This photo captures a thrilling moment from last season in Plover Park. It unveils a side of Barnegat Light legend, Myrtle, that we rarely see- a fierce game of chicken with her son Rio. The reason? Rio had unknowingly crossed a line, getting a little too close to her new chicks. And by ‘a little too close,’ I mean ‘not anywhere near, but Myrtle is a bully.’
While Rio is standing proud against his mom with his foot planted confidently on a rock, rest assured, Myrtle is the victor here. Rio was humiliated in front of his first girlfriend, Marty Byrd. He slunk to the opposite side of the park and tried to work out his mommy issues by beating on poor Marty Byrd. She wasn’t having any of it. Marty & Rio never nested, broke up soon after, and no one has seen Rio since.
And that’s just one tale from the treasure trove of stories collected over Myrtle’s eventful nine years at Barnegat Light. Who knows what other adventures await us in the future?
Michelle Stantial must feel as old as Myrtle. She banded Myrtle nine years ago, and since Myrtle was banded as an adult, she is at least ten years old.
Myrtle has always been a handful. While she is not the most popular bird in NestStory and has never achieved the global recognition that other Plover Park birds like Jimin, Suga, and Kookie have, her role in maintaining the park’s ecosystem is undeniable.
At ten years old, she’s legend.
And that’s precisely how she caught the eye of the white-hot Jimin this spring.
Congratulations to Jimin & Myrtle. For better or worse, they are Barnegat Light’s celebrity power couple of 2024.
Expect great things. And a lot of drama.
Say something kind