On Sunday Dougal and I put six Penguin boxes between Onoke Spit and the Wharepapa River. You can see what they look like below.

The initiative to encourage the Little Blue Penguin to nest in these boxes is being driven by Clive Paton from Ata Rangi Vineyard. Many of our senior locals tell us that they used to see these delightful little birds ashore much more than today, so by providing suitable nesting boxes we hope to give the population a boost.

Of course we will also need to continue to control the relevant pests and continue to educate visitors about keeping dogs under control during nesting time, which for Little Blue Penguin can be from July – December.

We would appreciate knowing of any sitings in the area in the future.