Terrill
I think the story in the telegraph on saturday (see below) got the message
across. Well done.
Family does a bad tern - Endangered chicks killed during an island invasion
By: SIMON BENSON
MEMO: To the family of picnickers who illegally landed -- with their dog --
on Towra Spit Island in Botany Bay: You are in serious trouble.
If the authorities catch up with you, be prepared for the possibility of a
$220,000 fine or two years in jail.
Years of work have gone into ensuring a safe home for Sydney's only colony
of endangered little terns.
But in one day of boating leisure for an irresponsible family, up to 24
hatchlings have been lost -- crushing the hopes of scientists and
volunteers.
The group clearly ignored large signs on the island which warned of the
consequences of being there. Wildlife volunteers claim the incident has
caused a major setback for the struggling population of the internationally
endangered bird.
The little terns, which migrate to Botany Bay from the northern hemisphere
every year, were relocated to make way for the third runway at Sydney
Airport.
Their new home for the past few years has been the tiny island in Botany
Bay, which was declared a nature reserve to protect them.
It was declared off-limits to the public to try and help the struggling
population regain its numbers.
``On the weekend of January 7 we went to the island and banded 28 chicks,''
wildlife volunteer Terrill Nordstrom said.
``We came back a week later and found that a family looked like it had been
on the island. They had pulled up a boat, there were dog tracks, and adult
and children's footprints. There were all the signs of a family being there.
``All the nesting tags had been pulled out and placed in a pile and eggs had
been removed. We could only locate four chicks.'' Mr Nordstrom said with
humans present on the island, the adult birds flee and were very wary about
returning, leaving chicks vulnerable to attack from predators.
In 2001, record numbers of the little tern had been reported at the island.
But since last year, hatchling numbers have fallen from about 70 to 50 this
season.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service which oversees the project to
protect the birds, confirmed a group of people had visited the island
illegally.
``This is why we have signs on the island. This sort of incident is very
unhelpful,'' a NPWS spokesperson said.
``Human disturbance can have a major impact on a colony which already has a
number of natural predators.''
What's killing off endangered colonies
* Predation of eggs and chicks by foxes, gulls, ravens and whimbrels
* Human disturbance by coastal recreational activities; adults leave nests
when approached, resulting in the chicks or eggs being exposed and
vulnerable
* 4WDs, trail-bikes and walkers may crush nests, eggs and chicks
* Coastal developments
_____
Caption: Endangered ... National Parks and Wildlife Service officer
Geoff Ross with a little tern chick from the colony on Towra Spit Island in
Botany Bay
-----Original Message-----
From: TERRILL NORDSTROM
Sent: Tuesday, 3 February 2004 11:31
To: birding-aus
Subject: Beach Stone-curlew Botany
Went to Boatharbour (Botany Bay) today to count the Little Terns and found
the Beach Stone-curlew that I saw last week roosting on the rock platform at
high time. The Wandering Tattler was still there plus one Reef Heron. A
White-bellied Seaeagle was observed flying by nearby. Other birds seen were
90 red-necked Stint
14 Ruddy Turnstone
80 CommonTern
36 Crested Tern
Regards Terrill
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