Disturbing dotterels — problems in the North Island

Forest and Bird, Issue 266, 1 November 1992, Page 12

Disturbing dotterels — problems in the North Island

by

ANDREW CUMMING,

PETER JENKINS,

JOHN HAY

and

ATCHING NEW Zealand dotterels trying to nest on a popular bathing beach is like watching a hedgehog trying to cross a busy road. Success is not expected. At Ohui beach, Coromandel Peninsula, four pairs of this threatened dotterel were doing their best to breed on the flat open sand adjacent to the creek mouth. They weren’t having much luck. Seen from a hide in the sand dunes, group after group of beachcombers, picnickers, fishers and swimmers strolled, drove or ran through the dotterel nesting area. Each disturbance drew the same response from the birds. The incubating dotterel surreptitiously left the nest, then with legs winding frantically, raced across the sand in front of the oncoming people, attempting to lead

them away from the nest. The beachgoers glanced at the bird, now doing its broken-wing and rodent-run displays, but continued past its nest, an unnoticed scrape in the sand containing three wellcamouflaged eggs. The dotterel continued to run in front of the people until they were 100 metres or so further along the beach. With the danger gone, the bird was then able, finally, to return to its nest and its delicate eggs. This time no apparent damage had been done. But next time an incautious foot, an accompanying dog or the wheel of a trailbike could spell disaster for those same eggs. UCH HUMAN disturbance during breeding may be the most serious problem currently facing the northern populations of this endemic plover. Like most adult shorebirds, adult dotterels appear to suffer little predation because they roost and nest in the open where most approaching threats can be seen and avoided. However, threats that cannot be seen, such as fishing set nets and shotgun pellets, can take their toll. Two adult dotterels recently died at Waipu after becoming entangled in a stray fishing net. Although dotterels are vulnerable to deliberate hunting, the major human impacts in recent times are reduction of nesting habitat and disturbance during breeding. Northern populations of dotterels prefer to nest on sandy beaches in open areas where vegetation is low and sparse. Such areas are often formed by the erosion of mobile sand dunes or are areas at the mouths of streams and estuaries subject to periodic flooding during high tides and storms. Thus the typically open tips of sandspits and the verges of stream mouths are the sites favoured by nesting dotterels. Erosion of mobile dunes is also caused by the wind, which may form open areas within the dunes and blowouts in the foredune. Again, these areas are preferred nesting sites. Regrettably, the mobile dunes at most New Zealand beaches are far from pristine. Visiting the beach is one of the most popular New Zealand recreations. Consequently many dune areas have been developed or at least modified. Holiday homes and resorts have sprung up along the coastline, particularly since the 1950s and 60s. Dunes have been stabilised with introduced marram grass to protect coastal