Waiheke residents have actually been taking rely on secure a dotterel chick on Onetangi beach, after a cat was spotted stalking the young bird.
Volunteers have actually been taking rely on ward off a stalking cat and unrestrained dogs threatening a dotterel chick on a popular Waiheke beach.
Nicknamed “Stalky”, the chick hatched in the New Year on Onetangi Beach, a popular dog walking area on the Hauraki Gulf island.
Gabrielle Young, of freshly formed volunteer group Waiheke Dotterel Guardians, said when the chick hatched the group began patrolling the location on weekends when residents, visitors and their four-legged buddies come down on the beach.
Dotterels/tūturiwhatu are among Aotearoa’s threatened bird types, discovered in seaside locations.
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Dogs are allowed off-leash between 5pm and 10am from December 1 to March 1 however need to be off the beach in between 10am and 5pm.
However, Young said the volunteers have actually seen a lot of individuals showing up with off-leash dogs throughout that time.
And last Saturday, a volunteer spoke with individuals who had both an off-lead dog and a cat at the beach.
Shelley Wood/Supplied
A dotterel chick has actually been making it through versus the chances on popular Onetangi Beach considering that early January 2023.
“The cat started stalking the chick,” Young said.
When asked to put their cat inside their neighboring accommodation, the owners declined and requested for the bird to be moved.
Waiheke Dotterel Guardians member Sally Horwood offered to park up in her campervan and keep watch over night.
“There were people down there right till dark and early morning too. I was lucky I didn’t get anything unpleasant to deal with, like the other dotterel guardians,” Horwood said, describing abuse volunteers have actually gotten from some dog owners.
Shelley Wood/Supplied
Volunteers are continuing to patrol the beach where the chick is growing.
By completion of the weekend, the cat and its owners had actually left, however Young is still fretted.
”It will still simply take one dog to chew her or chew a parent, and it won’t endure.”
Predators have actually already eliminated 5 out of 6 dotterel chicks at neighboring Whakanewha Regional Park this season, she said.
“We got away two fledglings at Church Bay. But all the others disappeared,” Young said.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Long-term Waiheke homeowners are discovering it more difficult to manage increasing rates and an absence of inexpensive real estate on the island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
Group members think hedgehogs captured on a path video camera at Church Bay have actually consumed eggs there.
At Park Point, a king tide damaged one nest and a chick that hatched from a nest that had actually been transferred to safety has actually vanished.
A nest on a field at Waiheke High School has actually likewise been not successful, she said.
Young puts the Onetangi chick’s survival to the ability of its moms and dads.
“They start making alarm calls when a dog is coming. Lots of people say, ‘My dog doesn’t chase birds,’ but they see them as a predator regardless.”
Both Young and Horwood said discussions will be had with Auckland Council about dog control.
Animal Management supervisor Elly Waitoa said staff have actually patrolled the beach, however just about 8 times considering that December 1.
Officers stationed on the mainland have actually participated in Waiheke call-outs considering that the regional officer resigned in October. It has actually taken a while to fill the position, partially due to a lack of rental accommodation on the island, Waitoa said.
Young, Horwood and the other volunteers have a nervous wait up until the dotterel chick fledges.
“If we get it away, it will be a little miracle,” Horwood said.
