Every year the Pūkorokoro-Miranda Naturalist Trust members take part in the annual shorebird survey, this year they were surprised to find the shorebirds in some unusual places.  Watch the video to find out more.

The shorebirds of Pūkorokoro-Miranda fly to their breeding grounds and back every year, while here they need to rest and refuel before their epic journey.  This includes both internal New Zealand and international migrants.  Bird enthusiasts throughout New Zealand, including the Pūkorokoro-Miranda Naturalists’ Trust carry out winter and summer census while they are here also noting where they are (shore, farmland, estuary, public land).  It turns out cows and birds get along quite well! Watch the video for the full story.

Part of Living Water's mission in this catchment is to increase and enhance their habitat.  DOC has purchased 20 hectares of farmland that will be restored and the Mountains to Sea project will reduce sediment and run-off that ends up impacting on the mudflat feeding grounds.

Local farmers in the catchment are passionate about helping the shorebirds by protecting their habitat and demonstrating that responsible dairy farming includes contributing to the efforts of others and understanding how their farms are connected to ecosystems on a global scale.

The story was shared with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage on their recent visit to the Shorebird Centre where the Living Water team discussed what we are doing in the area and how similar solutions maybe able to be used in other catchments. Their visit coincided with an announcement by UNESCO that the Chinese government had agreed to world heritage status being applied to mudflats in the Yellow Sea, making the birds epic journey a little safer.