Persistence Pays Off

Welcome to the Midnight Collective Broadsheet 48

Actively supporting NZ’s endangered wetland birds

We are running about a month late in our usual dune lake calendar, but finally some of the variety of birdlife that we have seen in previous years is arriving at the wetland, yet still not in the same numbers. And this seems to be happening as the mallards who have dominated the lake for the last little while, have decided to recreate elsewhere. Four parera-cross ducks were on the lake this morning with the males showing very parera-like colouring.

PareraX male at dune lake

Then a pair of kuruwhengi-shovellers, that we haven’t seen since late last summer  cruised in. They seem to be a new couple, because the male is very young and impatient and hasn’t yet got his full colouring. They spent the morning preening and feeding together.

Shoveller pair preening  

kuruwhengi- shoveller -male

Also present were  a pair of tete-grey teal, along with a third that had straggled along on his own. Both these species have bred here in previous years but there have been no signs of chicks out on the water so far.

Tete - grey teal pair feeding

The pukeko have repeated their surprising behaviours of the previous year as a third chick appeared at the lake and was absorbed into the wider family.  So two chicks have now become three, with all the adults lending a hand in their upbringing. And the pair of poaka-pied stilts are also feeding here regularly. We had three nests last year but there is no sign yet that these birds have settled into nesting mode.

poaka-pied stilt pair

Good news is also coming from the Waikanae lagoon about 4 kilometres away on the coast, where a pair of dabchicks have produced another youngster. 

Wewei-dabchick -a NZ grebe with youngster 

The parents take turns in carrying the little one on their backs over the first week or two, but it is the male who takes the bulk of the responsibility while the female goes out foraging for food. This pair raised a couple of chicks to maturity last year, and one turned up at the dune lake through October. Though we haven’t seen either of them since autumn.

NIWA pollution monitor - pipe detached

Finally we have been getting reassuring reports from the NZTA that their pollution control methods will prevent contamination from the expressway entering the local waterways. Not only does red stained pollutant contnue to enter the Wharemauku however but above  is a new photograph of the NIWA monitor on that creek. It has been like this for around 10 days now and is also  snagged  with flotsam.

Track we were listening to while posting this - Jack Bruce- It had to be - and the Cream's - White Room -on vinyl through dicky speakers...Its the only way.

I'll wait in this place

Where the sun never shines

Wait in this place

Were the shadows run from themselves

Jill Studd's Blog 

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