Ploverbeach: June 2009

Friday, June 19, 2009

Plovers breeding on Ploverbeach

The Plovers managed to hatch chicks in spite of people and dogs trampling over their nesting area.

No time for the Oystercatchers

09 56am Oystercatchers try to outrun the oncoming traffic.

09 58am The beach belongs to people and dogs.

PLOVERBEACH stretches between Big Bay and Horse Trails, near Cape Town.

The little Plovers (and Oyster-catcher) have been breeding above the high water mark, in front of the dunes, of the beach between Big Bay and Melkbosstrand for as long as anyone can remember.

The influx of people to the Cape resulted in this strip of wild coast becoming a popular recreational beach.

The birds are very territorial. They will try to breed here year after year for as long as they survive.

I have counted about twelve breeding pair along this strip between Big-Bay and Horse-trails the year before last. (2007)

There are no birds breeding on Big Bay any more that I am aware of.