Plan Hatched: Temporary exclusion zones set up to protect hoodies

BARWON Coast has set up temporary exclusion zones after five Hooded Plover chicks hatched on 13th Beach and Ocean Grove Spit.

Warren Chapman from Barwon Coast said while this was a great start to the breeding season, the chicks now needed the public’s support to survive.

“These baby birds need to feed along the water edge, they need to feed as much as possible to build up their tiny bodies,” Mr Chapman said.

To support the chicks’ survival, Barwon Coast has set up temporary exclusion zones for wildlife protection at the two sites where the chicks are, on Ocean Grove Spit just west of the main beach and 13th Beach, west of the first car park.

“To give these new hatched chicks their best chance of survival, please avoid using these areas of the beach,” he said.

“You can walk in a different direction and use an alternative car park to the one at the top of the 17W stairs and 30W stairs when accessing Ocean Grove Spit and 13th Beach.

“When on the beach near the temporary exclusion zones please ensure that your dog is on the leash.”

A Temporary Exclusion Zone for Wildlife Protection specifies that no access is permitted to that section of beach, allowing the chicks to forage for the best chance of survival.

“We congratulate the community on last summer’s support of the initiative at Ocean Grove main beach where beach walkers respected the temporary exclusion zone and a Hooded Plover chick survived and thrived to flight,” Mr Chapman said.

The hooded plover is a threatened species and a Temporary Exclusion Zone for the short period of time from when the hooded plover chicks hatch and are feeding on the beach prior to fledging (able to fly) is a time when the birds are very susceptible to the threat of humans, dogs and natural predators.

Meanwhile, sections of the Bellarine’s coastline will become dog on-leash zones from this weekend.