Homeowners in MA Town Told They Can’t Fly July 4th American Flags Because of Endangered Birds
“You’re telling me I can’t fly American flags on my property to celebrate America 250?”
Residents of Plum Island in Newburyport, MA have been told that they cannot fly American flags because of an endangered breed of bird that nests on the island. Just in time for July 4th and America’s 250th celebrations.
Homeowners in coastal town fuming at warning against July 4 flags that could harm endangered birds https://t.co/UUTpFtTyFH pic.twitter.com/AlaJmZl4X4
— New York Post (@nypost) June 27, 2026
Giving this as a reason for a ban on flags doesn’t even make sense.
FOX News reports:
Massachusetts homeowners stunned after town warns July 4 flags threaten endangered birds
Residents of a coastal Massachusetts town say that they were warned that flying flags on their own properties could violate endangered species laws, sparking outrage in the community just days before the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Plum Island homeowners recently received a notice from the Town of Newbury warning that it had “become aware of the use of devices and materials intended to deter” protected shorebirds from using local beach and dune systems. The letter listed “mylar streamers, flags, [and] reflective materials” as examples of such devices.
The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, goes on to caution that “activities intended to deter protected shorebirds from utilizing suitable habitat may be viewed as harassment or disruption of normal feeding, nesting, or migratory behavior,” which is prohibited under the state and federal Endangered Species Acts, and “carry significant regulatory and financial penalties.”
“Non-compliance may result in state or federal enforcement actions and, thus, the Town urges residents to comply with applicable state and federal wildlife protection laws,” the notice states.
Longtime residents of the beach community were stunned by the letter, interpreting the inclusion of “flags” as targeting their Independence Day celebrations. Marc Sarkady, who has lived on the island for over 30 years, said he was outraged.
“Are you serious?” Sarkady said, recounting his reaction in an interview with Fox News Digital. “You’re telling me I can’t fly American flags on my property to celebrate America 250?”
Sarkady said the area features roughly “10 miles of open beach” completely free of houses where birds can freely roam.
I have a theory for why this is really happening, and it goes back to something Rush Limbaugh talked about way back in 2011.
Patriotic displays make people more Republican.
From the Rush Limbaugh website:
Harvard Libs Admit Fourth of July Celebrations are for Conservatives
From the US News & World Report, Harvard University says that July 4th parades are just a bunch of right-wing movements and Democrats don’t even bother showing up. “Democratic political candidates can skip this weekend’s July 4th parades. A new Harvard University study finds that July 4th parades energize only Republicans, turn kids into Republicans, and help to boost the GOP turnout of adults on Election Day. ‘Fourth of July celebrations in the United States shape the nation’s political landscape by forming beliefs and increasing participation, primarily in favor of the Republican Party,’ said the report from Harvard.”
Finally they admit it, the Democrats don’t care about the nation’s founding. They admit it! They admit that celebrating the founding of this nation is a Republican event. It’s a conservative event that liberals are not welcome, that liberals don’t care, and that they don’t show up.
“The three key findings of those attending July 4th celebrations: When done before the age of 18, it increases the likelihood of a youth identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent. It raises the likelihood that parade watchers will vote for a Republican candidate by 4 percent. It boosts the likelihood a reveler will vote by about 1 percent and increases the chances they’ll make a political contribution by 3 percent. What’s more, the impact isn’t fleeting. ‘Surprisingly, the estimates show that the impact on political preferences is permanent, with no evidence of the effects depreciating as individuals become older,’ said the Harvard report.”
Is that not stunning? Or is it stunning? What does this say about the patriotism of liberals? What does this say? Fourth of July parades make people vote Republican. Fourth of July parades turn kids into Republicans.
It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
“…activities intended to deter protected shorebirds…may be viewed as…”
Prove that’s my intent. Otherwise, I’m flying my flag and they can blow it out their a$$.
Time for some good, old ‘non-violent civil disobedience’ among the population.
Yeah, you can sue me. There are not many hills I’m willing to die on, but one flying the American Flag on the 4th of July of America’s 250th birthday? See ya in court.
I bet this anti flag/ protect the birds program was never brought up before. Just a leftie attempt to snuff out patriotism. Eliminate history and continue the left’s “quiet” civil war to destroy the USA from within.
After the US bear Canadastan in hockey, picture next day of bald engle sitting stop a Canadian flag pole…with flag. The Dems hate the Stars and Stripes. Birds could care less about flags yet the Left cares little fir windmills chopping birds up. I am flying the Betsy Ross version….
There’s a bumper snicker in these parts that says “Piping plovers taste like chicken”. I once surreptitiously affixed one to my town’s conservation department pickup truck. Took them weeks to figure out it was there, or perhaps they agreed with my sentiment.
In any case, as much as this seems to be an affront to patriotism, it’s really much ado about nothing. No one is actually going to enforce such an edict, let alone toss them into jail. If a few flags is going to jeopardize the plovers, the fireworks will surely kill them.
Happy 250th America! 🎇
July 4!!
Celebrate our freeeeeeeeeedumb!
FREEEE BIRRRRRRD!!!
I would want to see proof of a bird, any kind, being even injured by any flag, from small 3 feet by 4 feet to a garrison size flag that could be 50 feet or bigger.
It’s the Marxists crying wolf. If I lived there they would have to cut mine down on Independence D.ay
I don’t think the argument was that the flags damaged them, but that the flags scared them away from their precious habitat.
Sounds like evolution in action. They are not fit for the current environment.
Yeah, birds. BS. It has nothing to do with birds. It has everything to do with control.
You will do what you’re told, when you’re told, comrade.
It’s going to come to a head very, very soon. And it’s going to be ugly. Be prepared.
Not in Massachusetts it won’t. Anybody who values their freedoms has already booked it.
There once was a flag from Nantucket……
I bet there would be no issue with flying a pride flag.
How many eagles and other raptors have to be killed by wind turbines before any of these evil idiots care?
Has there been any previous 4th of July with this silliness?
Sounds like an excuse to do what they wanted to do anyway.
In Florida, there are regulations concerning the types of lights and intensity of those lights near the beach because of the interference with the sea turtle nesting grounds.
You can be fined and arrested for violating the regulations.
I am not sure how a regulation that prevents “…the use of devices and materials intended to deter” migrating birds from nesting is any different.
The key to this is “intended to deter.” If you are putting out stuff that keeps the birds or intentionally keeping the birds from their nesting grounds, that is on you.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate the 4th of July without disturbing the nesting areas of migratory birds.
The difference is the town used the occasion of our 250th to send out a ‘warning’ to residents. They could have sent it in January but the timing and wording suggests they specifically targeted the 250th Independence Day. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn the folks responsible hold the same political ideology as the political leadership in multiple States which declined to sponsor their State presence/presentation at America’s State Fair. Hey look at that the State Govt of Massachusetts didn’t participate.
Other common ways to celebrate Independence Day besides display of National Colours include fireworks, bonfires on the beach and firing off celebratory gunfire. Pretty sure the same folks objecting to display of the National Colours would object to those as well.
The article states that last year a resident got a similar letter not from the town but from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Furthermore, the town says they were reminding residents of the rules due to a request from the same agency.
In other words, this was not the town initiating anything. They were simply agreeing to a request from a state agency.
There is also a image on the Fox website of flags in the beach – in the sand that would be the protected area for the migratory birds.
And for the record, the great state of Florida doesn’t allow fire, fireworks, etc on the beach during turtle season. (It is also illegal to even inspect or both a turtle nest at any time.)
Florida disproves the idea of “10 miles is plenty” as the whole state of Florida’s eastern shoreline is subject to the same regulations.
That actually doesn’t disprove anything of the sort. It only proves that conservationists THINK the whole shore must be open or like exerting control. Theres also different species in MA and FL, generally. You had some valid points until then but got ahead of yourself.
So the town sent the warning …but we shouldn’t hold it against them b/c they did it b/c a more powerful govt entity ‘requested’ they do so? IMO using ‘acting on a request’ seems a worse attempt at justification than ‘following orders’.
That doesn’t resolve the timing of Independence Day v January nor the somewhat pointed inclusion of Flags to list of things which, with ill intent, would be prohibited.
Not sure why you keep attempting to include FL into this discussion about a set of small town tyrants in Massachusetts.
Lexington and Concord need to be revisted.
It’s INDEPENDENCE DAY, not “fortha-jahlie”.
It’s actually both, but it’s only the 4th of July in England.
1) Fuck this
2)Fuck them
3) Let our Nations Flag Fly.
Freedom to Display the American Flag Act might apply in this case
The Act only applies to “condominium association, cooperative association, or residential real estate management association.”
The Act would not apply to an individual home owner.
Secondly, the Act is subject to: any reasonable restriction pertaining to the time, place,
or manner of displaying the flag of the United States necessary to protect a substantial interest of the condominium association, cooperative association, or residential real estate management
association.
Even if the Act did apply to homeowners, it would be difficult to assert that protecting wildlife is not a “substantial interest” of the area.
other than a few select days per year when we fly the star of david or the southern cross to honor other family members, we fly the stars and stripes and the lone star 24/7 and have done so for more than thirty years
“Sarkady said the area features roughly “10 miles of open beach” completely free of houses where birds can freely roam.” Says it all!
They are worried about a shore bird that had 10 miles of beach to nest on, but the town council doesn’t give a damn about all the eagles, hawks and song birds that are killed every year by wind turbines.
This controversy seems incredibly silly to me. Although the town’s letter was poorly worded, it seems clear their intent was to prohibit only flags that are made from mylar or other reflective materials — the kind of materials commonly sold in garden centers to keep birds away from home vegetable gardens.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an American display flag made of mylar. So this hardly seems like anything to get exercised over.
No it was to inform about the prohibition on doing anything whatsoever that is intended to deter shore bird nesting. Those were just some examples.
I’ve seen mylar flags. In fact, we have sold them at the store where I work. However, they are designed and intended for indoor display only – and clearly marked as such on the packaging.
May =/= will. Phrasing seems intimidatory without actually stating it is an offence.
Furthermore, if high flying flags are an issue, that shouldn’t prevent residents from flying them low e.g. door height, or having them in windows right?
If the council attempts to persecute those showing US flags then it becomes a simple case of impermissible speech if all other materials in windows, or flown at door height, are permitted.
Hm. Would the council prosecute if the flag flown was not US? Obviously flying a Jewish flag would be asking for trouble, but would they prosecute Al Qaeda or Antifa flags? Not that most would want one but …
That’s a lot of bird sh!t MA is selling. Let’s talk about wind turbines and dead birds instead.
Hmm… Shoreline. Objecting to flags being flown on houses several dozen yards or more above the high-tide line. Do they also object to flags being flown from boats a few dozen yards offshore? Just askin’…
Ignore the communists and fly multiple American flags on Independence Day and every other day.
Massachusetts, the cradle of liberty, has become the cradle of Marxism.
Tell these people to POUND SAND.
Roughly 3/4 of the residents of MA in Revolutionary times wanted to stay loyal to the crowd. The State is still overrun by their descendents.
Hmm…okay; now do windmills!
Quaint little place, chock full of fermenting vomit but the little airport is fun to land and takeoff. It can be a little windy, not the best place for an inexperienced pilot but a wonderful teaching opportunity for a “current” CFI to provide dual instruction.