002 Bird Breeding time 2010

It is the summer of 2009-10 and the Oystercatchers of Ploverbeach (between The Horse trails and Blouberg Strand) are trying to breed again.

The year before last they hatched two chicks of which one survived.
Last year dogs and people trampled over their nest and they lost their eggs.
They remained on the beach for a long time afterward but they never attempted to breed again.  I do not think they got the opportunity.

I fear that it will be the same this year.
The strip where they can hatch their chick is becoming very narrow.

If only the conservation department can value the few birds still breading along this nature strip like they value the cargo of foreign vessels.

If a boat goes to ground on the beach, they will have people watching it day and night.

It is sad that they can not stop people walking over the nest during weekends and high tide times when the Oystercatcher is breeding and their nest is in the way of the beach traffic.

It is not only dogs and people who are a threat to these birds breading, on this beach, but beach cleaners who like to scratch through the flotsam and jetsam above the high tide level and the beach patrol who rides unperturbed wherever they want.  (I have not seen them in action, but I know human nature.   Very little education and attention is given to the beach birds)

It is difficult, but not impossible, to protect these birds during the breeding season. 
One can not even put a sign out that these birds are breeding because it may just attract the attention of some hungry person looking for bush meat for the pot or some foreigner who would consider Oystercatcher meat as a delicacy.   The world is so sick, nothing is sacred anymore.

Their only protection is:
That most of the people using this beach do not even notice the birds.
The South Easter wind (The Cape Doctor).   Here at Blouberg, one can give the wind the name of the ‘beach-breeding-bird midwife’.    It is only bad weather that keeps people away from the beach.