Kiwi Release in Brynderwyns
Wendy Sporle of the Kiwis for Kiwi trust encourages little John Robinson of Mangawhai to pat a kiwi
before it was releaseed into the Marunui conservation block on the south eastern edge of the Brynderwyn
ranges
For the first time in something like 50 years there are kiwi in the Brynderwyn ranges. Fourteen north island brown kiwi were released into the 400 hectare Maranui conservation block on the south eastern side of the Brynderwyns on Saturday 13 April 2013 (article from Bream Bay News)
Speaking to several hundred people gathered for the occasion at the King Rd. entrance to the Maranui block, Catherine Hawley, representing the Maranui community, said that the land was purchased 26 years ago by a group of families and was covenanted by the Queen Elizabeth 11 Trust, which gives it protection in perpetuity. Read more
The Last Ocean to show at Mangawhai
The Last Ocean film
A spectacular documentary about the Ross Sea, Antarctica
- the last and most pristine eco marine system left in the world.
Friday 26th April Mangawhai Museum Cheese, Wine & Film evening at 7 pm
Film showing at 7.30 pm. Admission: $10 each
Special guest:
Philippa Ross, Great, Great, Great Grandaughter of Sir James Clark Ross who discovered the Ross Sea.”
Kiwi to be Released in The Brynderwyns
The sound of the Northland Brown Kiwi may once again be heard in the Brynderwyn Hills – what a treat that will be. Although some of us who enjoy walking our dogs up there might have to get some kiwi aversion therapy sorted I guess.
Marunui Conservation own a fabulous block of native land on the Mangawhai side of the hills and applied to Doc for some kiwi to be translocated there.
Saturday 13 April 10am 300 King Road, Mangawhai
- All invited to come and share in this magic occasion(allow 15 minutes to park and walk) Bring a picnic but no dogs please
We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you (Directions below) Read more
Boaties, let nature have its tern
“When mooring access comes before world’s rarest shore bird our society is insane.” so begins an article in the NZ Herald this week by Mark Bellingham
Mangawhai Heads is home to half of the breeding pairs in the fairy tern population of 43 birds in total. Photo / APN
Mangawhai Harbour is promoted as a water-lovers’ paradise and the perfect launch pad for surfers, boaties and recreational fishers. But some locals are gunning for significant development of the natural landscape with little regard for the importance and fragility of the harbour’s wildlife.
Many people don’t realise Mangawhai Harbour is critical to the survival of New Zealand fairy terns.
Fairy terns are New Zealand’s rarest shore bird. There are just 43 left in the world. Each one is so vital to the species’ survival that the Department of Conservation (DoC) and volunteers take turns to watch over the birds in shifts, at nesting sites during the breeding season.
This critically endangered species once bred around the North Island and upper South Island, but is now confined to four nesting sites north of Auckland.
Read the rest of the story here
Waipu Wildlife Refuge also has Fairy Terns nesting. An active group regularly traps, and fences off the nesting sites. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE DOGS TO THE END OF WAIPU COVE BEACH
New walking track gives access to the Brynderwyn ridge
Pictured is the elegant little swing bridge on the Tanekaha Forest Track.
Taken from the Bream Bay News – get the news online as well as in your letterbox
A new track which has been named the Tanekaha Forest Track has been built to provide public access to the Brynderwyn ridge. A group of volunteers describing themselves as “a bunch of old broken down track builders”, gained funding from the New Zealand Walking Access Commission and the agreement of private land owners Marunui Conservation Trust and dairy farmer Mark Gash, to form the track which was formally opened on Labour Weekend. Read more
Pedal Power – a Fun Bike Event in Waipu
9am Sunday 15 April People are invited to ride bikes, unicycles and trikes, skate, scoot, drive mobility scooters, push pushchairs or just plain walk up and back along South Rd. to show their support for the proposed Waipu to Waipu Cove cycle and walking trail. Read more
The Private Lives of Fairy Terns
Ali McDonald from DOC Whangarei writes:
Fairy tern and a breeding NZ dotterel on the spit at Waipu
Fifteen years ago I watched David Attenborough’s ‘The Private Life of Plants’ and almost overnight it transformed my perception of the flora that surrounded me, from the benign green stuff I took for granted into a complicated and surprisingly sophisticated world of intrigue. Though I have long been an admirer of birds it is fair to say my short time spent working closely with our little tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) has had a similar effect. Read more
Fairy tern chicks learning to fish in the estuary
Article from the Latest Bream Bay News – Read it on line here
The first fairy tern chicks to be successfully reared at the Waipu sandspit in four years are now in the process of learning to fish with their parents down at the Waipu estuary.
Department of Conservation ranger Ali McDonald said the chicks, in separate nests at different ends of the sandspit, coped well with the heavy downpours in the last week of December and now have most of their juvenile feathers.
Just before Christmas they were banded with metal rings on their legs, which will identify them for the fairy tern volunteers and DOC staff who are working on the recovery of this very endangered bird species. Ali said the chicks are exercising their wing muscles and have been making short flights.
They are starting to practise fishing for themselves though they will be reliant on their parents for some time to feed them enough to meet their energy demands.
“The good news is they are now at an age where they have the option of flying away from some of the numerous threats which made them so vulnerable as chicks, however this is only if they can react in time and predators such as cats and harrier hawks certainly remain a very real.”
Plant 2000 Trees at Uretiti
9am 30 July at Uretiti Campground Entrance
Sausage sizzle and morning tea provided!
The Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust invites you to come along with spades and help plant the first 2000 trees as part of the Living Legends native tree planting.
The Trust was concerned that it would be difficult to keep 5000 trees alive over a dry summer if all the trees were planted iin September to coincide with the Rugby World Cup, so has offered to plant 2000 trees in July. The Tindall Foundation is sponsoring 17 projects throughout NZ planting 10,000 trees at each site. 5,000 at Uretiti this year, and 5,000 over the next five years.
A highly publicised planting day will be held during the Rugby World Cup on 18 September with people throughout the Whangarei District and perhaps some local rugby legends helping to get the trees in the ground.
Fire Ban – let’s be careful out there Northland
The Northland Region Fire Service and Principle Rural Fire Officers request your help in notifying the public that the drought and fire bans will continue in spite of the minor rains predicted for Northland this week. Read more
