The plight of the hooded plover . . . and rotten apples in the barrel

After three weeks respite, the deranged nest vandal struck again at Killarney yesterday. He maliciously attacked two nesting sites of the rare hooded plover [Thinornis rubricollis].

This is a convenient juncture to review the season and see how the little birds are fairing from the perspective of a Coastcare and Birds Australia volunteer.

Adult hooded plover with fledgling
photo courtesy Birds Australia

It’s been a tough period for the birds since they started nesting in September. High tides and storms have swept the beaches, destroying nests, carrying away eggs and exposing chicks to the elements. So far, only two hatchlings have prevailed on the whole coast from Warrnambool to Port Fairy. 

It's been a bit wild and woolly for the volunteers, too. 

The beaches from the Killarney Basin to boat-ramp are my beat. It is one of the most heavily populated hooded plover territories on the Victorian coast. Last year it produced more fledged birds than anywhere else. But so far this year has been very different. The four resident breeding pairs have been unable to repeat their successes. No fledglings have been sighted despite intensive monitoring by volunteers. Only two chicks hatched then disappeared within days, leaving two disoriented parents to rally and try again.

Why is this? The causes are no doubt complex, but there are some obvious contributory factors.

Habitat is disappearing. To nest successfully, the birds need a strip of dry sand beyond the reach of high tides. After only three months monitoring the birds, I have noticed significant changes in the shapes of beaches. Sand loss and erosion of dune faces is aggressive. Spring tides are creeping ever higher. The strips and patches of dry sand are narrowing or disappearing

Hooded plovers on high alert bravely guard eggs
as riders keep horses to water's edge

Foxes are numerous and very active. Their footprints and scats are often seen at beach entrances and large dens are located through the dunes. Some measures have been taken to reduce this threat, but these are piecemeal and only partially effective.

There is no restriction on walking dogs off leash on the Killarney Basin to boat-ramp beaches during the birds' breeding season. Dog numbers are increasing as the weather warms and owners take advantage of the lack of regulations. On nearby beaches where human access is more frequent, dogs cannot be walked off leash. So owners take their dogs to the more remote unregulated coastal stretches. There, dogs are free to run, roam and forage where they like, disturbing breeding birds, destroying nests and killing chicks.

Same site as above, but no parent bird
can guard eggs against unleashed dogs

The Killarney beaches also attract increasing numbers of horses and riders, as these too are restricted on beaches in other areas. Professional strappers exercising thoroughbreds, weekend visitors with a horse or two in a float and organised beach rides all compete with the plovers for beach space. Land developers are even advertising unregulated beach access to promote property sales. 

Horse prints straddle a
pied oystercatcher nest
hidden behind the straw

On the weekend of 4-5 December, there was a pony club camp at Killarney Reserve. A group of over forty ponies and horses were ridden along miles of coast with little regard for beach nesting birds. The impact on nests was grave.

Attempts to educate riders about beach nesting birds are infrequent, uncoordinated, and largely ineffective.

Hooded plover eggs in typical nest
a simple scrape behind cover
1 December 2010

The same site with heavy horse and vehicle disturbance
3 eggs missing, 5 December 2010

Vehicles are regularly driven on these precious beaches, despite signs informing drivers that this is illegal. Breeches through dune faces, wheelie ruts and broken beer bottles speak volumes about the sort of behaviour associated with this activity. It's simply no holds barred.

But the strangest and most disturbing phenomenon of all is the deranged vandal. He breaks, burns and hides the fences, chick shelters and signs carefully placed by volunteers to help the birds. He has done this for more than two years. He continues to pose an unimpeded threat to the hooded plovers and volunteers.

The negative repercussions are insidious. The hooded plovers are not successfully breeding, and even the more robust oystercatchers are struggling with only one fledgling observed so far this year. Psychological stress, feelings of vulnerability, frustration and low morale undermine the performance of volunteers. Limited time and material resources are diverted to repair the damaged sites at a critical period in the hooded plovers' year.

Hooded plover and pied oystercatcher
high-density nesting

The weeks before summer solstice are likely to be their last chance to mate, lay clutches and raise chicks before the onslaught of visitors invade the beaches. In the busy Christmas to Easter period, few if any birds will manage to breed. Then, they must wait for the following season.

The trouble is, no one wants dogs off leashes, horses and vehicles on more populated beaches. The outcry would be deafening. Instead, these activities are displaced and permitted, even promoted, on the same remote beaches where the ever diminishing numbers of hooded plovers and other beach nesting birds have been exiled.

The solutions are simple; there is room for all. Direct the more damaging activities to specific areas where birds and other natural assets are less vulnerable. Restrict activities on beaches that monitoring has shown support breeding populations of beach nesting birds. Increase agency presence, enforcement and participation in education programs.  

But alas, there seems to be an official policy of turning a blind eye and a cynical lack of transparency in dealings with volunteers.

Environmental agencies and land managers who oversee this stretch of coast are failing to effectively support the hooded plover and the volunteers who dedicate so much time and effort. 

It is apparent from getting windburned eyelids and sand in the pants that hooded plover and volunteer alike are very much dependent upon their own resources in their quest to help the species survive.