Suspected avian botulism outbreak in Christchurch

Toll reaches over 4300

Over the past month there has been a dramatic decrease in Christchurch’s birdlife. The Avon/Heathcote Estuary and Bromley area has suffered a real loss of more than 10 per cent of the area’s bird population; a devastating blow to one of the country’s top ten sites for wetland birds. Over 4300 dead birds have been collected in the area; this number surpasses the death toll of the Rena oil spill last year. 

  White-faced heron (9.61% of population killed)

Immediately following February’s earthquake large volumes of untreated wastewater were discharged into the lower Avon and Heathcote Rivers as well as the Avon-Heathcote Estuary. 

A bird survey taken last year, a week after the February quake showed surprisingly that there were approximately 5000 more birds on the Estuary than the previous year (before the quakes), and initial fears that there would be nothing left on the Estuary due to liquefaction were quelled. The initial influx in bird numbers directly after the quake could have been due to birds flocking to the area as ‘quake refugees’.

You only have to look at the estuary and the effects of the quakes are immediately evident - the estuary is now a physically different place. The northern part of the estuary (Avon River mouth) has subsided by 0.2 - 0.5 metres from its previous level and the Southern part (Heathcote River mouth) has risen by 0.3 – 0.5 metres. According to a NIWA report there is an average elevation rise of 0.14 metres which is enough elevation to keep a million cubic metres (400 Olympic-sized swimming pools) of water from flowing in and out of the estuary, that’s one-sixth of its original flow. 

I remember being struck by the amount of liquefaction on the estuary after the February earthquake. Some parts of the estuary resembled the surface of the moon, with large crater like liquefaction mounds covering the mudflats for kilometres! NIWA estimate that up to 40 per cent of the estuary was covered by liquefaction mounds after February! Liquefaction has the potential to smother estuarine biota and I’ve noticed a dramatic reduction in epifauna especially mudsnails and mudcrabs. Crab burrows once covered much of the Avon/Heathcote estuary and there has been a visible reduction of these burrows due to liquefaction cover at my bird photography sites. Mud crabs are an important food source for birds like the kingfishers and herons and there has been a noticeable reduction in kingfishers and herons at these once popular feeding spots.   

    

A NZ Kingfisher with a mudcrab, epifauna such as mudcrabs have lost habitat due to liquefaction

On the 9^th of February an article in The Press expressed its concern with the finding of 600-800 dead birds around the Christchurch estuary, in particular Bromley oxidation ponds and the eastern wetlands area. According to council ornithologist Andrew Crossland the deaths are more to do with the fluctuating water levels and the changes in water quality due to the earthquakes. Over the weekend another article reported that the death toll now is above 4300 birds! The fatalities are thought to be a result of a suspected avian botulism outbreak due to an increase in sewage levels. The Council is working with the Department of Conservation, vets at Massey University, Ministry of Agriculture and Fish & Game to determine the cause of deaths.

The worst affected species are the paradise shelducks, which lost more than 85 per cent of their population (1415 birds), the mallard/grey ducks (49 per cent or 385 birds), and the grey teal (13 per cent or 495 birds), NZ scaup (8.54 per cent), NZ shoveler (3.5 per cent). These staggering numbers mean that there will be a substantial decrease in numbers around the estuary and Bromley, as well as at source areas and migration/dispersal destinations. Duck species are not the only ones that have suffered losses - white-faced herons, royal spoonbills, black-backed gulls and the endangered black-billed gulls, just to name a few, although these species' populations should recover in one to three years. In yesterday’s Press there was a photo of a royal spoonbill being rescued by a DOC officer, suspected of having avian botulism. Providing mildly affected birds with fresh water, shade and protection from predators may help them recover from the intoxication. 

  Male paradise shelduck (85.34% of population killed)

 

 Mallard (49.18% of population killed)

 Grey teal (13.33% of population killed)

 NZ Scaup (8.54% of population killed)

Avian botulism is a paralytic disease caused by the ingestion of a toxin produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. The bacteria require warm temperatures, a protein source and an anaerobic environment to produce the toxin, and the increased sewage levels due to the earthquakes may have been responsible for aiding in this intoxication. Birds can either ingest the toxin directly or feed on invertebrates such as maggots containing the toxin. Invertebrates are not affected by the toxin but store it up in their bodies. The spread of avian botulism happens when maggots feed on animal carcasses and ingest the toxin, birds that consume toxin-laden maggots can develop botulism after eating as few as 3 or 4 maggots, therefore the swift removal of dead birds will help minimise the spread of the disease. 

 NZ shoveler (3.50% of population killed)

Further facts about avian botulism :-

•          A paralysing, often fatal disease that is caused by a botulism bacterium.
•         Birds suffering from the toxin will have sluggish movements, and will struggle to use their wings, raise their heads or feed as it affects the nervous system.
•      Avian botulism cannot be transferred to humans.

The good news is that the numbers of dead birds being found is slowly decreasing. Regardless of the cause of mass deaths let’s hope that this decline in deaths will continue and that Christchurch will still remain one of the top ten national sites for wetland birds!

 South island pied oystercatcher (0.09% of population killed)

Holiday Happenings...

I’ve recently returned from three weeks in Queensland, Australia, visiting family and friends. I had a great time back in the ‘mother land’, and spent a great time on the coast fishing, relaxing and soaking up the good old Queensland heat! Although the purpose of this trip was time to spend with the family I couldn’t help take my camera equipment in case a photo opportunity showed itself.

Every morning started with the deafening song of the rainbow lorikeets and crows which seemed to take the lead vocals in the dawn chorus. I am always amazed when I return home at the variety of Australian birds – you only have to compare the Australian and New Zealand bird field guides to notice the big difference in species diversity. I found myself constantly referring to my Australian bird book as I saw and photographed unfamiliar species of bird – very exciting for a wildlife nut like me :) 

My uncle who works as a groundsman at a local school told me of a pair of bush stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) who had been nesting on the school ground for the last few years. Naturally I had to take my camera and see these amazing birds for myself! These lanky legged birds were hard to spot at first as both birds were ‘frozen’, lying stick-like flat against the bush floor with their long necks extended. It was quite comical to watch these shy birds as they lay deathly still at my feet in hope that I hadn’t spotted them. As I walked along the section of bush I was startled when one of the birds appeared behind me and started ‘growling/hissing’, the sound resembled a hissing angry cat! WOW it was actually intimidating as the stone-curlew stood tall as can be making these weird aggressive sounds! This could only mean one thing; I thought to myself, there must be eggs or a chick nearby! What timing! I had a quick look around the immediate area and found two well camouflaged ‘dark-brown blotchy’ eggs which sat on the bare ground. Not wanting to cause any stress on the two birds I quickly took a couple of snaps and left them to their two well hidden eggs. 

I returned a couple of weeks later to check on the pair and their eggs; I was really excited to find and photograph an adult bird and a small curlew chick!!! Sadly, one of the school grounds staff had found a dead adult curlew on the playing field that very morning – a victim to a fox or cat attack! I only hope that the remaining adult and chick will survive!!

Ten days of my trip were spent on the sunshine coast at a place called Buderim, where I spent time exploring the beautiful coastline around Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Noosa as well as the hinterland behind the sunshine coast at places like Eumundi, Montville etc. I was amazed at the birdlife present, in particular the species of egrets and herons. One thing that really drew my attention was the frogs and lizards! One thing that the South Island of New Zealand doesn’t have too many of!! 

These are a few snapshots from my Australian holidays. Being there on holidays didn’t give me enough time to get a feel photographically for the place, although it did whet my appetite for a return photo trip sometime in the future :)

At the moment I am working with a designer friend on getting a 'Jonathan Harrod Photography' website up and running. which is very exciting for me! Thanks for stopping by!

In late October a friend and I set off for South Westland, an area famous for its dramatic coastline, sweeping beaches, rugged cliff tops, spectacular glaciers, and amazing wildlife! South Westland is so grand, that UNESCO declared it as important as the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Mt Everest and other global natural treasures as it is holds natural and cultural features of world significance, and is now protected for perpetuity.

This is a part of the country so wild and undisturbed that the town of Haast was not linked by road to the rest of the West Coast until 1965! Haast was our base for five days and from there we ventured out in search of the varied wildlife that South Westland has to offer. Spending a little over week in South Westland in this wild part of the country was amazing! The wildness of the place was infectious and the bush lit up with the choir of native bird song! I couldn’t help closing my eyes thinking this is what pre-European New Zealand would have sounded like. I was excited to see Australasian bittern, fernbirds and a NZ falcon! But I would have to say that spending time with the penguins was the highlight of the trip!!

| Theo on the trail for penguins |

I absolutely love photographing penguins! I find that they are so full of character and very photogenic! I’ve photographed little blue, white-flippered and yellow-eyed penguins before, but I had never seen, let alone photographed, the fiordland crested penguins (Tawaki). Setting aside a week to photograph these amazingly beautiful penguins was fantastic and even though it rained for a few days I still was able to get some good days of photography in.

The first couple of days we were there it bucketed down in true West Coast fashion and we took the opportunity to do a bit of sightseeing. We spent some time exploring the bush around Jackson Bay where I found myself following fantails throughout the thick bush where the canopy was providing some temporary relief from the rain. Jackson Bay has an interesting history full of hardship and grief… In the 1870s a population of 400 people (many Germans, Poles & Italians), were recruited to establish a settlement at Jackson Bay. Conditions were harsh and within 5 years the population declined to near 50 people, largely due to illness and accident; taming the landscape proved difficult if not impossible and fraught with grief and hardship!

I had a major scare with my camera on the first day of photographing the penguins!!!! Due to the difference in temperature and moisture from the previous day photographing in the wet bush around Jackson Bay and the now sunny warm beach weather my camera and lens totally fogged up – full of condensation! The top and back LCD screens, as well as the large front element of my telephoto lens, were completely fogged up! Auto focus didn’t work and all I could see through the viewfinder was a white! My heart stopped as I thought that could be the end of my trip before it even started, although after a couple of hours sitting in the sun the condensation slowing disappeared….phew! And I was able to capture the penguins as they entered and exited the ocean in order to feed their rapidly growing chicks.               

| Preening on the beach is common and indulged in quite intensively after they return to land |

The last day proved to be my favourite day as I was able to capture the intimacy between a pair of penguins as they preened one another and showed an amazing amount of tenderness and affection towards one another. AMAZING!

| Allopreening (preening each other) can be preformed between partners, and serves to strengthen the bond between partners |

Hope you enjoy the photos

'The Coast'

For the past few weeks I’ve spent most of my time on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. I’ve lived on the East Coast for almost four years now and I can’t believe it has taken me this long to venture over to the West (as it only takes 3hrs to drive to from Christchurch).  I was properly introduced to the ‘The Coast’ last month while giving a talk to the Greymouth Photography Club…  Big thanks to Nicki Mora, Elizabeth Passuello, Stuart Nimmo & John Reid for their wonderful hospitality and introducing me to the fantastic opportunities that the coast has to offer … check out their amazing photography! 

I decided to spend a few days before and after my talk photographing the birds on the West Coast. The West Coast of New Zealand is a wild place of rivers, untouched native forests and a dramatic untamed coastline all surrounded by snow-capped mountains! A truly magical place for photography! Click on the images below for a larger size...

 

The weather forecast for the week was looking pretty grim as I packed my bags for the coast... 7 days of rain and cloud ahead! 

I left on Friday after work; in just enough time to photograph the kea at Arthurs Pass National Park (a must stop on the way over). It was great spending some time with these cheeky alpine parrots, although keeping them from pulling your vehicle and camera gear apart is a full time job! I was a bit worried when a kea flew from my car holding a large piece of plastic in it's beak... I've still got no idea where it pulled it from (my car still works which is the main thing!). See photo to the right.

I spent the Saturday photographing spotted shags in between the downpours and high winds in Wesport. The spotted shags look fantastic at this time of year in their breeding plumage with stunning colouration around their eyes, white filo-plumes and awesome double mohawks! 

 

On the Monday Nicki, Elizabeth and I spent a few hours in search of tomtits in the bush. The tomtits remained quite scarce offering us a quick sighting every now and then... although the fantails proved to be more obliging. We were getting  eaten alive by sandflies when photographing this particular fantail (below) which was only too happy to stick around and eat the sandflies eating us.

Up to now the weather had been beautiful even though the weather report still was forecasting bleak weather! I'm increasingly suspicious that the locals ('coasters') deliberately forecast terrible weather to keep the tourists away :)

On my last full day on 'The Coast' (Wednesday) Nicki and I decided to head down to Okarito Lagoon. The Weather report was still forecasting heavy rain (Although I was beginning to 'catch on' that the weather report couldn't be trusted). 

We woke up at 4:30am as Okarito was a good 2hrs drive away and we wanted to be there for the early morning light! We woke up to drizzly rain (I was thinking to myself 'what a day for them to get the forecast right!!!') but being the optimistic wildlife photographers we are, we threw the gear into the car, had a much needed coffee and hit the road. 

As we pulled into Okarito the early sun started to peek through the clouds, creating spectacular light for photography! It was going to be a beautiful day! Not long after pulling the car over we noticed a brutal fight between two male paradise ducks was taking place over a female (notice the female watching in the background in the photo below)! I've never seen a more intense fight between two ducks and it went for well over ten minutes... the two ducks were locked shoulder to shoulder as they violently flapped and splashed oblivious to our presence! It was amazing to watch the drama unfold right in front of our eyes, with the victor getting the girl and chasing the losing male away (his head lowered in a submissive manner) to lick his wounds. What an amazing start to the day... definitely a 'high 5 moment'!!!

Next we headed down to the mouth of the lagoon to photograph banded dotterels that use this particular beach to nest at this time of year. It didn't take long to find our first nest when looking for the tell-tale signs such as the broken wing display (Right) where the adult bird fakes a broken wing to take attention from its nest site... it always amazes me the choices these little dotterels make for their nest sites as they always seem to be near areas heavily used by 4WD's! It was good to see a young chick. (Below: Banded dotterel chick, Lake Ellesmere).

 

 

After photographing the dotterels we decided to explore another spot further around the lagoon. As soon as we got out of the car we noticed two welcome swallows sitting beside a mud pool at the side of the road collecting mud to build their nests... we laid ourselves next to the mud (looking like crazy people to all those that walked and drove by) and photographed these awesome little birds as they repeatedly flew in a filled their beaks with mud! What a great day full of photographic opportunities!!!

I’ve just come back from a week of photographing penguins in South Westland but more about that in my next blog!

SPRING IS HERE

SPRING IS HERE

 

I can always tell when Spring is here because a pair of mallard ducks start knocking at my door... every Spring without fail the pair arrive on our front deck and tap on our glass sliding door wanting a feed. Spring is finally here!!! and the breeding, nesting and hatching has begun! What a wonderful time of year for a wildlife photographer. Amongst the earthquake rubble the daffodils are in full flower and our city is being transformed by Spring's vivid colours!

| Above: A pied shag with stunning breeding colours |

Lately I've been busily trying to get my images organised and I've spent the last few weeks editing and sorting through a huge number of photos... and I can happily say that I'm almost done (phew!). I always prefer to be out with the camera rather than behind a computer, although I find it interesting going through old pictures and re-discovering photos and trips again.

It's been great doing talks for photography clubs and societies... and I had a wonderful time talking to the New Brighton Photography Club on Tuesday night - what a good bunch of people! I'm looking forward to meeting and talking to the members of the Greymouth Photography Club next month and spending some time photographing some of the birds on the west coast!

 | Above & Below: The endemic Black-fronted tern |

Last Friday night a friend and I threw our kayaks on the car and headed up the coast to a place called Kaikoura to spend the weekend kayaking around the peninsula. There is always something special about kayaking around the peninsula and we were treated by some great weather, some fantastic views and great wildlife like the New Zealand fur seals. 

A special moment for me was when a reef heron flew directly over our kayaks and landed on the rock platform a few metres away. The photos below are  some of the photos of the reef heron (Egretta sacra) feeding... what a buzz considering that these secretive herons are not a common sighting in New Zealand, especially in the south island.

 

  

| Above: A banded dotterel strolls amongst the weed on the Kaikoura Peninsula |

| Above: A New Zealand dotterel preening | Below: Shag Pile, Christchurch |

It's been fantastic to have the very talented Karen Neal use some of my photos as references for her wonderful wildlife paintings. I received a print of the wonderful kingfisher painting 'Gone Fishing' recently... go check out her work!