NEWS

THe Flock Takes Flight

The families from our weekly after school programme Art Addicts have had the pleasure of working with Edith Smith and Val Clemens from BRaid (Braided River Aid) and Forest and Bird again this year to raise awareness of the annual migration of endangered birds in the Ashburton river. By painting “The Flock” a handmade series of some rare and threatened birds that gather every spring. Which included; wrybills, black fronted dotterels, pied stilts, black stilts and pied oyster catchers. These colourful birds landed in Baring Square West in mid-September accompanied by informative signage. To caution locals about these species that could soon be nesting on our nearby riverbeds. Also to help raise awareness of the threat of predators a number of cardboard cats, and black back gulls will arrive soon causing the flock to dwindle. You will see “The flock” will be moving around Ashburton to seek safety from the predators.

This initiative was launched 3 years ago by BRaid for more information on how to be involved check out http://braid.org.nz/the-flock/.