Volunteer conservationists on the New South Wales Far South Coast have installed surveillance cameras at the nesting site of an endangered bird after two eggs on the brink of hatching were stolen.
The Friends of Durras group has been monitoring a small population of pied oystercatchers and their nests near the Murramarang National Park.
Convener John Perkins said volunteers were disappointed and confused after they noticed two eggs had been taken from the nesting grounds.
"It's really shocking news ... the loss of the two eggs really does have consequences on their numbers," he said.
"It's really perplexing. We've never had eggs stolen from that site."
Six chicks were expected to hatch from three separate nests in a matter of weeks but the theft has reduced that number to four.
Shoe prints found at nesting site
The nesting grounds are guarded by an electric fence to protect the species from foxes and dogs.
Mr Perkins normally visits the grounds three times a day and believes the eggs were taken last Thursday evening.
"There were distinctive adult-sized shoe prints in the shorebird area," he said.
"Whoever had stolen the eggs had also disconnected electric fences as well to get to those nesting sites."
Mr Perkins said he was attacked by one of the birds distressed because of the missing eggs.
"I can well understand the birds being upset ... I've never been attacked by a pied oystercatcher in 25 years of shorebird advocacy," he said.
National Parks investigating
Conservation efforts for the endangered bird are managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and its dedicated South Coast shorebird recovery program, which has helped the fledging of 40 chicks over the past 20 years.
The theft has prompted the installation of surveillance cameras to monitor the three nesting sites and electric fence.
The NPWS said it was aware that two nests were recently disturbed and was investigating damage to the electric fence.
A spokesperson said it was an offence under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act to interfere with or remove eggs from nests.
