Conservation

Nesting season is here: What to do if you find a baby bird

Merritt

Summer is now officially here, and all of this season’s baby birds are starting to hatch. You might be able to see a nest up a tree at home, or there might be one tucked in under the eaves of your house’s roof and you can hear the birds cheeping at night. Some of you may even find a baby bird on the ground and not know what to do to help.

Well never fear! If you’re reading this then you’ll be ready and prepared if you do find a lonely baby bird.

Nestlings

Two pink baby birds with no feathers in a nest

Two baby Tauhau nestlings (Silvereyes or Wax-eyes) ‘gaping’ – asking to be fed.
Photo: 2695117 by Robyn on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

We call baby birds nestlings when they’re at their smallest. Nestlings won’t have many feathers – they might not have any feathers at all! A nestling will spend their days tucked cosily into the family nest, waiting for their parents to come back and feed them. A nestling should still be in the nest, so:

  1. if you find one out of the nest,
  2. you can see where the nest is, and
  3. it doesn’t look sick or injured,

then the best thing to do is to put it back in the nest. You can get an adult to help with this if the nest is high up. If you can’t find the nest or the nest is damaged, then the next best thing is to make the nestling a replacement nest! Once you’ve made the replacement nest and put it somewhere safe near the original nest, keep an eye on it – from a distance! If the parents don’t come by to check on their nestling within a couple of hours, then you might need to contact the SPCA or a bird rescue.

Fledglings

A fledgling Pīwakawaka (right) perches on a branch next to their parent (left).
Photo: 26966445 by Jacqui Geux on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY 4.0 DEED.

Once the bird has grown their feathers and is starting to think about leaving the nest, we call them a fledgling. A fledgling might leave the nest to get some movement practice in, hopping between branches or the on the ground near the nest. If you find a fledgling on the ground, it may be perfectly safe and healthy and all you should do is keep your distance and see if there are any dangers about. If the fledgling is not in a safe spot, then you can move them to somewhere nearby that is safe. If they’re injured or sick, that’s when you should take the fledgling in and contact the SPCA or a rescue.

Here in Wellington our local rescue is the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust who will take in any injured or abandoned wild bird.

The SPCA has this great flowchart that you can follow if you do find a baby bird, fledgling or nestling. They also have information on exactly what you should do if you find an injured bird, as well as a section on their education site that covers a few more situations to do with birds. These links have tips for how to move and handle any bird you find, and tips for making a replacement nest.

Cats

A small dark cat perched partway up a fence staring past the camera with wide eyes

Your friendly pet cat may not be as friendly to the local birds.

Many of us have pet cats, and many of our pet cats love to go outside. Unfortunately, cats also love to hunt and we really don’t want them hunting baby birds that can’t fly away. If your cat brings you a bird they’ve caught, and the bird is still alive, even if the bird looks healthy you should contact the SPCA or a bird rescue. Birds can become sick or get an infection from being carried around in a cat’s mouth and the rescue will know the best way to look after the bird.

If you have a pet cat, the Department of Conservation has created an easy quiz you can take to see how conservation friendly your cat is. Remember, even if your cat gets all 8 points that doesn’t mean that they won’t ever hunt any of the animals you may see in your garden. It just means that you are doing your best as a pet owner to lessen their impact.

Where to learn more

If you’d like to learn more about the birds visiting your garden, DOC has created a short guide to help you identify some of the common birds you may see. We’ve also put together a list of books that you might find interesting. Some have information about birds and bird rescues in Aotearoa, and some are stories we hope you’ll enjoy about lost or rescued birds.

New Zealand’s backyard birds / Barraud, Ned
“Guide to the birds that children see and hear in their everyday lives, those that visit our backyards. Some of those will be native birds, maybe tūi, korimako/bellbird and pīwakawaka/fantail, though just as likely they will be introduced birds such as thrush, blackbirds, or flocks of sparrows. This book brings to life our most accessible wildlife, describing the different birds we are likely to see around home, and with useful background information about birds in general”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Squawk! : Donovan Bixley’s forest birds of Aotearoa / Bixley, Donovan
“Bright birds, cheeky birds, masked birds, clever birds, warrior birds, shy birds, big birds, tiny birds and the world’s most gigantic birds! Find out what makes the feathered friends of Aotearoa so lovable in this … book by author and illustrator Donovan Bixley. Includes moa, tui, kakapo, whio and so many more!”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

The video shop sparrow / Cowley, Joy
“Two boys rescue a sparrow trapped in a closed video shop.” (Catalogue)

Are you my mother / Eastman, P. D.
“When a baby bird hatches while his mother is out searching for food, he leaves the nest for a series of adventures to try to determine his mother’s identity.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eaudiobook.


Sylvia and the birds : how the bird lady saved thousands of birds, and how you can too / Emeney, Jo
“Part Graphic Biography, Part Practical guide to protecting out Taonga Birdlife, this remarkable Book for young readers and their Whanau is fully committed to detailing the wonders of our native Birds, the threats they face, and how we can help them. Based on the life of ‘The Bird lady’, Sylvia Durrant, it inspires a reverence for the natural world and is a call to action for all young ecologists and Environmental Activists. With an Engrossing Text, Matauranga Maori insights, Activities and How-Tos, It offers hours of enchantment and Engagement.” (Catalogue)

Kererū / Kane, Glenda
“High in a tree in a suburban backyard, a kererū hatches. At rest in its nest, it waits for its food … But another stomach is rumbling, too. Will the baby kererū survive? This unflinching tale paints a complete picture of life in the wild for these beloved native birds, and offers solutions, too. The reader is invited into the story and shown how to look after Aotearoa’s vulnerable wildlife. And at the end of the story there are exciting new beginnings”–Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

Ngā manu Māori = Native birds / Merewether, Katherine Q.
“Learn the Māori names for 35 of our precious native and endemic birds of Aotearoa. A beautifully presented te reo Māori and English bilingual board book. Drawn from the multi-award-winning Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary, and collated into bite sized pukapuka. A stunning matte laminated robust book with rounded corners, for durability and longevity.” (Catalogue)

Kakapo rescue : saving the world’s strangest parrot / Montgomery, Sy
” KAKAPO RESCUE gives young readers a first hand account of the efforts to save one of the world’s rarest and more unusual birds, the kakapo. Part of the Scientist in the Field series. ” (Catalogue)

Little Truff saves the kererū / Russell, Ann
“Little Truff, the cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is spending the summer holidays with her family at Piha, New Zealand’s famous surfing beach. Along with her Siamese friend Chloe – highly intelligent but mischievous, Truff is asked to investigate why the kererū, native wood pigeons, are disappearing without trace. A drastic drop in numbers could lead to their extinction in the area, meaning the forest’s giant trees couldn’t regenerate – and an eco-tragedy would result … Will they find out why the birds are vanishing? And put a stop to it?”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Bird Watchers, Get Counting: It’s Bird Survey Time!

Sue Jane

Manaaki Whenua | Landcare Research is running its annual Garden Bird Survey again this year from 24 June – 2 July. To participate you need to spend 60 minutes in your garden, local park or reserve recording the birds you see at any one time between 24 June – 2 July 2023.

To take part, go to gardenbirdsurvey.landcareresearch.co.nz. There are heaps of resources on this website including helpful pictures of the birds you are most likely to see, printable tally sheets, quizzes, competitions, and other suggestions you can do to make a bird-friendly haven at home, school or even at your local park.

Taking part is easy:

  1. Select your garden, park, or school
  2. Choose one day from 24 June to the 2 July
  3. Look and listen for birds for ONE hour.
  4. Record the HIGHEST number of a bird species observed at one time.
  5. Submit your survey results below.

Your survey results will be analysed by the Landcare Research scientists. This will help them know and understand things like how our bird populations are changing over time, and keep an eye on any population trends (good and bad).

And if you still have some questions, jump onto the FAQ page on the website to answer the ones you have, and ones you hadn’t even thought about around all things birds + survey.


Book Jacket for: A bird in the hand : keeping New Zealand wildlife safeBook Jacket for: Discovering New Zealand birdsBook Jacket for: NZ birds

Wellington City Libraries have loads of books and resources about New Zealand birds.

Or you could browse the Non-Fiction shelves under the Dewey Number of 598.

Other useful websites:

Birds New Zealand

Department of Conservation

Forest and Bird

New Zealand Geographic

Become an ornithological expert and help understand and protect Aotearoa’s wonderfully diverse birdlife.

 

Too Precious to Lose: Celebrating our Forests

Sue Jane

Kahikitea Forest, West Coast NZ. Image: Sue Jane

Tuesday 21 March marks International Day of Forests. The 2022 theme is

“Too Precious to Lose”

which I think we can all agree is a very good theme! We often take trees, forests and natural areas for granted, but without them we simply wouldn’t survive. Trees are truly amazing (a word I’ll use often in this post!) 🙂

Here are some fun facts about our amazing trees:

  • Forests influence and slow climate change mainly by affecting the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • An average mature tree can absorb almost 36% of rainfall it comes in contact with.
  • Forests are helpful in improving water quality by extracting pollutants through tree roots.
  • More than ¼ of all medicines we use originate in rainforests.
  • The largest tree-dwelling mammal is the orang-utan.
  • The General Sherman Giant Redwood Tree is the largest in the world at 1,487 cubic metres. A coast redwood from California is the tallest tree in the world with an incredible height of 115.61 metres. It is called Hyperion.
  • Forests are home to 80% of the world’s land-based biodiversity – the variety of living things in any given place – with more than 60,000 tree species alone.
  • Forests cycle water between the soil and the atmosphere and help make rain
  • Trees also produce oxygen for us to breathe.

Weird but true!

Trees actually talk to each other! Not in the way we think about ‘talking’, but scientists believe there’s enough evidence to show that there is communication going on in the forests. Scientists have nicknamed this phenomenon “The Wood-Wide Web“! Here’s an interesting vid that explains all:

How can I help save the trees?

You can help protect our forests. When you visit a forest be sure to keep all of your rubbish with you, keep on the tracks to avoid damaging plants, roots, and spreading diseases and get your hands dirty by volunteering to plant, weed, or control pests.

Wellington City Libraries have lots of resources to help you with your quest to protect our trees. Follow these simple steps on our website to find out more:

1. Click on Kids’ Search from the search drop-down on the Wellington City Libraries landing page

 

2. Scroll down to “Explore New Zealand topics” and find “Nature”. Click on each button to find lots of library resources that have been gathered together by our librarians. Enjoy!

Trees are AMAZING! Why not explore further with these resources from our catalogue:

The wonder of trees / Davies, Nicola
“Did you know that there are over 60,000 tree species? This stunning book explores the extraordinary diversity of trees and forests – the lungs of our earth. A glorious celebration of trees by non-fiction specialist Nicola Davies, illustrated by rising star Lorna Scobie, creators of the beautiful THE VARIETY OF LIFE. There is something to delight on every page with fascinating facts and figures. This exquisite book will encourage children to treasure the world’s biodiversity and help to stop it slipping away.” (Catalogue)
Deep roots : how trees sustain our planet / Tate, Nikki
“Presents facts about trees, explaining how they maintain a vibrant ecosystem and provide food, fuel, and shelter for people across the globe.” (Catalogue)
Trees : kings of the forest / Hirsch, Andy
“In Trees we follow an acorn as it learns about its future as Earth’s largest, longest-living plant. Starting with the seed’s germination, we learn about each stage until the tree’s maturation, different types of trees, and the roles trees take on in our ecosystem.” (Catalogue)
The wisdom of trees : how trees work together to form a natural kingdom / Judge, Lita
“A lyrical and informational nonfiction picture book that tells the story of trees and the hidden ecosystems they create” (Catalogue)
The giving tree / Silverstein, Shel
“A young boy grows to manhood and old age experiencing the love and generosity of a tree which gives to him without thought of return. Suggested level: junior, primary.” (Catalogue)

Earthkids: New Zealand conservation stories, activities and games by Andrew CroweEarthkids : New Zealand conservation stories, activities and games / Crowe, Andrew
“Describes efforts by New Zealanders to protect the environment and wildlife. Includes puzzles, quizzes and projects such as making a bird feeder, paper, a mobile and more. Suggested level: primary, intermediate, junior secondary.” (Catalogue)

Bee Aware – Feed the Bees This September

Sue Jane

Feed the bees! banner courtesy of Apiculture NZ

September is “Bee Aware Month” in New Zealand. For Bee Aware Month 2021, we are being asked to ‘Feed the Bees’ by planting bee-friendly trees and plants.

According to Apiculture NZ, who look after bees and beekeepers in Aotearoa, “planting for bees is a fantastic way to look after nature’s tiniest superheroes as they keep our gardens, food crops and native bush growing.” As they busily buzz around the plants and flowers looking for food for themselves and their hives, they also help to pollinate the plants so that fruit, veges and crops continue to grow and thrive. Humans simply cannot survive without these amazing insects to keep our food on the table. Superheroes indeed!

Some plants are better sources of nectar and pollen than others.  And some plants produce nectar and pollen at times when there is not a lot else around for bees to feed on.

Don’t know what to plant? Some awesome ideas from Apiculture NZ include plants such as rosemary, sunflowers, harakeke, and citrus fruits!

bunch of sunflowers


Want to find out more?

Here’s a bee-friendly gardening guide to get you started

Learn about bees

Products made by bees

Fun activities and competitions

The Bee Aware BIG BEE QUIZ

The Bee Aware month Art Competition

And yes, you guessed it, Wellington City Libraries have got LOADS of books crammed full of facts about bees, gardening for bees and fiction bee books… so we’ve included some suggestions for you and the adults in your lives:

BEE BOOKS FOR KIDSHoneybee on Google Android 12.0

The secret life of bees / Butterfield, Moira
“Did you know that bees love to dance? Or that they have an amazing sense of smell to help them find the best flowers? In The Secret Life of Bees, Buzzwing shares with you all the details of her life as a bee, in and out of the hive, starting with the day she was born.” (Catalogue)
The book of bees / Socha, Piotr
“How do bees communicate? What does a beekeeper do? Did you know that Napoleon loved bees? Who survived being stung by 2,443 bees? This book answers all these questions and many more, tracking the history of bees from the time of the dinosaurs to their current plight.” (Catalogue)
Sunflower shoots and muddy boots : a child’s guide to gardening / Halligan, Katherine
“Packed with brilliant indoor and outdoor gardening activities, this is the perfect introduction to growing plants for little children and grown-ups to enjoy together.” (Catalogue)
Give bees a chance / Barton, Bethany
“In this nonfiction picture book an enthusiastic bee-loving narrator tries to convince a bee-phobic friend that our fuzzy, flying neighbours are our friends– we should all give bees a chance!” (Catalogue)
Why do we need bees? / Daynes, Katie
“Why do we need bees? How do they make honey? And who’s who in a beehive? Children can find the answers to these questions and many more in this informative lift-the-flap book. With colourful illustrations, simple text and chunky flaps to lift, young children can discover lots of amazing facts about bees and why they need our help.” (Catalogue)
The very clever bee / Marshall, Felicity
“A non-fiction illustrated book about bees, their life-cycle, pollination, and benefits for humans. Written for children 6 years and upwards.” (Catalogue)
How to bee / MacDibble, Bren
“Peony lives with her sister and grandfather on a fruit farm outside the city. In a world where real bees are extinct, the quickest, bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand. All Peony really wants is to be a bee. Life on the farm is a scrabble, but there is enough to eat and a place to sleep, and there is love. Then Peony’s mother arrives to take her away from everything she has ever known, and all Peony’s grit and quick thinking might not be enough to keep her safe. How To Bee is a beautiful and fierce novel for younger readers, and the voice of Peony will stay with you long after you read the last page.” (Catalogue)

BEE BOOKS FOR ADULTSHoneybee on Google Android 12.0

The bee friendly garden : easy ways to help the bees and make your garden grow / Purdie, Doug
“A grower’s handbook to attracting bees and other beneficial insects. The Bee Friendly Garden is a guide for all gardeners great and small to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space…Includes: – How bees forage and why your garden needs them – A comprehensive plant guide to bee friendly plants – Simple changes anybody can make – Ideas for gardens of all sizes – Natural pest control and companion planting advice.” (Catalogue)


Planting for honeybees : the grower’s guide to creating a buzz / Lewis, Sarah Wyndham
“Our gardens would be unrecognizable without the gentle buzz of the humble honeybee. Yet in recent years bee populations have suffered from th loss of green spaces and need our help. Planting for Honeybees is a charmingly illustrated, practical guide on how to help attract these delightful pollinators – whether you only have a city window ledge or a whole country garden. With advice on the blooms to grow, and when and where to plant them, this book reveals the tips and tricks to creating a buzz and a better future for our apian friends.” (Catalogue)

The history of bees / Lunde, Maja
“In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees–and to their children and one another–against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis. England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive–one that will give both him and his children honor and fame. United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper fighting an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation. China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao’s young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident, she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him. Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought-provoking story that is just as much about the powerful bond between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity” (Catalogue)

The beekeeper of Aleppo / Lefteri, Christy
“Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. But what Afra has seen is so terrible she has gone blind, and so they must embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain. On the way, Nuri is sustained by the knowledge that waiting for them is Mustafa, his cousin and business partner, who has started an apiary and is teaching fellow refugees in Yorkshire to keep bees. As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all – and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face – they must journey to find each other again.” (Catalogue)

Conservation Week 2021: 4 – 12 September

Sue Jane
Conservation Week: Get involved

Conservation Week 2021. Image courtesy of Department of Conservation.

Conservation Week 2021 is from Saturday 4 September – Sunday 12 September.

The theme this year is a simple one – “Take a moment to notice nature”.

So get outside and feel connected to the world. It can be as simple as stopping to listen to the birds singing, helping in the garden, walking with the whānau or taking your dog for a walk and noticing the natural world all around us.

But of course, if you’re still at Alert Level 3 or 4, you’ll need to stay in your bubbles and stay safe. BUT there are still loads of activities to help you learn and feel comfortable in nature that you can do at any alert level:

Kids Outside: You can enjoy nature wherever you are. From your window, balcony, backyard or on your local neighbourhood walk.

40 ka pai things to do outside: Getting outside makes us feel good. Rain or shine, there’s heaps of fun you can have right outside your backdoor. From playing hide and seek, to watching the stars and jumping in puddles. Check out the activities in the above link.

Birdwatching with the family: Birdwatching is a great way to discover what is truly special about our natural world and our country. Taking time to get to know the birds around us is a wonderful way to build respect and compassion for nature and all living things. Here’s a handy 10 common birds in your area link to get you started.

Gardening for kids: Getting outside and getting your hands dirty in the soil is so good for you! It also teaches you a love of nature and the environment, where food comes from, how to care for plants, and the joy of reaching a goal. Here are some ideas to get you outside and in the garden.

And here are a couple of nature-based ideas where you can still enjoy the great outdoors, even if you can’t get there in person:

Digital Treasure Hunt Competition: Take a moment to discover nature virtually this Conservation Week with DOC’s Digital Treasure Hunt. The competition is open now and closes 5 pm on 9 September 2021.

Virtual Hub: Take a moment to notice nature:  Enjoy a virtual walk and soak in the views on the Kepler Track, or experience kākāpō and erect-crested penguins through the eyes of DOC rangers and scientists.

Wellington City Libraries have lots of e-resources that you can access right now to help with your nature exploration. Here’s just a few to get you started:

Overdrive cover 101 Small Ways to Change the World, Lonely Planet Kids; Aubre Andrus (ebook)

It’s hard to believe that you could change the world, but it’s true! We’ll show you loads of awesome ways to help out family, friends, yourself and the planet – and show how you’re never too young to make a big difference. Includes random acts of kindness, craft projects, energy-saving ideas and much more.

101 Small Ideas to Change the World is a practical, fun and creative book to inspire you at home, school and in your local community and beyond! Remember, all big ideas start with just one person who decides to do things differently. You could be that person. (Overdrive description)


Overdrive cover Outdoor Science Lab for Kids, Liz Lee Heinecke (ebook)

Learn physics, chemistry, and biology in your own backyard! In Outdoor Science Lab for Kids, scientist and mom Liz Heinecke has created 52 family-friendly labs designed to get you and yours outside in every season.
From playground physics to backyard bugs, this book makes it fun and easy to dig into the natural sciences and learn more about the world around you (Overdrive description)


Overdrive cover Wild In the City, Lonely Planet Kids;Kate Baker (ebook)

Discover the secret lives of more than 30 extraordinary creatures that share our cities. From red foxes sneaking rides on London buses to leopards prowling the backstreets of Mumbai, this book explores the clever ways animals have adapted to the urban environment and explains how you can help protect our wild neighbours.

Crammed with buildings, traffic and people, urban spaces are the last place you’d expect to see wildlife. But all kinds of animals live alongside us in the hidden corners of our towns and cities – from teeny ants living under pavement cracks to pick-pocketing monkeys and spotted hyenas being fed by locals. (Overdrive description)


Overdrive cover Square Foot Gardening with Kids, Mel Bartholomew (ebook)

Mel Bartholomew’s top-selling Square Foot Gardening books have made his revolutionary garden system available to millions of people.
In Square Foot Gardening with Kids, Mel reveals his tips, tricks, and fun projects in one of his most cherished pursuits: teaching youngsters to build and grow a SFG of their own.
The easy geometry of the gridded box breaks the complex world of gardening into digestible bites for enthusiastic young learners, and the sequence of tasks required to grow plants from seeds is repeatable and reassuring.
Kids learn many valuable life lessons when tending their own garden — such as the importance of following instructions and doing your chores, basic skills like counting and water conservation, and learning to appreciate the nature of food and why it is important to respect it. Most importantly though, they learn that growing your own food is both fun and rewarding. (Overdrive description)


Overdrive cover Maker Projects for Kids Who Love Greening Up Spaces, Megan Kopp (ebook)

Creative readers with a green thumb and an eye for design will be inspired to create their own gardening and landscaping projects in unique spaces. From vertical gardens to urban parklets, this title will motivate readers to “green up” spaces in their communities in a way that promotes environmental awareness, collaboration, and group planning. Profiles of innovators and their green creations encourage readers to embrace their own ideas and create their Maker visions. (Overdrive description)


“When Papatūānuku thrives, we all thrive.” 

– Department of Conservation

 

Plastic Free July

Sue Jane

Plastic Free July® is a global movement that aims to make people more aware of plastic pollution, and the things they can do to reduce it. This includes you! You can take the Plastic Free Challenge at home or at school to help get you started, check out some of our tips below, or borrow some of the awesome books listed below from your local library.

Posters are available to download on plasticfreejuly.org/resources/posters/

What can I do at home?

  • Talk to your family and get everyone on board with reducing plastic consumption
  • Set out your ideas and suggestions on the fridge!
  • Learn to bake! Home-baked snacks are way yummier (and cheaper) than bought ones anyway 🙂
  • Think twice about single-use bottled water and fruit juices
  • Use soap and shampoo bars instead of liquid soaps and shampoos
  • Reduce the amount of things you buy, reuse what you have to, and recycle what you no longer need. Think to yourself before you buy “Do I really need this?”
  • Take better care of your clothes, swap with friends, or get excited about hand-me-downs! Did you know that many of our clothes contain plastics like polyester, nylon, acrylic and polyamide? In fact most new fabrics are made of plastic – up to 64% of them. The thing is, every time we wash these materials they shed millions of plastic microfibres into our drains which ultimately end up in our waterways, lakes and oceans.

What can I do at School?

  • Try to bring people together and create a team to look at how your school can reduce plastic consumption.
  • Get both students and teachers on board, you never know who might be concerned!
  • Start small by looking at the simple changes you can make. For example, take your lunch to school in a reusable container and bring reusable cutlery
  • Try to empower others by sharing positive solutions rather than just identifying the problems!

“As a future guardian of the planet, you can say no to plastic. Your actions, however small, can make a big difference every day. Are you up to the challenge?” — Aubre Andrus, “The Plastic Problem“

Wellington City Libraries have loads of resources to help you get started on your plastic-free journey. 

Plastic planet / Amson-Bradshaw, Georgia
“Plastic Planet offers young readers a non-alarmist introduction to Earth’s plastic crisis. Plastic pollution is now found in every environment on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the driest deserts and the most remote ice sheets. Plastic Planet offers readers aged 8 and up a look at plastic through the ages, exploring what it is, how it’s made and how we have become so dependent on it in a single-use, disposable world. It highlights the social inequality of plastic pollution and explores how plastic has become a widespread and dangerous pollutant that is inextricably linked to climate change. The book looks ahead to possible solutions to our plastic crisis, from global changes such as changing people’s mindsets, to innovations such as compostable plastics, to practical solutions such as recycling and bottle return schemes.” (Catalogue)


Kids vs. plastic : ditch the straw and find the pollution solution to bottles, bags, and other single-use plastics : how you can be a waste warrior! / Beer, Julie
“Jam-packed with surprising information about plastic’s effect on the environment, plus loads of practical ways kids can cut down on their plastic footprint, this is the kids guide to being part of the pollution solution!”–Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

The plastic problem : 60 small ways to reduce waste and save the Earth / Andrus, Aubre
“Look around you–plastic is everywhere! It’s in your shoes, pens, toothbrush, car, toys, TV, water bottles, food packaging… It’s almost impossible to get through one day without using it. And it’s creating major problems for our world, our oceans, our animals and marine life, and ourselves. In The Plastic Problem, from the team that brought you 101 Small Ways to Save the World, you’ll learn how to become a ‘plastic patroller’ instead of a plastic polluter by learning about the easy ways you can cut plastic out of your life. The simple actions found in this practical guide will help you protect our world and inspire your friends and family to do the same. ” (Catalogue, abridged)

Kids fight plastic / Dorey, Martin
“Have you got 2 minutes? That’s all the time it takes to become a #2minutesuperhero. Plastic is everywhere. It is in the rivers and it is in the sea. We need superheroes to fight plastic and help save our oceans.” (Catalogue)


Further ideas to help you explore a clean, green future!

ZEALANDIA ECOSANCTUARY– This is what’s called a ‘mainland island’ in the heart of Wellington. Predator-proof fencing has meant that the native wildlife and plants can thrive as it should to maintain Aotearoa’s wonderful biodiversity. Every visit is a new adventure, AND in July kids get free entry into this natural wonderland!
 
HELP WITH LOCAL BEACH CLEAN UPS
Plastics and glass can take up to 400 years to break down in the sea, and our poor oceans are getting clogged with this pollution. You could organise your own beach clean up with friends, family or your school; or maybe you could volunteer to help with an organised event. There are some great websites to inspire you to get beach cleaning and help you get organised:

Kia kaha, and thank you from Mother Earth!

Discover Wicked Bugs for Summer Holiday Fun!

Sue Jane

The summer holidays are here – sunshine, barbeques, swimming, staying up late… and mosquitoes biting, flies buzzing around the cooked food, moths beating against your torch as you try to read at night, and crickets and cicadas making a racquet when you’re trying to sleep in you tent!  Anyone would think bugs were put here to ruin your summer fun!

But did you know that we humans wouldn’t survive on this big, beautiful planet without our friendly creepy-crawlies to help us along? At last count it is estimated that there are ten quintillion insects alive on Earth right now, which means that for each one of us, there are two hundred million of them! But don’t panic! They all have a job to do, and if you dig deeper (and many of them do live underground), what the insects do for us and the health of the planet is pretty amazing.

File:Cook Strait Giant Weta (5601688959).jpg - Wikimedia CommonsTake New Zealand’s GIANT WĒTĀ (wētāpunga) for example. This big daddy of an insect features in the Guinness Book of Records as being one of the world’s largest insects, and some of them weigh in around 70 grams – about the same weight as a saddleback or sparrow! Department of Conservation staff refer to them as the ‘mouse of the forest’ because their equally giant poos help fertilise the forest floor and help with regeneration of native bush. What a hero! And the Auckland Zoo think so too and have joined forces with DoC and local iwi to reintroduce wētāpunga to islands in the Hauraki Gulf so that they can do their fertilising work and bring back the bush.

And just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder, did you know that the wētā’s ears are located in their knees?! Yes, really!


File:Chorus Cicada... (6926902643).jpg - Wikimedia CommonsYou really know Summer has arrived when the CICADAS start their noise! But why do they do it? And how?

The high-pitched ‘song’ is actually a mating call belted out by males. Each species has its own distinctive song that only attracts females of its own kind. This allows several different species to live together in one area.

Cicadas are the only insects capable of producing such a unique and loud sound, and they do it by contracting special muscles called tymbals in their abdomen. Some larger species can produce a call in excess of 120 decibels at close range (120 decibels is the equivalent of a thunderclap or a chainsaw)! Smaller species sing in such a high pitch that it cannot be heard by humans, but may cause dogs and other animals to howl in pain.


File:Housefly on Table.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsWe’ve all experienced the FLIES massing as soon as the barbeque is cooking and the salads are out on the picnic table. But why do they do this? The common house fly has a pretty powerful sense of smell and is attracted to strong smells – especially meat, and especially rotting meat! They like to lay their eggs in rotting material so that when their babies – maggots – hatch they have something to eat, yum! But just like the rest of us, adult flies have to eat too so that they’ve got the energy to fly. To eat their food, flies regurgitate (bring up) saliva from their stomachs, which dissolves the food until it is digestible. The house fly then uses its proboscis – like an attached straw where your nose should be – to suck up the liquefied food. Though they eat with their mouths, house flies taste with their feet. This is why they are always crawling on your food.

Lego Weta by EzraCRITTER OF THE WEEK: To tweak you interest further, check out “Critter of the Week”  on Radio New Zealand every Thursday in Afternoons with Jessie Mulligan.  Nicola Toki is the Threatened Species Ambassador for the Department of Conservation and a self-confessed “nature nerd”. Each week she talks  about a lovable member of New Zealand’s wildlife community, many of them our creepy-crawly friends. There was even a competition earlier in the year for you to make the most interesting critter out of Lego and send in a photo. Check out some of the entries here.

“An understanding of the natural world is a source of not only great curiosity, but great fulfilment.”

(David Attenborough – natural historian, environmentalist and planet-hero)


Wellington City Libraries have loads of fantastic books about insects, creepy-crawlies and the people that study insects (entomologists). Take a dive into the fascinating world of bugs… go on! There’s nothing to be afraid of!

The genius of bugs / Pollard, Simon
This book contains a cast of amazing and unexpected bugs, from the killer brain-surgeon jewel wasp to the master-of-disguise orchid mantis, to the New Zealand favourite, the wētā.

 


New Zealand’s backyard beasts / Barraud, Ned
In the garden, creeping along branches, hiding under stones or flitting from flower to flower, a whole universe of creatures is waiting to be discovered. Butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, spiders. Did you know that  cicadas live underground for most of their life? That bumblebees have smelly feet? That some species of stick insect are all female? Or that earwigs don’t actually crawl into ears? In this book you can learn to identify some of the creatures most commonly found in the backyard.


The bug girl : (a true story) / Spencer, Sophia
Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Sophia tells her inspiring story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself. Sophia Spencer has always loved bugs but when she was bullied at school she stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia’s mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response–letters, photos, and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs.


World's Biggest Baddest Bugs (Ruud Kleinpaste) Image at Mighty Ape NZWorld’s biggest baddest bugs
To find the good, the bad and ugly of the insect world, Ruud Kleinpaste – New Zealand’s very own BugMan – embarks on an entomological journey in search of the biggest and the baddest of them all in this two part DVD. From killer bees and army ants, to cockroaches and tarantula, Ruud explains exactly what makes the “stars” of the show so incredible. Through a series of deadly stunts Ruud reveals what makes these crawlies the kings of the bugs and how they are capable of so much more than just scaring us silly.


World’s strangest creepy-crawlies / Derrick, Stuart
This book includes 40 of the planet’s most bizarre species and ranks them in order of their oddness! With jaw-dropping facts and amazing photos, the pages reveal each creature’s seriously strange characteristics and the unusual ways they hunt, eat or defend themselves.   Inside World’s Strangest Creepy-Crawlies, you’ll discover the tiny terror that blows itself up to save its friends, a creature so well disguised even its own species can’t see it, and a giant spider the size of a dinner plate. And with the ‘strange-o-meter’, you can compare each animal based on its creepiness, fight factor and superpowers!


I’m trying to love spiders : (it isn’t easy) / Barton, Bethany
What do you do when you see a spider? a. Lay on a BIG spidey smoocheroo. b. Smile, but back away slowly. c. Grab the closest object, wind up, and let it fly. d. Run away screaming.
If you chose b, c, or d, then this book is for you.
I’m Trying to Love Spiders will help you see these amazing arachnids in a whole new light, from their awesomely excessive eight eyes, to the seventy-five pounds of bugs a spider can eat in a single year And you’re sure to feel better knowing you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being fatally bit by a spider. Comforting, right? No? Either way, there’s heaps more information in here to help you forget your fears . . . or at least laugh a lot!

Top 7 New Non Fiction of 2017.

Katie

Hi kids! Check out the latest and greatest top 7 new non fiction of 2017 in the library collection. Top 7 books that will make sure you’re all schooled up on how to cook simple and healthy meals, forming friendships, becoming the ultimate jedi master in the art of minecraft and wonderful stories  about animals!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsKuwi’s Kitchen: Kiwi Kids’ Cookbook.

Kuwi’s kitchen is filled with easy-to-make recipes, a creative way to encourage kids to make their own simple meals and fun, well balanced healthy lunches.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsGrowing Friendships: A Kid’s Guide to making and keeping friends.

Children want to fit in, but sometimes getting along with friends is complicated. Authors Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin give kids the answers they need to make and keep friends using five essential skills: reaching out to make friends, stepping back to keep friends, blending in to join friends, speaking up to share with friends, and letting go to accept friends. — Adapted from back cover.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMinecraft: Master Builder Toolkit.

Become a Minecraft master builder with this incredible step-by-step guide to creating 15 amazing Minecraft masterpieces! Age: 7+

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsGame on! 2018 : your guide to all the best games.

This book, written by gamers for gamers offers information and statistics about all of the hottest games, tips and tricks for gamers, and interviews from gaming’s biggest personalities, including game developers and pro gamers.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMalala’s Magic Pencil.

A beautiful story about a young woman’s goal to make the world a better place and to always hold onto hope even in the most difficult times.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsBig Cats.

In this completely updated edition of Big Cats, award-winning writer Seymour Simon celebrates the grace and power of lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, pumas, and snow leopards. Readers will learn all about how they hunt, care for their young, and rest in their varied natural habitats. Overall this is a fantastic book jam that is well written, easy to understand and jam packed filled with eye catching photographs.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe elephant whisperer : my life with the herd in the African wild.

When Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a rogue herd of elephants in his reserve in South Africa, it was the last chance for these elephants. If Anthony didn’t take them, they would be shot. But he had no experience with elephants at all. What was he to do? Take them on, of course!–Provided by Publisher.

 

9 New “action packed” Non Fiction to curb the winter blues.

Katie

Hey Kids! Welcome to the latest Junior Non Fiction blog post!

July and winter has finally hit and there will days where you want nothing more than to stay inside and hibernate with a hot cup of cocoa and a library book. (Hmmm, sounds like heaven to me!)

Once again, Wellington City Libraries has new “action packed” non fiction bursting through our shelves for your viewing and reading pleasure for boys and girls of all ages.

There are books where the world of Greek mythology, the world of Greek gods and goddesses and… superheroes collides. Not to mention the odd Greek word here and there; Superheroes are featured that boys and girls can look up to; there are books for girls  in the sporting, dancing  and superhero world, hmmm I think I detect a bit of a girl power theme going on and finally books that will help you find the right word for any given situation.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsHow cities work : explore the city inside, outside and underground.

Lonely Planet kids has done it again with “How Cities Work.” This book allows kids the opportunity to explore the city inside, outside and underground, with lots of cool flaps to lift to see inside buildings, not to mention unfold pages to find out what is going on above your head and udder your feet. Overall a fantastic book that gives a full in depth account to city life as you have never seen it before, and already a popular book amongst kids, which is currently hot on the reserve list.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe right word : Roget and his thesaurus.

Lost for words? You can certainly find the right words in this book. “The Right Word” tells the story of Peter Mark Roget, a brilliant man who took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought, who went on the be the creator of Roget’s Thesaurus, one of the most widely used reference books ever published. A biography and a thesaurus all in one, who could ask for more!

DID YOU KNOW: The word “Thesaurus” means “treasure house” in Greek.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Gods and Goddesses of Olympus.

This book briefly recounts the stories of members of the Greek pantheon. Overall a great read and a fantastic introduction to the Greek Gods and Goddesses.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsBatman character encyclopaedia.

Brace yourself, Batman and DC Comics fanatics, the latest Batman Character Encyclopaedia has made its way to the shelves at your local library. Discover all the powerful, strange and crazy characters from the world of Batman. Meet your favorite Super Heroes and learn all about the most fearsome super-villains.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsWonder Woman: The Ultimate Guide to The Amazon Warrior.

“Keep faith. Trust  to love. Fight with honor. But fight to win.” – Wonder Woman.

This is a motto worth remembering.

Finally a superhero that young girls can look up to! A guide to the world of  demigoddess, Wonder Woman includes seventy-five years of iconic characters, major story arcs, and key issues, along with information on locations, enemies, and allies. This is a must have read for every comic fanatic and a great companion alongside The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus!

Also check the following trailers to Wonder Woman, which has just been released in theatres and Justice League, which won’t be released until sometime in 2018, down below.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Beginner’s Guide to Netball.

Maria Tuta’ia, New Zealand international netball player takes you on journey to help you become or improve your skills in playing netball and perhaps ensure your career as a future silver fern, heehee. You will learn skills such as how to shoot goals under pressure, master passing accuracy and pull off the perfect dodge.  “Features the basic skills every netballer should be familiar with, no matter what their position. Read about the story of netball as well as Maria’s own journey to becoming an international netball superstar”–Publisher information.

image courtesy of syndetics
The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories.

This book hold beautiful retellings of six of the world’s greatest ballet stories are accompanied by two story CDs read by Juliet Stevenson that is bound to enrich library collections and inspire young dancers. This book is in a word… GORGEOUS! A must have read for the budding ballerina and dance enthusiast.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsLots : the diversity of life on Earth.

One, two, three …lots!  Find out in this beautiful and brilliant book how all living things – including us – are part of a big, beautiful pattern and depend on each other for survival. With beautiful words from Nicola Davies and exquisite illustrations by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children. Overall a fantastic read that that is suitable for young children and serves as an educational resource on biodiversity and conservation.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe ultimate unofficial encyclopedia for Minecrafters : multiplayer mode : exploring hidden games and secret worlds.

Calling all Minecrafters! Looking for a new challenge? Minecraft strikes again! This book presents information on the world of Minecraft, including how and where to play safely online, playing in creative and survival modes, and server plugins for advanced players.

 

6 New Non Fiction on gaming, animals and improving your memory.

Katie

Hey kids! More hot new junior non fiction for your reading pleasure. This blog post features books where the gaming theme continues, books that can help improve your memory and heart-warming stories about inspirational animals and humans that have made their mark on the world. Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsGame on! : video game history from Pong and Pac-man to Mario, Minecraft, and more.

The gaming theme continues. This book is your one stop shop to the gaming culture and history of video games that ranges from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft and much more. “A middle-grade nonfiction book about the history and impact on pop culture of video games”– Provided by publisher.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHow to remember (almost) everything ever.

Can you remember the names of every player on your favorite football team, yet still manage to forget what day it is? This book reveals how your memory works, explaining cool tricks and skills that can help to train your memory to remember everything–ever!

 

 

http://www.wcl.govt.nz/easyfind/?hreciid=|library/m/wellington-carl|0001220245 Big book of animals : a LEGO adventure in the real world.

Lego and animals rolled into one fun book! Go wild in the animal kingdom with a host of LEGO minifigures. Young readers will meet the coolest creatures out there and watch the minifigures put the fun into facts. You’ll find great building and play ideas as well. Ideal for lego fans.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsRadiant child : the story of young artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocked to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean–and definitely not inside the lines–to be beautiful.

image courtesy of syndeticsSwimming with sharks : the daring discoveries of Eugenie Clark.

An inspiring true story about Dr. Eugenie Clark aka the “shark lady”, who despite discrimination, became one of the most inspiring scientists in the world and whose revolutionary thinking and research changed the way society viewed marine wildlife.  Overall a fantastic read and ideal for marine biology projects and homework. Great for children aged 5 to 8.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMoto and me : my year as a wildcat’s foster mom.

If you have a weakness for cats and baby animals – like I do, then this is the book for you! This is the story of an orphaned serval cat named Moto. Determined to nurse the kitten back to health and help him learn, grow, and return to the wild, Suzi did everything she could think of to be the best serval mom she could be. She had a little bit of help from a couple other people who had some experience with orphaned wild animals, but for the most part, it was just her and Moto out there, figuring things out based on Suzi’s experience observing animal rescues and her instincts about the animal’s needs. Overall a heart warming story with a happy and satisfying ending!