June 2010 Centeral Aucland, Royal Forest and Bird Protecton Society Newsletter

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FOREST AND BIRD – CENTRAL AUCKLAND ISSUE NUMBER 96 – JUNE 2010

MEETINGS – JULY 2010 ̶ SEPTEMBER 2010

Meetings are held in the Parnell Community Centre, 545Parnell Road, (Jubilee Building) on Sunday afternoons in theHobson Room at 2.30 pm. Plenty of parking is behind theCentre. A donation of a gold coin to help defray hall costswould be appreciated.

BIRD RESCUE – Sylvia DurrantSunday, 18 July 2010Sylvia Durrant is so well know through her work with birdrescue that she hardly needs an introduction [see Te KarereOctober 2009, pg 7]. Please bring old towels, sheets, etc. todonate to the Bird Rescue Centre for Sylvia to use when shecares for the injured birds.

In This IssueChair’s Report p. 2

Online shop p.2

Day at Tiritiri Matangi

Island p.3

Dunne & Mokihinui

River appeal p.3

Garden Bird Survey p.3

KCC Programme p.4

Activities Programme p. 5

Hamlins Hill plantings p. 6

BioBlitz 2010 p. 6

Photo Competition p. 6

Bioblitz your own yard p. 6, 7

THE CASE FOR A KERMADEC SANCTUARY – Karen BairdSunday, 19 September 2010Karen works in the Auckland office of Forest and Bird and is spearheading an exciting newcampaign in partnership with Pew Environment Trusts’ Global Legacy project and jointly

with WWF-NZ [World Wildlife Fund for nature] to create the largest protected marine areaon the planet. Come and hear of their successful endeavours during the year.

SOUTH AFRICA AND BOTSWANA – Alison WesleySunday, 21 November 2010Alison Wesley spent time last year visiting Bouth Africa and Botswana. She will give anillustrated talk about her visit to both of these wonderful countries. A talk not to be missed.

Introducing our new delivery coordinator, Lati Moodie. Lati has taken on the huge

job of voluntarily coordinating our hard copy deliveries. At this stage she is still uncertain as to howmany new volunteers are needed to help with this, but if you would like to deliver Te Karere in yourneighbourhood, please contact her on [email protected].

Please change to an electronic Te Karere! Emailing Te Kerere saves on costs anddecreases bad environmental effects from printing, saves paper and waste, and reduces ourcarbon footprint during the newsletter’s hand-delivery. Thank you to the many of you who nowreceive Te Karere by email!!

We would like to keep increasing this as much as possible, so please update your email details at

http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/support/membership/changedetails.asp or email us with “Email

address” in the subject line at [email protected]. This includes both Forest and Bird and KCC members.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/support/membership/changedetails.asp




http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/support/membership/changedetails.asp





Chair’s ReportThe past year has been a pretty hectic one forconservation. There have been some really bignational conservation issues that Forest andBird has had to face. Things like thegovernment’s proposals to removeconservation land from protected Schedule 4status in order to explore it with a view tomining it, a decision to dam the wild Mokihinui

River in Nelson, and the likely consequenceson freshwater habitats of the disbandment of the Canterbury regional Councillors and of changes to extraction from rivers like Hurinui.

On the home-front within our local CentralAuckland branch things haven’t been quite sohectic. These are the main things we have beeninvolved with in our branch:

- continuing to produce and deliver our

branch newsletter to our members, whichsounds straightforward enough, but whichtakes a lot of time and energy and commitment

- writing and sending email notices to themembers who have given us their emailaddress, usually to remind people aboutimportant issues like submission deadlines orabout branch trips and meetings

- organizing trips- organizing meetings with interestingspeakers

- organizing Forest and Bird/KCC branchstands and displays like the WAZZUP stand atthe zoo at the end of the year, or a stand at therecent BioBlitz in the Domain for example

- co-ordinating between KCC and thebranch committee

- managing the branch finances- making decisions about making funds anddonations available to different conservationissues. Our branch’s main donations this last

year have been to fund the complete re-vampof the KCC website (now getting up to 1200visits in each month from over a hundreddifferent countries), to the re-build of theRuapehu Lodge (set to be opened later thisyear and big enough for Forest and Bird andKCC camps like the old days), and to the newForest and Bird endowment fund with some of the interest coming back to the branch and therest staying for national campaigns

- advertising Forest and Bird and trying to

attract new members-

- posting our branch activities onto theForest and Bird and KCC websites

- making submissions about important localconservation issues, like the OrakeiManagement Planning, Auckland’s Supercityand its possible effects on particularly ourregional parks, on national issues like theMokihinui dam, the government’s proposals to

change Schedule 4, and the repeal of theForeshore and Seabed Act- Campaigning with DoC and NZTA about

the protection of Pollen Island- Applying for funds for weed control on

Pollen Island- Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the

Hauraki Gulf Marine Park - Liaising with other local conservation

groups like Tamaki Estuary Potection Society,Botanical Society, Tiri Supporters and lots of

others, and with the City and RegionalCouncils about specific conservation issueslike Tahuna Torea, Hamlins Hill, Tiri events,and Pollen and Traherne Islands.

- Contributing to the Forest and Birdwebsite and the new KCC website which ourbranch funded and it was launched inDecember

I would like to thank all of the members of thecommittee for all the work that is done. We have

lost a few members who’ve resigned from thecommittee to live their own lives. One of thesewhom I must mention is Peter Riddick who first

joined the committee years ago, in the 1970s Ibelieve; at the same time we have been fortunateto have a few new members come on board, and Ithank them all for that.

Anne

Online Shop Has Good Stuff...like these patches that sell for just $6. Find it athttps://secure.forestandbird.org.nz/shop.




Branch members on a day trip toTiri Tiri Matangi Island in May

A Great Day on

Tiritiri Matangi Bird SanctuaryA group of Forest & Bird members aged from 4years upwards enjoyed a day trip to Tiri TiriMatangi Island in May this year. Despite aforeboding weather forecast and after a heavyshower at lunch time - when we were all eatinglunch in the Visitors Centre - the seas calmed andthe sun shone on this beautiful conservationisland. Members were given a free guided walk inthe morning and then enjoyed meeting takahe,saddleback, kakariki, North Island robins,whitehead and many other species rarely seen onthe mainland on a leisurely stroll back to thewharf in the afternoon. One member even saw arecently released rifleman on the Kawarau track.The well stocked shop which sells mostly NewZealand made goods was also well patronised.

Dunne: DoC to Be Applauded forMokihinui Appeal

United Future leader Peter Dunne has applaudedthe Department of Conservation for its‘courageous’ appeal of the decision to grantresource consent for the Mokihinui Hydro Dam.

“I consider this to be a very courageous appealand entirely appropriate for a governmentdepartment charged with protecting our preciousconservation estate,” said Mr Dunne.

“I am also pleased to note that Forest and Bird

have likewise lodged an appeal. I know fromdiscussions I have had with them recently thatsuch an appeal is a significant financial

undertaking and the decision to go ahead wouldnot have been taken lightly.”

“As United Future did not submit to the originalapplication I am unable to lodge my own appeal,however, I am fully supportive of those lodged byDoC and Forest and Bird, and will assist insideParliament where I can.”

United Future is of the opinion that damming‘wild’ rivers such as the Mokihinui is unneces-sary and environmentally irresponsible. “Despitethe rhetoric around clean green renewable hydro,rivers are in one sense an incredibly finiteresource. Sure, the water itself maybe renewable,however, damming a river, especially somethingof the scale of the Mokihinui proposal,dramatically changes the character of that riverand its surrounding environment forever. Let’smake the Mokihinui the last time we have this

debate, and commit to protecting our wild andscenic rivers for the enjoyment of generations tocome,” said Mr Dunne.

Be a Scientist! Take Part in the NZGarden Bird Survey

Landcare Research and Forest & Bird are askingfor your help again this year in spotting birds inNew Zealand gardens. Spend just one houranytime between 26 June and 4 July looking for

birds in your garden, parks or school grounds.Record the largest number of each type of birdyou see or hear at once and then send your resultsinto Landcare Research. Last year sparrows werethe most common garden bird, with silvereyes asthe most common native bird hanging out inpeople’s gardens. Last year, over 1900 peopletook part in the nationwide survey.

Your results will provide scientists with importantinformation about bird populations and future helpfor some types of birds. For survey forms and birdidentification sheets or to enter your results online,go to

http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/gardenbird.

http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/gardenbird






KCC NEWSLETTER JUNE 2010 TO OCTOBER 2010

YOUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS ARE SIOBHAN, MARIANNE AND MARGUERITE

Access our website on www.forestandbird.org.nz; www.kcc.org.nz

PROGRAMME

Sunday 20 June Planting on Motutapu IslandWe have about 100 people signed up to go. Please note the meeting location has changed – we are nowmeeting outside the foreign exchange bureau, under the arch of the Ferry Building, between 8:45 – 9 am

when we will collect a ‘volunteer’ card from the Trust representatiave for a discounted ferry fare [$20 foradults, $10 for children].

Queries to Marguerite on [email protected]

Sunday 25 July Native Fish Field TripMeet us at 10 am at Tangiwai Reserve on Huia Road in the Waitakere Ranges (there’s a back-up plan if weather is poor.). Paul Woodard, a native fish expert, will show us fresh water native stream creatures.

Bring suitable footwear for edge of stream discoveries and warm clothing plus a raincoat and spare clothesfor the very enthusiastic. You may choose to have morning tea before and/or lunch after at the picnic tablesin this reserve.

Book with Marianne by 18 July: [email protected]

Saturday 14 August (please note that NZ Bats Trip is postponed to February 2011) Coastal WalkJoin us for a coastal walk and informative adventure along the Manukau Harbour edge. We will have anexpert in birds or marine life joining us. Meet at the Waikowhai Park playground (access off Cape Horn orWaikowhai Roads). We have a back-up plan if weather is wet.

Final time to be arranged; please book with Marguerite: [email protected]

Sunday 12 or 19 September Pest Control at Kepa BushJoin us at Kepa Bush to learn about this piece of bush hidden in central Auckland and about animal tracking

tunnels. A specialist will help us make tracking tunnels andundertake a survey of the existing tunnels to seehow the animal pest control efforts are working. Tjhey you get to take home a tunnel to try in yourbackyard!

Final date and time to be arranged; please book with Marguerite: [email protected]

Sunday 31 October Visit to the Bird Rescue CentreWe will visit the North Shore bird Rescue Centre. Meeting starts at 10:45 am. Please bring donationsand/or old towels and sheets to assist Sylvia, the Bird Lady, in the valuable work she does . Numbers are

strictly limited and one adult per family only please.

Bookings close on 17 October; please book with Marguerite: [email protected]

Any problems? Any questions? Please phone Marguerite on 021 930 440

http://www.kcc.org.nz/
















PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES:JUNE - DECEMBER 2010

BUS TRIPS AND VISITS

FIELD TRIPS BY BUS: Unless otherwise stated,the bus will leave from the lower Albert Streetbus stop at 9am. All trips pick up at theTakapuna Rose Gardens. Trips heading southalso pick up at Harp of Erin, whilst those

heading north also pick up at Point Chevalier.Please advise where you will board the buswhen booking your trip. You should be suitablyclad and shod for the area and conditionsexpected.

BOOKINGS: please forward a cheque payableto FOREST & BIRD SOCIETY to the bookingofficer immediately after booking. Refunds willnot be given (except for sudden illness or urgentreasons, at the discretion of the committee)unless cancellation is notified by the Wednesdayprior to the trip.

SATURDAY 19 JUNE 2010EXPLORING THE PUHOI AREA

Our trip includes lunch at the historic Puhoi Pub(tempura batter fish, chips and salad, lightdessert and tea and coffee).BOOK: with John on 528 7506COST: $36.00 - includes lunch

SATURDAY 17 JULY 2010KAIPARA COAST

SCULPTURE GARDENExplore this interesting garden, browse in theplant centre or sit and enjoy the bird song. Strollalong a gentle 1km sculpture and garden trail, setin a tranquil and inspirational rural oasis; it hasover 50 selected sculptures by leading NewZealand artists and is located at award winningKaipara Coast Plant Centre. BOOK: with Louon 376 4072COST: $ 28.00

SATURDAY 21 AUGUST 2010MYSTERY TRIP!!

PLEASE NOTE: 8.30am start from Albert St. Join us on a bus trip into the unknown! A tripdesigned by our beloved and esteemed busdriver, Christine. Please bring your ownmorning tea and lunch; however, there will be anopportunity to buy food and drink at our

destination should you so desire.BOOK: with Sally on 528 7506COST: $45.00 (includes an entry fee!)

SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2010TAWHARANUI REGIONAL PARK

Tawharanui has been a mainland island forseveral years now. Come along and see foryourselves what a predator free mainland canlook like.BOOK: with Isabel on 528 3986COST: $25.00

SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 2010SEA BIRD COAST

Visit Miranda Shorebird Centre, take a beachwalk and other delights in this beautiful area.Optional fish and chip lunch from the KaiauaFish and Chip shop. Please advise on booking if you wish to take advantage of this option. (scoopof chips and a piece of hoki - $5.00)BOOK: with Sally on 528 7506COST: $23.00 (without fish and chip lunch)

SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2010KUMEU GARDENS

An opportunity to explore two beautiful gardens- Totara Waters and Willows Reach.BOOK: with Lou on 376 4072COST: $30.00 includes entry to both gardens

SATURDAY 04 DECEMBER 2010XMAS RAVE

Morning tea and lunch included. Get togetherwith old friends to celebrate the season.BOOK: with Isabel on 528 3986COST: $30.00

OBITUARYBETTY BOCKETT

2 DECEMBER 1918 - 25 MAY 2010

For over forty years Betty was a loyal andstalwart member of both Central Auckland andWest Auckland (now Waitakere) Branches. She

earned an Old Blue for her fund raising activitiesfor both branches. Betty made jams, marmaladeand chutneys from donated fruit and vegetablesand sold them on trading tables at Forest & Birdlectures at the University and later at the Zoo.She loved her garden and also sold plants andcuttings on her stalls. Even at 91 her garden wasa beautiful and magical place. Betty supportedall the day and longer trips such as the ones tothe South Island organised by Nancy Payne forour Branch. Both Nancy and John Stanniland

(Waitakere Branch) spoke at her funeral. Hermany friends at Forest and Bird will sadly missher.




Hamlins Hill: continue plantingsthat Central Auckland started

About 12 years ago, Central Auckland Branchmembers with ARC help and support started theplantings that have become the little forest onHamlins Hill. Since then it's become a regionalpark. Kit Howden, former President of theCentral Auckland branch, has been veryinvolved with these plantings. Forest and Birddirect involvement, however, has dropped away.Now we have a chance to go back and continuethe plantings on Sunday 27 June. A few mid-week plantings are planned, too. For more infogo to [email protected] and putHamlins Hill in subject line.

Photo CompetitionNew Zealand is home to a wonderful array of

unique creatures and plants. In total we havearound 28,000 endemic species, from kauri snailsto kakapo - and we're still counting!

To celebrate the Year of Biodiversity, Forest andBird is working with NIWA and DoC to run aphoto competition.

This is a competition chance for photographers toget out in the wilds of New Zealand and capturethe character, the beauty, the strange quirks andthe eccentricities of our plants and animals. Thecompetition will be judged by wildlife photo-graphers Craig Potton, Kim Westerskov, andNorman Heke. Winners of each theme, underboth young and adult categories, will win a cashprize of $300. The overall winner will receive a$1000 cash prize and runner up $500.

The winning photographs will also be featured ina road show display touring New Zealand in 2011.Prizes will be presented at an awards ceremony.

Entries must be received by 30 July 2010.

Photo Competition continuedFor more information visitwww.doc.govt.nz/biodiversitycaptured

The two entry categories are:• Young entrant — under 18 years of age• Adult entrant — 18 years and older

And the three entry themes are:• Biodiversity of land and sky• Marine and freshwater biodiversity• People and biodiversity

Forest and Bird Do BioBlitz 2010On 17 April Central Auckland Forest andBird participated in the annual LandcareBioBlitz event. BioBlitz is an annual eventto see how many different species can be

located within a limited area in a 24 hourperiod; this year it was within the AucklandDomain. Scientists guided tours day andnight around the area. BioBlitz 2010 wentfrom 10.00am to midnight on Saturday and5.00am to 3.00pm on the Sunday. Of course,the most numerous were homo sapiens.

At this year’s BioBlitz we gave out over 200Forest and Bird submission forms againstmining conservation land.

Bioblitz Your Own Yard?!A Londoner decided to see how much ‘wildlife’ there was in her garden. NationalHistory Museum ecologists' audited JulietteJowit’s grounds and came up with thisimpressive list:


http://www.doc.govt.nz/biodiversitycaptured

http://www.doc.govt.nz/biodiversitycaptured





Bioblitz Your Own Yard continuedBack gardenFlower bed Digging up the flower bed reveals a handful of worms from the black-headed, grey, green, rosy-tipped and lobworm varieties.Lawn The team finds 27 species of moss alone, mostly

common species such as Brachytheciumrutabulum and Kindbergia praelonga – but,surprisingly, no liverworts.

with spiders and springtails – tiny creaturesthat use their tails to spring away from preda-tors. Different lichens reflect the air quality.Bird bath 10-15 species are unearthed under the birdbathand other pots, including a millipede, ahunting spider with stripy legs, a long skinnyyellow centipede and four types of slug.Back patio Collecting a bag of dried leaves, Hine spotswhat looks like a big ant, but inside a test tubeit "walks like a spider" – so is probably a

Micaria pulicaria ground spider.

The back garden

In the air The sun brings out lots of flying insects –including the most glamorous catch of the day: ahawthorn shield bug (bright green with a black

triangle on its back and red stripes under thewings).Sky A bright green ring-necked parakeet fled when theteam arrived. Later they spot feral and woodpigeons, chaffinch, starling, swift, a carrion crowand jackdaw flying overhead, a blackbird on thefence, and blue and great tits on the neighbour'soverhanging silver birch.Climber Our experts get out a "beating tray" – a white

sheet stretched over a collapsing wooden x-frame– and "agitate" the budding spindle tree( Euonymus japonicus) to see what falls out.Against the white cloth they can see "at least fourspiders, some springtails & a tiny beetle".Behind fence Millimetres away from the garden, they findseveral new mosses in the alleyway, a lily of thevalley – and the fused parallel bones of whatmight be a frog, probably from when the previousowners had a small rock fountain.

Log pile Usually a rich bug habitat, it proves most popular

Front garden – some of the wild lifeRosemary bush, under front window To my shame, I never noticed this untidyrosemary is studded with iridescent green-and-red-striped rosemary leaf beetles. Next to

them, a small brown snail is the plain sister.Flowerbed to rightThe front boasts more flowers, including aprofusion of three-cornered leeks ( Allium

triquetrum): a non-native "weed" that addseasy (free) colour. Hiding in this forest of white bulbs is a tiny young Daphne – the onlyplant I've never forgotten the name of,because it's my mother's name.Hidden in the cornerA hairy hoverfly turns up in the net, lookingvery like a wasp. It's a great pollinator and isdyed yellow – probably from the nearbyKerria, whose puffball flowers are alsoknown as Japanese roses ( Japonica

pleniflora).Under the hedge, foreground Fred Rumsey spots Dorycnium hirsutum self-sown under the front hedge; a short-livedgarden plant from Mediterranean areas whichhasn't been found often enough here to have

made it into the British Flora. "On thisevidence, it could start to."

DIY: kit needed for a bioblitz• Jam jars and various pots/tubes• Sieve• Magnifying glass• Light coloured tray or casserole dish (tochuck leaf litter and samples onto)• Some good NZ field guides with pictures• A notebook

• Some kind of net (make one from a netcurtain and coat hanger)



Members of your committee

Anne Fenn, Chair [email protected]

Isabel Still, Secretary 528-3986

John Hally, Treasurer 528-7506

Marguerite Pearson, KCC, [email protected]

Barbara T., newsletter editor [email protected]

Lati Moodie [email protected]

Donald Kerr [email protected]

Marcus Freeman [email protected]

Useful Auckland City contacts1. Public Transport Information (for bus, train, ferry and

carpooling), phone Maxx on 366-6400 or view theirwebsite at www.maxx.co.nz.

2. Pollution Hotline 24-hour, in Auckland area:377-3107.

3. Information & Services - Auckland Regional Council,view www.arc.govt.nz; ph. Enviroline on 0800 80 6040. The site has plant & animal pest fact sheets.

4. North Shore Bird Rescue Centre; contact Sylvia

Durrant on 478 8819.

Contact any of us if you want to contribute to what Forest & Bird does in the Central Auckland Branch.

Our Email: [email protected]

Auckland Regional Office:302 0203; 302 3901

Our website: www.forestandbird.org.nz, refer "What's On in Your Area" and then "Events"

TE KARERE is your newsletter - if you have any comments on its presentation or the typeof information included, please let us know. It is also a way your committee keeps youinformed about the local events and meetings and the local and regional issues withwhich your committee is involved. Any feedback you have is welcome and may be

directed to the postal address on this page, attention Anne Fenn, or by email to the Editorat [email protected].

Any opinions expressed in feature or guest articles contributed to Te Karereare those of the contributing authors, societies or other organizations and are

not the opinions or policies of Forest & Bird, nor are they necessarily endorsedby Forest & Bird.

Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand (Inc)Central Auckland BranchP.O.Box 1118, Shortland StreetAuckland 1140

KCC NewsletterEnclosed









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Documents

June 2010 Centeral Aucland, Royal Forest and Bird Protecton Society Newsletter