Shorebird season update

It has been a really busy time for the Shorebirds on the Reserve. Little Terns and Ringed Plovers have been raising young for the past few weeks now and many of the chicks are now well on their way to fledgling. However, this is still an incredibly critical time for them as they become even more vulnerable instead of less.  Small chicks running around are more likely to draw the attention of predators such as Crows, Kestrels and Foxes amongst others. The chicks are also now freely roaming outside the netted areas and have resulted in us restricting access to the foreshore in certain areas to allow them time and space to feed and roost. It is incredibly important to give the birds this space as many have to make huge migrations to there wintering grounds to Africa and beyond. This is also true of the chicks whose first long flights might take them thousands of miles away from where they bred on the shores of the Reserve.

Little Tern chick. Can you spot it?

Fledgling Little Terns have been using the foreshore

Early indications are that it has been a good season. Despite the cool, wet start to spring and summer the tides have been kind and there was no tidal innundation of any of the nesting sites. We will give a full round up with all the breeding numbers at the end of the season

Poster you will see out and about on the Reserve