What's On at Zealandia

Frothy white-capped trees scattered across the western scarp have captured people's attention this spring - but what are they? According to plant enthusiast Pam Fuller, they are heketara (Olearia rani) - a type of tree daisy - that flowers only every three years or so at ZEALANDIA.

With the upcoming lower lake restoration project at ZEALANDIA (the Sanctuary to Sea project), conservation staff thought it would be good to get a baseline on shag nesting so we could measure any effect that the programme might have.

I’ve just met some of Zealandia’s track team. I didn’t know what to expect really. Some kind of experts in running jumping and throwing things maybe? But I quickly found out that while mountain biking and walking were involved, so were lopping, sawing and digging. Track maintenance is their game, and there are two teams, mid-week and weekend.

Alfie Kākā here, enjoying a warm Sunday morning at Zealandia. We kākā have had millions of years to get used to this place, and the local saying “you can’t beat the valley on a good day” has never been more true.

Alfie: “What a great night to be out Bronwen. There’s something special about a night tour around the valley don’t you think? There’s so much more to see. But I don’t see many other humans around. What are you doing here – not monitoring kākā nests surely?”

Bronwen: Isn’t it beautiful Alfie, and you’re right. The valley is just amazing at night. Right now I’m tracking ducks, helping Katie Sheridan with her research on their habitat behaviour. You remember, Katie, you interviewed her last year. Forest ducks, brown teal, or to put it simply, pāteke.

Alfie: Hey Cuz! Awesome to have you back “couch-surfing” at Zealandia again. I always have room for my favourite relatives.

Sirocco: Skraaarrk! It’s great to be back Alf. Despite my busy schedule of climbing trees and international superstardom I love coming back to see my mates here at Zealandia and meeting all my fans. 

Katie Sheridan is studying Pateke (Brown Teal) at ZEALANDIA. While she was looking for the elusive ducks in the wetlands, our “eye in the sky” Alfie Kaka caught up with her in the wetlands to find out more about what she has been up to…

Alfie here! Today I’m chatting to Eleanor Burton about bird friendly native plants, and especially our native fuchsia. Eleanor is in charge of the collections database at Otari, and is also an arborist, botanist, and botanical illustrator.

Alfie here, and today I’m talking about another bird-friendly plant in Wellington, and interviewing long time Zealandia volunteer guide, and conservationist, Des Smith.  I flew up to meet him in his garden in Ngaio, in a bush-lined street, full of native trees.  Here’s the transcript, from my ‘Stoatskine’ reporter’s notebook.

Alfie here; I’ve just caught up again with Sirocco for a photo shoot and interview just before he began another evening’s round of parties at his plush Zealandia hotel (he’s only at Zealandia for another week before he heads down south to Orokunu).