And last but not least, the winners of our #NSWBeachBirds raffle:
✔️Anne Spooner, Katie Davies, @courtneykiyut, you won a dog lead.
✔️Melissa Attwood, Alex Ferguson, you won a cushion case.
✔️@rob_bigelow, you won a Kid Activity Pack.

THANK YOU EVERYONE! We hope you enjoyed it!

Please join us in congratulating the #NSWBeachBirds winners for their witty captions! We’re still laughing hard when we read their captions!

And the #NSWBeachBirds runner-up goes to @Cat_Kapow for “With his photo splashed about town, Henry realised his cover in witness protection had been foiled by social media. 🙀😱🕵️‍♀️” - Twitter. A great caption for this scene! Congrats, you won a Kid Activity Pack.

Third best #NSWBeachBirds caption goes to @ElaineGillett2 for “Babysit they said... two is twice the fun they said...twins make their own company they said... HELP it's only lunchtime and I need a G&T and a nap”-Twitter. Congrats, you won a double annual pass to Macadamia Castle!

Congrats @Kcoastcare for your great job reading #BeachStoneCurlew’s minds and winning a Snorkel with Turtles tour with Watersports Guru! 2/2
#NSWBeachBirds

Second best #NSWBeachBirds caption goes to @Kcoastcare for “Who cares where they're off to? Phft! Godwits! Look at 'em! They're such show offs with their lah-di-dah, turned-up bills and long-range travel plans. 'Straia not good enough for 'em or WHAT?” -Twitter 1/2

Best #NSWBeachBirds caption goes to @raysharks for “Ouch! Ouch! I told you we should have worn our thongs” -Instagram. We thought this was a very smart, and probably accurate, caption! Well done @raysharks! You won the Rainforest Cruise for two people with Mount Warning Tours!

We have them! The #NSWBeachBirds winners are here! It hasn’t been an easy decision! We’ve received so many amazing captions! So THANK YOU for making things difficult for us! Huge thanks to prize donors and NSW Environmental Trust!
Keep reading to discover the winners!
#lovebirds

THANK YOU so much everyone for getting involved in the #NSWBeachBirds competition! We've been loving all your photo captions over the last four weeks!
We'll announce the winners by the end of the week, so stay tuned and good luck!
#lovebirds #CitSci

Don't miss out! Make sure you get your caption in for the last #NSWBeachBirds photo by Sunday 10pm! Great prizes awaiting! What was this observing #PiedOystercatcher thinking about?
#CitSci #lovebirds

Recall the #BeachStoneCurlew family from Hastings Point, #NorthernNSW? The story has inspired Deb Mostert, a local artist who has spent some time observing and sketching the family. We LOVE her #WildlifeArt! Chek her work out 👉
#NSWBeachBirds #lovebirds

Yes, #BeachStoneCurlews love crabs, especially soldier crabs! A @SCUonline study found 9 crab species in poo samples from #NorthernNSW birds, indicating Beach Stone-curlews use different habitat types 👉

#NSWBeachBirds #lovebirds

No other #birds can open or prise apart shellfish like #oystercatchers! But did you know they can take years to develop the necessary skills to feed on such well-defended prey with their specialised bills? Worms, crustaceans and insects are also eaten!
#NSWBeachBirds #lovebirds

The last #NSWBeachBirds photo is here! We can't wait to hear about what you think this (literate?) #PiedOystercatcher was up to! Remember to use the hashtsg #NSWBeachBirds when sharing your captions for a chance to win!
More info & prizes
Happy captioning!

We need more #NSWBeachBirds captions for these guys! Get yours in before Sunday 10pm if you haven't yet!

#shorebirds #Love4shorebirds

Any other #StoneCurlews in #NorthernNSW?
YES, but not a #BeachNestingBird! There is another #StoneCurlew species in Australia, the Bush Stone-curlew, #endangered in NSW. If they're nearby, you might hear their ghost-like contact call at night.
#NSWBeachBirds

Any Pied Oystercatcher relatives in #NorthernNSW?
The Sooty Oystercatcher! a striking black #shorebird, #vulnerable in #NSW. It's strictly coastal and widespread in eastern, southern and western Australia. It prefers rocky shores but also found on sandy beaches.
#NSWBeachBirds

Happy Monday! Time for our 3rd #NSWBeachBirds photo! This week we have an special guest, the Black-necked Stork (or Jabiru).
What's your best caption for this scene? Remember to use the hashtag #NSWBeachBirds!
Happy captioning! #shorebirds #ShareTheShore

This little #PiedOystercatcher chick still has a long way to go before he can fly!
Once hatched, #BeachNestingBirds follow their parents around the beach to find food, but they can't fly out of harm’s way! Help them survive by obeying signs on your local beach 🙂
#NSWBeachBirds

Our #CitizenScientists help monitor breeding #birds and threats on their beaches. Our volunteers are amazing people who always put their hands up to guard birds or fence off nesting areas. For the record, check last week’s #NSWBeachBirds story on the Beach Stone-curlew family 😊

Hey! Have you captioned this 👇yet? FOUR DAYS to go! Don't miss out! Give this #BeachStoneCurlews the attention they deserve!
#NSWBeachBirds #CitizenScience

Spot the eggs!
#BeachNestingBirds lay their eggs in a shallow & camouflaged scrape to trick predators. Laying season is during the peak of beach use, putting eggs at risk of being crushed. Please obey signs, keep your dog #OnLeash & stick to the waterline to help!
#NSWBeachBirds

What's in a name?
Beach Stone-curlew's scientific name is pretty descriptive. Esacus magnirostris from Latin magnus (large) + rostrum (beak). No wonder why!
#NSWBeachBirds #Love4shorebirds #ornithology
📷: Trevor Murray

What's in a name?
Scientists use a 2-name system to describe the genus and species of plants & animals. Pied oystercatcher's scientific name is Haematopus longirostris, from Greek haima (blood) + pous (foot) and Latin longus (long) + rostrum (beak) Pretty accurate!
#NSWBeachBirds

New week, new #NSWBeachBirds photo! This time we bring you a handsome trio of #BeachStoneCurlew. What were these three thinking?
Remember to include the hashtag #NSWBeachBirds in your caption for a chance to win!
Happy captioning!
More details 👉

LESS THAN 4 HOURS!
We already have some great captions for our first #NSWBeachBirds photo, but we want more! Can you come up with a last minute one? Remember to use the hashtag #NSWBeachBirds! 👉
#conservation #CitizenScience

Leashes on beaches!
Off-leash dogs are a big threat to #BeachNestingBirds. An exploring dog can crush or eat the eggs, hunt flightless chicks or chase the parents, keeping them off their eggs for too long, and killing the developing chick inside. #NSWBeachBirds #OnLeash

Thank you for reading and watching this #NSWBeachBirds thread! We hope you've also fallen in love with this Beach Stone-curlew family, because, have we said we #LoveBirds yet?
#actforbirds #naturelaws

And last but not least, we would like to thank NSW Environmental Trust for funding workshops, beach walks, talks… by our team to raise awareness about #BeachNestingBirds, and this Beach-curlew family in particular, in the Tweed.
#NSWBeachBirds

A huge shout out to all community volunteers and @TweedCouncil for dedicating hundreds of hours to watch over this Beach Stone-curlew family! Their commitment is key and an evidence that good management and people's support lead to #BeachNestingBirds' success!
#NSWBeachBirds