Kia ora
This March is all about bugs and slugs. Come and find out about our creepy crawly friends – scroll down for more information on event days and a very interesting seminar on wasps.
Our third annual Tuatara beer and food match evening is this Thursday and still has some spaces left plus a brand new beer on the menu – the 8.5% Belgian Tripel. March also sees the last of our summer specials: 6pm weekend closing and 20% off for non-member families ‘til 31 March.
This week is the Forest & Bird Kererū Count – Wellington is flagging compared to the other urban areas so please report your kererū sightings and make your mark on their map!
Thanks to those of you who took part in our survey with regards to a new Zealandia book. There was a lot of support, though no single clear winner for a topic – if only we could make three at once...
Here’s your summer update from our Chair, Denise Church.
Nāku noa,
Lauren and the Zealandia team
Photo: Steve Attwood
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Creepy crawlies month
We often talk about the birds and the bush but what about the bugs? March sees a number of events with a creepy-crawly theme.
Don’t be shy, make friends with a bug! - Sundays 10 & 17 March. Boat shed, Heritage Lawn.
New Zealand’s slugs - Sunday 17 March, 11am – 3pm. Boat shed on Heritage Lawn.
Lice and their hosts - Sunday 24 March, 2pm. Visitor Centre.
20% Discounts: Take home a wētā: 20% off all wētā items at our Store (not the real ones!).
Read more on our website.
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Tuatara beer & food match evening
6.30pm.Thursday 28 February **this Thursday**
This popular annual event, now its third year, has an extra special treat - Tuatara Breweries launch their new Belgian Tripel (8.5%) just the day before so book now to try this and six other tasty Tuatara beers matched beautifully with special dishes prepared by Rata Chefs Mat Gorrie and Jamie Evans.
Your host, Russ Drewry, will introduce each course and share his knowledge from years in both the brewing industry and conservation and operations team at Zealandia.
All profits go back in to our conservation and education work.
Rata Café. Eat. Drink. Support our wildlife.
$65 per person. Limited to 60 spaces. Booking essential.
Bookings: (04) 920 9200.
Photo: Bernard Smith
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Seminar: Invasion of the wasps
7.30pm, 14 March. Zealandia Visitor Centre.
When talking about pests we tend to focus on mammals but Professor Phil Lester from Victoria University will be sharing some shocking and intriguing finds from studies on exotic wasps in New Zealand’s beech forests. Very interesting stuff.
Free for members. Gold coin donation for guests
Photo: Phil Lester
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Nesting update
Hihi: 44 fledglings to date, another 13 chicks to fledge. We thought we may have had our first natural hihi nest this year but found the suspects using a kākāriki nest box instead.
Kākāriki: 34 chicks have been banded this season and nesting continues. For the first time staff made a side door in two natural kākāriki nests to allow access to band the chicks.
Kākā: all nest boxes are now empty - 79 juveniles from nest boxes known to have fledged – just about matching our previous high of 80. There are unbanded juveniles from natural nests now starting to turn up at feeders, so the overall tally will be even higher.
Bellbirds/korimako: 57 bellbirds have been banded and successfully fledged. Three of these were juveniles of unknown origin, but may have been some of the seven chicks unable to be captured soon after fledging. There are still a few unbanded juvenile bellbirds we hope to capture by the feeders.
Watch out for the new birds on the block. Here are this season’s cohort colours:
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Young hihi have black bands.
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Young kākāriki, kākā and bellbird have green bands.
We distinguish offspring from different breeding seasons by using a single “cohort” colour for all those birds of the same age, cohort colours used each year will vary between species.
Read more on bird bands and how to report a bird you have seen.
Photo: Richard Gray
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Have you seen our eels?
Our longfin eels have been sighted at feeding time almost every day over February. Have you seen them yet?
Come along for the 3.15pm feed and species talk from one of our Ranger Guides, any day of the week.
They’re often seen on Zealandia by Night tours too.
Photo: Alton Perrie
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