Faye Hill
Tweed Osprey Group
c/- 207 Blakeneys Road
Stokers Siding NSW 2484
23 September 2015
Dear Mayor Milne, Deputy Mayor Bagnall, and Tweed Councillors Byrne, Longland, Youngblutt, and Polglase
I am writing to you as Co-ordinator of the Tweed Osprey Group.
Tweed Osprey Group is concerned about further development of the Black Rocks sportsfield, and supports in principle the alternative of regenerating the area to the benefit of the koala population and the Eastern Ospreys that nest there. Forward thinking by Tweed Councillors could save these last remnants of wildlife living and breeding naturally, and we respectfully request that you consider the following information concerning the Black Rocks Ospreys when deciding your position on future development and management of the Black Rocks sportsfield.
Eastern Ospreys (Pandion cristatus) are listed as Vulnerable to extinction in NSW, primarily due to loss of suitable nesting sites. The establishment of artificial nest cradles and annual monitoring by Tweed Osprey Group, working with the NPWS, has facilitated their recovery in Northern NSW, while the continued loss of natural nesting sites would have otherwise ensured their demise in the Tweed and elsewhere.
Tweed Osprey Group monitors Osprey breeding attempts and has kept track of the establishment and demise of all known Osprey nesting sites in the Tweed from 1992 to 2015 inclusive. Ospreys in NSW naturally nest in tall dead trees or on the tops of Hoop pines, but natural nesting sites in the Tweed have continually declined over the years while the number of nests on artificial structures has increasedto compensate for this loss.
This season (2015) of 22 nesting sites in the Tweed only 3 are in trees, only 1 of which is located along the coast, it being the Black Rocks sportsfield site.The other 2 natural sites are located in the Cobaki Broadwater and on Stotts Island. All other natural sites no longer exist.
Ospreys have nested in trees within the bushland adjoining the Black Rocks sportsfield since at least 1996 when the nest was first located by Tweed Osprey Group, and continue to do so annually. Ospreys have nested here longer than anywhere else along the coast since monitoring began. The relative isolation of this last remaining natural nesting site on the whole of the Tweed Coast is precious since all other natural sites have been lost to development, or to the natural attrition of suitable trees that have not been replaced by natural regeneration cycles. While Ospreys do successfully nest on specially constructed nesting cradles along the coast, only the Black Rocks Ospreys persist in a truly natural state.
Ospreys however are susceptible to disturbance which can cause breeding failure. Since the Black Rocks housing estate has been developing, breeding success has been spasmodic, and it is likely that disturbance was a factor in the years when breeding was unsuccessful. We are very concerned that further development of the open space adjoining the nest (50m) could jeopardise breeding at this last iconic natural nesting site on the Tweed Coast. In particular low-flying model aeroplanes or other motorised air-craft and intensive sporting or other recreational activity so close to Ospreys that have enjoyed relative isolation for so long could put successful breeding at risk.
White-bellied Sea Eagles are also extremely susceptible to disturbance during breeding. There are moves in the scientific community to have the species also listed as Vulnerable in NSW due to continued decline in successful breeding. A pair nested close to the road going into the sportsfield until 2010 but they have since abandoned the site. It would be a tragedy if the Ospreys were also forced to abandon their nesting site and this last remaining coastal natural Osprey nesting site was lost.
Yours sincerely
Faye Hill
Co-ordinator: Tweed Osprey Group
23 September 2015