Massachusetts homeowners stunned after town warns July 4 flags threaten endangered birds

Residents of a Massachusetts coastal town say that they were warned that flying flags on their own property 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, [