Welcome to the birds

Members of the Manawatu Estuary Trust, extend a welcome to everyone to our Manawatu Estuary, at Foxton Beach on Saturday, 23 October 2021 at 12 noon to welcome our migratory birds back to the Manawatu Estuary.

We will be meeting at 12 noon before high tide, by the viewing platform at the end of Dawick Street (off Seabury Avenue) Foxton Beach.

Attention to Estuarine importance has grown immensely throughout the world. It’s now fifteen years since the Ramsar status was given to our Estuary. The Manawatu Estuary plays habitat and host to birds from the Arctic but also species that travel south to north within New Zealand.

With modern satellite tracking technology now available, and being applied to our avian species, we now have information on our estuarine arrivals and departures of godwit/kuaka including individuals who make our estuary their seasonal habitat. The scientific world have been caught up in details of the greatest flight of them all, the Trans- Pacific crossing from Alaska to New Zealand.

Attendees at our Welcome event can be assured of a very interesting afternoon hearing information previously not known.  Dr Phil Battley, Wildlife and Ecology Group, Massey University, will update us.

One of the threatened native species that relies on the Estuary is the Wrybill. At last count, there were fewer than 4,000 of these birds surviving on a national basis, but at least 1% of that population are birds of our Manawatu Estuary.

Viewing and photographic opportunities present themselves uniquely well because of the access and close proximity to the birds. Spotting scopes giving viewing advantage will be available to all, making this a special experience everyone can enjoy.

Please sign in at the Covid-19 Tracker App QR codes Posters, please keep two metre apart, and Face coverings are optional.

When

Location

Manawatu Estuary Bird Reserve Viewing Platform, Dawick Street, Foxton Beach, 4815, View Map