Two endangered Kentish plover chicks have hatched on the Costa Blanca after wildlife teams from Guardamar del Segura and Torrevieja worked together to protect a vulnerable nest on Les Ortigues beach.
The operation kept the nest safe during one of the busiest periods of the year. The eggs hatched successfully before the chicks followed their parents into the nearby dunes.
A vulnerable nesting site
Members of the public spotted the nest and alerted Torrevieja Local Police’s Environmental Unit.
The birds had built their nest close to a beach access walkway and outside the usual protected area. As a result, beachgoers could easily disturb it.
Wildlife officers also identified risks from dogs on the beach and stray cats seen nearby.
The Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) is one of the Mediterranean’s best-known coastal birds. The Valencian Community lists it as a vulnerable species because breeding numbers continue to decline and suitable dune habitats are disappearing.
Temporary protection installed
Environmental teams from both councils assessed the site and agreed to install a two-stage protective barrier.
The inner enclosure protected the eggs while allowing the adult birds to move freely. Workers then added a larger perimeter to keep visitors at a safe distance.
Specialists completed the work without handling the eggs or disturbing the birds.
The teams coordinated the project with environmental officers from the Generalitat Valenciana and the regional Department of Environment.
Conservation groups Territorio Natura/Xaloc and Chorlitejos y Patinegros also helped. Environmental company GESNET Servicios, Guardamar Local Police and several local ornithologists supported the operation and monitored the nest.
Beachgoers helped protect the nest
Officials thanked members of the public for respecting the protected area.
Once visitors understood why the nest had been fenced off, many helped by following the restrictions and reporting anything that could threaten the birds.
Two healthy chicks
The eggs completed their incubation without incident and two healthy chicks hatched.
Like all Kentish plovers, the young birds quickly left the nest. They are now developing in the surrounding dunes under the care of their parents.
