AMONG THE BIRDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 119, 21 May 1932, Page 13

AMONG THE BIRDS

WHAT A RANGER SEES

IN WELLINGTON DISTRICT

EvTERESTIXG EEPOET

Reporting upon the native anil im- . ported birds in the, Wellington accli- . matisa'tion districts, Ranger T. Andrews says:— "The grey duck is still plentiful, despite the heavy toll taken every . shooting season, but as their feeding grounds, diminish so must their numbers , lessen. Even now we may have an exaggerated, idea of their numbers, it! must be remembered that' ducks find very, little sustenance on large waters " and most of our sanctuaries are included in that category. Their feeding grounds include marsh and swamp . country, slow-running streams, and mud flat 3on river estuaries. They fly considerable distances every evening and return to the lakes at dawn. "Thirty years ago thousands of acres of swamp and marsh country lav between Tokoniaru and Foxton, including the Moutoa and Makerua. Gradualh- - this country has been drained until to-day the only water in evidence is in a few open drains. The thousands of \teal have vanished complete^', appar-1 • ently not being able to adapt them-! ••; selves to the changed conditions. The j grey duck has survived, but its feeding . grounds are very limited, and it is un- ' doubtedly the duty of the acclimatisation -societies and other interested ■ bodies to take some action and try to improve the food supply of this line bird. It might be possible to import some, aquatic growth that'■could be ' planted on our large lakes and lagoons. .A PREY TO POACHERS. . _ "The birds are usually bred far away •in the hills and gradually brought down r to the drains, as there is a sure food' - supply in the slow-running water. *-Un- . fortunately cover, is absolutely lacking, ,-'■ and these young birds are an easy prey to the first poacher who might come along. If there were sufficient food to be obtained on the .large lakes the - parent birds would, no doubt, take - their young there instead of leaving ■- them, exposed on the narrow drains. A' . "very pleasing contrast may be seen r about Awapuni. In this locality there ;is a series of- shallow lagoons", with , abundant vegetation, and the ducks .. take full advantage of their suitability. - Broods of mallard, spoonbill, and grey - duck ate in evidence on all sides. TJn- . fortunately the area is limited to quite = a, few acres." .<• Mallard duck, it is suggested, are in- , creasing in. the Manawatu and Kangitikei districts, while the shoveller, or spoonbill duck, is still to be found in limited numbers about the Manawatu. Bitterns are still seen in places. The ~ godwit, however, is gradually forsaking i the district, although banded, dotterels and pied stilt plovers are still plentiful. Pukeko are becoming numerous in '-. some localities, and their presence ib • resented in. areas whero cropping it, -. done. BIRDS IN THE'HARBOUR. "If the hundreds of people travelling • daily between Wellington and the Hutt Valley would study the birds to be seen en route a monotonous journey could Hbe made a pleasure," the report con- -• tinjies. . - ■ •'"The black-backed gull is by far the "most numerous; • It- may be seen in " immature and mature plumage throughrr«Ut the year. The-first year's costume '-■ xis-"a. dark grey. As the second year be- " gins the feathers lighten considerably, > ; and.eventually white predominates oit: i' the'rieck and breast:- After the'second •'' moult the adult plumage is worn. It is : snow"-white under parts, with a jet ' black back. This bird procures most of its food by scavenging, and rarely takes live .fish. It undoubtedly is a very useful bird, keeping our beaches clean: and tidy. The small red-legged ■ gull cart be seen in goodly numbers, "■' quite a few taking up their" quarters on a' strig of shingle near the road cross- •■ ing at Petone. •' '^AVhen approaching Ngahauranga the "Kelly" may be seen. This is the - largest of our harbour birds and is dark -1 brown in colour, appearing almost black if seen at a distance. This bird is a " scavenger and lives on offal from tlio meat "works. . "A. black shag or two can usually be seeri sunning themselves on the rocks, and occasionally a blue heron takes up r its solitary quarters just south of - Petone." ', ' ' f During stormy weather visitors shel- : tering in the harbour include gannets, • -the Caspian- tern; the white-fronted -tern,, and occasionally others of the .-.' same family. . BIRDS IK THE TARARtTAS. . The native pigeon is at present very inumerous in the Tararuas, and tuis .... are fairly -well distributed, although not - plentiful.'■.■;' - ._ " The bellbird is undoubtedly on the - increase, and this year it seemed to far outnumber any other species of native - bird. In the foothills- of the Kaimanawas the same thing applied. Wheneyer1 native1 bush, was to be found the _. bellbird's note could be heard. This is ■~. yery gratifying, for only a few years ftgo fear -was expressed that this bird --!was'*in danger of extinction, Kakas Sarenot numerous, but I think they are .-on the increase in. the Tararuas. I happened to be up on high, country ~ 3ate in the evening recently when a. ... trifle was discharged lower down tho •/Elope. The startled screech of this i bird could be heard on all sides and surprised me by the seeming numbers. '' The, smaller birds,, including tho ifantail, pied tit, grey warbler, white eye, and rifleman wren, are fairly num- = erous, and are certainly not decreasing, : but the whitehead or'bush canary is iiot often, seen by me. Others assure *j me that this bird is quite common and is often encountered. One very capable ornithologist even goes so far as to ■ say that the whitehead is our most - common bush bird, but this is far from teing my experience. "The morepork is usually understood :to be essentially a night bird, but an incident witnessed by myself ana companion on the main. Waiopehu track a few days ago proved conclusively that ■■= this bird is not so helpless in the day- <■ light lours as is generally thought. "While--we were having lunch wo observed a pair of white-eyes about . twelve or fifteen feet overhead, flitting about in a tawena tree. Without - warning a morepork dropped from an ■upper branch, caught one of these small birds, and was gone in a second, the only evidence of this bush tragedy being three or four feathers floating slowly down to us. "The kingfisher is, I am afraid, decreasing. It is a bird which is very capable of protecting itself, and the decrease is unaccountable. " I have noticed this beautiful bird about Lake Papaitonga, and it always seems more vivid of colouring in this locality than in any other. No doubt the beautiful eetting of this bush-fringed sheet of water tends to heighten the effect of ,- the bright colours of this bird. PRESERVING A WATERSHED. "The standing bush still left to us _ is composed principally of scrub'or beech. The better-class timber grow- <. ing on the lower slopes has been, felled and milled or burnt off. One block of exceptionally fine bush is still left. I refer to the watershed of the Ohau and its tributaries. This block is compos.cd of mixed timber, including some . /very fine rirnu, rata, miro, totara, and jtawa. It is naturally a very much

sought after feeding ground for our native birds.

I Most of tho commoner sorts, such as the pigeon, tui, bellbird, kaka, pied tit, fantail, rifleman wren, grey warbler, white-eye, and bush canary, are well represented. This block "of timber is at present controlled by several bodies (comprising State Forest, Crown Lands, Levin AVatenvork's,- and quite a huge portion is privately owned. There is serious talk of milling some of the timber trees from the upper reaches of the Makaretu stream. If this nroiect IS carried out it will be a calamity :md will have far-reaching effects. Tho day is not far distant when tho water, from the Malcaretu stream may. be wanted by the residents of Levin, "and any interference with this watershed should bo strenuously opposed. Personally I should hkc to see tho complete block revert to tho Crown and be retained in its entirety as a scenic reserve, thereby automatically becoming a bird sanctuary."