Stewardship Report: Protecting nesting seabirds from disturbance during minus tides

This week, there has been a series of morning minus tides at Haystack Rock. This opens up for exploration areas that are full of fascinating intertidal life, especially in the intertidal boulders to the south of Haystack Rock. At the same time, it exposes seabird nesting areas to increased human foot traffic. Human presence, especially where it isn't usually possible, can make birds nervous and they often leave their nests for a period as a result. If the eggs are left uncovered for too long or too often, they can get cold, causing the chicks inside to die.

Areas are closed to protect nesting seabirds. Photo by Margaret Minnick

This time of year is critical to nesting seabirds, most of which are seeing population declines. Disruption of their nesting habits can cause nest failure. That's why Haystack Rock Awareness Program staff and volunteers have been closing off areas around the rock during these morning low tides. Please be understanding of these closures when you visit and respect the birds' space. By helping to protect the birds during nesting time, you are helping to preserve these species for generations to come.

Also please remember that safety is also a priority, and rockfall is a real danger to those standing near Haystack Rock, which is always prone to erosion due to wind, rain, and wave action.

Lastly, we have some sad news to report. The black oystercatcher nest that was covered in the last Stewardship Report has failed. In the past few days, the birds have not been sitting on the nest, and there are no chicks. We are not sure what happened, as there were no eggs present when we checked the abandoned nest. Predation and human disturbance are both possible causes of the nest failure. The good news is, there is still time this summer for the pair of black oystercatchers to try again, and we hope they do! We'll keep you posted.