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Lennox Head (including Flat Rock)
Lennox Heads is known for its enormous headland, however look below where the boulders dominate the immediate landscape and you'll find a range of shorebirds including the vulnerable Sooty Oyster-catcher.
The Sooty Oyster-catcher breeds and feeds around the Bream Hole, a unique oceanic lagoon containing very high biological diversity. Here the Sooty's find food such as Limpits and other small crustaceans. Surfers often walk along the rocks oblivious to the proximity of the birds. At greater risk is the Sooty chick which is raised on the sand between the black rocks. Other marine plants and animals use the protected inshore reef as a retreat from high energy ocean conditions.
Two kilometers to the south of the headland is Flat Rock. Flat Rock is important because a number of shorebirds come to the rock to rest after long periods of feeding off-shore.
Flocks of Little Terns and Crested Terns are commonly seen there during the breeding season. Birds need long periods of undisturbed rest after a long-haul feeding session out to sea. More common at Flat Rock are the unleashed dogs which chase the birds and disturb them time and time again.
Byron Bird Buddies takes the view that the community will respond favourably to recognition of the needs of resting birds at Flat Rock, once a range of community education measures are put in place.