What a beautiful documentary! It gives up a glimpse into these remarkable birds and what they endure during a breeding season.
Van As and Jacques Jordaan, oupa en kleinkind, treated us to a screening of their incredible documentary on the Black oystercatchers, or Tobies, in Betty’s Bay.
Filmed on the beaches of Betty’s Bay during 2025, they traced various breeding pairs through the tragedies and triumphs of their efforts to lay eggs, hatch chicks and raise them to fledglings.
Their passion and dedication for these Tobies shines through the movie as they share in the highs and lows of the breeding pairs. Their brilliant footage captures the dedication and hard work of parents trying to keep their eggs and chicks safe, feed them, and protect them from the heat and the storms, predators and people. Part of the breeding season coincides with the peak holiday season in Betty’s Bay – increasing the disturbance at their nest sites from people and dogs. It give us a better understanding of the implications of each disturbance on the survival of the eggs and chicks.
Their superb photography, the heart felt and humorous scenes and narration, and their love and knowledge of the Tobies in Betty’s Bay has produced an incredible legacy on the “Tobies”.
I hope that once people have seen it, they will have more respect and concern for the Oystercatchers they see on the beaches. And act more carefully to give them the space and peace they require during the breeding season.
Thank you Van As and Jacques for all your hours of work! This is a remarkable documentary. May your movie increase the awareness of the Tobies in Betty’s Bay and promote future successful breeding seasons.