Postscript to the last post

Welcome to the Midnight Collective Broadsheet 33

Actively supporting NZ’s endangered wetland birds

With three days of a southerly storm buffeting the Coast and survey work called to a halt around the dune lake it gave us a chance to get out and scope the work being done. 

Trench 1

Trench 2

The surveyors are accessing the area from the town end and using a large front- end loader to dig out a series of trenches. These are beginning to fill with black swamp water and appear to be cross-sections across the planned expressway.

With a major sewerage pipeline running through the southern end of the area, they have also been marking out pipelines and ventilation shafts the expressway will need to cross on its way north. Now with the sun back out and relatively calm the hive of activity has returned though it continues to be scoping work.

Front end loader tracks to earthwork far end of dune lake July 25

Hay packing at earthwork far end of dune lake  July 25 

Despite the turbulent weather, with snow now thick on the back hills, it has brought only an inch of rain and the dunelake is around a month behind in filling for the year. At the same time there are early signs of returning migrant birds. We spotted a pair of grey teal-tete, not seen since January on Andrews Pond a companion wetland about a kilometre from the dune lake and then our first returning scaup-papango pair. 

Grey Teal - Tete  July 23

Both were heading into shelter from the bitterly cold wind and the squadron of mallards that were busy harassing each other and these birds too, whenever  they got in their way.

NZ Scaup - Papango  July 23

Another sign that we have passed the solstice were a pair of pied stilts seen  on the wing at the back of the airport. The female swooped in close to pick up a piece of feathery flotsam so it looks as though they are going to try for an early nest. Conditions were blustery however and so we couldn’t get a picture – however we’ve been out most days since and hope to run into them again.

Track we were listening to while posting this Can't Take My Eyes off You    - from Jersey's own Four Seasons...

Pardon the way that I stare

There's nothing else to compare

The sight of you leaves me weak

There are no words left to speak

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