Tag: Manawatu

Manawatu Estuary, Foxton Beach

Walk #92, 24th October 2022

It was a public holiday and I met my sisters in the Manawatu for a family walk. The Manawatu estuary is the most important aquatic and wading bird habitat in the lower North Island and it was declared a Wetland of International Importance in 2005. I wanted my sisters to see the Godwits on our walk and I wasn’t disappointed. They are amazing birds.

I got to know the Godwit bird species when I lived up north at Snells Beach. These birds make a non-stop 11,000 km flight from Siberia. Godwits are not big gliding birds, they flap their wings the whole way. The Godwits arrive in September and leave in February / March.

There are other birds at the Estuary, the Banded dotterill (endemic), the Wrybill (endemic), and Royal Spoonbill (native) winter over here. There’s also the Shag (native), Spur-winged plover (native), Pied stilt (native), Oystercatcher (endemic), and White faced heron (native) that are there all year round. The Bar-tailed Godwit (native) and Lesser knot (native) summer over.

I think there were Lesser knots resting with the Godwits. They have shorter legs and bill and they return to Siberia to breed.

Walk: Manawatu 28

Totara Park Reserve, Pohangina Valley

Walk #80, 30th January 2022

The Pettifar and Gilchrist loop tracks lead you down a series of terraces to the Pohangina River. Both walks make use of the Old Coach road, the original horse and cart track that wended its way through the Pohangina Valley.

We chose the Gilchrist loop, which passed through a mixed kahikatea and totara forest. Kahikatea Trees grow in the wetter areas. An abandoned tree nursery on this loop was the source of most of the large poplars now visible throughout the beautiful and picturesque valley.

Walk: Manawatu 24