Natural areas

Wetlands

Bexley Wetland

Bexley Wetland Trust Newsletter Spring 2000

Community planting

On a bright Saturday morning 35 avid supporters planted a total of 450 trees, shrubs and grasses and applied mountains of mulch.

This project of the Bexley Wetland Trust was funded by the Pub Charity from the Royal George Hotel. On the 30th November last year Marti Faherty read an article about the Bexley Wetlands in The Mail and contacted our Chairman Hap Hill.

The grant that followed allowed the Trust to have a landscape plan drawn up by John Marsh and prepare the bank for planting. Plants from genetic stock were purchased from Trees for Canterbury, Riccarton Bush and Wai-Ora Trust. Community plantings on Saturday the 26th of May and the 24th of June completed this project.

St James School & our wetland

The pupils of St. James School have made a commitment for the next three years to participate in the restoration of the Bexley Wetland. Last year they potted native seedlings provided by Riccarton Bush, and cultivated these into young trees and shrubs. As their Arbor Day contribution they came out to the Wetland and planted these around the freshwater pond last June.

St James’ budding botanists, on the 20th of September planted Kowhai trees and several shrubs and grasses donated by Pegasus Lions.For their “Clean up the World” contribution, pupils returned by bus on the 22nd of September to pick up the litter in the Wetland and also in Wairoa Reserve. This year the enthusiastic environmentalists have again potted seedlings for their Arbor Day contribution next year. The Bush Society provided the potting mix and the Riccarton Bush again donated the seedlings propagated from local sources. The pupils were very keen to learn about the trees they are raising and about the importance of the bufferzone, between the residential area and the wetland, in which these trees will be planted next year.

The pupils also learned about the diversity of the plant communities in the Bexley Wetland, and were delighted to hear that the source of the fresh water spring Te Puna O Te Puhi Ariki (Spring of the Chiefly Women) is the aquifer connected to the Waimakariri River. As St. James School has the Maori symbol of the Waimakariri River in its logo, they felt this to be another link of their school with Bexley Wetland.

The Trust is very pleased with the enthusiasm and commitment to the restoration of the Bexley Wetland by the principal Monica Renwick and the teachers and pupils of St. James School.

Trees for Canterbury

Trees for Canterbury Donated 1000 trees and plants to the Bexley Wetland Trust. These were planted at a Community Planting Day on Saturday July 29th 2000 to mark Conservation Week in Christchurch. The staff from Trees for Canterbury put in a lot of hard work to ensure that their plants and trees will have a good start.

The 1000 donated plants were all planted thanks to the 65 supporters who came along. It was a real family day and young and old assisted.

Trees for Canterbury have donated many trees and time, contributing to the restoration of Bexley Wetland and other areas throughout the Canterbury region. Thanks to Robin, Steve and Trees for Canterbury staff for their support and keen enthusiasm.

The New Zealand Kingfisher at Bexley Wetland

‘A living flash of light’ - By Scott Butcher

The New Zealand kingfisher/ kotare is a native bird that has a very wide distribution and can be found in many different environments. Estuaries are one of their favourite haunts, such as the Avon-Heathcote, the Ashley and Brooklands Lagoon.
Bexley is home for this bird particularly during autumn and winter when many birds that have been nesting inland or on the Port Hills make their way to coastal areas were the weather is less harsh and there is an adequate food supply. Crabs usually make up a fair proportion of their diet during this time.

Recently I watched three birds roosting on a power pole on Anthony road, I watched the birds for roughly 20 minutes but did not see them take any food which got me thinking about whether there is much food for these birds in the wetland.

Kingfishers are opportunistic feeders and are unlike many specialist kingfishers in other parts of the world that take mainly fish. The New Zealand kingfisher will eat whatever is available this can include lizards, crabs, insects especially beetles, fish, moths, flies and the occasional mouse and small birds (i.e. silvereyes).
With the restoration of Bexley Wetland the increase in diversity of habitat should hopefully lead to an increase in diversity and abundance of prey. With a little more brackish water flowing back into Bexley the colonisation of crabs should increase the food available to these birds.

Kingfishers usually nest in holes in partially rotten trees or in holes in clay banks. The birds will hammer out a tunnel in the wood or clay at least 30cm deep, ending in a chamber where the eggs are laid. Once a nest site is excavated it can be used for many years.

Watching Kingfishers dart quickly from their perch to pick up crabs off the mudflat and flying back to the same perch they flew from to devour their prey is one of the joys of watching this stout little character. Always alert, always on the hunt.
There is a small breeding population that nest around the Avon-Heathcote Estuary. Being a hole nester does make it susceptible to being killed by rats and other predators (when a predator enters a hole the bird is then trapped in the nest). Although in their favour, they are renowned to be very aggressive during the breeding season. They will attack anything that comes near their nest, small birds, dogs, and even people.

This information has particular relevance to the Bexley Wetland Trusts investigation into providing nesting sites for Kingfishers. With all these factors taken into consideration providing the ‘ideal’ nest site appears not too difficult. In the end only time will tell as to whether we are onto a winner.

Contemplation Point

A resting and viewing area is being planned as a joint project between the Lions Club, Bexley Wetland Trust and the Christchurch City Council. It will be located on the stop bank overlooking the Avon River and the wetlands. An ideal spot to take a break and contemplate. We hope to see this completed in the near future.

World Wetlands Day

Coming up on 2nd February 2001, is World Wetlands Day. It will be the 30th year that this has been celebrated, and marks progress made by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and people all around the world. Many countries have joined the convention which involves making the following commitments:

1. Include sites in the list of Wetlands of International Importance and ensure their appropriate management.
2. Ensure the wise use of all wetlands in the country.
3. International cooperation.

Visit the World Wetlands Day Web site at: http://ramsar.org/wwd2001_index.htm

On the Drawing Board

The Bexley Wetland Trust and Christchurch City Council staff are currently working on the production of a general information leaflet about Bexley Wetland, and an onsite interpretation panel for the freshwater spring, Te Puna O Te Puhi Ariki. These will provide further information and understanding for visitors to Bexley Wetland.

Thanks

Thanks to all of our supporters. We hope to see you and your family enjoying the wetland this summer. Keep an eye out for our next community planting days, advertised in the local papers and on the Community Board on TV and the radio.