HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM THE FLOCK TEAM

A very happy Christmas from all of the FLOCK folk at Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre.
We were really thrilled with the Xmas message that we made with some of the FLOCK birds.
However the young people of the Port Waikato Beachcare group were way more inventive.

They borrowed some realistic Flock birds to decorate their own unique Xmas tree. Mounted on a float and accompanied by some human oystercatchers it was a prize winner in the Christmas parade.

As a group they are deserving of special mention. Under the wing of Karen Opie they have been caring for nesting shorebirds on this part of the West coast.

New FLOCKS continue to appear like this one from Pukekohe Hill School.

If you are interested in becoming involved it is easy. Just visit www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz/theflock .
There are details of how to make birds and the reasons behind the campaign are told in the "Shorebird Stories"


800km east of mainland New Zealand lie the Chatham Islands. Transporting essentials to the Chathams can be expensive. It was wonderful that Hendrik Schultz found a little space among his research gear for the makings of a very distant wing of FLOCKNZ. Below flockmakers from Pitt Island and TeOne School, Chatham Island. Fellow researcher Rebecca is lending a hand cutting out some extra birds after talking about their brown skua research.

Hendrick has been researching Brown Skua for 3 years so another bird species has been added to the FLOCK.

Chatham Island Oystercatcher( photo by Duncan Watson, NZBirdsonline)

Shorebirds on the Chathams face the same threats as those in the rest of NZ. One very special endemic species, the Chatham Island Oystercatcher, fell to a population of just 50. Sustained conservation efforts have helped build the population up to 300.

We are now nearly 9 months into the FLOCK shorebird conservation initiative. It is a good point in time from which to look back. The involvement throughout NZ has been incredible.It is also thrilling to see the international uptake and participation. This blog site records the country of origin of its visitors and this makes interesting reading. These are the countries listed in order of the number of visits to our blog.

NZ, Russia, USA, France, Australia, UK, S. Korea, Ireland, Singapore and Germany.

Of course there are many more countries involved that aren't on this list.

Both Australia

and South Korea

have their own FLOCK. In fact 2 wings in each country. The interest from Russia has been very recent and we would love to hear what's happening up there at the other end of our flyway. Here we are heading into Summer and there they are approaching the shortest day of the year.

We all share the migratory shorebirds. A world without these magnificent creatures is hard to imagine. It is wonderful that so many people do care and want to "keep the birds coming".

THE CHILDREN OF NZ MAKE AN IMPRESSIVE STATEMENT

The children of NZ make an impressive statement on Windsor Reserve, Devonport Peninsula, Auckland City.

Shorebirds cannot speak for themselves so the young people of of NZ have spoken for them.

2500+ "birds" make an impressive sight on Windsor reserve, Devonport. This is a great opportunity for the "minders of the FLOCK' to talk to the many visitors about the reasons behind the FLOCK, both on the reserve and at  special film showings in the Vic cinema.

Sadly each year fewer migratory birds reach NZ. Our endemic shorebirds face threats too, here, rather than overseas.

The students did speak for the birds with their art as did members of the Devonport community.

At  the opening ceremony on Friday the poetry and prose from the children was very moving.

The Navy quartet came along to add their support.

The passing navy ships added a great back drop to the wonderful birds of the FLOCK.

While this Shorebird Festival in Devonport is primarily an awareness campaign, people have been very generous, donating to "Noddy" and also by painting a bird to either join the FLOCK or take away to enhance  their own garden.

While this is a wonderful event the benefits will only show sometime in the future.

 On present trends some of our shorebirds could become close to  extinction during the lifetime of these young people Optimistically, efforts like this will see their populations recovering..

There has been positive news of a new FLOCK in Hawkes Bay and maybe one in Whangarei too.

Tourists from around the world are visiting Devonport and some see the possibilities of this approach to shorebird conservation. Let's not hold our breath but there seems to be a real conservation groundswell out there.

One thing has become clear. The number of photos taken of the FLOCK is well above the 2500 birds in it. These pictures are going all around the world.

A HUGE THANKS TO ALL THE CHILDREN WHO SHOW HERE THAT THEY DO CARE!

 

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

"Not a lot of people know that"

These few words explain just what the FLOCK is trying to change. If it helps more people to know about shorebirds and their problems it is doing its job.
Sonny Whitelaw who is managing "FlockBRaid" tells us that there has been increased community involvement in conservation activities as a result their flock appearances.
The South Island is in all of our thoughts at the moment. For shore nesting birds like the Banded Dotterel at Kaikoura a 2-5m tsunami is devastating. Sonny also reports that the earthquake has totally blocked the Clarence River.

Staying in the South Island, the situation of the southern New Zealand Dotterel has become even more critical.

 (photo Craig McKenzie)
The population recovered from only 11 pairs to 300 individuals but now it is crashing. John Dowding, a leading authority, predicts that the southern NZ Dotterel could be extinct in 3-4 years.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT!

We don't need to go too far back to a bird extinction. 

 This is the last picture taken of the South Island Snipe, in 1964 by Don Merton, the famous bird conservationist.

There is a great deal of positive news. Birds for the Devonport event,(18-28 Nov) are still arriving at the Shorebird Centre. 3 car loads have made it to Devonport already. They will be joined by the huge numbers arriving from local Devonport schools and community groups on Friday at the Windsor Reserve.

One group that won't be making the journey is the Godwit FLOCK from Muan Mongtan Middle School, South Korea. Here is a great, illustrated account from Andreas Kim.

"Migration reversed …

While in March and February the arctic migrants heading north to the Yellow Sea and in September and October coming back to New Zealand, this year “The flock” migrated north in October.

As part of an ECO-class for the 3^rd-graders in the Muan Mongtan Middle School the students learned about the close relation we have with birds living on tidal-flats, sharing the habitat and also food. Of course the students also learned about the tremendous journeys the shorebirds undertake every year in our flyway. And so consequently we decided to participate in “The Flock” project.

 Birds in the making

 

During the class the students, with support of teachers, created their birds. The Mongtan Middle School is located in the south-west corner of the R. O,K and the birds we see and can surely identify as New Zealand-birds from their leg-flags are almost entirely Bar-tailed Godwit and so this was the species we selected for our “Flock”.

The finished birds

Our field-trip on November 13^th brought us, students, parents and teachers to Aphae Island, a site that hosts many Bar-tailed Gotwit from New Zealand and also Australia and so we selected a small sandbank that the birds use as roosting area on high tides.

The Flock on the sandbank roost

With “The Flock” roosting at almost high tide and at the exact same place as the birds do when on their migration our little flock made not only the connection to “The Flock” in New Zealand, but also to the birds that will return back to this place in a few months and with it hopefully widens the understanding that all our tidal-flats are so essential for our winged friends.

Students, parents and teachers with “The Flock”

This little flock, and sorry here the migration is not really reversed, will not head south to New Zealand to join the other many birds of “The Flock” but will find a place on the schoolyard." Thanks Andreas! !

In Devonport one thing is very clear. A lot of people there DO KNOW ABOUT SHOREBIRDS. 

This is the shopfront of Bookmarks store.The upcoming Shorebird Festival is now a major discussion topic in the community. The Shorebird Film Festival on Sunday 20th is getting plenty of bookings, you can book online at https://www.thevic.co.nz/movies/12165.php

 In Australia FlockOz has had its first outing at the Adelaide Shorebird Festival. A great reception despite the weather.

Another group is starting up in Broome, W. Australia.

Finally, just in from Wakaaranga School are these photos of their birds who will arrive just in time to join us at Devonport.

Please share your photos and stories so that there will be lots more people who DO KNOW about our amazing shorebirds.

A FLOCK OF 520 BIRDS AT KAIAUA

The weather was perfect and the view of the distant Coromandel Peninsula was stunning. The Kaiaua foreshore was just the place for our Labour Weekend FLOCK appearance. Thanks to Louisa who was much involved with planning this event.
It took an hour or so to put the 500+ birds in the ground. Lots of the birds come from local schools as did many of the spectators, along with their mums and dads.

 One small FLOCK had just come from Mangatangi School's Calf Day held the day before..

There were also a few live birds that joined the FLOCK like these red-billed gulls.

The South Island pied oystercatchers were a bit more standoffish.

Luckily we had a couple of scopes along so that visitors could get a good close-up view of the real birds.

A highlight of the occasion was the arrival of a coach load from Auckland, members of the Chinese community with involvement in conservation activities.

Earlier this month a FLOCK of 50 "godwits" was welcomed onto the Piritahi Marae, Waiheke Island. The powhiri was witnessed by some real godwits down on the shore. Trudy Lane, one of the FLOCK team, was there to accept the gift of these "birds" for our FLOCK.

Across the Tasman there is a big event planned, the Shorebird Festival at ST. Kilda on 30th October.

Dave and Mick from Pooraka Farm Mens' Shed produced cut-out birds to be decorated.

This weekend there was a big painting session at the Port Adelaide Information Centre.
Here at Pukorokoro Miranda we have been welcoming back our Arctic migrants from their breeding season.
 Here and down South our endemic birds are busy breeding. Great efforts are underway on the South Island braided rivers to protect against predators.

 Can you find the Wrybill nest among the river pebbles, in this photo from Nick Ledgard?

Predators find it easily. Hedgehogs are a major problem for ground nesting birds, both in the braided rivers and coastal sites.

We have just received this video from young Jamie Tully. Jamie was at Devonport recently when  Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. John Key and Hon. Maggie Barry, Minister for Conservation, visited. Thanks Jamie.

 This is a good place to give advance notice of 2 events happening in Devonport. All the schools in Devonport are making birds for the FLOCK. Their birds and others will be on display in Windsor Park, Devonport from 18-28 November. It will be a spectacular, in fact majestical, FLOCK appearance.

Also in Devonport on Sunday 20th November there will be a special film show and commentaries from Adrian Riegen and Keith Woodley at the Victoria Theatre. Don't miss out you can book online now www.thevic.co.nz

The FLOCK team would love to see you in Devonport.