Welcome to the Midnight Collective Broadsheet 78
Actively
supporting NZ’s endangered wetland birds
One of our central principles is the
maintenance of a code of non-violence. This involves as far as possible, not
simply the avoidance of harming animals, but not venturing into their comfort
zones, especially during nesting. This is possible through the development of
telephoto lens technology. Yet we don’t use hides and stay visible all the time
and its curious how you soon become a familiar figure even to the most nervy of
animals who usually spot you well before you spot them.
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| I've got my eye on you -spoonbills and stilt at the Raumati Beach Dune Lake |
They still rate you as problematic, but you’re slipped down towards
the other end of their threat list; below that is, dogs, cats, kahu, spur
winged plover, and casual human visitors. And here’s an interesting fact – that
birds are especially wary, we have noticed, of adolescent boys – of girls they
don’t seem anywhere near so chary.
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| A top predator unmasked |
It is difficult sometimes however, not to
disturb these birds. When pied stilts were nesting on the dune lake the mates
of the nesting bird (the males share the nesting duties) would spot us on a nearby hill, half a
kilometre away and immediately get
on the offensive; calling loudly (to summon help) and diving at us. They are
very courageous and will organise in groups to take on a circling kahu. Yet
their bluster can seem rather
counter productive because not only is an agitated stilt more charming
than threatening, it gives away the fact that there is a nest nearby and it
doesn’t take long from there to pinpoint it. Though its rather more difficult
fortunately, to get to it because it is usually out in the centre of the lake.
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| Pied stilt pair preparing a nest -Raumati Beach dune lake |
The life of animals can be pretty tooth
and claw but these birds differ in one important respect from human beings
because they don’t take pleasure in killing for the sake of killing. How this
sets the human race apart can be measured now that we are into the duck
shooting season. We have already mentioned how the grey teal –tete is a
protected bird though 6 percent of its population is still shot during the
season. So hunters aren’t taking any notice of their own regulations. Duck, teal, shoveller and paradise duck numbers fall dramatically during the season, and
two years ago we lost around ten from a thriving colony of parera-cross birds.
They haven’t regained these numbers since.
And then of course our critically
endangered parera can still be shot in season. Is there any other country in
the world where you might kill a critically endangered animal with impunity and
for pleasure? And then there are the damaged survivors.
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| Injured male paradise duck -putangitangir Wharemauku creek |
This is a paradise duck male that came
limping into the Wharemauku shortly after the opening of the season. It is
being tended by its mate. The females are well known for their steadfast character
but while her mate is surviving, after three weeks his condition hasn’t
improved.
 |
| With mate |
How ironic that the extreme pleasure some
New Zealanders get from killing animals is matched by the horror we feel when
they are mistreated.
Track
we were listening to while posting this Whanganui boy made good, Johnny Devlin, who sold 50,000 records between June and November 1958. He was 18 years old - the most gifted singer yet to come out of these antipodes. Take our word for it and go listen to Lawdy Miss Clawdy one more time.
Well, I give you all my money
Yeah, but you just won't treat me right
You like to ball every morning
Don't come home till late at night
He
waka eke noa
Kia
ora mai
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