Tuangi Survey.

 It was interesting to take part in a Cockle shell (tuangi) survey at Cheltenham beach today with the Cheltenham caretakers, a group that have been monitoring the shellfish recovery since the early 1990's.

The target species the cockles (tuangi) also known as little necked clams used to be plentiful around our coastlines but have declined over the years. Over harvesting was thought to be the cause of the decline but other factors including algae blooms and sediment issues are also now recognized as contributing factors.

The surveys began in the early 90s' when a ban on sea life take was introduced in 1993 following very low counts of 31 cockles per square metre.. The Caretaker group was formed in 1992 with support from Forest & Bird.

Surveys were initially conducted every 6 months; the last one was 5 years ago as the cockles have been 

slow to return.

Better Late than Never!

 During the last 10 years since 2016 I have been recording the approximate arrival times of the bar-tailed godwit to our local estuaries. This year they are later than usual and this evening at 5pm I recorded my first sighting of 12 at high tide. 

They were rather edgy flying up from the high tide roost on several occasions and eager to get to the water's edge to begin feeding.

Spur-winged plovers

 We often hear spur-winged plovers around the Shoal estuary. There chicks can be seen on the grass verge on the estuary side of the Esmonde Road access to the motorway. i suspect that this bird one of a pair also have a nest by the Oneill's cemetery. by the noise they were making.

These birds can be rather aggressive towards our local shorebirds.

Hands Of Nature!

A large protest march held in Auckland City today at Albert Park to protest against the Governments controversial Conservation Amendments Bill. This Bill will open up precious conservation land to development and exploitation.