Fairy tern volunteers needed for upcoming breeding season

 

Do you have an interest in shore birds? Do you enjoy being out in the wide open spaces of nature on the Mangawhai Spit? Would you like to experience the unfolding drama of the tiny New Zealand fairy tern fighting for its survival against the extremes of nature and human impact? Are you keen to support the survival of the NZ fairy tern – Tara iti – New Zealand’s rarest breeding bird and most threatened endemic bird?

There are currently about 40 birds and fairy tern volunteers supporting the Department of Conservation Fairy Tern Recovery team.

About Tern Mangawhai are a group of volunteers who work alongside DOC rangers to monitor these plucky little birds during their breeding season from October until January or February. Volunteers are transported across the harbour to the sandspit on ‘Audrey’, a boat specially purchased for this purpose through fundraising efforts of the NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust.

“They then help by observing and recording activities of the birds and their chicks, noting any potential threats present, fishing sites and other observations that can help with their protection efforts,” says new volunteer co-ordinator Dawne Sanson. “Volunteers are privileged to observe courtship rituals, monitor adult birds sitting on eggs, the hatching of the bumble bee-sized chicks, and eventually watching them learning to fly and fend for themselves.”

About Tern Mangawhai urgently needs more volunteers to help with this work. A volunteer training day will be held in Mangawhai on Saturday September 26 and it is essential for potential volunteers to attend. The training covers such things as monitoring requirements, use of telescope or binoculars, how to fill out a data sheet, gathering weather data and what to do in an emergency, fairy tern behaviour, health and safety requirements, communication, and includes a volunteer manual and information about compliance and advocacy.

„ For more volunteer training day details contact Dawne Sanson, volunteer co-ordinator, 027 289 3185 or email dawne.sanson@xtra. co.nz