NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service staff and volunteers have sighted almost twice as many nesting pairs of Hooded Plovers this year on the South Coast between Jervis Bay and Kioloa compared to five years ago thanks to combined efforts by staff, volunteers, local councils, pest controllers and the public.

Shorebird Recovery Coordinator Jodie Dunn said it was important to remain vigilant but a decade's work protecting Hooded Plovers, Pied Oystercatchers and Little Terns was having a positive effect.

"This week we have reports of ten definite pairs of Hooded Plovers breeding on South Coast beaches and we have a probable sighting of an eleventh pair," Ms Dunn said.

"Five years ago we would have been lucky to find six or seven pairs nesting in this region so this is a wonderful result.

"We are running more half-day training programs for new shorebird protection volunteers and I encourage people to get involved.

"Hoodies are confirmed to be nesting at Lake Tabourie, Burrill Lake, Rennies Beach, Inyadda Beach and Mary's Bay at Jervis Bay and chicks have hatched at Kioloa, Narrawallee and Cudmirrah Beach.

"Hoodie nests have been recently lost at Willinga Lake, Meroo Beach and Bombie Beach and scavenging ravens increase the threats to shorebirds during school holidays.

"One Hoodie pair nested in their usual spot near Willinga but soon after the discovery of the nest, an illegal beach camp attracted ravens to the area and the eggs disappeared.

"A volunteer found three Hoodie eggs in a scrape in the sand at Meroo Beach last week and the nest has been protected while we conduct fox trapping and fox den detection.

"At Sussex Inlet vandals removed signage and fencing twice and we fumigated a fox den right behind a nest, but all three chicks have been seen alive so the hard work is definitely worth it.

"This year Hoodies have also been sighted at Bherwerre Beach, Berrara Beach, Manyana Beach, Conjola Spit, Wairo Beach, Termeil Beach and Racecourse Beach at Kioloa, so we may find more nests.

"Pied Oystercatchers are facing threats from high lake levels and high swells this year and volunteers have raised some nests onto sandbags.

"Where we have raised nests on as many as seven sandbags, we can only hope the chicks will hatch and move to safe ground before their nests are washed away.

"Little Terns have begun to arrive for their annual breeding at lake entrances along the south coast.

"Fox den detection dogs Bolt and Eco are fully recovered from tick bites now and have returned to their patrols.

"Nine fox dens have been fumigated thanks to the work of the detection dogs, and one den was directly behind a Hooded Plover nest.

"Fox dens have been detected and fumigated at Cudmirrah beach, Berrara Beach, Wardens Head above the Bombie Beach, Conjola Beach, just north of Narrawallee Inlet, Meroo Beach and Willinga Lake entrance.

"Thanks for the support of Shoalhaven and Wollongong councils and the Lake Illawarra Authority who helped fund the fox den detection operation and the council and NPWS staff who spent time on the beach with Steve Austin and his dogs.