Issue 160

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Issue 160

Issue 160

July 2014

Birds of New Zealand
WetlandCare Australia
Saving Pateke

From the President

John Cheyne

A range of DU projects are progressing well with the prospects for some new ones. Read more in my President’s Report for the AGM on Page 5. Preparations for our 2014 AGM being held near Martinborough 2-3 August are well advanced with an interesting programme in terms of field trip and speakers. The venue at Brackenridge Country Retreat is great and I m…

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President report

AGM venue – a right cracker

AGM venue – a right cracker

Brackenridge Country Retreat is the place for this year’s Ducks Unlimited Annual General Meeting, annual dinner and the much anticipated auction. The weekend event includes a trip to Wairio Wetlands, it has come on leaps and bounds since our last visit, followed by lunch at the Lake Ferry Hotel.* Brackenridge Conference Manager Leeann O’Neill said they are looking forward to hosting DUNZ members…

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Bird book to win

Bird book to win

Birds of New Zealand – A photographic guide put together by Paul Scofield and Brent Stephenson, published last year by Auckland University Press, it has information on 365 species of our birds. I have been working my way through this amazingly interesting book. It is not the sort of book you just pick up and read from cover…

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Happy Birthday Manukura

Happy kiwi: Manukura searching for supper.

Three years ago staff at Pukaha Mount Bruce had a huge surprise when a kiwi egg hatched and out came a pure white kiwi! Manukura is a very special white kiwi, and she turned 3 on May 3 this year. A month of celebration activities was arranged. As well as a daily Manukura ‘fact hunt’ through the reserve there were…

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Presidents Report AGM 2014

John Cheyn

Wildlife is a great joy to all of us whether they are wetland, forest or common species. Sitting writing this I am looking out my office window at the coming and goings of numerous wax eyes and the occasional tui feeding on the sugar water put out for them. I still get a thrill seeing these common species even though I…

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Arbor Day planting a tradition

Eager beavers: 1700 plants go in.

Seven classes from Waikanae and Kapanui Schools were ‘eager beavers’ on Friday June 6, when around 1700 plants were planted on the west margin of the northern pond at the Pharazyn Reserve wetland near Waikanae. The two local schools have been involved for some years now and the planting is a popular activity with the students. This latest planting complements work…

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WetlandCare Australia restoring Little Llangothlin Lagoon

Tableland wetland: A view of the Lagoon with its abundant Black Swans, Black Winged Stilts and native flora.

Little Llangothlin Lagoon is a rare and unique tableland wetland, internationally listed as one of the most important wetlands in the world! WetlandCare Australia are currently working with landholders around the Lagoon planting trees, fencing and more to provide a buffer to this vitally important waterbird haven. Protecting and restoring this wonderful wetland will not only provide secure habitat…

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Ducks in suburban Australia

Ducks in suburban Australia

A friend writes: We have two duck ponds in our estate and the ducks are protected. When Mum and Dad wander around the estate with their ducklings everyone gives them right of way. They know how protected they are: When I first moved here with my cat Roxanne she watched mum and ducklings with dad on the…

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Australia

WetlandCare Australia discovery programme for primary schools

Attention getter: Children at Fox St Pre School, Ballina, get a friendly visitor to celebrate the launch of WetlandCare Australia’s Wetland Discovery Programme.

WetlandCare Australia launched their Wetland Discovery Programme last March, a curriculum-linked environmental teaching package for primary schools. It’s a practical and hands-on programme already proving to engage students in their local environment. WetlandCare Australia, with the support of the National Australia Bank, has been working for 18 months to develop the Programme with Ocean Shores Public School as their test case. “I’ve been…

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New Wetlands education toolkit

The Queensland Wetlands Programme (QWP) in the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection recently completed a wetlands education toolkit as a teaching resource to complement the Science and Geography curriculums. The toolkit is aimed at the middle years of schooling and provides information on activities, field trips and learning opportunities relating to wetlands and water.

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Farewell shorebirds

BirdLife Australia and thousands of people across Australia were invited to farewell Australia’s amazing Shorebirds during April/May. Every year from late March onwards, thousands of birds leave the shores of Australia to embark on their arduous 10,000km journey northwards to their breeding grounds in Siberia and the Arctic. To celebrate this incredible journey, BirdLife Australia launched a…

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Protection plan for Mexico wetlands

The National Protected Natural Areas Commission, or Conanp, has released a plan to protect the 139 wetlands in Mexico, the country with the second-largest number of protected wetlands in the world. “The national wetlands policy comes from recognition that these ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to climate change,” Conanp director Luis Fueyo said during the plan’s presentation in March…

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Wairio work

Volunteers: Members of the planting team including Taratahi equine students.

Tree protection trial The accompanying photos show Cabbage and Totora trees planted in Grotectors (tree protectors) at Stage 2 in the Wairio Wetland. They were designed by Don Bell, a DU member who has been involved with the Wairio Restoration Project since its inception. These protectors are being monitored as part of the various plant survival studies being conducted by Victoria University students.…

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Dogs doing what dogs do at this time of year

City slicker finds her roots Or is that her webbed feet.

City slicker finds her roots - Or is that her webbed feet. Rosie is my daughter’s dog, a three–year-old spaniel, and totally a city pet. I was babysitting her while my daughter was shifting house. This was Rosie’s first time in the wilds and she was totally into things. It was the last shoot of the “Home of the Duck”…

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Hunting
Dogs

Valiant efforts to save ducks from extinction

Up close: Pateke at Hayes property, Wairarapa.

A brief History of Ducks Unlimited Operation Pateke. Neil Hayes QSM, DUNZ Life Member Time is overdue to document what I believe is the most significant contribution made by any conservation group in the world – that is Ducks Unlimited (NZ) efforts to save the endangered NZ Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis) from extinction. The contribution…

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Water birds love Champion wetland

Water birds love Champion wetland

The JK Donald Reserve featured in the April issue of Flight, celebrating their becoming the National Rural Wetland Champion 2014. Jane Donald’s daughter Paula Gillett took these photos a week before duck shooting. They are taken in the JK Donald Reserve on the North Eastern side of Lake Wairarapa. The Lake is a very popular shooting area where Fish &…

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Wetland Champion

Trapping at Boggy/Wairio

Trapping at Boggy/Wairio in April by Steve Playle resulted in the following critters recorded - 4 cats, 1 ferret, 9 rats, 3 mice, 1 magpie and 17 hedgehogs. The grand total came to 15 cats, 36 ferrets, 1 stoat, 9 weasels, 130 hedgehogs, 46 rats, 21 mice, 3 magpies, 1 harrier hawk and 1 rabbit. Steve also saw a Bittern…

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Our wetlands

The international theme of World Wetlands Day this year (2014) is “Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth”. For millennia, wetlands have been used directly for agriculture and for supplying food, fuel and fibre to support lives and livelihoods. Wetlands continue to play an essential role in supporting modern agriculture. They provide water storage, flood buffering, nutrient removal, water purification and erosion control. Sustainable…

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