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.
You can help – join the trust, become a volunteer, buy a 2010 Calendar Fairy Tern Charitable Trust Read more
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.
Whale Watching in Waipu – Bream Bay
Whale Watching in Bream Bay
It was the last day in July, I had already had a lovely walk with the dog on Uretiti Beach.  I arrived home and friends told me there was a whale in the Bay.
What to do – its a 10 minute drive, I had lots of work to do…¬† But how many times do you get to see a whale off shore – and a big one at that. I jumped into the car and headed down to Uretiti Camp Ground, the last place the whale had been sighted.
Word was it was the Southern Right Whale and her calf who have been of the east coast for a week or so.  I arrived to see it Рa hundred yards or so  off the beach Рthe only problem was a commercial fishing boat was almost on top of it, circling it, and the whale was clearly distressed.  It soon headed back out to sea, and the fishing boat got bored and left it alone.
I met two neat people down there Emma and Gavin who are experienced boat masters and Emma has done some work with dolphin watching boats.  It was great to share the time watching the whale.  Unfortunately it appeared that perhaps the calf was no longer alive Рwe did not see it swimming separately, it appeared the mother was carrying it.
