Annual NZ Bird Survey
On a recent trip to Vietnam, a country of 90 million people and over 27 million motor scooters, I could count the sound of different “birds in the wild” (including sparrows) on one hand over the duration of ten days in three of the largest cities and Halong Bay overnight on water. There were of course farmed Peking ducks in places and in Ho Chi Min City, even the sound of roosters crowing at dawn (used I could see as tourist draw cards or cock fighter stock according to our guide). Sadly too, there were the inevitable personal collections of wild birds in cages. I recalled a similar situation a decade earlier when visiting Surabaya, Indonesia over three years. The lushness of the vegetation in these tropical climes, which might suggest abundance of bird life showed in reality the opposite. There the only bird I saw in the wild was so timid I found difficulty trying to even get a photo. Is it the press of millions of people and their need for food that impacts so significantly on the presence of birds in the wild? Reading the following article printed verbatim below from the Hamilton Press, I would encourage readers to assist in the tracking of our abundant (by comparison) birdlife. I am also sure this would be a great holiday project for children during the pending holiday break.
Choose one hour during the week June 30 to July 8 and record all the birds you can see and hear. You’ll be part of a citizen science project that has been going since 2007. Birds are an indicator for the state of our environment. Comparing numbers from year to year builds up a picture of how bird populations are coping. Full instructions on how to take part and bird identification tips are at landcareresearch.co.nz. Have a good look around the survey website. There’s information about the pros and cons of feeding birds and which species do better in gardens where food is supplied, plus fun quizzes and activities. The interactive Garden Bird Atlas reveals how many sample gardens there are in each suburb. Bird counters cover most of the country but we’re thin on the ground. More participants will give a better picture of bird populations, so please go out there and do your bit.
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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60% Yes, supporting people is important!
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25.7% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.3% ... It is complicated
Poll: Are you a Te Huia fan?
All three Hamilton MPs appear to be united behind the retention of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland, as well as potentially expanding it to Tauranga.
But whether Hamilton East’s Ryan Hamilton, Hamilton West’s Tama Potaka and soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey have the combined power to shunt transport minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon onto their line of thinking remains to be seen.
Are you a Te Huia fan? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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82.7% Yes
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17.3% No
Wild weather in the Waikato
The Waikato really copped it over the weekend, with wild weather leaving a hefty clean-up bill that may run into the millions.
While things are looking calmer in the days ahead, there are still plenty of slips and flooded roads across the district — so if you’re heading out, take it easy and stay alert.
We want to know: How did you and your whānau get on over the weekend?
Want to see what recovery will look like from here? The Waikato Times has the latest.
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