At Mungalla Stud, a property of 880 hectares there are approximately 230 hectares of seasonally inundated wetlands which are adjacent to the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef and also the IUCN listed Halifax Bay Wetlands National Park.

These wetland have been degraded by invasive plants as a result of installing an earth wall to halt the flow of saline tidal water into  the wetlands and by spread in to the wetland  of these “weeds of national significance”. This has resulted in major changes to the nutrient regimes, ecosystem stability and function of the wetlands.   

While biodiversity and amenity values have been compromised there is excellent capacity for restoration.  The Nywaigi Traditional  owners have determined to return the wetlands to a more natural state and through a series of projects funded through the Australian Government they have begun the process of rehabilitation.

Since the start of restoration the Mungalla Aboriginal Corporation for Business has concentrated on:

• Weed control on the Annabone Wetlands
• Revegetation Molongo creddk
• Removal of the earth wall
• Weed control in Palm Creek and other fringes.

Mungalla acknowledge and thank the  Australian Government for funding and assistance through the Caring for Country  programme. Community action Grants and the Biodiversity Fund and they acknowledge the support of the GBRMPA through the Sea Country grants.

“We have benefitted and worked really well with CSIRO who are providing Mungatta Aboriginal Corporation with advice and scientific direction on the rehabilitation and restoration of our wetlands. 

This partnership has grown over the last 10 years and we appreciate the support of CSIRO and Dr Tony Grice. And especially acknowledge Mike Nicholas a friend and mentor, and we thank him greatly”.   

Jacob Cassady (Director) and Chris Cassady (NRM Manager).

During a historic visit to Wetlands International’s Head Office in the Netherlands on May 24, this year (2016), the State Forestry Administration (SFA) of the People’s Republic of China strengthened international collaboration for wetland conservation. The delegation was led by the State Forest Administration’s Vice-Minister, Mr Chen Fengxue. During the visit he signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with Wetlands International’s CEO, Jane Madgwick and met the Chair of Wetlands International, André van der Zande. 

The discussions focused on how SFA and Wetlands International can collaborate in the coming years, for example on implementation  of the Sustainable Development Goals in  China, management and restoration of peat lands for climate mitigation and adaptation, and on the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems of outstanding importance for waterbirds, including through international collaboration to conserve Yellow Sea wetlands.

Through the discussions commitments for further collaborations were also reached, including a joint-workshop on river basin management and “room for the river” approaches, further programmes on peat lands, and technical exchange between the Wadden Sea and the Yellow Sea. Most importantly, the meeting was an opportunity to strengthen the friendship.

CEO, Jane Madgwick said: “The value of wetlands for people and nature are better recognised in China than in most countries. But with rapid growth and development, wetlands have come under great pressure. We are keen to share knowledge and collaborate with SFA and other ministries in China to find ways to safeguard and restore wetlands as a cornerstone of sustainable development.”

China has enormous wetland wealth and has already included almost 18 million hectares of wetlands in nature reserves. Recognising that challenges linked to urbanisation, flood management, water scarcity, desertification, climate change and human health all connect to the status of China’s rivers and wetlands, the SFA, the focal agency for wetlands, developed a National Wetlands Conservation Action Plan with 17 other ministries to guide measures for wetlands involving all sectors.

Wetlands International has collaborated with SFA since the 1990s, an office was established in Beijing in 1996 and the government of the People’s Republic of China became a member of Wetlands International in 2000. In particular the collaboration has resulted in community-based management and rehabilitation of the vast high mountain peat lands of the Ruoergai Marshes on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau and the peat lands of the Altai Mountains in NW China. 

Wetlands International plays an important role in raising awareness about wetland values for people and nature and has supported the development of Wetland Parks in cities across China. Most recently, Wetlands International China organised a major waterbird count in the Yellow Sea wetlands, to highlight the importance of the remaining wetlands for waterbird conservation.

The white swan arrived in New Zealand in 1866. It is one of seven swan species found world–wide. It maintained a tenuous hold in the wild on various wetlands and some live in a semi–feral state in town parks. They once numbered several hundred in the wild but the 1968 the Waihine storm destroyed much of their feeding habitat and the population crashed.

It is a protected species here in NZ. Quite different to its natural range is northern Eurasia from Great Britain to eastern Russia.

Outbreaks of botulism with ducks and other wildlife can be devastating to the swans.

The female does all the incubating of eggs with the male guarding her. He can be very aggressive. They are large and powerful birds. When the males have territorial fights they can be quite terrifying and each tries to seize the Risk taker: Out in the open, but being cautious. Photo: Emma Williams. others head. Usually the stronger of the two managers to hold the other combatants head under water until it gives in and races away or worse is dead.

The cygnets are covered in a grey down when first hatch, and they are escorted round the lakes by their parents. The down changes to a brownish white, and then changes over the year to the white feathers of the adult.

The birds fledge at between 120–150 days. The parents may then chase off the young, as they become adults. Breeding starts at three to four years of age.

Aquatic plants make up a lot of their diet, but they will graze on grass and clover, as well as taking leaves from overhanging willow. Supplementary feeding may be needed at times and maize, wheat and a small amount of bread can be given, but it must not be mouldly.

The lifespan of the swan can be up to 25 years, but in the wild some only survive for five or six years. Reasons can be collisions with power lines, attacks by dogs, lead poison from digesting fishing weights, and botulism.

For many centuries, mute swans in Britain were domesticated for food. It is quite possible that this domestication saved the swan for being hunted to extinction in Britain.

Swans are no longer kept for food, but in England the Crown still has an official Swan Keeper and the ancient ceremony of swanupping, when swans on the Thames are rounded up for identification by the Crown, still takes place in July. Old records show the menu for an important medieval banquet might include as many as 50 swans.

The swans have a very large place in European mythology and folklore.

Ducks Unlimited NZ AGM (23 July 2016)

Emma Williams has continued working on the bittern project assisted by me and other volunteers. 

Key points are:

1. Emma graduated with her Doctorate  Degree at Massey University which was based on bittern research. A huge thank you to DU for helping fund a major part of her work to learn more about this iconic critically threatened species.
2. A total of 10 male bitterns (six 2014 and four 2015) were captured at Lake Whatuma and transmitters attached. Of these 10 birds, nine left the lake over summer with one bird remaining on the lake. The bird that remained on the lake was found dead in late April in raupo and cause of death unknown. Four of the birds have returned to the lake in July and one other is being monitored at a  wetland 10kms away. In spite of extensive  searching the location of the remaining four birds is unknown, but it is most likely they will return to the lake in time for spring like birds did last year. The DU funded transmitters have contributed significantly to our much increased knowledge of this secretive bird.
3. Emma travelled to Christchurch earlier this year to place transmitters on two bittern chicks that had been found abandoned not far from Travis wetland on the outskirts of Christchurch. These have been monitored by local people. One bird is still alive near the mouth of the Waimakariri River north of Christchurch and the other was found dead in mid May near the mouth of the Opihi River over 100kms south of Christchurch. This bird was examined and appeared to have died of starvation which is not uncommon overseas with bittern. Very interesting results plotting the movement of this juvenile bird and proves that bittern can move considerable distances.
4. We held a very successful meeting on April 6 for the local Waipukurau community, landowners and Iwi to up-date them on the bittern project. Over 50 people attended and DU received well deserved acknowledgment for their significant contribution to the project.
5. Emma has done no further school talks in the Wairarapa but will complete others this spring organised jointly between her and Gill Lundie. She has spoken to a number of schools in Hawke’s Bay. Emma continues to provide written articles for Flight.
6. Bittern are a species under severe threat from wetland loss, predation, poor food supply and human disturbance. Population trends are negative. The Department of Conservation operate a conservation threat classification system of bittern and last month bittern were upgraded to the highest level of Nationally Critical Threatened Species. Kakapo and takahe  share the same ranking which highlights  the plight of this iconic wetland bird.
7. It is important that DU continue to support  the bittern conservation programme and encourage others (DOC, Forest & Bird) to commit to the preparation of a national bittern recovery plan.
8. In 2015 DU Directors agreed to support the bittern project to the level of $25,000 to enable Emma Williams to continue her research work and purchase transmitters. Expenditure to date is (Emma Williams $7322) and (transmitters $9211.25). The remaining $8467 will be utilised this coming spring/summer.

John Cheyne

Coordinator Project Bittern (Matuku)

A little old but of interest to those who care about Pateke.

We will obviously have to extend our daytime surveys further up into the forest in future.

I have seen Pateke way up on the open hills in pitch darkness probably 1km from their daytime roosts showing just how nocturnal they are. And Surprise, surprise WAY up stream on ecology track. 

Roger and Patte Williams

Tawharanui Pateke Counts from Sharon Kast  is a good record to have. This is consistent  with the work of Katie Sheridan at Zealandia, her presentation to Sanctuaries of NZ hui last was of interest. Unfortunately no notes with her slides but I do remember the story was these birds go well up some of the waterways (consistent with sub fossil records that had pateke as one of our more common riverine forest bird species before mammalian depredation). 

Also- ‘flock counts’ under represented the population by as much as 50 percent  (proportion of known birds present at flock site at any one time, most go there eventually) and some birds with stable territories never left their home territory to visit flock sites.

Matt Maitland

For those interested in Pateke, here is a link to some interesting information and photos.

Keen for a bit of sport during duck hunting, Australian David McNabb checked in at Di Pritt’s (our co-patron’s) property to see what  sport was on offer.

Di’s two dogs Rommi and Luke were keen  for some action but on the whole it seemed  they were mostly just keeping an eye on proceedings at Swan Lake on Graeme Berry’s land.

With less than 3000 whio around New Zealand, they need all the help they can get.

A two-day Whio Recovery Workshop was held in June at Tokaanu, near Turangi, where people with a passion for the endangered nativeblue duck gathered to hear information, ask questions and get what answers they could, although the overwhelming conclusion was that there is still lots more to be done. 

More than 50 people involved in whio protection in the North Island took part in the workshop, which was held at the Genesis Energy Tokaanu Power Station. 

The attendees were able to grow and maintain links with like-minded people, share their skills, learn more about research and consider some of the innovations being tried to ensure the safety of whio and increase its numbers. That included new and better ways to keep predators away and, if possible, eliminate themwith best practice monitoring and trapping techniques.

The workshop group also visited the Turangi Trout Fishery, where they were shown how to set and use predator traps and how to set nets to catch ducks.

The recovery programme  involves not only paid workers, but  private organisations and volunteers. They give up their own time to set traps, walk trap lines every two to three weeks,and keep an eye on the ducks at the same time.

This workshop was not just a talkfest, but included the chance to learn about the latest research and tools, and take part in practical demonstrations such as trap maintenance and safety. 

Threats to whio

Introduced predators are the whio’s worst  enemies.  A whio recovery plan includes trapping and the use of toxins to reduced predators. Without such work, there would be no whio.   

Stoats are the main killers, along with ferrets, feral cats, falcons and dogs. But events such as floods, that scour out riverbanks, can take away the whio’s food source. Even resource consents, water use and discharge of dirty water are a threat. Then, for the females, their moulting phase makes them vunerable to predators, as they cannot fly away.

The recovery project, without which the whio would be gone, is expensive and a significant partner is a necessity. Genesis Energy has stepped in to provide funding - $2 million overfive years - and its staff  have become involvedin helping with recovery projects. 

In the early 1980s, the Moawhango Tunnel was commissioned in the upper Tongariro River and whio numbers decreased in that area because of the changed flow volumes of the river. By 2004, however, work was done to create a minimum flow and the population rebounded. 

Predation remains the key risk

Around the country, both Government workers  and volunteers continue to trap predators and take care of eggs. Floods can wipe out a whole season’s ducklings. There is also a need to increase gender diversity and the transfer of juveniles to other areas helps with this.

Recent use of DOC200 traps and double set traps (where two predators are caught in the same trap), along with aerial 1080 drops, have helped survival.  David Rogerson reported setting 85 traps and catching 50 rats a fortnight along the Maramataha River in the King Country. Malcolm Swanney trained Fern, a German short-haired pointer dog, to become a champion whio finder who will never hurt a bird.

The Ruahine Ranges

Janet Wilson, a keen tramper from the  Manawatu, started work as a DOC volunteer trapper in 2011 in the Ruahines.

The Ruahine Whio Protection Trust was formed as a collective and now a strong group of volunteers works along120 kilometres of the range. Many drive to Napier and work the Napier ridge to the Orva and back south. There are 1500 traps and it is steep terrain. 

Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club volunteers drive to Hawke’s Bay once a month to check and manage traps from that side.

Janet said she was disappointed that not enough protection work was done by DOC. Along those ranges there were 60 huts, mostly old. There are 500 plus tracks, and lots of rivers. “We have seven groups working together as a collective and using DOC200 traps.”

Jessica Scrimgeour said Janet and the collective have worked hard to keep the system going. “Janet’s commitment has driven the plan over the years.”

Taranaki trial

A trial whio recovery plan was put in place  during 1999-2000 in Taranaki to investigate a viable population.  Fifteen birds were introduced, but, for a variety of reasons, did not survive. The group persevered with stoat control in 2002 and in 2008, they released 170 ducks, with a 50-50 gender balance.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of pairs has been good with a survival rate of about 81 percent. The next phase is to increase gender diversity. Predator control remains essential, but it was also found that it is best to transfer juveniles and not adults to other areas.

Some New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association members have agreed to help out by checking traps while out hunting.

Tongariro

Rachel Abbot talked about the Kia Whariti  biodiversity project, which also involves DOC and Genesis Energy, in the 20,000-hectare Tongariro forest, bordered by the Whakapapa, Whanganui and Mangatepopo rivers, where they are using DOC 200 traps plus double set traps, and aerial 1080 drops. Since 2007,  trapping has been in progress with 700 traps  along the trap line.

Future threats

Another possible threat to whio is plantation  forestry logging. However, recent information suggests that forestry companies who are aware of the presence of ducks will move their operations away from any nesting sites until the chicks have left. 

The Whio Workshop was a success, but there’s such a lot to do, so let’s hope it will lead to more protection for the lovely whio. Alison Beath, the convenor, a senior ranger with DOC, is to be congratulated on the event. 

The ambitious Million Dollar Mouse pest eradication project on remote Antipodes Island in the sub-antarctic was completed ahead of schedule in July. 

A second helicopter drop of rodent bait across the island was finished in July, following a first phase completed on June 29.

“Despite very unsettled weather conditions, the Million Dollar Mouse team have done an outstanding job of making use of every available weather window to get the bait drop completed,” Ms Barry, Minister of Conservation said.

“This is the most challenging pest eradication ever carried out in New Zealand and is a globally significant conservation achievement, safeguarding a unique, remote and forbidding land and the many extraordinary species living there.”

Mice are the only introduced predator on the island, which is home to endemic species such as the Reischek’s and Antipodes Island parakeets, snipe and pipit, thousands of seabirds and marine mammals.

“The second bait drop by mid-July is a major step on the way to returning Antipodes to the way it was before the arrival of humans, pests and weeds.

Million Dollar Mouse was jointly funded by DOC, the Morgan Foundation, Island Conservation, WWF-New Zealand and public donations.

Total eradication of mice cannot be confirmed until a monitoring team visit the island in 2018.

To find out more, visit the Million Dollar Mouse website

At Pukaha Mt Bruce staff have been delighted with the way the birds have settled into their new home in the free flight aviary. The whio and pateke are loving their new areas and are not difficult to spot. The whio are in an ‘internal aviary’ with a new river run while the other birds are all together in the bigger aviary space.  Both the pateke and whio are breeding pairs.

The korimako seem to spend all day singing  and while the kaka and kereru took a little while to settle in, they have been busy exploring their new space and are almost oblivious to the visitors who walk through the aviary.

If you are lucky enough to be at Pukaha at the free flight aviary at around 4pm there could be a ranger talk at the “Final Flight” area. It tells the story of the restoration project for the Pukaha forest and how captive breeding can help to protect and grow our endangered species 

Why are zero scores in tennis called ‘love’?

BECAUSE: In France, where tennis became popular, the round  zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called ‘l’oeuf’, which is French for ‘the egg’. When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (naturally), mispronounced it ‘love’

Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses?

BECAUSE: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to  read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.