As the weather warms up, so does Little Penguin activity on Snapper Island.
During winter, they found their match to make the magic happen and produce chicks throughout spring. By summer, the chicks will leave their nest to survive on their own.
This time last year, there were nearly double the number of nests with eggs, so a slightly later start to breeding this year. There's nothing wrong with that of course; every year is different when the ocean is involved.
The NSW Government's Seabirds to Seascapes project kicked off again this September, where researchers and volunteers count penguins, weigh chicks and check nests.
We saw lots of nests damaged last season by huge storms and swell. It was also sad to see vandals smash half a dozen of our nest boxes – we aren't sure what motivates this. We called out to our Fix It Sister friends in Sydney who made a dozen more – these ones are extra robust.
Although we're relieved the penguins have a safe place to breed and rest this season, we're becoming concerned about their access.
Over the past 10 years, the island's shores have become steeper – almost at a 45-degree angle with steep drop offs in some spots. The cobbles make it tricky to climb too, but the penguins still manage, for now.
It's part of their nature to dry out and socialise on the high tide mark for an hour or so before walking to the top of the island to feed their chicks.
Further to the Seabirds to Seascapes project are conservation efforts by Taronga Zoo and three NSW universities. Scientists tag penguins with GPS trackers to understand more about their travels up and down the coast.
From last season's tagging, we learned that some of our penguins swam to the Botany Bay colony while many northern penguins travelled south.
While they're there, scientists also take blood samples to check for avian influenza. The virus hasn't made its way to Australia yet; keeping an eye on our penguins and other migratory birds is a smart move to stay one step ahead.
We also know that where there's food, the penguins are happy. Scientists have some cool technology to sample water for DNA. They'll go as far as 10-20 kilometres offshore, just where the continental shelf starts to slope into the deep blue.
No need to spot the penguins in the flesh, environmental DNA samples can help identify the fish species present in an area and determine if penguins are visiting to feed. By pinpointing these key feeding areas, we can better understand the reasons for the penguins' declining numbers and work towards effective conservation measures.
- This story was first published in Council's quarterly newsletter for residents, Living in Eurobodalla. A printed edition is delivered to Eurobodalla's 26,000 households.
