Haystack Rock Awareness Program Nature Blog

As summer comes to an end, we at HRAP are reflecting on a busy summer and its challenges and rewards. One of the biggest rewards was seeing the resident Black Oystercatcher pair successfully raise a chick for the first time in six years! After losing their first nest in late May, they tried again with one egg. The chick hatched in late June, and it was a joy to watch the pair raise the chick in the nesting area until mid-August, when the chick fledged and started to forage around Haystack Rock under the watchful eyes of its parents. We are still seeing the trio foraging together on the boulders on the north and south sides, as well as along the north wall. The chick will stay with its parents until next spring, when it will head off into the world to try to find a mate. The Black Oystercatcher chick left the nest area with its parents around August 12. Here they are foraging on the north side (parents top and bottom, chick in the middle). Photo by Tia Prudholm The black oyster...

Sands built up significantly in Haystack Rock's tidepools during the spring, and now it's easier than ever to walk on sand while exploring, thereby avoiding stepping on tidepool animals that cover the rocks, such as barnacles and anemones. The seabirds are in the height of nesting season, so we are continuing to rope off nesting areas to prevent disturbance. Please help us help these birds by staying out of roped off areas. Lastly, the black oystercatchers are trying again: After losing their first nest, they are nesting again and we wish them success!  Substantial sand buildup allows easy exploration of the tidepools while avoiding stepping on rocks. Photo by Margaret Minnick Substantial sand buildup allows easy exploration of the tidepools while avoiding stepping on rocks. Photo by Margaret Minnick