3 chicks sheltering under a parent.
It's turning out to be another hard year on the tūturiwhatu (New Zealand Dotterel) here at Snells Beach. There are only approximately 2,600 tūturiwhatu, and they exist only in New Zealand. We can help them continue to exist with a few changes to our habits.
Please consider keeping cats indoors, especially from before dusk to after dawn. For other things you can do to help this protected species survive see our article "Be a Good Egg."
Nest 1: Laid just north of Sunburst on 26 September. Eggs eaten by Cat on 3 October.
Nest 2 & 3: Laid on the 14th and 15th of October. Lost to Lola (storm) on 28/29 October.
Nest 4: Laid on 8 November, Eggs eaten by cat on 22 and 23 Nov.
Nest 5: Laid on 8 November. As of 10 December 3 Chicks Hatched. All three chicks were predated.
Nest 6: Laid on 1 Dec. Eggs eaten by cat 5 Dec.
Nest 7: Laid on 7 Dec. Eggs eaten by cat 15 Dec.
Nest 8: Laid on 13 Dec. Eggs eaten by cat 20 Dec.
Nest 9: Laid 25 Dec. Egg taken, presumed cat but can't be sure.
Nest 10: Laid 27 Dec. Egg eaten by cat 28 Dec,