This year, selecting days when the tide will be low early in the morning, the dates for the Great Annual West Coast Blue Penguin Count will be 21-27 October.
An early morning walk on your local beach could be just what you need and provide us with some helpful information as well.
We’re suggesting that you use the i-Naturalist app as it provides us the locations of any observations – that information is enormously helpful when contributing to planning and resource consent processes.
However, if you can’t do it during those dates, or would prefer to drop us a line with your findings, we’re delighted to receive your observations any time.
Find out more on our website: https://www.westcoastpenguintrust.org.nz/projects/great-annual-blue-penguin-count/
We look forward to hearing from you, so pop it in your diary, pick a fine day then enjoy your walk, perhaps take a friend, have fun, stay safe and help us out!
While materials were chosen that would stand up to the harsh coastal conditions, those same coastal conditions are conducive to plant growth! Occasional checks of the fences have been carried out by volunteers and rangers so that any maintenance needs can be identified and remedied. The never-ending need for maintenance is managing the vegetation that can grow through the fence, for example gorse, blackberry and hydrangea, pushing it to breaking point in places, or flop over causing damage from the weight of rank grass, rushes and weeds such as montbretia.
Volunteers recently spent a few hours tidying up the main fence along Woodpecker Bay north of Punakaiki so a big shout out to them - thank you Fiona, Jony, Reef, Katrina, Mandy, Marty, Teresa and Deb! Flax had been pressing down on the fence, but now the fence has been freed up by these wonderful volunteers - and they picked up a fair bit of rubbish too.
Volunteer Natassja Savidge has offered to check and help maintain the Hokitika penguin protection fence and joined Ranger Lucy Waller and Manager Inger Perkins in May to inspect the length of the fence. Some minor issues were found but the main finding was the extent of the vegetation growth that was damaging the fence in places. Big thanks to Natassja!
