Watch out for dotterels: Tips for sharing Bay beaches with nesting shorebirds

Dotterel nesting on the Mount main beach. Photos / George Novak

With the summer weather well and truly here, and many people heading to the beach for the holidays, it can be a stressful time for birds using the coast to nest.

Local conservationist Carole Long said the New Zealand dotterel was probably one of the most endangered bird breeds which nested in the area.

She said they previously nested on Matakana Island, but many of those sites had eroded, and now it was common for them to nest on Mount Maunganui's main beach.

They can currently be spotted nesting there.

Long said one reason they might choose that spot was because there were no dogs. A dog ban applies in the area.

"I would love to see that more places along the coast were no dog areas."

Long said the dotterels' nests were the same colour as the sand and could be hard to spot.

Long said she hoped people would watch out for and respect any Department of Conservation signs about birds nesting.

"The birds haven't got any options - we do, but they don't."

Her tips for helping to keep shorebirds safe were to keep dogs on leads and for cat owners living close to the beach to keep their pets inside at night.

"Nesting birds are vulnerable if cats go down to the beach."

Dotterel nesting on the Mount main beach. Photos / George Novak

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Shelley Ogle said in a recent statement that shorebird populations were vulnerable to disturbance, predation, weather, and other natural events.

"It's important for us to help in any way we can to ease the stress of raising chicks on our beaches over summer.

"The easiest way to help is to give them space and keep an eye on your dogs."

She also advised people to watch their step when visiting the beach.

"Many birds' main form of defence is camouflage, and they can be anywhere from the soft sand above high tide to back into the dunes. The beach is the birds' home and nest, so we need to be vigilant and aware when we head out.

"Know where, when and especially if your dogs are allowed on the beach and if they need to be on a lead. Don't let your dog chase birds – even our gulls are native, and it's very stressful for all our shorebirds."