hoodedplover

It’s been a while since the end of the Hooded Plover breeding season and there has been no official feedback from Parks Victoria or analysis of the results. That’s not surprising.

The last HP breeding season on the Mornington Peninsula was significant due to the very unfortunate but direct observation of a dog killing a Hooded Plover chick at Point King (not a PV managed beach). We now have direct evidence to demonstrate that “dogs kill Hooded Plover chicks”.

The following are estimates only, until Parks Victoria show the initiative to show transparency of their management:

Yesterday, Tamara from PV was able to report that another 2 chicks have fledged.

It has been a few weeks since the last update on Hooded Plover chicks in the Mornington Peninsula National Park.

One of the St Andrews Beach chicks died but fortunately the other fledged. As the breeding season gets closer to ending, there is a high likelihood more chicks will fledge this season than the last.

There is also a good chance a chick may fledge at Koonya Beach, Blairgowrie. There are a number of active volunteers who monitor birds on this beach and I’m sure we all agree, it would be great if they were rewarded with a brand new fully grown Hooded Plover. Keep your fingers crossed.

There are still some birds on nests which means more chicks are possible.

Below is a map indicating the location and number of chicks currently in the Mornington Peninsula National Park.

The two St Andrews Chicks situated at the end of Moana Court, St Andrews (Mornington Peninsula) are at least 24 days old and looking good.

But there’s more. There are five chicks at Gunnamatta from two nests, there is one chick at Koonya and two chicks nearby the Rye car park.

In all on the Mornington Peninsula, there are currently eleven (11) chicks, (including the Montforts chick that fledged).

Below is a picture of the area where the Moana Court chicks can be found. All being well they could fledge in 10 days, (fingers crossed).

You can never give up on Hooded Plovers.

Despite all the things that could have gone wrong for this little bird at Montforts beach, it still managed to fledge.

Good news for this area of the Mornington Peninsula, considering many “not so good” seasons and confirmation on the resilience of this species.

But there is more. As I type, I’ve been informed by a volunteer on the other side of Port Phillip, (via twitter) that two chicks have fledged at Black Rock, Breamlea. Well done to the Breamlea volunteers.

When chicks fledge, you realise the sacrifice is worth it.

The Montforts chick is still alive and expected to fledge very soon.

It was seen this morning running off to hide amongst the rocks and vegetation.

And the two St Andrews chicks at Moana Court, are also still alive. This morning they were feeding outside the fenced area.

Some good news for Hooded Plovers, the Montforts chick was still alive on the 4th of Jan 2013, (C/o Diane Lewis) and the latest on the St Andrews chicks: they were also with us on the 2nd of Jan 2013 (C/o Parks Victoria).

Unfortunately this blog was unable to load great pictures of the Montforts chick unless we agreed to: not have any negative comments about Parks Victoria.  That was difficult because Parks Victoria virtually ignored the Montforts chicks the moment they hatched.

For the first 11 days of their feeble existence after hatching from an egg smaller than a 20 cent coin, Parks Victoria could not put a laminated A4 sign on a post in a car park, let alone further along the track to the beach or actually on the beach.  The chicks were on their own in a National Park dealing with dogs off lead. No, this is not a third world nation, it’s Australia!

In light of the restriction using photographs of the chick at Montforts, I have drawn a quick sketch of how the chick should appear at < 35 days compared to an adult. All being well this little chick and its parents can celebrate a good 2013.