'Prime Real Estate' — For Penguins

Forest and Bird, Issue 305, 1 August 2002, Page 41

'Prime Real Estate' — For Penguins

—MEG GRAEME

n late winter, little blue penguins come ashore to nest near the boat ramp rocks at Kuaotunu Beach, on the Coromandel Peninsula. Trails of footprints leading down to the sea are all that the early morning beach walkers find, however. Last winter only six penguins came to nest along the Kuaotunu Beach.and many dead birds were found washed up. The last few years have been hard for the penguins with changing sea conditions affecting their food, and increasing disturbance as more and more dogs and people come to the Coromandel coast. Local people were keen to give

the penguins a helping hand so Barbara Meredith (whose home rentals business is named after the birds) enquired about nest boxes. The Department of Conservation supplied a nest box design that has been very popular with blue penguins at Oamaru. The Mercury Bay Forest and Bird section supplied the materials and local members and residents built six nest boxes. The boxes were placed above the reach of the highest tide, sheltered by flax or pohutukawa and blending into the rocks and grasses. Kuaotunu residents are hoping that their nest boxes are going to appeal this year.