One of Australia’s most vulnerable birds, only 700 Hooded Plover remain in the wild along Victoria’s high energy coastlines which are the Hoodies preferred breeding location. Last season, Hoodie ‘YW’ and partner had six nesting attempts at Cape Paterson’s Pea Creek estuary resulting in 16 eggs. Not one egg hatched. Another Hoodie ‘RY’, seen here with a 5-day old chick, had one nest with two eggs which hatched around the busy Australia Day long weekend. Both tiny chicks died near 1st Surf Beach at Cape Paterson within 12 days of hatching. These are, sadly, typical Hoodie breeding stories.
In an effort to turn around this situation, The Cape is pleased to announce it has made a significant financial donation of $28,000 to help Birdlife Australia’s Hooded Plover conservation program along the Bunurong Coast.
Stephen Johnson, coordinator of the local Friends of the Hooded Plover (Bass Coast) said: We are really excited about this well considered and generous donation by The Cape. Last summer, of the seven breeding pairs of Hooded Plover on the east end of our coastline between Inverloch and Harmers Haven, none were able to produce a single fledgling despite laying 46 eggs. This significant contribution and support by The Cape certainly give us hope that we, as a community, can turn the situation around soon.
Brendan Condon, Director of The Cape said: “The Cape is proud to be able to support the recovery of Hooded Plover populations in the Bass Coast area. The Cape community has worked hard to restore significant areas of habitat for wildlife within our community, and as a coastal community we have a responsibility for the beautiful and unique Hooded Plovers that call our beaches home. With evidence based practical actions and consideration in how we use our beaches, particularly around breeding season, we hope to see pressures reduce and better breeding success and recovery of our wonderful Hoodies.”
The Cape’s grant is funding several initiatives to be implemented by Birdlife Australia experts in conjunction with land managers from the Bass Coast Shire Council, Parks Victoria and local volunteers. The donation will support the development of a comprehensive Hooded Plover Management Plan for all nesting sites between Inverloch to Harmers Haven; the ‘custodianship’ of five nesting sites in the Cape Paterson area; provision of new Hooded Plover interpretive signs for beach users at several popular beach access points where Hoodies nest; a Hooded Plover Awareness Day in Cape Paterson planned for mid-January 2023, and a contribution to Hoodie conservation research, primarily trialing the use of fox deterrents near nests.
