Do you remember my September 10th blog entry 'Love is in the air' ?Well today I saw the results, three very young Variable Oystercatcher chicks which I would judge to be just a few days old.They were at the waters edge just
below a shell bank at Shoal Bay with an anxious mum watching over them that is the bird on the right.
Oystercatchers make good parents and I have been watching them North of Auckland on the East coast each week this season. The father in this case seemed less concerned about my presence. So far all good but its early days, these chicks are vulnerable to cats, rats, dogs and overhead predation by hawks and black backed gulls. I wish them luck and will be checking on their progress regularly.