Last week members of Ashburton Forest & Bird counted around 1200 nests in three main nesting sites and estimate that around 900 chicks were born this season.
Forest & Bird member Edith Smith said it was likely half the nests had been home to single chicks.
An estimated 500 birds remained on the site during the count, but they were expected to be gone in the next two weeks.
Nest counters also found 30 dead chicks, and a few birds that were injured, said Mrs Smith.
She said in mid-November bird numbers at the nesting sites were around 4000.
December’s flood in the Ashburton River had seen it visibly rise to reach 240 cumecs, but despite that, the birds had recovered well and had returned to nesting.
Mrs Smith said floods impacted the birds, but so did human activity in the riverbed and also predators.
Data collected by Ashburton Forest & Bird over the season will be passed on to river protection advocacy group BRaid and Environment Canterbury.
