Half-star Goodenia heenanii Endemic. At risk-declining. Now found only from Waikawa Beach to Tangimoana, this is a star of the Dune Garden, endemic to the Manawatu coast. It was formerly known in a few locations toward Whanganui. Although it is effectively found nowhere else, it is in almost every single dune wetland, including some so small they are hardly recognisable as such. These ephemeral dune wetlands are mostly evolving toward larger plant species, which is why this species is on the threatened species list. A factor in favour of Goodenia heenanii is that ephemeral dune wetlands come and go over periods of a few years, which makes life difficult for larger, less adaptable species. This species is an early pioneer in newly re-establishing dune wetlands on this coast. iNaturalist-Goodenia heenanii NZPCN-Selliera rotundifolia Old taxonomy used by this site.

New Zealand Celery Apium prostratum var.filiforme Native. Not threatened. A delicate variant of the more common Sea Celery and as the name implies it is edible, but you’d need a fair amount to make an impression in a meal. It is one of the few species that can live in the lower story of the dense jungle Oioi creates in estuaries, which is mostly where you’ll find it in the salt marsh areas of the estuary. A mainly prostrate, sprawling plant of coastal and lowland environments but occasionally montane regions. Common on rock ledges, boulder falls, cliff faces, in peaty turf, salt-marshes, within estuaries, on mud banks, around brackish ponds, and lagoons. Also found in freshwater systems along streams and rivers and in wet hollows. iNaturalist-Apium prostratum filiforme NZPCN-Apium prostratum prostratum var filiforme

Piripiri/Biddy-biddy Acaena novae-zelandiae Native. Not threatened. This member of the rose family is common throughout the Ramsar dunes, in both wet and dry locations, it is also found in a few locations in the saltmarsh areas of the estuary. Known around the rest of the world as the weed from New Zealand it has been classified as a noxious weed in many countries, being capable of growing in a wide variety of habitats ranging from coastal to alpine regions. Their natural distribution, besides Aotearoa New Zealand is Australia and New Guinea. It has been introduced into the United Kingdom and is now classified as an invasive species there. Anyone who has been tramping is familiar with the success of Biddy-biddy’s burrs in propagating the species. The inflorescence (group of flowers arranged on a stem) contains up to a hundred flowers, each with four hooked barbs. Apart from clothing, they are dispersed by, not only livestock, but any wind-blown vegetation that they can attach themselves too. iNaturalist-Acaena novae-zelandiae nzpcn-Acaena novae-zelandiae

Tūturiwhatu/Spur-winged Plover Vanellus miles novaehollandiae Native. Not threatened. A self-introduced species from Australia, it is now firmly established and widespread here. A stocky, noisy bird with a quarrelsome nature and raucous voice, it is a familiar bird around the estuary. General plumage colour is grey brown above with white underparts, black cap and shoulders plus distinctive yellow wattles. Nests are built in open habitats near wetland areas or in grassland. Each clutch has 3-4 eggs which hatch in around a month. Young leave the nest shortly after hatching and gain independence at 6-7 weeks. They consume a wide variety of food ranging from worms, insects to molluscs and crustacea. nzbirdsonline-Spur-winged Plover

Mostly known to the public from finds under driftwood, in fact the majority of katipo live in native dune vegetation that has evolved to thrive in moving sand, eg. Kowhangatara , Pingao , Autetaranga or Taataraheke. Because of this, katipō are a good indicator of the state of health of a dune system, like a coal miner's canary. These four posters were produced by Arnim Littek for the 2025 Coastal Restoration Trust Annual Conference. Clicking on each will open a larger version on a separate page. Katipō Latrodectus katipo Endemic. At risk-declining. Katipō is an endangered, endemic species. It is also absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act. Its habitat is almost exclusively sand dune systems, through much of coastal Aotearaoa New Zealand, except the south of the South Island. Closely related to the Australian redback, they can interbreed to a degree, which is a problem since redbacks have already made homes in several locations in this country. Katipō come in two varieties. North of a line across the middle of the North Island, one finds predominantly black katipō South of that line one finds only the more well-known red katipō with a prominent red stripe on their abdomen. Sexual dimorphism is high - males are substantially smaller than females, and have a prominent white component in their coloration, as do juvenile females. Spiderlings are almost completely white. Both adult female red and black katipō can have other coloration than the abdominal stripe, but equally, often they have little or none. A black katipō with no coloration is difficult to discern from an all-black false katipō - the diagnostic criterion in this extreme case is the eye spacing. These enigmatic spiders are resident in the Dune Garden . More information can be found on iNaturalist here. Sutton, M.E., Christensen, B.R. and Hutchenson, J.A. 2006. Field Identification of Katipo . DoC Research and Development Series 237. wolf spider Seashore Wolf Spider Anoteropsis literalis Endemic. At risk-naturally uncommon. Nearly thirty species of wolf spiders are found throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, many being widespread and inhabiting a wide variety of landscapes such as woodlands and gardens. Three species are recorded from the estuary. The Seashore Wolf Spider however, has more specialised requirements and is found in sandy areas around the coast. It is well adapted to life as a solitary hunter being extremely well camouflaged as can be seen in the adjoining photograph. Adults are reported to be nocturnal but are easily disturbed while young are said to be active during the day. The round, silken egg sac is carried around by the female and once hatched young are reputed to be carried around for a period of time before they leave and go their own separate ways. iNaturalist-Seashore Wolf Spider Nursery web Nursery Web Spider Dolomedes minor Endemic. Not threatened. Although a widespread species throughout Aotearoa New Zealand it is rarely seen in the flesh as it is nocturnal, spending most of the day in hiding amongst foliage. What appears to be a mass of web wrapped around the top of bushes is the first sign of their presence and it in these that the female lays her eggs which she guards until they hatch and for a short while afterwards until they disperse. A photograph appears on the beach mysteries page. Unlike many spiders all Dolomedes species, of which there are around 300 species worldwide, hunt prey rather than build a web to catch flying insects Wikipedia-Dolomedes minor

Huahou/Lesser Knot Calidrus canutus Native. At risk-declining. Frequently called Red Knot but a more appropriate name for Aotearoa New Zealand is Lesser Knot. The red refers to their breeding plumage which they acquire for their Arctic stay but arrive here in their non-breeding colouration of grey for our summer. They are best seen from the Dawick Street viewing platform at high tide, roosting on the sandspit, and can also be seen feeding on the mudflats at low tide. By mid-summer they may number several hundred. Lesser Knot are a stocky, nondescript shorebird that can be mistaken for other, rarer migrants. It is a plump bird with short, dull green legs and a short, heavy, straight black bill. General plumage is grey brown above, with pale feather edges that clearly mark the individual feathers, and has pale grey underparts with some markings on the flanks. In breeding plumage it has a rusty-red neck, head, and breast. A gregarious species, it is often seen in flocks but where there are only a few individuals, a group may roost with other species, especially Bar-tailed Godwits. It feeds on the mudflats at the tide line, drilling rapidly into the mud in search of invertebrates with a motion rather like that of a sewing machine needle, probing as they move around. nzbirdsonline-Lesser Knot

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.

Photo credits, (thumbnail) Don and Betty Wood. (main) Jesse Bythell Māori Musk Thyridia repens Native. At risk-naturally uncommon. This rare flowering species is found in estuaries around Aotearoa New Zealand. We are fortunate to have some in the Manawatū Estuary, but in a relatively inaccessible area which is no bad thing, Although the flower is distinctive, when not in flower the plant can resemble Maakoako. It is a widespread, although uncommon species which seems to have suffered from the spread of several species of exotic reeds and grasses.. Flower colour varies between shades of purple but are sometimes much lighter, bordering almost to white. These distinctive blooms appear between November and May. but are relatively short-lived. NZPCN-Thyridia repens iNaturalist-New Zealand Musk

Kuaka/Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica baueri Native. At risk-declining. Bar-tailed Godwits breed in Siberia and Alaska and travel all the way from the arctic to spend summer on Southern Hemisphere shores before returning in the autumn to breed in the northern summer. Most years the Manawatū Estuary hosts about 150 birds which are best seen from the Dawick Street viewing platform at high tide, roosting on the sandspit. Feeding on the mudflats at low tide they probe for molluscs, crustacea and worms. In non-breeding plumage, Bar-tailed Godwits sport a mottled dull brown and white upperparts, with dull white underparts. The rump and tail are barred brown and white, hence the name. In breeding plumage, the males' underparts become chestnut red instead of white. The females are larger and have longer beaks. The long, slightly upturned bill is at least 1.5 times the length of the head (2 times the length, in females), and is pale pink at the base, shading to black at the tip. The legs are a dark grey. Bar-tailed Godwits form flocks which can number several hundred. nzbirdsonline-Bar-tailed Godwit Sightings of banded/flagged birds at the Estuary White flag ZZU 27/1/25 Banding date:15/2/2018 Banded: Manawatu Estuary Since banding: 6yrs 11m 12d Adult White flag BEC 5/12/2025 Banding date 19/11/2013 Banded Manawatu Estuary Since banding 11yrs 0m 16d Adult White flag BEP 15/1/24 Banding date 5/11/2014 Banded: Manawatu Estuary Since banding 10yrs 1m 21d

Three-square Bulrush Schoenoplectus pungens Native. Not threatened As an annual grass, this species fades away in the winter half of the year. It can intergrow with Purua Grass over large areas, so when both species die off, the vegetation looks haggard. Native to Aotearoa New Zealand, it also grows widely around the world and is widespread in western Europe, America and Australia. In addition to estuarine situations, this is one of the common species growing in the dune wetlands on this coast and is not usually found far away from the sea but is occasionally found up to 400 m above sea level. NZPCN-Schoenoplectus pungens iNaturalist-Schoenoplectus pungens

Calendar of Upcoming Events Events will be added to the calendar as they are notified. Only those of particular interest to the estuary and its fauna and flora will be included here and encompass all Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Whanganui. These will only be those that are open meetings with main organisations being Manawatu Estuary Trust, Manawatu Estuary Management Team, Wildlife Foxton Trust, SoRT, Forest and Bird and the Manawatu branch of Birds New Zealand. Planting days, weeding sessions and welcome/farewell the Godwits will also be included. See Events for more details. Space is limited for each event but clicking on the time will show more details, including venue, speaker and a link, if available. By clicking on the location, a google map will become visible. Posters for upcoming events, if available, follow the calendar so please scroll down. Events The Manawatū Estuary Trust and several local organisations and Agencies periodically hold events which enhance both peoples' enjoyment and protection of the area, giving the opportunity to learn more about this very special place. There are two main activities which occur once or twice a year and several, mainly centred around weeding pest plants which are undertaken on either weekly or a fortnightly basis. Dates for the two big events will be published on both this and on the Wildlife Foxton Trust website, plus other local organisations media and through Horizons Regional Council and Horowhenua District Council. Following local facebook pages will also notify of up-coming events. Details on main calendar if available. Welcome and Farewell the Godwits The estuary hosts a farewell (March/April) and a welcome back (September/October) for the migrating Bar-tailed Godwit (see calendar for details) which use the area either as a summer residence or a stop-off resting/feeding place en-route to other places. Some birds on their way back to Aotearoa New Zealand from Alaska can fly 11-13,000 km non-stop to get here in as little as 7 days. The event is held around the viewing platform on Dawick Street and hosted by the Manawatū Estuary Trust who provide spotting scopes to view the birds at close range. Dr Phil Battley, a renowned authority, acts as master of ceremonies, providing an insight into these birds and their amazing flights Planting Sessions For several years, Horowhenua District Council (HDC) and Horizons Regional Council (HRC) have been funding both the purchase and growing of Kōwhangatara/Spinifex and Pingao for the dunes at Foxton Beach to aid stabilisation of the dunes and thanks to a generous donation from Horizons Regional Council's Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi Community Response Fund, Wildlife Foxton Trust were able to successfully grow 3000 Kōwhangatara/Spinifex plants in 2023 and 2024. In 2024 Central Districts 4 X 4 Club also donated over a 1000 Spinifex plants. Wildlife Foxton Trust continues to grow both species. Volunteers from a number of local and regional groups, plus representatives from both HRC and HDC participated in the planting of these important species for the protection of the dunes. Wildlife Foxton Trust and Manawatū Estuary Trust websites will include notices of further planting days, as will both facebook pages and other publications in the area. Weeding Sessions One of the main areas of concern around the estuary and the area in general is the profusion of invasive weeds that are taking over, crowding out native species, many of which are at risk. A number of local enthusiasts spend a considerable amount of time trying to keep them under control and are to be found every Wednesday morning and alternate Sunday mornings at various points around the estuary attending to pest species. It is not all hard work and is a brilliant way to learn about the special plants that are to be found in this amazing place. If you are interested in helping with this important activity, please make contact through the contact MET page. MAJOR CLEARANCE SESSIONS Apart from the weeding sessions mentioned above, periodically groups come together at various locations such as the loop at Foxton and Waitarere Beach, to undertake major clearance of pest plants such as poplar, willow, ragwort and acacia. Major rubblish clearance is also carried out. These are normally run in conjunction with Horowhenua District Council so keep looking at the events calendar for any upcoming events

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