Ian McLean Spokesperson for the Green Party

Although our estuaries are struggling, we still have some fabulous wildlife living close by. One charismatic neighbour is the breeding colony of tara (white-fronted terns) on the Turret Rd bridge.

The Tara is a beautiful bird, sometimes called the ‘swallow of the sea'. The birds at the bridge are so accustomed to people walking by that they ignore observers looking down on them from just a few metres away.

Tara normally breed on near or off-shore rock stacks, and occasionally on beaches such as at Maketu. They will use artificial sites, such as old wharf pilings, but it is rare for them to nest so close to human activity as at Turret Rd.

Highlights include seeing them fishing in the channels, hovering like kites in the wind, and feeding small fish to their chicks. Watching the chicks grow, from a tiny ball of fluff to a fully feathered tern in a matter of weeks, is magic.

That small tern colony (10-15 nests annually) is probably the most accessible in the country. What a great resource for photographers, school projects, or people who simply like to enjoy nature.

Unfortunately, breeding activity by the terns has been under threat due to rehabilitation works on the bridge; and the impending collapse of an old wooden trestle that provided one of the main nesting sites.

Last week, in response to concerns expressed by a number of locals, the NZ Transport Authority (NZTA) stepped up to protect and rebuild the tern nesting habitat. Kia kaha NZTA!

Hopefully, those terns will continue to enhance our environment for many years to come.

Ian Mclean is a Greens Party spokesman. He can be contacted by calling 021 547556 or 07 5794670 or emailing: ian.mclean@greens.org.nz