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Birds New Zealand No. 11

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No. 11 September 2016 Birds New Zealand The Magazine of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand NO. 11 SEPTEMBER 2016 Proud supporter of Birds New Zealand Proud supporter of 3 President’s Report Birds New Zealand 5 New Birdwatching Location Maps We are thrilled with our decision 7 Subantarctic Penguins’ Marathon ‘Migration’ to support Birds New Zealand. Fruzio’s aim is to raise awareness of the dedicated 8 Laughing Owl related to Morepork work of Birds New Zealand and to enable wider public engagement with the organisation. We have 9 Fiordland Crested Penguin Update re-shaped our marketing strategy and made a firm commitment of $100,000 to be donated over the 11 Ancient New Zealand Wrens course of the next 3 years. Follow our journey on: www.facebook/fruzio. 12 Are Hihi Firing Blanks? 13 Birding Places - Waipu Estuary PUBLISHERS Hugh Clifford Tribute Published on behalf of the members of the Ornithological Society of 14 New Zealand (Inc). P.O. Box 834, Nelson 7040, New Zealand. Email: [email protected] 15 Minutes of the 77th AGM Website: www.osnz.org.nz Editor: Michael Szabo, 6/238, The Esplanade, Island Bay, Wellington 6023. Phone: (04) 383 5784 16 Regional Roundup Email: [email protected] ISSN 2357-1586 (Print) ISSN 2357-1594 (Online) 19 Bird News We welcome advertising enquiries. Free classified ads are available to members at the editor’s discretion. Articles and illustrations related to birds, birdwatching or ornithology in New Zealand and the South Pacific region for inclusion in Birds New Zealand are welcome in electronic form, including news about about birds, COVER IMAGE members’ activities, bird studies, birding sites, identification, letters to the editor, Front cover: Fiordland Crested Penguin or Tawaki in rainforest reviews, photographs and paintings. Copy deadlines are 10th Feb, May, Aug and between Haast and Lake Moeraki. Photo by Douglas Gimesy, 1st Nov. Views expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of New Zealand Birds Online. OSNZ (Inc) or the editor. S New Zealand Falcon, Auckland Islands (see story on page 7). Photo by Tony Whitehead, New Zealand Birds Online. S New Zealand Falcon, South Island. Photo by Glenda Rees. S David Lawrie (right) and Bernie Kelly (centre) during the bittern S The Boundary Stream field trip, one of three options on 6th June. tracking workshop at Waitangi wetlands, Hawke’s Bay, 5th June. President’s Report Annual General Meeting Weekend Early in June the AGM weekend was held in Napier. The event monitoring in the harbour, which has contributed knowledge was extremely well organised by Bernie Kelly and his small relating to the use of the harbour by shorebirds and has enabled team of volunteers, and there was a really good turnout with the identification of the key areas for them, and which Ray about 160 people registered. This was one of the Society’s largest Clough and I accepted on behalf of the Society. This was a conferences, and it was held in one of the smaller regions. worthy recognition of the many hundreds of people that have It is clear from the presentations that ornithological research been involved in undertaking the biannual counts on the in New Zealand is in a fine state, with excellent talks from a harbour over that period. large number of students, researchers and really keen amateurs. A small group of people, including Birds New Zealand It was great to see the influence that the Birds New Zealand members, are undertaking preliminary investigations into Research Fund has had and I hope that the sponsors can reflect establishing a nature centre in the Mangere area. An easily on all the benefits there are to ornithology from the papers accessible centre would provide an opportunity for raising presented by those who have received grants. awareness of the importance of the harbour and, indeed, As President, the other pleasing aspect was hearing all the all estuarine areas. This also has some measure of importance wonderful positive comments made by attendees. This augers because Transit NZ is investigating the option of a new well for the future of the Society and is a reflection of the hard motorway around the fringes of the Onehunga Basin, which work put into its activities by the Council and the Regional could have impacts on bird life in that area. The Department of Representatives. During the conference the invitation was made Conservation is presently investigating the potential effects in by Neil Robertson (Southland), for the next one to be held in association with Birds New Zealand members. Te Anau at the start of June 2017. This promises to be another interesting conference and I would urge people to keep the dates Department of Conservation Banding Officer free in their calendars. I have invited DOC’s new Banding Officer, Michelle Bradshaw, to provide a regular update on her activities and areas where Heritage Expeditions members could assist, the first of which is in this edition. The You will notice an advertisement placed by Heritage Expeditions Society has always enjoyed a close working relationship with the on the back cover of this edition, which the editor has arranged. Banding Office, but this is the first time they have been given an This company is no stranger to the Society having generously opportunity for regular contact with our members. I would urge donated a travel prize which was awarded at our 2012 annual all members involved in banding activities to contact her if they conference in Tauranga. Many of our members have travelled have any concerns or issues because banding is a core activity with this company, including myself, and their journeys to that the Society undertakes. remote wild places are always fascinating. As can be seen from the advertisement, for each member who travels on one of these Branding Review journeys a donation is made to the Society’s activities, so please Helen Taylor, one of our newly elected Councillors, has accepted the be sure to tell them that you are a member if you intend to travel role of revising the website and all of the Society’s marketing and with them. And if you do, please don’t forget to provide a report social media presence. This matter was discussed at the combined to our magazine editor–with photographs if possible. Council and Regional Representatives meeting and Helen has been given authority to consider all aspects of the Society branding, Manukau Harbour Forum including the logo. While no decisions have been made yet, Helen A forum was held on 10th June to identify key issues and will consider all options and report back to Council and before any outcomes that will impact and restore the Mauri or life-force of major changes are made the membership will be consulted. This New Zealand’s second larger harbour, the Manukau. This was a is part of the push by Council and the Regional Representatives to very well attended event that involved a number of informative make the Society more relevant to younger people and to have a presentations. The harbour is of great interest to Birds New greater presence in our day-to-day activities. Zealand because it is the most populated shorebird habitat in the country. It is also surrounded by New Zealand’s largest city, Projects and Activities Committee hence the number of threats is increasing. This committee has been convened by Peter Frost for a number Awards were presented to acknowledge those groups that of years, with limited uptake by regions. The recent Youth Camp have contributed to the restoration and preservation of the and Red-billed Gull surveys are two notable exceptions. At the wildlife and ecology of the harbour. One such award was recent Council meeting it was decided to disband this committee given to Birds New Zealand for undertaking 55 years of bird and to replace it with a Youth Liaison Committee (YLC), and Number 11 September 2016 ӏ BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 3 to thank Peter Frost for his efforts with the P&A Committee. Sharon Alderson, one of our newly elected Councillors, has been New Zealand National Bird appointed as the Convenor of the YLC and she is looking for Banding Scheme people prepared to assist her in initiating activities that can help to attract younger people into the Society. This was indicated Michelle Bradshaw was appointed as the DOC Banding in our forward planning as a key area that Council needs to be Officer in April 2016, and – ably assisted by Sandy Taylor as active in finding ways to include younger members. If members the Casual Administrator – is in the process of improving have any relevant ideas please contact either Sharon or myself. various systems and processes within the Banding Office, including Certification, Technical Advice, Training, Annual Accounts Administration, Communication, Equipment and, in As announced at the AGM, the annual accounts for the year had particular, focusing on an overhaul and replacement of not yet been audited due to the need to appoint new auditors as the Banding Database. However, none of this will be very a result of the new rules which now apply. I have been advised useful without building a relationship with the bird banding that the accounts are still with the auditors, but are nearly community, so feel free to contact Michelle to introduce finalised. There have been no issues with them, it is just the yourself as she welcomes queries, suggestions, or even just requirements to present the information in a different manner a quick “hi”. Her background is in marine conservation and that is delaying completion. It was hoped to have a summary in research, having worked on seabirds, sharks and marine this edition, but this will now be in the next one.
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