Newsletter #34
Tēnā koutou,
Following our AGM held September 08, the chairperson’s annual report is available online:
We have some exciting news to announce shortly with our newest ‘braided rivers birds’ partner, Karikaas, makers of fine (and extremely yummy!) award-winning Dutch-style cheeses: http://www.karikaas.co.nz. I won’t go into too many details here, but this will considerably raise the profile of the birds, while a percentage of the profits from sales of the ‘braided river bird’ branded cheeses will be donated to the Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group.
As things are going to get very busy with Conservation week, here’s a quick overview of what’s happening with BRaid.
Tuesday 10 October: If you were planning to attend the Walking Festival twilight walk along the Ashley Rakahuri River tomorrow, unfortunately, due to high water levels it’s been postponed until early November… On the upside, it should flush out a few weeds and hedgehogs.
(If you are keen for an alternative tomorrow evening, the public talk, ‘Microbes and Climate Change’ is on at 7:30 pm at WEA, 59 Gloucester Street Christchurch(op. the Art Gallery). Microbiologist Paul Broady will discuss the roles of microbes in both increasing and decreasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and the implications of the fundamental roles of microbes in influencing global warming).
Saturday 14 October: With the Walking Festival overlapping with Conservation Week, Wild Eyes Mission HQ has organised a range of self-guided activities for children 5-14 years at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens from 10.00am – 2.00pm. No need to register, just come along and check out the six different nature-based of missions for children that DOC, Christchurch City Council, BRaid and other groups have created in the gardens: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2017/wild-eyes-mission-hq/christchurch. Kids can take a photo of their successful missions and upload them to the Wild Eyes community to earn a set of Wild Eyes: see www.wildeyes.co.nz
Saturday, 28 October: We currently have 40 people booked to attend the trapping workshop at Woodend Community Hall from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. If you have not already booked but want to come along, please do so. While we can take up to 150 people the last thing I want is to run out of chocolate biscuits (lest we ignite a TimTam Apocalypse…). So, for more information and to book see www.braid.org.nz/trapping
Cheers,
Sonny Whitelaw
Manager
Local News
Congratulations to St Andrews College in Christchurch for creating a wonderful set of birds to join The Flock. The children’s creations will be on display at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday as part of the Wild Eyes event.
Free public forum: “Pathways to Swimmable Rivers” 7.00pm Wednesday 18th October, at Knox Church, Corner of Bealey Avenue and Victoria Street, Christchurch.
Injured birds: if you come across injured birds or orphaned chicks (be sure they are actually orphaned!), please contact the South Island Wildlife Hospital (at Willowbank in Christchurch) or Oxford Bird Rescue (Oxford) as they have an incubator
For all upcoming events, please see our online calendar. Publicise your event! If you remind me a week or so ahead, I’ll also promote it through our social media network. This is FREE publicity, so take advantage of it. NB: the event must be related to braided rivers or river birds.
Check our Facebook page regularly, as events posted there often expire within days.
From around the web
- Birds’ ‘mysterious magnetic compass’ – latest theory in doubt: www.sciencedaily.com
- Dino-Killing Asteroid’s Impact on Bird Evolution: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- The Great Nutrient Collapse: www.politico.com
- New books for birdwatchers: www.nature.com
- The onset of the last ice age may have forced some bird species to abandon their northerly migrations for thousands of years: www.sciencedaily.com
- Study Measures Light’s Dramatic Impact on Bird Migration: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
