After receiving a flood of stunning submissions and a close public vote, the top 10 finalists were chosen for both rounds of the #backyardbirding photo competition and given to local professional photographer Peter Rees to judge! Check them out!
Read MoreImagine if …Waiheke was predator-free… There are many benefits to so many aspects of our island's flora and fauna - that’s why we will do a little series to break down some of the incredible changes Waiheke could see after becoming predator free.
Read MoreThe heat of another clear day beats down on me. I am surrounded by harakeke, kōwhai, pōhutukawa and pūriri which shake with the movement of feasting birds. It’s a nectar feeder’s dream.
Read MoreThe depths of a tall forest gully can feel like you’re in a remote and untouched part of the world, especially when you can no longer get a signal on your GPS. A noiseless shadow swoops past me, few creatures move with such ease and invisibility, so I am enamoured to see the golden eyes of a ruru peering down from the underside of a wheki ponga.
Read MoreKōtare, or Sacred Kingfisher, are the glimpse of colour you may see dipping in and out of a riverside or silhouetted on a powerline. Often you’ll only see a flash of teal and a splash before they return to their lookout hidden away in the mangroves.
Read MoreKākā are a key indicator species for stoat abundance, given stoats predate on kākā chicks and eggs, so as stoat numbers continue to drop on the motu, kākā numbers are soaring. You are invited to participate in a citizen science initiative to help understand the abundance of these magnificent bush parrots on our island. Whenever you see or hear kākā this November, record your sightings!
Read MoreThe New Zealand Garden Bird Survey is the longest-running annual survey of biodiversity in the country. Not only does it encourage an appreciation of the diversity of beautiful birdlife on our doorstep, but it allows for members of the community, from tots to tīpuna, to actively contribute to vital conservation research. The data collected from Waiheke over the last 10 years tells a very interesting story.
Read MoreA huff of olive green streaks past me, bouncing back and forth between the mahoe. He is electric with energy as his plumage stands on end, the males surrounding all decorated with the same round and ruffled shape.
Read MoreWith the days at their shortest and the weather at its strongest, you may be wondering what can be done to support birds during this turbulent time. Well, it's not just ducks that love the rainy days of winter, trees and plants love it too. This is the best time of year to design your garden around what kind of visitors you want to encourage to your backyard.
Read MoreShags, in my opinion, are an essential part of experiencing coastal Aotearoa. Some people may know them as the relentless and hungry bird that nicks bait and fish from the end of your line, their snake-like neck appearing loch-ness-style to the rear of your boat the moment your line is cast. Tīkapa Moana is home to 5 species of shag, pied being the most easily recognised.
Read MoreThere have been many rewards from the years of dedicated predator control on Waiheke. Some are raucous, seen soaring and screeching all over the island, but one, in particular, has quietly moved into people's backyards.
Read MoreA large kohekohe berry fell near my feet followed by a branch and then a strip of bark. High above, in the canopy, there was crashing and hopping and the shrieks of trill laughter. The beating of feathers echoed throughout the valley.
