Very soon children along the Adelaide coast of Australia will start to make their own “Flock” of shorebirds. It will be called “Flock Oz”
We share some birds with them and Tony Flaherty, the co-ordinator, is adding some species we don’t have in NZ. Like this Red-capped Plover (image J J Harrison)
You can see Tony and some of these birds in this video of the Samphire Coast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WokMcl2yIw
Back in NZ the “FlockNZ” has grown by 83 birds. The school holiday programme at Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre has been a great success due to the efforts of Krystal, Louisa and volunteers, who willingly gave 75 hours of their time.
The “FlockNZ” has also grown in another way. Not birds this time but PREDATORS! They are the reason so many of our shorebirds are in trouble.
The BRaid Group have been busy organising their “Flock” to appear in some very exciting places down in the South Island. One, though, is very significant. It is Twizel where, since 1981, great efforts are being made to save the rarest shorebird in the world, the Black Stilt/Kaki. In 1981 there were only 20 birds left! Once they lived all over NZ.
Like the Wrybill the Kaki is not very aware of predators, unlike it’s close relative the Pied Stilt who survive much better.
www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz/theflock
Source: The Flock