Against Expectations, Whio!

By Brian Megaw | July 24, 2023

Against Expectations, Whio! Going into this Winter, I did not have great expectations or hopes about the success of the Whio or Blue Duck breeding season. The easterly weather patterns since last Winter had brought regular flooding, and the continuation of these patterns meant that the primary breeding streams in the Ruahine Ranges were experiencing [...]

Flight of the Kiwi

By Brian Megaw | January 1, 2023

Flight of the Kiwi The Kiwi, the native bird used as a symbol of Aotearoa/New Zealand, cannot fly. It lost the use of its wings millions of years ago as it adapted to the unique conditions it found on this isolated landmass. And yet I saw 10 Kiwi fly. This occasion happened at an event [...]

A Day in the Life of a Trap Checker

By Brian Megaw | October 6, 2022

A Day in the Life of a Trap Checker For millennia, the islands of Aotearoa/New Zealand were separated from other land masses. This isolation led our endemic species (species found here and nowhere else) to evolve to occupy all the available niches in this pre-human landscape. Unfortunately, this evolution and specialisation made them incredibly vulnerable [...]

2022 Hui for Whio

By Brian Megaw | August 29, 2022

2022 Hui for Whio I have written regularly on the conservation efforts undertaken in the Ruahine Ranges to protect and enhance native bird life, particularly the endemic Whio or Blue Duck. The Ruahine Ranges run up the spine of the southern central North Island, from the Manawatu Gorge until meeting the Kaweka and Kaimanawa Ranges. [...]

From Zero to Ten is Huge!

By Brian Megaw | April 25, 2022

From Zero to Ten is Huge! For the last decade or more, a dedicated group of volunteers have been sacrificing their weekends to take to the bush, and around here, that means the steep and rugged Ruahine Ranges. However, they are not sacrificing their weekends just for some ramble through the woods. Instead, they have [...]

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