South Coast shorebirds hatching boom
Critically endangered shorebirds have hatched at nesting sites along the NSW South Coast.
Little Terns, Hooded Plovers and Pied Oystercatchers have hatched across the South Coast despite the recent bushfires and a king tide.
The shorebirds that have recently hatched, include:
- 35 Little Terns at Mogareeka, near Tathra
- 10 Little Terns and three Pied Oystercatchers at Tuross estuary, despite fox attacks and high tides
- Five Pied Oystercatcher fledglings near Durras Lake entrance.
The shorebird nesting season occurs each year from August to January and February, with peak laying from late November to mid-December. While Pied Oystercatchers are residents on many Aussie beaches, Little Terns migrate from as far away as Korea and Vietnam.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said it’s really encouraging to see great conservation outcomes for these rare birds.
“These precious birds made it through last week’s king tide, which nearly washed the eggs away before they hatched. Thankfully, the NSW Government’s Saving our Species (SoS) program experts and local volunteers snatched them to safety from the advancing tide, moving the nests to the top of a sand mound.”