Orere Point Dotterels

05/10/2026

NESTING DOTTERELS 🪺🐣🐣🐣

Spent a couple of hours sorting and setting up the seabird breeding enclosure with kids art this morning.
After finally getting it up and ready for the breeding season, decided to watch a dotterel pair fluffing around outside the enclosure towards boat launch area.
Very suspect nesting behavior and courtship dancing prompted me to check the area..... And to my surprise have discovered a nest with an egg in it already!
How this didn't get run over was a miracle... As I noticed tyre marks in the gravel stones, missing the nest by just cms!
We can't always expect wild birds to nest in what we perceive as safer options.... Obviously the elevation and surrounding view may have been her deciding factors.

The nest is fenced off now.... With what we had left of supplies.... So a trip in town tomorrow will be on the cards.

We also have a pair of dotterel and a pair of oystercatcher nesting on other side of river on the river mouth area.

Please give this couple the quiet space they require.... Keep dogs well away.... Please explain to any unaware visitors the importance of preserving our native shorebird species....

Thank you for caring, sharing and enjoying our local wildlife 🥰

04/10/2026

Looking at getting these screen printed .

Good quality cotton...made in NZ.
Chose this colour for natural look and not too dark for summer heat.
What do you think? Do you like the colour?

03/10/2026

Keep an eye out for these birds, not only on beaches... But building sites, open fields, around airports or residential sections.
Please pass on any sightings in the South Auckland area to
[email protected] 😊

29/09/2026

A beautiful stunning moment down at the river mouth. 🫶🌞

All Dotterel pairs accounted for, with the OG pair looking like they already have a nest on the East side of river at the very corner of the Enclosure ropes.

They are protecting this fiercely from intruders, other birds and perceived threats.
They are right on the triangular spit area, we are hoping the spring tides at the end of the next two months will not reach their nest.

There is also the original pair of variable Oyster Catchers, preparing to nest in that same area.

Please give them the respect and space they need to breed successfully. 🐣🐣🪺

The "Cosi" Dotterel pair are in their home ground of this side of the river, foraging in the intertidal zone usually on the falling tide.
They do enjoy a neighborhood battle occasionally flying across the river upsetting the OG pair.

We have not seen the elusive Pacific Reef Heron juvenile this past week. They are a bit tricky to spot.

Successfully removed another weasel, 2 possums and 2 rats from our local area, keep checking your traps and re baiting when necessary. 🐾🐀☠️

Every predator we take out is another native life saved 💖

Please help protect our shorebirds, improve our ecosystem, care about our native wildlife.
They only have one home.

Please feel free to message us if you have any concerns about our local wildlife..

17/09/2026

Lots of Bird life happening at the river mouth today.....

Spotted our Original Dotterel pair defending their territory across the river. This pair have successfully breed a chick for the last 4 seasons. Another pair were further out at the beachfront on the eastern side also.
We eventually spotted the third pair on the river mouth intertidal area foraging amongst the stones on the falling tide

The Oystercatcher pair were present, sitting together and preening themselves.

Was a little sad to see one lone Caspian Tern... It was probably the mate to the deceased Caspian on the beach 😪

A rare sighting of a Pacific Reef Heron, looked like a juvenile, only about 500 of these in NZ. Very special to think this bird could have been bred locally.
More juvenile birds, 5 little pied shags were spotted resting and drying their wings on the logs across on the eastern side of the river.

Then we saw a mother Mallard with 10 or so wee baby ducklings, all following mum along the top of the shingle bank, then hiding in the grass as the big Black Back Gulls flew over upsetting quite a few residents.

Unfortunately someone has discarded fish frames and bodies around the river mouth and beachfront, this in turn does attract these big scavengers to the area and they will very easily sn**ch ducklings as an easy meal!

Please discard of your fish frames in the rubbish bins, especially now heading into the warmer weather as we all want to enjoy swimming and boating without standing on fish bones, they do attract pests and predators to the area making it hard for our breeding shorebirds and pets will also scavenge fish frames, possibly causing problems.

Another Weasel has been removed from our area via the Doc 200 trap... There is an abundance of these little killers at the moment..... But seeing so many juvenile shorebirds today is satisfying, knowing we will be making a difference and improving breeding successes.

15/09/2026

Our Govt would rather wait and see 🙄
We have experts ready to do vaccinations!
All paid for! Why would you not?
Just so stupid......

‘Ground zero’: A penguin colony on the edge

Kaikōura’s tiny remnant kororā colony is already struggling to survive and on the brink. Now a deadly strain of bird flu is closing in, and conservationists say the government is refusing to give the birds a fighting chance.

Nestled within nature reserves along the Kaikōura coastline, the local kororā population is already hanging by a thread.

Years of depleted fish stocks, fishing pressure and climate change have left the penguins facing chronic seasonal starvation.

Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust volunteers (KWCT) regularly step in to feed starving birds, raise chicks and rehabilitate sick and injured penguins.

Now the colony faces a new threat: the arrival of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu.

“Starving, immunocompromised penguins have zero natural capacity to fight off a virus as lethal as H5N1,” says KWCT’s manager Sabrina Luecht.

The trust fears that if bird flu reaches an unvaccinated colony, volunteers will be unable to enter reserves to rescue starving chicks or care for sick birds. Moving between nest boxes would help spread the virus.

Without vaccination, Luecht fears the trust could be forced to stop caring for the colony altogether.

The trust has a veterinarian ready to administer the vaccine and has offered to pay for the entire programme. It also argues Kaikōura’s small colony would be relatively straightforward to vaccinate because the birds nest in accessible, fenced reserves.

But conservation officials have repeatedly rejected the proposal.

New Zealand confirmed its first case of H5N1 on July 15, after the virus was found in a brown skua on Petone Beach.

Shortly after, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) approved a Department of Conservation plan to vaccinate up to 30 threatened native species, beginning with 300 birds from five critically endangered species.

Luecht made an urgent plea for Kaikōura’s kororā to be included. The local population has dwindled to fewer than 50 birds, despite kororā being nationally classified as “At Risk – Declining”.

Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith took the trust’s request to Conservation Minister Tama Potaka on July 21.

But nine days later, DOC’s director of terrestrial biodiversity, Tim Bamford, formally rejected the proposal in a letter to Smith.

DOC says its national biosecurity policy restricts H5N1 vaccination exclusively to species facing an imminent threat of total national extinction – such as kākāpō, takahē and black stilts.

Because kororā have larger populations elsewhere in New Zealand, DOC considers the species ineligible for the national vaccination programme.

The trust appealed again on August 10, this time directly to Potaka and DOC director-general Peter Chrisp. It offered to fully fund and run the programme using MPI-approved veterinarians.

Bamford reaffirmed DOC’s position on August 19, saying overseas experience showed wild bird populations could eventually develop natural immunity and recover.

He argued that controlling introduced predators and dogs would give penguins the resilience they needed to survive H5N1.

Bamford also said vaccination would be “burdensome” for the seabirds, requiring “increased handling, surveillance, swabbing and stress to the birds”.

Luecht strongly disputes that argument.

She says international outbreaks among South African and King penguins have caused mortality rates of 75% to 100%, with no evidence of natural resistance.

She also argues that handling is already part of the Kaikōura birds’ care, with volunteers routinely weighing, feeding and rehabilitating them.

The trust points to Australia, where authorities have launched a wild-bird vaccination programme targeting 6000 little penguins on Phillip Island and at St Kilda following the first confirmed penguin death.

Her appeal has also drawn local political backing.

Environment Canterbury chairperson Deon Swiggs wrote to Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard asking central government to “facilitate a pathway for population-specific assessment and vaccine access”.

Kaikōura mayor Craig Mackle also backed the proposal, highlighting the “considerable community and partner investment” made to protect the colony.

But on August 21, Potaka declined to order a ministerial review, saying he supported DOC’s decision and would only reconsider if “new information comes to light”.

In a statement, Potaka told the Sunday Star-Times that he acknowledged the “passion and advocacy” of the trust.

“The threat of a significant outbreak of bird flu in the future is confronting, and it is understandable people want to do everything they can to protect their local populations.”

But he stressed the focus of the vaccination programme is on species that are endangered.

“These species have such low numbers we don’t have the option to wait for natural immunity to develop.”

He said kororā are not threatened “although they are in decline due to many different pressures including predators, habitat loss, and changes in food availability.

“H5 bird flu may cause losses, but the national population is considered large enough to withstand this, and with time, will be well-placed to develop natural immunity. It’s important to remember that while bird flu is a serious threat, internationally no species have gone extinct.”

Potaka said New Zealand has had the benefit of time and learning from other countries’ experience with bird flu. “We don’t know exactly what impact H5 bird flu will have on New Zealand’s native species. However, it’s most likely to impact birds that breed in dense colonies such as red and black-billed gulls, gannets and terns; and birds that are scavengers (of dead birds).

“Colony nesting penguins are also vulnerable, however kororā don’t nest in very close contact with their neighbours in large colonies and are not known as scavengers (of dead birds).

“They are also not expected to be in close contact with other birds that are at higher risk, so the chances of transmission to and among kororā is relatively lower than for many other seabirds.”

Potaka said the strain won’t be eradicated and we “will need to learn to live with it.”

“We need to support native wildlife to do this too, to survive losses from bird flu as they develop immunity over time. This gives them the best chance of living with the virus in the long-term.”

This week Luecht said the threat has escalated further after Australian authorities recently confirmed H5N1 had been detected in migrating Hutton’s shearwaters returning to Kaikōura.

This detection means the virus is now dangerously close to the local penguin colony, she said.

And she has warned Potaka and Hoggard to expect a formal letter of legal notice, arguing that the Government’s inaction breaches its obligations under the Wildlife Act.

“The Kaikōura Peninsula will effectively become ‘ground zero’.”

“The primary argument by DOC and the Minister of Conservation is that kororā are not threatened enough — many local populations of Blue penguins are threatened and genetically isolated; whilst White-flippered penguins are endangered and endemic to Canterbury. DOC also argues that penguins will develop natural immunity over time - this is categorically false. Internationally, penguin species have developed no immunity to H5N1. In Kaikōura, kororā nest in incredibly close proximity (due to habitat constraints) and pairs interact with their neighbours nightly rearding direct contact. They are highly social colonial birds, inhabiting a communal space, using the same access points, trails, and nest boxes. Imminently, kororā will face viral transmission from infected gulls (ill/deceased/fecal matter) on the foreshore when coming ashore and departing for sea.”

“Once gulls pick up the virus from returning seabirds, it will be game over for penguins without vaccination. The Government’s failure to exercise its powers and authorise vaccination will condemn kororā to mass mortality.”

➡️ Sign the petition:
https://www.change.org/p/doc-mpi-protect-nz-penguins-from-h5n1-bird-flu-approve-vaccination

DOC & MPI: Protect NZ Penguins from H5N1 Bird Flu & Approve Vaccination

15/09/2026

Unfortunately there was a dead Caspian Tern on Orere beachfront,
this is a timely reminder to keep pets under control & not let them scavenge carcasses, especially at the moment with concerns of bird flu reaching our shores.

Please report multiple bird deaths to Dept of Conservation - 0800 DOCHOT

24/08/2026

A bit of useful info on some or our marine visitors.......

23/08/2026

Protecting Ōrere Point’s Shorebirds: Protecting Our Intertidal Ecosystem

Ōrere Point’s shorebirds are an important part of a healthy coastal ecosystem. Their presence is not only valuable for birdlife — the way they feed and forage in intertidal areas can also contribute to healthier coastal habitats and support the shellfish communities that depend on them.



Shorebirds and healthy intertidal areas

As shorebirds forage across mudflats and other intertidal areas, they disturb and turn over the surface sediments while searching for food. This natural activity can help improve sediment conditions by disturbing compacted surfaces and contributing to the movement and mixing of sediment and organic material.

Healthy, functioning intertidal areas provide important habitat for shellfish and other marine life. Protecting shorebirds therefore helps maintain a natural ecological process that contributes to the health and resilience of the wider coastal environment.



Why disturbance matters

Shorebirds use Ōrere Point as an important place to feed, rest and, at certain times, nest. When birds are repeatedly disturbed, they may be forced to stop feeding or leave areas where they would otherwise rest and recover.

Dogs and people can cause significant disturbance when they approach feeding or resting birds. Even when a bird simply flies away, repeated disturbance can use valuable energy and reduce the time available for feeding and resting.

Mammalian predators can also pose a serious threat, particularly to eggs, chicks and birds that are nesting or resting. Keeping shorebird habitat safe from predators and unnecessary disturbance is therefore an important part of protecting these species.

Following the rules protects wildlife

Residents & Visitors have a role to play in protecting its shorebirds. Auckland Council bylaws relating to dogs and activities around wildlife areas must be followed.
Keeping dogs under control and away from protected bird areas, respecting signs and giving birds plenty of space are simple actions that can make a real difference.

New Zealand’s Wildlife Act also provides legal protection for our native species, including shorebirds that are nesting, feeding & resting. Protecting our birds is not simply a matter of being considerate — it is also a responsibility under New Zealand law.

Community groups working towards the same outcome

Environmental restoration is most effective when the community works together. Different groups may focus on different parts of the environment, but their efforts are interconnected.

The Ōrere Marine Initiative contributes to understanding,protecting & improving the marine and coastal environment.
OAR- doing riparian planting' helps restore vegetation along waterways, reducing erosion and helping to protect water quality before it reaches the coast.
The Ōrere Point Dotterel conservation work focuses on protecting shorebirds and their habitat.

Together, these initiatives contribute to one shared objective: improving the health of the Ōrere Point ecosystem for wildlife, marine life and the wider community.

By supporting each other and recognising how these activities are connected, community groups can achieve much more than working independently.

A shared responsibility for the future-

A healthy coastline depends on many connected parts working together. Shorebird protection, predator control, riparian planting, marine conservation and responsible recreation all contribute to the same bigger picture.

By working together, local community groups and residents can help create an environment where shorebirds can thrive, intertidal habitats remain healthy, shellfish populations are supported, and the Ōrere Point ecosystem becomes stronger and more resilient for future generations.



Protect the birds.
Restore the land.
Care for the coast.
Work together for a healthier Ōrere Point.

11/08/2026

A massive "Thank you” to those that support and donate to our work....
The new automatic traps will certainly make a difference and keep protecting our wildlife when we can't get there.
Sometimes this work can seem very thankless.... But when you hear the bird song, look back on a clean beachfront after picking up the washed up rubbish, and then see the shorebirds just living their best life.... That's all the thanks we need.
Restoring our Ecosystem is a goal of many groups, each group plays an important role and is a piece of that larger picture that we all care so deeply about..... our Whenua 💖