1469 days ago

Friday Feathered Friend

Reporter Community News

This week we introduce a new photographer, Roger Smith, to Friday Feathered Friend. He recently spotted a sooty tern in the Waikanae Estuary, where he is a regular photographer.
“I had taken a walk along the sandspit to have a look at the white-fronted tern flock there - not expecting to see any interesting birds - and I was stunned to see this lovely brown bird amongst them again...With the sun right behind me, I crawled very slowly holding my camera in front of my face until, after about 20 metres of inching over hot sand, I got within a few metres of it. It wasn't aware of my presence, so I just lay there and took over 100 shots before backing away.”

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More messages from your neighbours
10 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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10 hours ago

💨 Wellington: Is the real summer finally here?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

It’s the talk of the town (and every coffee queue): the Wellington "summer" has felt more like a very long, very damp spring! 🌧️ We’ve definitely had our fair share of grey skies and raincoats lately.

In fact, The Post reports that our "pretty average" summer has been tough on the local venues and events that usually thrive under the sun. But don't pack away the sunscreen just yet!

The good news? The next couple of weeks are looking a bit more "settled" (the Wellington word for "not a gale-force downpour"). With autumn officially here, now is the time to squeeze every last drop out of the season! ☀️

Any local hidden spots or activities you’d recommend for a calm Wellington day? Drop them in the comments! 👇

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1 day ago

Get up to $30,000 back* with your new home

Malvina Major Retirement Village

Sign up to an independent apartment or townhouse at a participating Ryman village by 31 March 2026 and receive a $30,000 credit on settlement or sign up to a serviced apartment and receive a $10,000 credit on settlement*.

Imagine a new smart TV, your next getaway or furniture for your new home. With more money staying in your pocket, it’s yours to spend!

Discover the lifestyle that awaits.

*Participating villages only, Terms and conditions apply.

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