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The spare pair & dog day afternoon

  • Jewels
  • Sep 11, 2017
  • 1 min read

It was a busy day for dogs on the Spit today. In total 6 off lead dogs mostly around high tide when birds are resting on the Spit. One, a red setter, was chasing the pair of oystercatchers that are tentatively looking like they want to try and nest again. The setter was with a smaller dog and the three people were not locals. They drove here thinking our beaches were off lead and I pointed them to Horderns beach, letting them know it was on lead only through the day.

The oystercatchers arrived around 7.30am and spent the day sitting creek side watching into the centre of the beach. The dog galloping through them and chasing them put an end to their pre-nesting behaviour and they retreated to the front of the beach.

Interestingly, there was a a second pair of oystercatchers resting around high tide at the point of the Spit. An off lead golden labrador, belonging to a local family, chased the second pair of oystercatchers straight towards the resident pair and a fight ensued. Unfortunately the new pair ended up split from each other and one of the pair was sitting on the beach calling for 15 minutes before flying off to try and find its other half. As they are in transit I'm hoping they find each other.


 
 
 

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Our journey of discovery managing a beach nesters breeding site.

21 September 2015 we found a pair of eggs sitting on the Deeban Spit beach. Thus our crazy journey began. So much to learn.

The opinions expressed in this blog are my own.

So much thanks goes to Sutherland Shire Council, Birdlife Australia and  NSW Office of Environment and Heritage as they have supplied equipment and research required to help ensure our shorebirds, resident or migratory, can survive into the future.
 

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