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The Miranda Naturalists' Trust is a charitable trust, that established and maintains the Miranda Shorebird Centre, located at Pūkorokoro / Miranda on the western shore of the
Firth of Thames The Firth of Thames () is a large bay located in the north of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the firth of the rivers Waihou and Piako, the former of which was formerly named the Thames River, and the town of Thames lies on its south ...
on the
North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
of
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. The Miranda Naturalists' Trust (MNT) was formed in 1975 to encourage people to visit the coastline and appreciate its wide range of flora and fauna. The trust promotes education and public awareness of
coastal ecology A marine coastal ecosystem is a marine ecosystem which occurs where the land meets the ocean. Worldwide there is about of coastline. Coastal habitats extend to the margins of the continental shelves, occupying about 7 percent of the ocean surfa ...
, shorebird research and conservation. Work done by the trust, to increase knowledge of shorebird migration, includes
bird banding Bird ringing (UK) or bird banding (US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird to enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird an ...
, research and data exchange.Leaflet ''Miranda Shorebird Centre''. Published by the Miranda Naturalists' Trust, June 2008 The Shorebird Centre has information displays on waders and a library and helps raise funds for the trust's work through their shop sales and visitor accommodation.


Miranda

Miranda is on the western shore of the Firth of Thames where the
Hauraki Plains The Hauraki Plains are a geographical area located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the lower (northern) end of the Thames Valley, New Zealand, Thames Valley. They are located 75 kilometres south-east of Auckland, at the foot of ...
drains into the
Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
s of the Firth of Thames consist of extensive intertidal
mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...
s (about 8500 hectares), which are the feeding grounds for flocks of migratory wading birds. Along the Miranda coast, a
chenier A chenier or chénier is a sandy or shelly beach ridge that is part of a strand plain, called a “chenier plain,” consisting of cheniers separated by intervening mud-flat deposits with marsh and swamp vegetation. Cheniers are typically one to ...
plain with large shell banks formed over the past 4500 years, and provides roosting areas for the waders at high tide. It is one of the most significant
Holocene The Holocene () is the current geologic time scale, geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago. It follows the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene to ...
coastal
strand plain A strand plain or strandplain is a broad belt of sand along a shoreline with a surface exhibiting well-defined parallel or semi-parallel sand ridges separated by shallow Swale (landform), swales. A strand plain differs from a barrier island in ...
s in the world. In 1990 the area was listed as a wetland of international importance under the
Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...
.Chambers 2000, p. 163


History

The Miranda Naturalists' Trust was established in 1975 by a group of
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
-based birdwatchers. One of them was Richard B. Sibson. He had arrived in Auckland from England in 1939 to take up a position as a classics' master with King's College at
Middlemore Middlemore is a suburb of the former Manukau City, one of the four cities that made up the conurbation of Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It ...
. He was a keen birdwatcher, making bicycle tours to the Firth of Thames in the 1940s, e.g. in 1942 with a group of students from King's College. At Miranda, at the site of a then operating lime-works, he discovered a bird high-tide roost with
bar-tailed godwit The bar-tailed godwit (''Limosa lapponica'') is a large and strongly migratory wader in the family Scolopacidae, which feeds on bristle-worms and shellfish on coastal mudflats and estuaries. It has distinctive red breeding plumage, long legs, ...
s (''Limosa lapponica''),
wrybill The wrybill or (in Māori language, Māori) ngutuparore (''Anarhynchus frontalis'') is a species of plover Endemic (ecology), endemic to New Zealand. It is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways in one direction, ...
s (''Anarhynchus frontalis'') and South Island pied oystercatchers (''Haematopus ostralegus''). Other founders of the MNT were author and
naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...
Ronald Lockley Ronald Mathias Lockley (8 November 1903 – 12 April 2000) was a Welsh ornithologist and naturalist. He wrote over fifty books on natural history, including a study of shearwaters, and the book ''The Private Life of the Rabbit'', which was used ...
and Beth Brown. Beth was later to become the South Auckland representative and the first woman president of the Ornithological Society.Chambers 2000, p. 7 In 1973 Beth Brown had the first serious thoughts about the building of a birders' lodge near a wading bird roost. Miranda provided a good spot as here birds could always be seen within walking distance. The plan was put to a meeting of Auckland members of the Ornithological Society in March 1974. Here a committee was set up to bring the idea to practice. Later in the year the idea developed into establishing a "wildlife trust".


1975: registration of the trust

In 1975 the Miranda Naturalists' Trust was registered as a charitable trust and the first president of the trust was John Brown. The Trust's constitution lists as its main objects: * To establish and maintain an observatory for the study of natural history, especially birds, in the Firth of Thames and adjacent areas. * To collect information on the ecology of the Miranda Coast with a view to its conservation. * To encourage and promote education for the greater knowledge and enjoyment of the natural life heritage of New Zealand.Chambers 2000, p. 15 The first donations were acquired, and a fund-raising campaign was started. An "Inaugural Appeal" letter was circulated, stating that "an Observatory should be set up at Miranda to maintain and amplify the study of birds in the Firth". This letter also spoke of the hope that "the lodge could be an established fact by mid-winter 1975".''Miranda Naturalists' Trust Inaugural Appeal'' Elaine Power painted a
New Zealand dotterel The New Zealand dotterel (''Anarhynchus obscurus'') is a species of shorebird found only in certain areas of New Zealand. It is also called the New Zealand plover or red-breasted plover, and its Māori names include , , and . There are two su ...
(''Charadrius obscurus'') for the Trust, which was sold in print in a limited edition, signed by the artist, and
Richard Adams Richard George Adams (10 May 1920 – 24 December 2016) was an English novelist. He is best known for his debut novel ''Watership Down'' which achieved international acclaim. His other works included ''Maia'', '' Shardik'' and '' The Plague Do ...
, author of ''Watership Down'', made a fundraising speech, when he visited Auckland. In 1976 Dick Sibson was elected chairman of the Trust. Important donations were received from Mobil Oil NZ, the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, the J.R. McKenzie Trust and the Recreation and Sport Fund.Chambers 2000, p. 18/9 In that same year "the first of the problems arose".Chambers 2000, p.19 An application for permission to build an observatory and lodge on the site of the old lime-works was turned down. Finally, the problems would not be solved until the end of the 1980s. In 1986 the Trust, still looking for a place to erect a building, changed focus to the west side of the Miranda to Kaiaua Road. Then the process got into a higher speed, and within a couple of years the building actually starts.


1990: opening of the centre

Mid January 1990 the builders arrive and on 29 September 1990 the Miranda Naturalists' Trust Centre on the road from Miranda to Kaiaua was officially opened with a dedication ceremony with the tāngata whenua of Pukorokoro, Taramaire and Kaiaua. About 110 members and visitors assembled outside the gates of the centre at daybreak at 6 am. They were called on to the site by a karanga and the blessing ( te karakia) and the greetings ( te mihi) took place. Once in the building speeches of welcome from both sides, following
marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...
etiquette were held. These speeches were followed by waiata (singing). One of the waiata had the following text: Ka haere mai ano nga kuaka
Ka kite ano – te iwi pakeha
Ka kite ano – te tangata whenua
Na tatou katoa – Pukorokoro nei Welcome again the godwits
For the Pakeha to see
For the first people to see
For Miranda is for all
Then the Miranda Trust executive council members welcomed the tāngata whenua to the opening ceremony. The early start and the procedures at this day were chosen, to show that the trust was conscious to be in fact guests on the ancestral lands of Te Tangata Whenua. Following breakfast the tangata whenua left and Rev. Richard Fenton conducted a small dedication ceremony. Following this ceremony a number of speakers performed, among whom Sir Peter Elworthy, chairman of the
Queen Elizabeth II National Trust The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust (QEII) is a registered charity and statutory New Zealand organisation independent from the government and managed by a board of directors. It was established in 1977 by the Queen Elizabeth the Second Natio ...
and Professor Max Maddock, from the University of Newcastle (
NSW New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a state on the east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east. T ...
), chairman of the Shortland Wetlands Centre.''Newsletter of the Miranda Naturalists' Trust'', September 1990, and November 1990 In the same year a $50,000 grant from the N.Z. Lottery Grants Board was received, which allowed the building of new rooms at the centre.


Recent developments

In 1992 John Gale, a recently retired Auckland businessman, became honorary full-time manager of the centre. From then on the centre could be open permanently for all hours. This only lasted for sixteen weeks however, when John left for a visit to England. It then became clear that a full-time centre manager was a prime necessity for the future.Chambers 2000, p. 117 The next year a full-time manager was appointed, paid with funding from "Task Force Green", a government agency involved with subsidising employment of people. John Gale would then become member of the executive council of the trust and subsequently chairman (until 1998). In 1993 the land surrounding the former lime-works were brought under the protection of a QE II National Trust Covenant. The area was called the "Robert Findlay Wildlife Area", to commemorate that the Findlay and Lane family (subsequent generations) have allowed birdwatchers unimpeded access over the land ever since arriving and first purchasing the land in 1869. In 1994 Adrian Riegen formed the New Zealand Wader Study Group, supported by the trust. The group consisted of bird banders, and had developed from a local Miranda group within the trust, to being a nationwide group recording and reporting on bird banding results to do with waders from all over New Zealand.Chambers 2000, p. 129 A group of bird banders called "the Miranda Banders" had been active from 1979 to 1982, but was fired up again in late 1986, when four wrybills were caught by Adrian Riegen. The next catch in February 1987 consisted of more than 800 birds on the
Kaipara Harbour Kaipara Harbour is a large enclosed harbour estuary complex on the north western side of the North Island of New Zealand. The northern part of the harbour is administered by the Kaipara District and the southern part is administered by the Auck ...
. Catching was done with the use of a cannon net. Since then the catching and banding of birds have become and still are an important part of the work at the Shorebird Centre. Cannon netting is one of the highlights of the annual field courses.See the logs of the field courses since 1999 that are held in the Shorebird Centre The banding and flagging of birds brought answers to many questions concerning the migration routes of godwits and knots.Riegen, Adrian (2010) – 'Mangroves and Koalas : 25 Years at Miranda'. In: ''MNT News'', issue 76 (February 2010), p. 3 – 6 Results of the banding are published in The New Zealand Wader Study Group News, which is an occasional newsletter, published through the MNT.All Newsletters are available online at the website of the trust.
New Zealand Wader Study Group News
/ref> In 1998 the site of the centre was enlarged with the selling of an extra 3,000 m2 of land, on which the manager's house stood.


Flyway liaison

A key objective of Miranda Naturalists' Trust being to promote the awareness of migratory shorebirds and their habitat requirements, involvement in activities along the East Asian – Australasian Flyway – often shortly called the "Flyway" – have become increasingly important. Any opportunity to foster links between countries and sites where shorebirds stay during their migratory movements over the year is taken. Especially the shorebird habitat in the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...
region gets much attention. These habitats are under severe pressures. In 2009 a delegation from
Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
(
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
) visited the centre and agreements were then made to facilitate links between schools in New Zealand and Korea. Commencing 25 February 2011 a group of 23 students, teachers and support staff from Korea visited the centre for 6 days as part of the International Shorebird Students Education Program (ISEP).Woodley, Keith (2011) – 'Visit to Miranda by an Education Group from Busan, South Korea'. In: ''Miranda Naturalists' Trust News'', issue 81 (May 2011), p. 7-8 In October 2010 Keith Woodley, manager of the Shorebird Centre, visited
Mokpo Mokpo (; ) is the List of cities in South Korea, third largest and most densely populated city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed ...
, South Korea, to address a symposium on migratory shorebirds hosted by the Korea National Park Service and Sinan county. The Miranda Naturalists' Trust has developed a "sister-site" relationship with the Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve (YJNNR). This area houses large numbers of bar-tailed godwits during migration. – acquired 2012-01-15 Also much attention is given to the area of
Bohai Bay Bohai Bay () is one of the three major bays of the Bohai Sea, the northwestern and innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea. It is bounded by the coastlines of eastern Hebei province ( Tangshan and Cangzhou), Tianjin municipality and northern Sha ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. The mudflats in this bay are a very important part of the "Flyway" of
red knot The red knot or just knot (''Calidris canutus'') is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the ''Calidris'' sandpipers, second only to the ...
s and are rapidly destroyed to develop new land for the Caofeidian New Area Project.''MNT News'', issue 82, p. 3 – 5


Newsletter

Four times a year the trust publishes a newsletter to keep members in touch, and to bring news of events at the Miranda Shorebird Centre and along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The first newsletters were mostly bird reports, annual reports and interim reports. In 1980 for the first time a real "Newsletter" was produced. It was only a single page and the bird reports were still published as well. September 1981 brought another newsletter, this time of four pages, and by June 1982 the newsletter had eleven pages, and had incorporated the annual and interim reports. The next newsletter in May 1983 looked much more professional, with text in two columns and photos, and stated that it was now "registered as a newspaper". From then on, newsletters and records (both in two column-print and with photos), alternately appeared, a newsletter in summer and the records in spring. From October 1984 the name of the editor, Stuart Chambers, was given. He actually became editor in 1983Chambers 2000, p. 38 and would remain until August 1996. The last "Records" showed up in November 1988. From then on the newsletter appeared bi-annually until 1990, when four newsletters were published. The newsletter of November 1990, published as "Newsletter 1", gives an account of the "Opening Ceremony" of the Shorebird Centre. From then on, 3 or 4 newsletters were published every year. No. 21, of May 1996 was the first newsletter with a cover in full colour. It had 44 pages and was called the "21st Birthday Issue". It was then called "Miranda Naturalists' Trust News" for the first time, the title it still holds.''MNT News'', issue=76 (November 2010)


Birds

Worldwide 214 species of shorebirds are recognised. Of these, 41 have been recorded at Miranda.Chambers&Riegen nd Birds that can be regularly seen at Miranda are:Shorebirds at Miranda
*
Wrybill The wrybill or (in Māori language, Māori) ngutuparore (''Anarhynchus frontalis'') is a species of plover Endemic (ecology), endemic to New Zealand. It is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways in one direction, ...
(''Anarhynchus frontalis''): Wrybills are
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to NZ. They breed on the
South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...
on the mid-Canterbury
braided river A braided river (also called braided channel or braided stream) consists of a network of river channel (geography), channels separated by small, often temporary, islands called ''braid bars'' or, in British English usage, ''aits'' or ''eyots''. ...
beds. After breeding most birds fly to the
North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
.Heather & Robertson 2005, p. 307 In winter 2000 or 40% of the population of these
plover Plovers ( , ) are members of a widely distributed group of wader, wading birds of subfamily Charadriinae. The term "plover" applies to all the members of the subfamily, though only about half of them include it in their name. Species lis ...
s stay at Miranda. *
Banded dotterel The double-banded plover (''Anarhynchus bicinctus''), known as the banded dotterel or pohowera in New Zealand, is a species of bird in the plover family. Two subspecies are recognised: the nominate ''Charadrius bicinctus bicinctus'', which bree ...
(''Charadrius bicinctus''): Banded dotterels only breed in New Zealand. Strongholds of the species are on the South Island. Part of the population migrates to Australia, and another part migrates to the North Island. Of the New Zealand winter population of about 7,400, Miranda holds about 150 in winter. *
New Zealand dotterel The New Zealand dotterel (''Anarhynchus obscurus'') is a species of shorebird found only in certain areas of New Zealand. It is also called the New Zealand plover or red-breasted plover, and its Māori names include , , and . There are two su ...
(''Charadrius obscurus''): These plovers, that can only be found in New Zealand, breed at Miranda and can be found in small numbers most of the year. *
Bar-tailed godwit The bar-tailed godwit (''Limosa lapponica'') is a large and strongly migratory wader in the family Scolopacidae, which feeds on bristle-worms and shellfish on coastal mudflats and estuaries. It has distinctive red breeding plumage, long legs, ...
(''Limosa lapponica''): Only in the last years it has become clear that the godwits that migrate to New Zealand mainly come from Alaska. They belong to the subspecies ''baueri'', that migrates to Australasia (especially New Zealand estuaries)Heather & Robertson 2005, p. 114 In summer approximately 88,000 godwits stay in New Zealand, and 10,000 – 15,000 stay at Miranda. Research with small radio transmitters has shown that the birds follow a route via China when they migrate north, making the Yellow Sea a vital stepping stone. During their migration south, in September, the godwits often fly non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand. A lot of recent research concerning godwits is done at the Miranda Shorebird Centre. In 2009 a monography on godwits was published, written by Keith Woodley, manager of Miranda Shorebird Centre.Woodley 2009 * South Island pied oystercatcher (''Haematopus ostralegus''): It breeds on the South Island, and migrates to estuaries of the North Island. Large flocks can be found at Miranda. The New Zealand winter population is thought to be 80,000. Of these 15,000 – 20,000 birds stay in the Firth of Thames in winter. They have the nickname "SIPO". *
Variable oystercatcher The variable oystercatcher (''Haematopus unicolor'') is a species of wader in the family Haematopodidae. It is Endemism, endemic to New Zealand. The Māori name is tōrea-pango. They are also known as 'red bills'. Description "Variable" refers ...
(''Haematopus unicolor''): This oystercatcher is another New Zealand bird that breeds at Miranda. * Lesser knot or
red knot The red knot or just knot (''Calidris canutus'') is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the ''Calidris'' sandpipers, second only to the ...
(''Calidris minutus''): These arctic migrants flock together with the godwits on the high-water roosts between September and April. The New Zealand summer population is approximately 55,000, of which Miranda has 7,000 – 10,000 birds. *
Curlew sandpiper The curlew sandpiper (''Calidris ferruginea'') is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly bird migration, migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australia and New Zeal ...
(''Calidris ferruginea''): This breeding bird of Siberia may be seen in small numbers in summer. *
Sharp-tailed sandpiper The sharp-tailed sandpiper (''Calidris acuminata'') is a small-medium migratory wader or shorebird, found mostly in Siberia during the summer breeding period (June to August) and Australia for wintering (September to March). Taxonomy The gen ...
(''Calidris acuminata''): This is also a breeding bird in Siberia that visits Miranda in small numbers. *
Turnstone Turnstones are two bird species that constitute the genus ''Arenaria'' in the family Scolopacidae. They are closely related to calidrid sandpipers and might be considered members of the tribe Calidriini. The genus ''Arenaria'' was introduced b ...
(''Arenaria interpres''): An arctic and subarctic breeding bird, visiting Miranda in small groups. *
Pied stilt The pied stilt (''Himantopus leucocephalus''), also known as the white-headed stilt, is a shorebird in the Family (biology), family Recurvirostridae. It is widely distributed with a large total population size and apparently stable population tr ...
(''Himantopus himantopus''): Of the New Zealand winter population of 18,000 birds, between 6,000 and 10,000 can be found at Miranda. *
Royal spoonbill The royal spoonbill (''Platalea regia''), also known as the black-billed spoonbill, occurs in intertidal flats and shallows of fresh and saltwater wetlands in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. (In New ...
(''Platalea regia'') *
Caspian tern The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek '' ...
(''Sterna caspia'') Knots arrive in New Zealand in early September, followed by godwits in about the third week of September. The biggest influx occurs during October and November. Godwits and knots depart usually between mid-March and early-April. Knot numbers at Miranda gradually decline until only an over-wintering flock of about 500 birds remains.


Wader censuses

Since 1960 wader censuses at Miranda take place twice a year, in November and June. The breeding areas of the migratory birds often have a dispersed nature. The only opportunity for any form of population monitoring is during the non-breeding season when the birds congregate in places like the tidal regions of the Firth of Thames. Counting of the shorebirds at the high tide roosts over longer periods of time can give a good indication of the population trends. The figures can be used when discussing the conservation of wetlands along the migratory routes. The datasets collected at Miranda is one of the longest available. In 1983 the
Ornithological Society of New Zealand The Ornithological Society of New Zealand (OSNZ), also known as Birds New Zealand, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the study of birds and their habitats in the New Zealand region. Founded in 1940, it caters to a wide variety of people ...
(OSNZ) initiated a national wader count scheme. This scheme was continued until 1994 and then reinstated for the period from 2004 to 2009.Lawrie, David (2011) – 'OSNZ Report'. In: ''Miranda Naturalists' Trust News'', issue 82 (August 2011). Results of the censuses 2008–2010 can be found a
National Wader Count
at the website of OSNZ. Data from 1983–1994 are summarized in
Veitch, Dick & Tony Habraken (1999) – 'Waders of the Manukau Harbour and Firth of Thames'
in ''Notornis'' Notornis 1999, issue 46 (1999), nr. 1, p. 45 – 70. Data from 1994–2003:
Numbers of wades in New Zealand 1994 – 2003
'. Southey, Ian (2009) – Wellington, Department of Conservation.


Miranda Shorebird Centre

The Miranda Shorebird Centre can be found on the west side of the road between Miranda and Kaiaua. It's open to visitors all year, and it has information displays on wader birds of the Firth of Thames. It also houses a shop, which offers a collection of books on birds and birding and bird related souvenirs. The centre has a library, that is open to use for research purposes. The centre offers low budget accommodation in the forms of bunkrooms and self-contained units for individuals and (small) groups. Keith Woodley is the centre manager since 1 May 1993.Keith Woodley – 'From the Manager'. in: ''Newsletter of the Miranda Naturalists' Trust 10'', August 1993 Visitor numbers have developed from 3,000 in 1993 to 16,000 in 2008.Hensley, Jenni, Rowena West and Gillian Vaughan (2009) – 'Visitor numbers at the Shorebird Centre'. In: ''Miranda Naturalists' Trust News'', February 2009, Issue 72


Bird hide

A hide for observing the birds stands 2 km south of the centre. It overlooks the shellbanks where large numbers of godwits, knots and other shorebirds roost at high tide. During a large part of the season a guide of the Shorebird Centre is stationed at the hide around high tide. The guide assists visitors who want to learn to know the birds. Binoculars, and a telescope are available, so that visitors can have a close look at the birds. Volunteers had been guiding in the past, but since 2009 this is done by the Shorebird Centre assistant.Vaughan, Gillian (2010) – ''From the Chair''. In: ''Miranda Naturalists' Trust News'', issue 79 (November 2010), p. 12 Between October 2010 and April 2011 during 85 days the number of visitors during approximately 3 hours over the high tide were counted. These numbers counted up to 2150.Wi, Kristelle (2011) – 'Visitor Report – Site: Miranda Shorebird Centre & Findlay Reserve'. In: ''Miranda Naturalists' Trust News'', issue 82 (August 2011), p. In December 2011 a new bird hide was built several hundred metres south of the existing hide.New bird hide for Miranda
/ref>


Field courses

Since 1999 each year a field course is held. These courses take a week. The 10 – 12 students, in an age span of 14 to 83, get an introduction on binoculars and telescopes, on wader watching and identification, on the ecology of the Upper Firth of Thames, on feeding behaviour of shorebirds, on conservation of wader habitat, on invertebrates and plant life of the Miranda area, on netting and banding, and so on. The courses are given by about 9 tutors and are held at the Shorebird Centre.Woodley, Keith (2011) – 'From the Manager'. In: ''MNT News'', issue 80 (February 2011), p. 6. Logs of the field courses since 1999 are held at the Shorebird Centre.


References

;Footnotes ;Sources * Chambers, Stuart. (n.d., c. 2000). ''The Story of the Miranda Naturalists' Trust''. MNT: Pokeno, New Zealand. * Chambers, Stuart & Adrian Riegen (n.d.) – ''Shorebird migration to and from Miranda''. Leaflet, published by the Miranda Naturalists' Trust. Acquired 2012-01-15. * Heather, Barrie & Hugh Robertson; illustrated by Derek Onley (2005) – ''The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand'' Published by Viking (Penguin Books), Auckland, New Zealand. * Woodley, Keith (2009) – ''Godwits, Long-haul champions''. Publ. by Penguin Group (NZ), North Shore NZ. .


External links


Miranda Naturalists' Trust
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pūkorokoro Miranda Naturalists' Trust Nature conservation organisations based in New Zealand Charities based in New Zealand 1975 establishments in New Zealand Firth of Thames