Rare duck spotted in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt photographer Louise Thomas had the perfect Valentine's Day gift, spotting an extremely rare pāteke (brown teal).
Once widespread throughout New Zealand, pāteke are our rarest native waterfowl.
Thomas spotted the bird in a Lower Hutt park on Valentine's Day.
According to DOC there are between 2000 and 2500 pāteke with the main populations on Great Barrier Island (700), Northland (600), and Coromandel (400).
The rest of the population is on offshore Islands, including Kāpiti and Mana, and sanctuaries like Zealandia.
They are considered at risk of extinction because they only survive in areas that are actively trapped.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Step by step for a great cause!
Our amazing Hillary Hikers from Edmund Hillary Village showed their support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand's Move Your Butt campaign this month!
Sporting the bright purple and orange campaign shirts, these wonderful walkers hit the Auckland waterfront and marched from Mission Bay to Kohimarama, raising awareness for bowel cancer and the importance of early detection along the way.
Click read more to read the full story.
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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