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Ocean Tidal Flats Sandy Beach Dunes Salt Marsh
Coastal dunes form as dry beach sand blows inland. Plants act as a windbreak, trapping sand particles. The dunes become higher and wider as sand accumulates, protecting the coastline during storms. Colonies of common terns and other seabirds make their nests in the shelter of sand dunes. 
CLICK HERE TO SEE SHOREBIRD MIGRATION ROUTES CLICK HERE TO SEE HABITAT MAP OF PLYMOUTH BEACH
Horned Lark PHOTO: 1
horned lark
 
Horned Larks are present year round. In summer, several pairs breed on the beach, but only observers who arrive at dawn are likely to hear their twinkling flight song or catch a glimpse of one sneaking into the dunes to tend its nest. Larks are most common from late fall to early spring, when birds from further inland and north arrive to spend the winter. These birds feed mostly on seeds, sometimes associating with Snow Buntings at the dune edge.
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