Hooded
Plover
The
endangered Hooded Plover population in NSW has recorded its best ever breeding
season since monitoring by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)
commenced a decade ago. NPWS Shorebird Recovery Coordinator, Dr Amy Harris, said
today that ?it?s a great result. In an average year we expect the Hooded Plovers
along the NSW coastline to fledge between 10 to 15 chicks but this year we have
seen them fledge 22 chicks so far and there are still a few more to come so it
could be higher.?
?I think
this might be due to the fact we have a few key experienced breeding pairs who
have been able to fledge two clutches each during the season. They are a bit
older and wiser and seem to be able to assist their chicks in a way that reduces
mortality. Hoodies are among the most endangered birds we have in NSW with a
total of 50 adult birds up till this season. So seeing 25 chicks fledged is a
wonderful result,? Dr Harris said.
Little Terns
have also had a reasonable season on the Far South Coast with a total of around
80 to 100 adults breeding at Brou, Wallaga and Wallagoot lakes and Mogareeka
Inlet just north of Tathra. ?So far they?ve fledged around 45-50 chicks making
this a reasonable season for the Little Tern south of Batemans Bay. They are
still nesting so there could be a few more before the season ends,? Dr Harris
said.
Meanwhile
the Pied Oystercatcher, which is listed as threatened, has had an average season
along the coast with at least one clutch of chicks being raised for each of the
major estuaries. Dr Harris said that she was grateful for all the assistance
received from local volunteers.
?Really, the
volunteers are the backbone of the Shorebird Recovery program and without their
assistance with erecting fences and signs, monitoring
and watching
over the birds I?m sure we would not be seeing the successes we have had in
recent years with these threatened shorebirds. Also hats
off to the
community which has learnt to share the shoreline with these marvellous little
birds,? Dr Harris said.
