The family of four oyster catchers that have been residents on the Mount main beach during summer have been joined by a large flock of the coastal waders.

Cate Duff has been photographing the family, often daily, during the last six months.

'They hang with the flock but are not quite part of them,” says Cate. 'They still hang back as a foursome.”

Originally, a pair of the stocky shorebirds with the long bright orange bills built a nest on the Mount main beach in October 2016.

They've been reportedly doing this each year for the last five to six years. Nothing elaborate, the birds, named Harry and Sophie by locals, scooped out some sand, marked it with some seaweed and this season laid two eggs.

Western Bay of Plenty Wildlife Trust personnel kept a close eye on the oystercatchers and ensured the nest site was fenced off for protection.

On January 5, the two-day old chicks ventured out from the nest. The family-of-four safely negotiated their way around holidaymakers during the day and the beach groomer at night.

The safe arrival and daily doings of the chicks caused high interest amongst the public, with a Facebook page set up that tracks their activities. The adults busily probed for shellfish along the shoreline and brought food back to the chicks, until eventually the family-of-four were venturing further along the beach.

The long-lived birds, with some reaching 30-plus years of age, usually fly at six-seven weeks. While small they are at risk of predation from gulls, dogs and roaming cats.

'The chicks are bigger than their parents now,” says Cate. 'It fascinates me and I wonder how much longer they will stay together.”