As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday 27 February 2019

Lucky Escape For Rare Native Birds


Tuesday, 29 January 2019, 3:52 pm
Press Release: Wellington Fish and Game
Rare birds found ensnared in a fishing net at Lake Wairarapa last week were lucky to be released unscathed thanks to some prompt action by Wellington Fish & Game staff.
The three rare Little Black Shags were spotted by a member of the public walking his dog at Lake Domain on the northern shore of Lake Wairarapa.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) didn’t have appropriately qualified staff available so local Fish & Game staff raced to the rescue. The birds were cut free and they swam away.
While Wellington Fish & Game’s jurisdiction centres around game birds, manager Phil Teal says his organisation is happy to help out DOC and iwi when it can.
“Lake Wairarapa is a hub for our waterfowl species, and the game bird hunting tradition there is well over a century old and runs through four or five generations.
“As such, we do a lot of work down there and regularly have staff around monitoring waterfowl populations, enhancing the wetlands and working on water reticulation to improve water quality before it enters the lake.
“It’s good that staff can help out in this way – we’ve always pointed out the work we do benefits not just game birds and hunters but native species too; I guess this a very tangible example of that.”
Mr Teal says the rescue highlights the need for vigilance around set nets.

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