The riches of birding at the 4th largest lake in New Zealand

Te Waihora is the name first given by Maöri to what the Europeans called Lake Ellesmere. In the past the lake was an estuary of the Waimakariri River and twice as large as it currently is. It is the fourth largest lake in New Zealand at 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) and provides some great birding opportunities.

The high value for birding

It is a internationally significant for its wildlife diversity and birding. In 1990 the National Water Conservation Order provided protection for the future. Roughly separated into waterfowl, waders, and swamp birds: “The richness of birdlife at Lake Elllesmere is one of the most distinctive natural features - 161 species are recorded as having used the lake, probably the highest number in any one place in New Zealand”. (See note 1 below)

Birding at Ellesmere

Seasonally the species fluctuate with migrations from as far away as Siberia. The spring and summer months allow birding for these interesting Asian visiotrs. These birds over-winter (the Northnern Hemisphere winter) in New Zealand and can pose a challenge for identification as winter, or juvenile plumages, are difficult for some species. Some 37 bird species breed in Ellesmere.

Water Fowl
This group consists of the most numerous species you will see when birding. Dabbling ducks such as Grey Teal, Paradise Shelduck, New Zealand Scaup and New Zealand Shovelers.

Waders
Many of these are the seasonal species, such are Pacific Golden Plovers, Knots, Pectoral Sandpipers, Terek Sandpipers, Godwits, Stilts both Pied and Black, Wrybill and Banded Dotterel.

Swamp birds
These include the secretive Australian Bittern, White-Faced Herons, Marsh Crake, and the rare Spotless Crake.

Physical features

The brackish lake is shallow with an average depth of 1.4 metres (4.5 ft) as befitting a coastal lagoon. The water quality has degraded caused in part by high levels of nutrients and effluents. Efforts to improve the water quality are underway with farm management practices and control of nutrients inputs. The lake is classed as euthrophic, however it rarely suffers from toxic algae blooms. This may be due to the mixing by wave and wind action. Excessive nutrients are flushed when the lake is periodically opened to the sea.

These notes are a brief sketch of this important birding environment. An interesting book is Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere Past Present and Future. Editors: JDG Davies, L Galloway, AHC Nutt Lincoln University Press 1994. ISBN 0-473-02907-3

Note 1
Lake Ellesmere Tr Waihora and its catchment, Canterbury Regional Council