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.”
The Great Living Legends Muck-In – Northland
On Sunday 18th September 9.30a,m – 1.30, Living Legends, a community conservation project, will be celebrating Rugby World Cup 2011 with a fun and conservation orientated event! Come along to the Uretiti Camp Ground off SH1 and take part in planting thousands of trees, while at the same time having fun and celebrate Rugby World Cup 2011. A preliminary planting will happen on 3o July – come and join us – more here Read more
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.
Kayaking the Ruakaka Estuary
October Long Weekend – a big high was predicted, and a morning high tide – perfect conditions for a paddle in the Ruakaka Estuary and wildlife reserve. Simon Ellison lives in a small cottage on the estuary in Princes St. From this location he hires kayaks, we rang him and made sure he had a double kayak waiting for us. Read more
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
Fairy Terns in Bream Bay
The Fairy Tern Charitable Trust is trying to raise awareness and money to help this critically endangered species. Some of these birds nest and feed in Waipu and Ruakaka Wildlife Sanctuaries.
[Gallery not found]With a population of less than 40 birds including just 10-12 breeding pairs the New Zealand fairy tern Tara-iti is New Zealand’s rarest endemic breeding bird.
Get involved in Conservation Issues in Bream Bay
Local DOC worker Abby Meagher is keen to work with people who would like to do conservation volunteering in Waipu, Bream Bay and Mangawhai by contacting me.
The Godwits have arrived
Bev and Ron McCracken of One Tree Point have reported their first sighting this season of hundreds of Godwits landing on the beach at Marsden Bay at the turn of the tide on Sunday 19 September.
Around 4,000 bar tailed godwits return to Whangarei Harbour each summer after overwintering in Siberia and Alaska.  They fly 11,000 kms non stop to reach these shores and arrive thin and exhausted.  Over summer they can frequently be seen feeding at Marsden Bay, and on King Tide when other parts of the harbour are under water, they flock to the sand spit at the Ruakaka River Mouth.
