and organization’s logo is prominently displayed at the beginning and end of the film, with opportunities for up to 30 second promotional spots. Please feel free to call or write with any questions regarding sponsorship.
With gratitude to the following PiPl friends for their kind contributions – Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Marion Frost (Ipswich), Cecile Christianson (Peabody), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Donna Poirier Connerty (Gloucester), Mary Rhinelander (Gloucester), Jane Hazzard (Georgetown), Duncan Holloman (Gloucester), Karen Blandino (Rockport), Duncan Todd (Lexington), Sue Winslow (Gloucester), Amy Hauck-Kalti (Ohio), JoAnn Souza (Newburyport), Karen Thompson (San Francisco), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂
Thank you so very much for your support and for seeing the tender beauty in the life story of the Piping Plover.
The Piping Plover Project 