Tireless efforts by Manyana-based volunteers have ensured two chicks of a critically endangered species have successfully fledged.
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National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Shorebird Recovery Program Shorebird volunteers Terry and Carol McBride and Neil McGucken have combined to protect and remind beachgoers of the Hooded Plovers nesting at Inyadda Beach over summer.
Hooded Plovers usually breed from August to March on sandy beaches. The nest is generally a scrape in the sand near debris, above the high-tide mark, leaving it vulnerable to predators and accidents.
"The eggs are small and coloured so they blend in with the sand, so they are very difficult to spot and are easily trodden on," Manyana resident Jorj Lowrey said.
"Last season we lost a batch of hooded plover eggs from foxes - not from eating, but being accidentally trodden on by the cubs."
READ MORE: Shorebirds disturbed, nests abandoned
Mr and Mrs McBride cordoned off a portion of Inyadda Beach dune as soon as the nest was discovered, while Mr McGucken sat on the beach morning, nearly daily throughout the nesting period for hours, just so he could advise people to give the birds the space they needed.
Manyana resident Jorj Lowrey said the concerted effort from volunteers, NPWS shorebird recovery program officers and publicity through social media and "trusty community chalkboards", have helped the community "own" the birds.
Education has also been important as some people believe the birds are Masked Lapwing Plovers, which are known to swoop anything that goes near their nests.
"It's been a real community effort - with clear, positive results," she said.
Volunteers also believe the concrete path linking Bendalong and Manyana, completed in 2016, has given the public an alternative to walk their dogs, rather than at the beach.
Hooded Plovers are listed as critically endangered under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 which means they are facing an extremely high risk of extinction in Australia in the immediate future. The species is known to live along the coastline from Newcastle to the Victorian border.
