Kārearea enjoys the taste of tūturuatu on Mana Island
A hungry kārearea played a part in a failed attempt to establish a colony of critically endangered shore birds on Mana Island.
In February the Department of Conservation translocated 29 juvenile tūturuatu, or shore plovers, to Mana, off Porirua, however in July it was reported all 29 birds had vanished. Some were discovered on the mainland, recaptured and placed back on the island with more captive-bred plovers.
Last month it was discovered some had ended up as lunch for a resident kārearea or New Zealand falcon. Others would have been susceptible to being gobbled up by cats, rats and stoats on the mainland.
Age Concern Christmas Social Hubs for the Hutt Valley
Meri Kirihimete - Merry Christmas
Come and join our fun Christmas Hubs:
Upper Hutt - Te Kupenga o Rongomai - Maidstone Sports Centre, Wednesday 11th Dec at 12pm featuring the Hutt Ukulele Orchestra.
Lower Hutt - Walter Nash Centre, Thursday 12 December 1:30pm
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Moe mai rā, Nicholas.
We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.