Bird Life
Life at Pateke Lagoons is governed by the seasons. The breeding season begins in the NZ spring(August/September) with many of our birds hatching through until December. Summers are mild (around 23 degrees Celsius) and dry, lasting until late February. Autumn often continues dry and the lagoons call out for rain as they are dependent on rainfall for winter top-up. Winters are cool with overnight frosts giving a touch of ice on the lakes, followed by beautiful days.
A wide range of wildfowl have made their homes here. The largest group is made up of several hundred pairs of mallard duck, with grey duck, teal, shoveller, paradise shelduck and Canada geese all thriving. Dabchick, scaup, pukeko, white-faced heron and parakeet are also resident. This month the Canada Geese are spending more and more time searching for likely nesting places, so there is a fair amount of territorial disputation, especially at night! We have rather more geese than we want and hope that the large flock of juveniles will go elsewhere to be delinquent for the winter.
Canada Geese in July/ Setting New Territory
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Canada Geese Fly in to Pateke/ Swans, Canada Geese and Mallards
Pateke Lagoons in July
Pateke Lagoons gives refuge to transient visitors too, such as the royal spoonbill and the elusive but regular visitor, the kotuku, or white heron, stopping off on its way to Okarito Lagoons 700 kilometres further south.Other native forest birds are returning to Pateke Lagoons, seeking flax nectar and berries from maturing trees. These birds include tui, bellbird and the native pigeon. Cheeky fantails (piwakawaka) fly about to pick up the insects disturbed by passers by.