Dogs and cats render it a tragic season for dotterels
Three chick and one mum fall prey to pets
Waihi Beach dotterels have had their worst season yet with no chicks fledged. Late last year visitors to the beach were watching in anticipation as two parent birds — Zig and Zag — set up their nest in front of the surf club.
The proud parents had chicks Stardust, Rebel and Spider, but one by one they were all destroyed by cats and a dog off their lead.
The last to go was Rebel, who lived a month.
Waihi Beach Dot Watch volunteer Pippa Coombes says they ended up trying to stay safe around Two Mile Creek, but a week before Rebel was due to fledge, a dog killed him.
“Rebel was never seen again. The dogs should have been off of the beach at this time under our local bylaws so it should really not have happened.”
Pippa says the season has been a tragic one, also for the volunteers who have tried so hard to protect them.
She says parents Zig and Zag tried for a second nest on Brighton Reserve that was abandoned days before it should have hatched. The female Zig perished, believed to have been attacked by a cat, and Zag had to abandon the nest.
“After trying to protect 24/7 for four days — he had to feed and was starving to death. We examined the nest and found that the other two eggs were compromised, one had been crushed — Zig lost her life for nothing as the nest was never going to hatch. Dotterels pair for life, very much like swans.”
The group had other nests to pairs and some had three nests but the eggs were taken by hedgehogs, rats or by the ocean.
“They also have to protect themselves from black-backed gull, stoats, pukeko, humans, vehicles, golf balls etc. Often when we watch the nests, they are engaged in an aerial fight with a bird at least 10 times its size. They are brave, feisty and I have never seen an animal have to protect its nest and juveniles from so many factors. It is no wonder they are highly endangered and more so than the brown kiwi.”
Pip says the community has been amazing, helping to protect the nests.
Just a few individuals close by who did not keep their cats inside at night and dog (off leads) have spoiled it.
“It just took just one cat to destroy two nests, a dog off lead to kill off Rebel. People have rallied around and given the nesting sites the respect and privacy needed — we wish to thank everybody for that, those people also respectfully kept their cats in around the nesting sites from dusk until dawn. There was a lot of you! And all those who kept their dogs on leads or walked them elsewhere too.”
Pippa say they’ll be pushing for dogs on leads in the targeted nesting areas next year. They’ll also be liaising with the council and Department of Conservation to look at what they can do better.