Fairy tern: Volunteers keep watch

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Friday October 30 was the first official visit to the Mangawhai spit by the local volunteer group, About Tern, who will work for the DoC Warden Mailee Stanbury on her two days off each week. The day was cold with a few showers, but volunteers are made of stern stuff and go out well prepared.

Checking on the number of sitting birds and making sure their partner is relieving them so they can go out and catch a bite to eat is important at this stage of the season.

There is a report done for DoC at the end of the session and the news of what is happening is relayed to all members of the group especially the ones going out the next day so they know of any news like another nest.

Today there is one nest only with a patiently sitting bird, and another site where the male has made a number of scrapes for the female to try out for a nest. She is very fussy and has not yet decided on one, maybe as he keeps feeding her a delicious fish ever few minutes to get her ready for egg laying.

The New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust boat, Tara Iti, which is used by volunteers to get across the harbour, has recently had the wording touched up by Marty who does the cartoons in the Memo, and we thank him as it really stands out now, so people can recognise the boat. We also thank the guys at Jackson Brown for looking after it so well as it is a long walk round the estuary!

The volunteers are all keen and refreshed for the coming season, and hope that a promised El Nino summer is not too bad with no big storms to damage nests or disturb adults and young nestlings. We also hope the harbour now remains clear and clean so fish can be seen for fairy terns to catch by diving, and all people visiting the spit keep out of the fenced areas and leave their dogs at home.

-- Roy Vaughan

VIGILANT: Bruce Blue, Ann Parnell and Debbie Stone (in life jackets) just before leaving by boat to the spit – seen off by other members of the About Tern group.