Haematopus unicolor, torea or toreapango ~ variable oystercatcher

[janice lodge]

Early yesterday morning we observed a hawk "cleaning-out" an oystercatcher nest. The parent birds were obviously distraught and doing their best to distract the hawk away....diving bombing, "acting" wounded with wings limp etc. Unfortunately their efforts were in vain and the hawk remained on the nest for about 45 minutes feeding, nothing would have survived.

The tide was full, the oystercatchers always return to the area at this time....after the hawk left the parent birds remained near where the nest was, however they left (as normal) once the tide had receeded. Last evening they were back on the high tide and again near the nest. There are two pairs of breeding oystercatchers who are constant residents here.

I checked this morning, it being an incoming tide, and the parent birds are there again....I am wondering if they will re-nest? Can anyone offer any comment?

As this area is a DOC designated breeding ground (dotterel in particular) I have notified them so that they are aware and can determine if something further needs to be done regarding the hawk(s).

[Lynn Adams]

HI Janice,
Doesn't sound like a fun thing to watch!.  Yes they will possibly try to re-nest.  Often when they have a bad experience they'll move to a different location although they may take several days to abandon the present site.  It would be interesting to watch the general area for renesting.  If nesting they'll have the sneeking run and incubate behaviour on the gorund to draw you away from the nest.  If they have chicks, they generally fly around calling, occasionally landing.
Lynn

[janice lodge]

Hi Lynn

Thanks for your comments and yes the oystercatchers did re-nest. There is always one on the nest, the eggs haven't hatched yet but must be very close to doing so.... do you know how long incubation is?

We often now see two hawks, they seem to fly in tandem over the area ~ interestingly that since the previous episode, where the hawk "cleaned out" the nest, the oystercatchers seem to have worked out a strategy and now whenever the hawk is in the area they setup a warning noise and at least one (often both, and, sometimes also the other pair who don't appear to be nesting) all take to the air and chase after the hawk.....

So it would seem that an emnity has been established between the oystercatchers and the hawk ~ let's hope this second nesting survive...

[Dave Houston]

Marchant and Higgins say the incubation period is 28.4 days, but sometimes over 33 days.

[janice lodge]

Thanks Dave.....so hopefully in about 7-12 days we might see something

[janice lodge]

Well unbelievable...last Friday (4 Dec) we had some bad weather ~  winds, rain, waves and a high tide.

Sadly these components came together and resulted in the sea coming up over the chenier (sand spit) on which the oystercatchers and dotterel had made their nests and both seem to have lost their nests/eggs.

The oystercatchers and dotterel remained on the spit with their nests but were powerless against the waves......

On a brighter note, the oystercatchers have remained, they are again on the spit and quickly exhibiting the same antics we observed after the hawk disaster ~ so looks like yet another nesting will occur.

How amazing they are!

I also see the dotterel are still present too (3 of them)

[janice lodge]

Pleased to report that the oystercatchers are back on the nest....and the other pair are also!

[janice lodge]

Previously I mentioned the storm that wrecked a significant part of the corden around the DOC breeding area located at the mouth of the Wade River (Weiti River)  on the 4 December 2009 ~ I reported this to the Northern Area DOC office.

In spite of numerous followups on my part since the 4 December, including reporting that people were walking through the uncordened area where one pair of oystercatchers had nested, picnicking within the area, and,  throwing objects, waving sticks and chasing  the adult pair who were obviously frantically trying to distract the "idiots" away from the nest! People also allowed their dogs to chase the birds.

Yesterday I observed that there was no adult on the nest outside the corden and indeed I could not locate "her"anywhere within the area. Later in the evening I saw one of this pair (the male?) near the nest, this morning there is no sight of them.....so it would seem that my worst fears have been realised.


I again called the DOC office this morning and advised my observations....I am extrememly disappointed that DOC did nothing to secure this breeding area

[janice lodge]

Yesterday we saw that the oystercatchers within the corden had a chick, this morning we saw it with the parents.....third time lucky for this pair, now let's hope it is given a chance to survive.

Also, I am pleased to say that the oystercatchers who had nested outside the corden and had their nest fail (probably from someone walking through it) are now both back....I watched as they examined the old nest site. They seem to be looking to re-nest, their attempts to relocate closer to the first pair within the corden have met with resistance from the first pair ~ so they are back near their failed nest site outside the corden.

This morning I observed a couple armed with camera taking photos of the pair with the chick......they were probably unaware (I hope!) that they were actually within the larger breeding area and continued to walk through it. Had the original corden been reinstated by DOC this perhaps would have been avoided.

People visiting this area should be better informed ~ most seem to be ignorant of the sensitivity of this area.