And that's not just the 80 pied stilts pairs of pink legs that I counted today. No I'm talking about the pest control project that is part of the North West Wild-link (NWWL).
Our aims are to help the bush birds already present along the bush edge of the estuary and also to protect the nesting and roosting site of some 12 threatened and at risk bird species including shore birds that regularly use the shell banks to rest after feeding and some including the NZ dotterel, Variable Oystercatcher and pied stilt for nesting..
These birds include my Famous Five birds that are mentioned in the DOC designation of Shoal Bay and Ngataringa Bay as a site of Special Wildlife Interest. Those five birds are the NZ dotterel, the banded dotterel, the wrybill, Caspian Tern and reef heron. The very secretive banded rail is also present in Shoal bay.
This project has attracted more support from Auckland Council with a facilitator to help us work through the issues with a vision going forward to help with the sustainability of the project.
More to follow..........
