Whakanewha spotted dotterel nesting grounds

Whakanewha Regional Park is located on the southern coast of Waiheke Island. Covering 250 hectares, the park is mainly bush with some mature stands of trees, a large wetland and a beautiful half moon sweep of shelly and sandy beach sometimes known as Half Moon Bay. The beach is divided towards the southern end by a rocky headland that is the site of the ancient pa.

The shell spit near the middle of the beach is also the annual nesting ground for several pairs of the endangered northern New Zealand dotterel. Only about 1700 of these birds, endemic to New Zealand, remain. A protection society, called Guardians of the Dotterels and manned by volunteers was established on Waiheke to help protect the breeding site. Dogs are prohibited from the beach and beach-users are strongly encouraged to avoid getting too close to the sensitive birds and not to linger near the fenced area where the birds lay their eggs in shallow scrapes in the sand. The birds are very vulnerable to predators such as cats, stoats, hedgehogs and rats and for this reason many traps are set and poison baits laid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Dotterel

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Travel & Events

Tags:

• waiheke
• whakanewha
• dotterel