Dates: Saturday 28th June – Sunday 6th July 2025 Choose an hour on one day during the survey period and find the perfect bird counting spot. Use our tally sheet to count the number of birds you see or hear. Website: gardenbirdsurvey.nz
Turning of the Seasons – Winter
I’ve decided to stop counting the birds at Weiti, Karepiro, and Okura because I want a more subjective experience on my walks rather than being more analytical about things. The results of the past five years breeding of tūturiwhatu/NZ dotterel and tōrea pango/variable oystercatchers can be found at https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Shortnote_Michaux_722_125-127.pdf I will still update you all on what’s going on in…
Stillwater Planting Day – Sunday 3rd August
Okura Walkway, Stillwater. Join the Friends of Okura Bush and your local community at our annual planting day at the beautiful Okura Walkway in Stillwater. This is a fantastic opportunity to participate and learn more about the value of environmental restoration.
Okura Planting Day – Sunday 10th August
Deborah Reserve, Okura. Join the Friends of Okura Bush and your local community at our annual planting day at the beautiful Deborah Reserve. This is a fantastic opportunity to participate and learn more about the value of environmental restoration.
AGM – Sunday 17 August
3.00pm at the Okura Hall, 81 Okura River Road, Okura. Guest Speaker: Ben Paris – the Bat Guru. Pekapeka, the only native land mammals in Aotearoa New Zealand, are largely unknown due to their small size, rarity, nocturnal habits, and elusive nature. However, awareness and interest in these unique bats is gradually increasing.
Dacre Book Launch Saturday 19th July
Dacre Cottage and the Weiti Block: their history and preservation – by Felicity Goodyear-Smith. 2.00pm at MERC, 1045 Beach Road, Long Bay. If possible, please RSVP to info@veritypress.com for catering purposes. $39 (makes a great gift). Available online at Canoeandkayak.
Bird News for 2024/25 Season
I’m afraid we’ve gone from riches to rags as far as tūturiwhatu breeding is concerned with no chicks hatched at all this year, let alone fledged, compared to 11 last season. Fewer pairs attempted to nest (5 as opposed to 8 in 2023/4), which partly explains the difference. Neither tūturiwhatu nor torea pāngo nested this season on the Okura chénier…
Merry Christmas & a Happy 2025 to you all
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the FOOB team. We’ve made good progress in protecting our wildlife with many hours gone into freeing our native plants from invasive species and helping to keep the animal pest numbers down, amongst other things. A huge Thank You to our committee and committed volunteers. It has…
A New Breeding Season
Just a quick spring update to let you all know that the tūturiwhatu/NZ dotterel have started to nest and are sitting on eggs at the moment. There are two pairs nesting on the Weiti chénier, including the ever reliable flag family (CXE) at the south end and another pair at the north end. This is the northern pair’s second attempt…
The Godwits Return
The seasons are on the turn and the first adult kuaka have returned to join the overwintering flock of about 20 birds. The flock now numbers 96 (as of 11/9/24) and will increase over the coming weeks as more adults and then this year’s juveniles return to Aotearoa. The tōrea have left for their breeding grounds down south and only…
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