Ureura/Glasswort Salicornia quinqueflora Native. Not threatened. Also known as Beaded Samphire, it is in some respects the most identifiable of estuarine plant species. It probably inhabits every estuary of any size in Aotearoa New Zealand and many other countries too, including parts of Australia where the succulent-like stem of the plant is a favoured food item for the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot. At the time of writing, the biggest patch in the area is off the end of Pinewood Road, but there are numerous other patches around the Estuary. The original common name came from it’s role in the manufacture of glass. The flower is seasonal, and distinctive as shown in the illustrations. This species is seasonal, so the best time to see it is in the summer half of the year. NZPCN-Salicornia-quinqueflora iNaturalist-Sarcocornia quinqueflora

Page under construction. As time progresses it will be populated with maps, both old and new. Aerial views will also be included.

Birds Shorebirds are some of the special birds found at the estuary. These are wading birds, most of whom live in wetland or coastal areas. Shorebirds usually feed by picking invertebrates or molluscs out of the substrate of rivers, lakes, or coasts which usually involves some wading, hence their alternative name of waders. The sandspit at Foxton Beach is the best place to view shorebirds and this is easily done at high tide from the viewing platform on Dawick Street. At this time birds are mostly resting and are easy to observe and you may even be lucky enough to spot something out of the ordinary. When the tide is lower, birds can be seen feeding on the extensive mudflats. Some species are exclusively estuarine (feeding only on the estuary mudflats) but some species can also be seen all along the Manawatū River. Many of the estuary shorebirds are migratory arriving in good numbers for our summer while some Aotearoa New Zealand birds, like the Wrybill winter in the estuary and then fly to the South Island to breed in our summer. Long distance travelers, such as the Bar-tailed Godwits are our renowned summer visitors, before returning to the Arctic for the northern summer to breed. As well as waders, seabirds and wetland birds are present at the estuary. A national wader count is carried out twice a year to monitor long-term trends in the wader population at sites throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Click here to find out more about the wader counts on a national scale. Thanks to Birds NZ, a breakdown for those species recorded in the estuary is available here. Please bear in mind this is a snapshot on any one given day. More detailed information is given below under the 6 eBird estuary locations. A checklist of species recorded from the area is included here . Information is basic and continually up-dated 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. This checklist follows a recognised international format and may not follow any that are used in Aotearoa New Zealand. Web address links are edited to fit within the static species columns. List can be downloaded and additions for personal use be "save as". These will not be saved to web. Sightings of banded/flagged birds at the Estuary When birdwatching from the viewing platform on Dawick Street, you may notice that some birds have coloured leg bands or rings. These are applied as part of research projects, both within Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. The bands may appear as solid colours or include numbers and/or letters. They can take the form of a wraparound band or a flag. Sightings of these markings are recorded in a database, which, over time, helps build a clearer picture of the birds’ movements, survival rates, and population growth. Further information on how to report these sightings is available on the research page linked here . Here are some examples of banded birds observed at the estuary. This is only a snapshot of recorded data, as the NZ National Bird Banding Scheme (DOC) maintains a much more comprehensive database. Full records include details such as age, sex, morphometrics and additional observations, while the information shared here gives a brief overview of species identified so far - Bar-tailed Godwit, Lesser Knot, Caspian Tern, Fairy Tern, and Shore Plover. The table is formatted with fixed top and side headings, allowing the remaining content to be scrolled. Although the estuary is not officially listed as a site within the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) shorebird network, it still lies within the flyway and receives visiting birds from across the region. Updated global protocols for colour marking of shorebirds are available here . There are 6 bird recording hotspots within Foxton Beach recorded on eBird and these are given below. Click on each link to view sighting in more detail, scrolling through the options as required. 1 2 3 5 6 4 1 Foxton Beach - Outer Coast 2 Foxton Beach (general) 3 Bollards, Manawatū Estuary 4 Dawick Street Viewing Platform 5 Foxton Beach Boardwalk 6 Manawatū Estuary near Boat Ramp e Bird Some of the birds you might see are shown below. Click on the images to learn more about these special species. Each has a link at the end of some brief text to a more detailed account. Many thanks to Terry Oliver-Ward for providing these beautiful photographs Ngutu pare/Wrybill Kuaka/Bar-tailed Godwit Huahou/Lesser Knot Kuriri/Pacific Golden Plover Kōtare/Sacred Kingfisher Pohowera/Banded Dotteral Taranui/Caspian Tern Tara/White-fronted Tern Tarāpuka/Black-billed Gull Tarāpunga/Red-billed Gull Karoro/Southern Black-backed Gull Kakīānau/Black Swan Tētē-moroiti/Grey Teal Kuruwhengi/Australasian Shoveler Rakiraki/Mallard Kuiki/Canada Goose Pūkeko/Australasian Swamp Hen Tūturiwhatu/Spur-winged Plover Warou/Welcome Swallow Kōtuku/White Heron Kōtuku ngutupapa/Royal Spoonbill Kawaupaka/Little Pied Shag Matuku hūrepo/Australasian Bittern Matuku moana/White-faced Heron Photo by Imogen Warren Mātātā/Fernbird

Maakoako/Sea Primrose Samolus repens Native. Not threatened. A common estuarine plant around Aotearoa New Zealand, in many situations it can be a pioneer species moving in after an area has suffered a natural disaster. Afterward, other species move in, often overgrowing it, but even then, Maakoako survives under taller vegetation. For example, at the time of writing, at the end of Carter Crescent there is a patch of ‘lawn’ mowed by Council staff down to tide level. There is also a small patch easily seen from the viewing platform. Maakoako is a principal constituent of this patch of estuarine lawn. There is also a small patch easily seen from the viewing platform. It has pretty white flowers which show from well before Christmas until the start of winter, a long growing season. Besides Aotearoa New Zealand, it can be found in Australia, some Pacific Islands and Chile in South America. NZPCN-Samolus repens var repens iNaturalist-Samolus repens

Pāpāngaio Te Wharangi Manawatū Estuary Newsletters Prior to the launch of the Pāpāngaio Te Wharangi Manawatū Estuary Management Plan in March 2025, the first newsletter produced by the Manawatū Estuary Management Team became available in November 2024. Future issues are produced at least quarterly and are opened by clicking the date below each thumbnail. The Management Plan and Ramsar pages provide more general information on the Ramsar site, and the documents associated with it. Issue 8 June 2026 Issue 4 September 2025 Issue 7 April 2026 I ssue 3 July 2025. Issue 6 February 2026 Issue 2 April 2025 Issue 5 December 2025 I ssue 1 November 2024 Heading 6 newspaper Newspaper and Magazine Articles The launch of the Plan attracted much local media attention in both the Horowhenua Chronicle and the Horowhenua Star. As time progresses, it is anticipated that there will be more coverage of the estuary and the activities which are undertaken to improve this important area. Click on dates below each thumbnail to view a larger version. Horowhenua Chronicle !!/6/26 Horowhenua Chronicle 28/5/26 Stuff 10/2/2026 Horowhenua Star 5/12/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 20/11/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 02/10/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 04/9/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 24/7/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 24/7/2025 Manawatū Standard 3/5/2025 Horowhenua Star 4/4/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 21/3/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 21/2/25 Horowhenua Chronicle 14/5/26 Horowhenua Chronicle 18/12/2025 Horowhenua Star 28/11/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 12/11/25 Horowhenua Star 26/9/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 04/9/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 29/5/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 1/5/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 1/5/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 28/3/2025 ENM Newsletter March 2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 22/1/2024 Horowhenua Chronicle 12/2/26 Horowhenua Chronicle 11/12/2025 Horowhenua.Star 21/11/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 02/10/25 Horowhenua Chronicle 25/9/25 Horowhenua Chronicle 31/7/2025 Horowhenua Star 27/6/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 8/5/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 17/4/2025 Manawatū Standard 25/3/2025 Horowhenua Chronicle 28/2/2025 Stuff 20/2/2023

Tauhinu/Cottonwood Ozothamnus leptophyllus Endemic. Not threatened. Principally a dry dune species on this coast, and in the Dune Garden sometimes appears in the ephemeral wetland area. There it builds dry islands by accumulating sand, but not as effectively as Pingao and Kōwhangatara. It is found from coastal areas generally up to subalpine regions and can attain a height of over 2m. One of the pleasant defining characteristics of this endemic species is that when the white flower is fully active, the aroma is quite reminiscent of Manuka honey. It is pleasant to be downwind of a large number of these plants when in bloom. It is reputed to be the larval food plant of the endemic moth Homoeosomo anaspoia . NZPCN-Tauhinu iNaturalist-Tauhinu

Pekapeka/Indo-pacific Comb Star Astropectin polyacanthus As its name suggests, this species inhabits the Indo-Pacific region being found from around Africa to Hawaii and from Japan, the Indonesian Islands to Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. This species is typically found in shallow estuaries and harbors, at depths reaching 185 metres.. It is often a victim of dragnet fishing, which could explain why they are occasionally discovered deceased on beaches, sometimes in significant numbers. In life, they exhibit a dark purple hue on their upper side and orange on their underparts. Their common name originates from the "spines" located on both sides of their five arms which resembles a comb. Food consists mainly of shellfish which are swallowed whole. iNaturalist-Indo-pacific Comb Star finger sponge Pūngorungoru/Finger Sponge Callyspongis nuda Very little is known about this frequently washed-up Sponge Although there are records of this species being found globally in locations off East Africa, Madagascar, Indonesia and North and South America, it is Aotearoa New Zealand which seems to have the most records (see GBIF reference). Food in the form of plankton and dissolved organic material is drawn in through pores (clearly visible in the photograph) and the nutrients filtered from the water by cell walls as it was pumped through. Waste is also expelled through these pores. The life cycle of Sponges in general is complex. Most are hermaphroditic with both male and female cells. Larva produced find places to attach themselves to which can be rocks, marine debris or as in the picture, the shell of a mollusc. GBIF-Callyspongia nuda Wikipedia-Sponges by-the-wind-sailor By-the-wind Sailor Velella velella Not every summer but most, there are strandings of By-the-wind-sailor, although not in the numbers that are found for Bluebottles. Often called Jellyfish, they are actually a group of organisms each with a particular part to play in ensuring its survival and are termed Siphonophores. Unlike true jellyfish which are mobile in their own right, By-the-wind-sailors have no mechanism by which to achieve this and rely solely on wind and currents for their movement. A thin semicircular fin is set diagonally across the float and this acts like a sail which catches the wind and moves these creatures over great distances. The sting of this species is not that strong, but handling should be avoided. Jellywatch-Velella velella

Water Quality The quality of water flowing through the estuary from the adjacent towns and land and from the entire upstream length of the Manawatū River and its tributaries has a profound effect on the health of the habitat for all forms of life in the estuary. The Manawatū Estuary Management Team has formed a Water Quality group that is looking into gaining a good understanding of the water quality and what is going on that could improve it. As solid information is gained, it will be referenced on this page. There are four regularly monitored swimming spots within the area and testing runs from November to the end of April. These are carried out by Horizons Regional Council and results given on the LAWA website. To view a particular spot, click on each site picture to view details, bearing in mind that they are not monitored outside of the summer/autumn period. Once on the site, click on the weekly/long term button to see if there is any update. Other useful information is also viewable once on this site is open. The HDC Local Waters Combined Bylaw 2025 came into effect on 1 July 2025 and means there is now one Bylaw covering all local Horowhenua water services. Previously there were three different Bylaws (Water Supply, Wastewater and Trade Waste) and no Stormwater Bylaw. All previous Bylaws can be viewed through Local Bylaws and Policies.

Spiders It is not known how many species of spiders are found in Aotearoa New Zealand but is thought to be around 2000 with the likelihood of numerous others still awaiting discovery. The dunes and estuary at Foxton Beach are not a particularly strong area for spiders as it is a specialised habitat and only has a handful of native species that favour this harsh environment, sheltering and hunting amongst the plants and driftwood. Unfortunately, a number of the species found here are not native and several are known to predate the endangered Katipō. The township of Foxton Beach is likely to have numerous other species not yet recorded from the district. A checklist of species recorded from the area is included here . Information is basic and continually up-dated 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. This checklist follows a recognised international format and may not follow any that are used in Aotearoa New Zealand. Web address links are edited to fit within the static species columns. List can be downloaded and additions for personal use be "save as". These will not be saved to web. Katipō Seashore Wolf Spider Nursery Web Spider

Kōtare/Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus Native. Not threatened. A common bird throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Found in small numbers around the estuary being seen most frequently perched on posts, branches and power lines, a particular favourite spot. They feed on a variety of prey types such as crabs, fish and large insects but other species are eaten as they become seasonally available. Kingfishers mostly catch their food by plunging from perches. These favoured spots can have pellets, the undigested parts of their diet, beneath and are an indicator of what they have been eating. They nest in a hollow excavated in a stump or bank where up to five eggs are laid. The photograph opposite was taken in a Foxton garden. nzbirdsonline-Sacred Kingfishe r

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