Protecting Byron Bay Shorebirds

Byron Bay Beach Photography aka Blue Space Art have produced an Eco Warrior cotton tote bag to help spread the word about Byron's precious shorebirds such as the Sooty Oystercatchers and Pied Oystercatchers (see Eco-tourist link under Home). By purchasing the bag you can help. Both these species breed along our coastline and are listed as extremely vulnerable. In NSW, Pied Oystercatchers are thinly scattered along the entire coast, with an estimated fewer than 200 breeding pairs left and only 6 in the Byron region. And it's breeding time again at the Belongil Estuary near Elements Resort, with lots of tourists exploring the area. This area is an important breeding ground for many shorebirds. Also the Little Terns and the beautiful Crested Terns can be seen resting there all year round. Sadly, I've witnessed people's unconscious behaviour towards these Terns - from ploughing through them on pushbikes, having a soccer game in the estuary, to dogs running loose in this restricted zone.