As shorebirds return to South Coast beaches for the spring breeding season, locals and holiday-makers are being urged to ‘share the shore’ and help protect threatened species.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service South Coast Shorebird Recovery Program is celebrating its 25th year of protecting endangered birds, and is asking beachgoers from Wollongong to Eden to be on the lookout and report sightings of shorebird nests.
Minns Labor Government MPs from along the south coast are teaming up to congratulate national parks staff and volunteers on the program’s Silver Anniversary of protecting generations of endangered shorebirds.
Pied Oystercatchers, Little Terns and Hooded Plovers breed on south coast beaches from August each year, yet their nests are constantly at risk of disturbance, inundation and predation.
Nearly 150 volunteers are preparing for another season on our shores where they will spend countless hours monitoring feathered soon-to-be parents, nests and chicks. They will set up fences, signs and exclusion zones to help keep the birds safe from threats.
Among the volunteers is Pambula’s Peter Collins, who has spent 25 years monitoring the local Little Tern population, seeing the distinctive long-beaked bird return in their hundreds year after year.
A key part of the volunteer’s role is to educate beachgoers about the presence of these birds, particularly as the chicks are born with well-camouflaged sandy-coloured feathers and are often no bigger than a golf ball.
Everyone can help protect these species by following these five key steps:
- Read and respect signage – temporary fences and signs protect nests so tread carefully.
- Keep your dog on a leash – shorebirds will recognise your dog as a predator and may abandon their nest in fright.
- Walk on the wet sand – stay on the wet sand to avoid nesting birds which typically nest in the dry sand areas close to dunes.
- Take fishing lines and rubbish with you – this prevents birds and other wildlife from ingesting rubbish or becoming tangled.
- Give the birds space – we need to share the shore.
To report sightings of shorebird nests, contact your local national parks office or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757
