Shore Birds

 This photo was taken in early November at the Durras Lake entrance. At some stage every day
the Pied Oystercatcher parents and chicks return and stay in the fenced off area, “returning to their place of birth.” It has now been a little over 13 years that I have been fencing off Pied Oystercatcher nesting sites in this area. I’m now wondering if these shorebirds associate the fenced off bit as some sort of sanctuary area, even when
they have chicks. The previous weekend Durras was so busy, there were people everywhere at the Durras Lake entrance area, the Pieds and chicks were being shuffled in all directions, as a result of this people pressure. Then these Pied Oystercatchers returned to the fenced off area, and stayed there for the remainder of the day, away from being disturbed. There are now a lot more Pied Oystercatchers in the Durras Lake area, a week ago I saw a flock of five fly over. It would have been so useful to have banded all the chicks that have hatched in this area over the years, so as to keep a better track of them.