Weed Capital of the World

 Thats Auckland. Today the Auckland Council contractors have cut and dealt with the pampas on this shell bank in our local estuary. 

Over the last few years our visiting and resident shorebirds have been losing suitable roosting and nesting space as the first two photos below show. Amongst the native vegetation encroaching on this shell bank is the pest plant pampas grass often seen on roadsides in the Auckland region. 

Pampas grass encroachment March 2024

BEFORE- Pampas grass with large white plumes

AFTER- Pampas grass removed

This removal work is timely before our NZ dotterel and Variable oystercatcher attempt to nest here and in September our quota of around 200 bar-tailed godwit that are site-faithful to these estuaries will arrive after breeding in Alaska. 

A big thankyou to our local Council Ranger and the contactors who have dealt with the pampas. A follow up visit is timetabled for April 2025 after the migratory birds have left.