17-05-2009 Oystercatchers at Blouberg Strand (Plover beach by Horsetrails)

Click on the slide show in the side widget to view the five minutes attempt of the Oystercatchers to feed at BigBay.

12 May 2009 Plover Beach (Horse trails)

I spotted six Plovers today. On my last visit I counted nine between the Horse trails and the drum.

This pair was to be disturbed by pedestrians with a dog.



This plover managed to feed briefly before being chased by passers-by.

Dead Plover

This bird may have been caught by a dog.

This is how the birds will disappear when they can no loner breed without interruption.

One of the last nails in the coffin

The Big Bay building complex has been completed and is waiting for occupancy and final touches.
This is one of many similar complexes shooting up in the area.
These little birds will not be able to breed and feed on this beach much longer.
See more photographs of Big Bay development

Feeding problems

It is a cloudy day. The beach is particularly quiet. The plovers are very active feeding on the incoming-tide.









Passers-by force the plovers back to the dunes.










They return as soon as the coast is clear.

On busy days the plovers do not get an opportunity to feed in the surf.

I have watched for hours how a pair of Oystercatchers unsuccessfully try to feed on the high tide mark.
On warm summer days the beach traffic is uninterrupted.

KelpGull catching a crab

These photographs of a Kelp Gull catching a crab was taken near the Horse Trail entrance on Ploverbeach.