Naturally West: Changes at bird care facility; Weather by the moon

Changes at bird care centre

The Glen Eden bird rehabilitation centre has been renamed BirdCare Aotearoa. It has a new website www.birdcareaotearoa.org.nz and it has purchased a much-needed infusion pump, following a fundraising event at Titirangi Theatre.

Lynn Miller, general manager of the facility says the new name reflects the changes the centre has undergone over the past two years.

“We now provide ‘patient-centric’ care to the over 6000 patients admitted every year. This can be anything from surgical repair by one of our veterinarians to intensive care support with specialised equipment. Our nurseries provide specialised nutrition for each baby bird and their housing allows their development to progress just as it would out in the wild. And the sea bird unit ensures our precious marine birds are cared for in a dedicated area.

“Our vision is to establish BirdCare Aotearoa as a national centre of excellence in wildlife rehabilitation.”

“The infusion pump controls the administration of small amounts of fluid to help a bird recover from injury,” says Janey Carr of the donor care team. “The usual drip hook-up you might see in a hospital setting doesn’t work as well. It is a gravity-fed system which does not provide the constant flow of pressure required to prevent blood clots developing, and constant movement of the bird makes it difficult to administer accurate amounts of fluid. The drip also needs replenishment several times a day by a hospital attendant so birds may not receive the attention they need overnight.“

An infusion pump overcomes all these problems.

BirdCare Aotearoa was very grateful for the support which enabled the purchase of this crucial piece of equipment.

After a night on the infusion pump this morepork, which had been completely unresponsive, was well on the road to recovery.

213 – 215 Woodlands Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland 0604 Phone: 09 817 8495 or 09 817 6188

www.kenturnermotors.co.nz

Gradual goodbye to problematic plastic

New Zealand households use 1.76 billion plastic containers annually, and nearly 100 million of these are plastic drink and milk bottles which are discarded in rubbish bins.

Although many of these bottles can and should be recycled there are some types of bottles that can’t (e.g. coloured soft drink bottles or white plastic juice bottles). There are other plastics that can’t be recycled: plastic cutlery, straws, plates and bowls and PVC and polystyrene items. However, the government has recently announced a ban on hard-to-recycle products.

This ban is a phased process.

First to go will be PVC, polystyrene and some degradable plastic products meaning that there will be no more PVC meat trays, plastic cotton buds or polystyrene takeaway containers by late next year. By mid 2023 plastic fruit labels, straws, produce bags, cutlery, bowls and plates will go, and by mid 2025 Government will outlaw all other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging, and potentially, plastic lined coffee cups and wet wipes containing plastic.

But we don’t have to wait for these products to be banned: we can avoid using them now. Keep a cup, metal straw, bowl and cutlery in your car, and use your own container for takeaways.

And when sorting your recycling, remember that number six plastics cannot be recycled and should go in the rubbish.

weather by the moon

Ken Ring’s predictions for August

August is likely to be drier than average, sunnier, and with below average temperatures.

The first week is the sunniest but coolest and with the highest air pressure, the second and last weeks are the wettest, and the fourth week is also the warmest. Air pressure should average around 1017mb. Most rain may be around the beginning of the second week. The 14th/15th could be the best weekend for outdoor activities.

For fishermen, the highest tides are around the 25th. The best fishing bite-times in the West are around noon on the 7th-9th, and 21st-23rd. Chances are also good for around dusk of the 1st-2nd, 14th-16th, and 28th-31st.

For gardeners, pruning is best between the 1st-5th and 24th-31st (waning moon descending), and sowing is best between the 10th-18th (waxing moon ascending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers on neap tide days of 3rd and 18th. Allow 24 hour error for all forecasts. For future weather for any date, visit www.predictweather.com. © Ken Ring 2021.

Your local MP

Dr Deborah Russell

MP for New Lynn

New Lynn Electorate Office 09 820 6245 newlynn.mp@parliament.govt.nz 1885 Great North Rd, Avondale, Auckland