Plovers park up for season

Silverdale locals and passersby have seen, or likely heard, the nesting plover family in the Silverdale Briscoes carpark this month. The proud parents of three little brown-speckled eggs have been seen patrolling the area and chasing anyone who gets too close to the little grass island.

With the plovers’ breeding season spanning July to January and their insistence on nesting at ground level, Coast residents can expect to see more of these bold birds in the coming months.

Pest Fee Hibiscus Coast project manager, Forest & Bird’s Jenny Hanwell, says the plovers were introduced from Australia.

“Spur winged/masked plovers are not threatened and more than capable of looking after themselves. They are very protective parents and have sharp bony spurs on their wings which they will use to defend their nests and chicks. Therefore we recommend giving them a very wide berth to keep yourself and the birds safe.”

She says spur-winged plover nests are often mistaken for New Zealand dotterel nests which are most commonly found on beaches on in grassy paddocks. Dotterels are at risk and only found in New Zealand. If you see one of these in Whangaparāoa and are sure it’s a dotterel, please email dotterels@forestandbird.org.nz and they will organise volunteers to come and rope the area off.