nzbirdsonline-R oyal Spoonbill Kōtuku ngutupapa/Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Native. At risk-naturally uncommon. With its distinctive long black, spoon-shaped beak and all white plumage they are an easily recognised bird around the Estuary. They have a really noticeable yellow patch above the eye and at the onset of the breeding season both sexes develop a head crest. Originally hailing from Australia, Kōtuku ngutupapa/Royal Spoonbills like many waterbirds are quite mobile and were first recorded in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1861. From then they have spread slowly throughout the country. Between four and ten birds are seen in the estuary during winter months. The highest ever recorded total of 58 being observed in 1993 which, at the time was believed to be the largest in the country. Nesting in the region has not been confirmed but they were suspected to have bred in the Whirikino swamp area during 1945. Diet consists of small fish, crabs and aquatic invertebrates which they locate by sweeping their beak from side to side as they walk along in the shallows. A survey in 2012 recorded 2361 birds while the one conducted on 6th July 2024 recorded 4547, confirming suspected increase .

Maikaika/Onion-leaved Orchid Microtis unifolia Native. Not threatened. The first example of this orchid arrived in the Dune Garden in late 2023. There are no other native orchids inclined to ephemeral dune wetland environments on this coast, so it may be the only one we ever see here. It is probably the most common species of orchid in Aotearoa New Zealand inhabiting a wide variety of habitats and elevations from the coast to montane. This is usually the species found in lawns and flower borders in urban areas. There is a small population in the long grass on Holben Reserve Outside of our shores its range also extends to New Caledonia , Polynesia , the Philippines , Indonesia , Japan and China . NZPCN-Onion-leaved Orchid iNaturalist-Maikaika

Smooth Willowherb Epilobium billardiereanum Native. Not threatened. As one of a few native species of Epilobium , it is the only native willowherb present in the Dune Garden, and then not always. This annual species comes and goes, like a few others. It thrives with lots of water, so may never be a big factor in the Dune Garden. Mainly a coastal species growing on damp sand or sandy ground close to slow moving steams, ponds and lakes. Although it favours sparse vegetated areas it is frequently found in association with several species of reeds and sedges. It is a tall plant reaching almost a metre tall in some places with tiny pink flowers but it is the seed pods which are quite distinctive as they are long cylindrical structures which, when ripe, split open to reveal the seeds. Attached to these seeds are a number of fine white hair-like parachutes which give the plant a "fluffy" look. These are used to help disperse seeds by wind. Over forty species of willowherb are found in Aotearoa New Zealnd, many of which are found nowhere else. This species is also to be found in Australia. iNaturalist-Smooth Willowherb NZPCN-Epilobium billardiereanum

Whitebait Galaxias sp. Whitebait is the collective name for the juvenile stage of five species of fish of the genus Galaxias . The most frequently caught of the five, Inanaga G. maculata has a wide distribution reaching as far as Argentina but listed as declining in Aorearoa New Zealand. Kōaro G. brevipennis is also found in Australia while the Banded G. fasciata , Giant G. argeneus and Shortjaw Kōkopu G. postvectus .are found nowhere else other than in Aotearoa New Zealand. Whitebait are caught as they start their migration up-stream. As a group they are fascinating with a diverse lifestyle, much of which is covered in a fun Whitebait activity book produced by the Department of Conservation and available here for download. They are a much-loved source of food which are caught in nets over a brief period each year. Current regulations can be found here. Wikipedia - Whitebait Find, protect and create inanga spawning habitat is an informative guide produced by the Department of Conservation covering all aspects of protecting and enhancing spawning grounds for this important species. Whitebait Connection is a nationwide environmental education programme that empowers communities, landowners and schools to explore, understand, and protect freshwater ecosystems. It focuses on native freshwater fish, particularly whitebait species, and teaches participants about their life cycles, habitats, and threats. Through hands-on learning, stream studies, and restoration projects, it encourages kaitiakitanga and community action to improve waterway health and supports the survival of these taonga species. M.J. Taylor. 2002 . The National Inanga Spawning Database: Trends and Implications for Spawning Site Management. Department of Conservation Science for Conservation no. 188

Grasswort Lilaeopsis novae - zelandiae Endemic. Not threatened. Also known by several other names, including tape measure plant or micro sword, it is another subtle, small endemic dune wetland herb and at home in only a handful of places in the Dune Garden. One of these locations is always findable, as the others tend to come and go depending on the wind and sand deposition. Like many of these small herbs it has tiny 2mm subtle white flowers, which you have to look closely to find them. Some related species are common plants for aquarists, but care needs to be taken that none are allowed to escape, and disposal needs to be done carefully. NZPCN-Lilaeopsis novae-zelandia e iNaturalist-Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae

Pest Plants One of the major threats to the indigenous flora of the area is the number of exotic species which have become naturalised, encroaching and usurping native species from some specialised habitats, especially the dunes. In theory all exotic plants, once found in the wild, could be classed as weeds and, while many create no problem for native species many do, and this page will highlight some of those which are and some found in close proximity to the area which could develop to become pests. This page, together with its external links, aims to provide a deeper insight into the challenges confronting the estuary for those wishing to search of further information. For a hands-on experience a fortnightly work party undertakes weeding sessions on a Sunday morning, and it is a good way to learn of the problems and to gain experience at identifying problem species. There is also a weekly work party on a Wednesday. If you are interested in helping with this important work, please use the contact form for further information. Since 2022, Kaitiaki o Ngahere have been doing periodic weed clearance, especially around the spit area. During 2024 they were engaged in the clearance of a strand of poplars on the approach to the beach on Pinewood Road. Many of the problem species are escapees from gardens which prove to be rampant once outside and left to their own devices. While many are not serious pests there is something gardeners can do and that is to grow species that are not likely to be troublesome. A booklet produced by Weedbusters New Zealand can be downloaded here which gives some alternatives to a number of potential pest species. The standard publication listing environmental weeds in Aotearoa New Zealand is produced periodically by the Department of Conservation, the latest is McAlpine KG, Howell CJ 2024 List of Environmental Weeds in New Zealand. 2024. Science for Conservation 340. Not all species listed in the above publication occur in all regions and Horizons Regional Council produce their own Horizons Regional Council Pest Management Plan 2017-2037 . This goes into more detail and is well worth a read. Currently there is work underway at producing a new Management Plan for the Estuary. Once this is complete, a link to the section on pest plants will be included here. A previous attempt at a pest plan titled Manawatu Estuary Weed Implementation Plan 2015 – 2020 was produced , although progressing no further than a draft, it still provides a comprehensive coverage of the problem. INVASIVE SPECIES Marram Grass Red-purple Ragwort Moundlily Yucca Tree Lupin Tree Mallow White Poplar 6 Caper Spurge Agapanthus Broad-leaved Sweet Pea Wilding Pine Karo SPECIES TO WATCH FOR Each region has their own problem species which may not be present in others but could be fairly close. This section includes species that either occur in our area in low numbers, but which have the potential to become a serious pest if not controlled or are pests in others but not considered to be so in this area. More details are included in each species account. Parrot's Feather Field Horsetail Sea Spurge

Tarāpuka/Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri Endemic. At risk-declining. Very similar to the Red-billed Gull in size, shape, and colouring, this sleek gull is built along more slender lines. It has a white body; its wings are grey with black at the very tips (it has less black than the Red-billed Gull). The bill and legs are black (there may be some orange or red showing on the legs). As a juvenile the legs and beak are pale pink, shading to bright red in the second year and then becoming black after that. Immature birds also have brownish spots on the wings; they can be mistaken for adult, Red-billed Gulls. Breeding mainly on the braided river systems in the South Island they winter on the coasts of both the North and South Islands. Up to five eggs can be laid but usually only 2-3 which take 20-24 days to hatch. Chicks will wander away from the nest quite early on, but it can be six or seven weeks before they are able to feed themselves. Unlike the other two species, they are rarely found in urban areas. nzbirdsonline-Black-billed Gull red-billed gull Tarāpunga/Red-billed Gull Larus scopulinus Native. At risk-declining. The Red-billed Gull may be seen at the estuary (both on the mudflats and on the water) and in Foxton Beach itself, especially the Surf Club car park where it will come to picnickers who throw food to them. Can sometimes congregate in flocks of up to 50 there. With an average weight of between 240-320 gm, males are slightly larger than females and have a slightly longer and thicker beak. They are predominantly white, except for their wings, which are grey with black tips. The beak and legs are a vivid red as is the ring around the eye. The iris is white. Its natural diet is krill. small fish, worms and invertebrates. Nests are a rough gathering of stones, grass and twigs in which is laid 1-3 eggs. These take around 24 days to hatch and chicks rely on their parents for a further 55 days before gaining independence. nzbirdsonline-Red-billed Gull black-backed g Karoro/Southern Black-backed Gull Larus dominicana Native. Not threatened. Black-backed Gulls can be seen anywhere around the Aotearoa New Zealand coast and even far inland. There will often be several on the beach beside the Estuary, as well as flying over or sitting on various man-made structures around Foxton Beach. This is the largest gull in Aotearoa New Zealand and very distinctive. It has a black back and wings, with a white head and white underparts. It is only gull to have black colouring. Its yellow beak has a red spot on the lower half. The legs are olive green to yellow. The Black-backed Gull is a scavenger and can be seen in large numbers around rubbish dumps, as well as following fishing boats and it eats a wide variety of foods. During winter flocks of 50 or more can be seen at the estuary but sometimes three times that number frequent nearby fields. nzbirdsonline-Southern Black-backed Gull

Indo-pacific Comb Star Other marine species A variety of other weird and wonderful organisms are sometimes to be found on the beach, either washed up after a storm or dying through natural causes. They are a diverse collection which are difficult to catagorise without being too scientific because of not falling into any one particular family. Apart from those included here some more examples are given on the Beach Mysteries page. Types covered in this group include seaweed, sea urchins, starfish, jellyfish and sponges with a checklist of species recorded from the area included here . Information is basic and continually updated with links given by the usual method to a wealth of additional information. Headings and columns A and B are locked, so are always visible. Web address links are edited to fit within the static species columns. List can be downloaded, and additions added for personal use be “save as”. These will not be saved to web. Indi-pacific Comb Star Finger Sponge By-the-wind sailor

Pingao/Golden Sand Sedge Ficinia spiralis Endemic. At risk-declining. Pingao is a yellow/orange/red sedge grass used for decorative purposes throughout Maoridom. In spite of being a hardy plant, it grows slowly, so it is on the threatened species list. Common in the Dune Garden, it grows both in the dry dunes as well as in the dune wetland areas. Pingao’s dune building abilities are visible in the Dune Garden and is easily located in the dunes by the Surf Club. Formerly widely distributed the decline has been brought on by a number of factors as diverse as burning, browsing by domestic stock, damage by motor vehicles driving over dune systems and over-harvesting by weavers. The latter would not have been an issue before it became scarce but if only leaves and not whole plants are taken, they will regenerate.and help preserve this important plant. More difficult to grow, small numbers are planted alongside Spinifex in the dunes. Trials are underway at Wildlife Foxton Trust to see if local conditions will assist with its propagation. coastalrestorationtrus-Pingao ecology iNaturalist-Ficinia spiralis NZPCN-Fcinia spiralis

Education The Manawatū Estuary Trust (MET) undertakes its educational responsibilities seriously and offers a range of activities, which includes its events, to both schools and members of the public enabling a better understanding of this outstanding area. All enquiries should be made via the contact form on the support MET page. Another organisation which offers educational experiences around the estuary is Wildlife Foxton Trust (WFT). Their new website, since the recent move to Foxton Beach, is still under construction but contains contact details for enquiries from school visits. Both offer a variety of activities ranging from birdwatching, mini beast searches, plant education (via weeding sessions) and a popular activity for schools is the Marine Metre Square (Mm²) program, data from which is fed into Otago University database, a Citizen Science project. Enquiries for this should be sent to Wildlife Foxton Trust. Both Trusts work with other organisations to fulfill both their educational and research aims including Horowhenua District Council, Horizons District Council and Department of Conservation, plus individuals that specialise in particular aspects of wildlife, environment and culture of the area. Exploring the dunes with a group from Koputaroa School searching for special inhabitants that occur there, including some only found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Wildlife Foxton Trust hosted a group of Japanese students as they participated in a Mm² session at the estuary. Plenty of crabs were found. Explanation of the importance of Harakeke being explained to a group of students during a visit to the estuary.

Rauparaha/Shore Bindweed Calystegia soldanella Native. Not threatened. This native convulvulus graces the Dune Garden, both dry dunes and dune wetland areas but is generally a widespread species being also found in the temperate climates of both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. It is a low growing plant with fleshy green, glossy leaves. Pink and white, trumpet-shaped flowers grace the summer half of the year. An annual, it disappears almost completely in the winter, to start afresh in the spring. Small dune hollows are often filled with the black seeds which have rolled downhill from the plants. Roots are quite fleshy and penetrate deep into the sand and it is this that aids their survival as they are able to propagate from root fragments. NZPCN-Calystegia soldanella iNaturalist-Calystegia soldanella

Over time this section will include content that will point readers to areas of research that has either been completed or projects that are in progress. It will also include sections on how and where to record sightings and areas where identification of species can be found or questions asked. This page is still under development but please feel free to contact the developer via the submission form under the Support MET tab with any additional groups or sites that you feel should be included. With global warming and the more expansive movements of some animals and plants that seems to be occurring, recording programs which, at the moment seem not to be relevant to the area are included as they may be in the future, bearing in mind that in the past couple of years Sea Turtles and Sea Snakes have been found on local beaches and in December 2023 a Hector's/Maui Dolphin was seen off the coast. RECORDING SITES Links are included but may take on the form of a logo rather than the standard method adopted throughout the rest of the website. Registration is required and once this is done, the easiest way to get started is to click on the submit button, then using the "find it on a map" section, locate the recording site and give it a name. This will then be registered and can be found from your drop-down list on that page. Press continue and what follows is self-explanatory. This is a global database and can be used to enter sightings from anywhere in the world, also allowing species to be searched for with location lists giving an idea of what species.are in an area that may be of interest. Full user tutorial . Again, this is a global database in which records can be entered from anywhere in the world. It also allows you to search for species and location lists. Registration is required but is fairly straight forward. Once done, open site and click add observation and follow instructions, Once this is done entries can be made, ideally with a photograph as this then allows verification of the species if needed. Add as much information as possible. The estuary is a very important area for migrating birds and over the years much research has been done on these global travelers, many of which have covered over a hundred thousand kilometers in their lifetime. New technology is now being used to track these birds but can't be applied to all because of the expense involved. For many years metal bands have been used, inscribed with a unique number and the banding scheme to which the details are related to, in the case of Aotearoa New Zealand it is the Department of Conservation. More recently colour bands of various types are applied to birds' legs. Where metal banded birds really need to be caught again to be read with certainty, coloured bands can be read in the field and submitted to DoC on the sightings form which lists all the information required and how to read the band layout correctly. The estuary is an ideal place to participate but please take a photograph if you can and submit along with sightings form. Limited details are given under a separate heading on the birds page. After a major weather event the group of animals most likely to be affected are sea birds, species that live most of their lives on the open ocean, only coming ashore to breed. Individuals can be washed up on beaches and although, most are dead, they can still provide valuable data so please record fatalities via Seabird Beach Patrol Scheme. Identification can, in some case, be made by shape of the bill which is quite distinctive in many species. Thank to Birds NZ four identification cards ( no.1 no.2 no.3 no.4 ) are available here. These can be downloaded and laminated or photographs taken for later reference but please record. If a band is present please record on the form listed above. A tagging program operates for New Zealand Sea Lions and while they are mostly restricted to the lower South Island they are becoming more numerous with reports of individuals wandering further afield so keep an eye out for any plastic flipper tags if you are lucky enough to see one. Other means of tracking are employed but are used only by professionals with the right equipment. Remember the safety guidelines of not approaching closer than 10 m but photographs can be taken and enlarged on a computer which will help with reading the number. Details can be recorded on Sea Lion Tags which also has heaps of other interesting information. The Sea Lion Trust is also a good general website. ARDS is the Amphibian and Reptile Distribution Scheme administered by DoC to plot distribution and occurrence of these species that are reported from Aotearoa New Zealand. Frogs (endemic and introduced), Geckos, Skinks, Tuatara, Sea Snakes and Sea Turtles are included, and data can be found on the atlas via a drop-down list of over a hundred species with both common and scientific names given for easy location. Each species contains data and a map, which unfortunately gives a location and not actual sites where recorded. Difficult with common species but for sparsely recorded species such as Sea Snakes and Sea Turtles specific locations would have been good. A recording form for observations is given here . Found exclusively in certain coastal waters around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, Māui Dolphin is the world's smallest and rarest dolphin, with an estimated 65 individuals left in the wild. Hector's Dolphin is very similar and found mainly around the South Island with a few stragglers making it further north. Both being the only dolphins in Aotearoa New Zealand to have a rounded dorsal fin so both are easily identifiable as a species and because of their rarity any sightings should be recorded. This can be done using a link via this page which also contains other valuable information and links. See Mammals for reporting other whale and dolphin sightings. FACEBOOK GROUPS Many Facebook groups have been set up to cover a wide range of subjects, mainly on a national basis but are included because they could be relevant to the area and are a useful platform to upload photographs onto if you want an identification. Likewise, many national conservation organisations have posts which are also worth seeing. As such, listed below are a number of sites but please use the search tool on Facebook to check them out - some you need to join before being able to open but each will explain. None are included as links as an extra security safeguard, and it is up to the individual to make the choice. Manawatū Estuary Trust Wildlife Foxton Trust Forest and Bird New Zealand Native Orchids New Zealand Bird Identification Insects and Invertebrates of New Zealand Native Plants of Aotearoa (New Zealand) New Zealand Garden Bird Survey New Zealand Lizard Identification Mushrooms of New Zealand New Zealand Birders Wildlife of New Zealand The New Zealand Epiphyte Network Fernbirds Orca Watch New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority NZ Cetacean Spotting NZ - Whale and Dolphin Watch New Zealand Bittern Conservation New Zealand Nature New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Watch - Wellington Godwits New Zealand Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust species list FOXTON BEACH/ESTUARY SPECIES LIST Most records that are available just give Foxton Beach as a location but an iNaturalist Manawatū Estuary Ramsar site has been set up to record species with all having at least one photograph to identify it. The full Excel spreadsheet list has been split and is now linked via the introduction page.to that sections species list but please bare in mind that they are far from complete and still a work in progress that needs peer reviewing. It is included as an excel file for people to have a look at and get an idea of how valuable an area this is. There are notations in some area for further research which will be followed up at some point. There are still species to classify correctly (and to add) and arrange so please take at face value but contact me via the form under the Support MET tab if you have any comments. Up-dates will be added as and when but feel free to download.