LEWES, Del. - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will close The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park beginning Sunday, March 1, to protect nesting grounds and migratory paths for threatened and endangered bird species.
The annual closure includes a stretch of ocean and bay beach and is designed to safeguard piping plovers, American oystercatchers, least terns, red knots and other shorebirds during what DNREC says is the critical spring and summer nesting season.
Since 1993, The Point has closed each year for most of the spring and summer to support threatened and endangered species. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conducts regular surveys to monitor the impact of conservation efforts on bird populations at The Point and other locations statewide.
During the 2025 nesting season, piping plovers, listed federally as a threatened species, saw mixed results in Delaware. At The Point, the number of adult pairs increased to nine, marking a record for the site since monitoring began. Statewide nesting success declined due to predation and climate conditions, said DNREC. However, productivity at The Point, measured by fledglings per plover pair, remained fairly typical.
The division also tracked American oystercatchers and least terns. Two pairs of American oystercatchers nested in 2025, but no chicks reached fledging age. Least terns made 53 nesting attempts last year. Although some eggs hatched, no fledglings were confirmed from the colony, said DNREC.
The ocean-side beach at The Point is scheduled to reopen to the public Sept. 1. The bayside beach will remain closed until Oct. 1 to accommodate shorebirds migrating south for the winter.