Waihī Beach: The story of dotterels Zigg and Zagg

Beau McDuff and Violet Connelly and the new book.

The life of two little birds struggling to survive at Waihī Beach has been made into a children’s book.

Zigg and Zagg’s Dotterel Dance details the highs and lows in the life of Zigg and Zagg, two dotterels who made their home on Waihī Beach in front of the surf club.

Dot Watch, the local dotterel group determined to protect the endangered birds in the area, did their upmost to protect the dotterel parents when they made their home in such an exposed area.

Attempts were made to protect Zigg and Zagg including publicity asking people to keep their dogs on leads and cats inside while the birds made their nests.

It was a devastating road for the Dot Watchers when the fledglings were eaten by animals.

Dot Watch was approached by Bay Conservation Alliance and Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre Wildlife Trust (ARRC) to have an educational book was written about Zigg and Zagg, Merv Littlejohn and the local Dot Watch children from Waihī Beach School.

The dot watchers doing all they can for the endangered birds.

The book details the dangers dotterels face including the sad day they lost fledging Rebel, farmer Merv moving his cows to save the dotterel nests on his paddock, Dot Watch children looking over the dotterels and cordoning off Zigg and Zagg’s nest and how the community worked together to save a nest.

The book complements a series of 11 educational books published by ARRC.

ARRC veterinarian Dr Liza Schnieder says they are excited to launch their new book which will ‘’help grow awareness about our wonderful dotterels, the incredible work that organisations like Dot Watch do and how we can all work together to do our bit and conserve our precious natural heritage.’’

Dot Watch’s Pippa Combes says it’s ‘’all go’' this dotterel season the latest nest is in full swing at Brighton Reserve at the North end.

- Additional reporting Pippa Combes

INFO To purchase a copy of the book or series visit https://arrc.org.nz/arrc-shop with proceeds going towards funding so the books can be distributed to schools.