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 Geography makes Heathcote the busiest airport in the South Island for some of our residents. Andrew Crossland, a park ranger for the City Council, paid a visit to the Community Association recently and he told us that all roads, or in this case rivers, lead in our direction. This makes the neighbouring Estuary the most important place for native birds in the South Island, with Heathcote right under their approach path.
 Andrew has spent 25 years charting the fall and recent recovery of native birds in our area. Wetland restoration projects such as that at the end of nearby Charlesworth Street mean the numbers are now increasing for 26 our native species. From a low of 200, Christchurch's Scaup population is now large enough to produce more than 1500 young a year.
 Paradise Shelducks were also mentioned as being on the increase, with most parks having a pair in residence. We remembered a pair that decided to build a nest in the top of a chimney on Bridlepath Road. They were left in peace to raise their ducklings, who then made their entrance into the world by going down the chimney and out through the house!
I am always interested in anything rare and unusual, so I was disappointed to hear that a White Heron that had been visiting the canal at the end of Linwood Avenue for 14 years is no longer around. We were told however that a pair of swifts, which are not normally seen in New Zealand, had been blown over to Australia and were recently seen taking a rest near the motorway. Add those to the falcon that occasionally makes a flight over Heathcote from its home somewhere beyond Mount Pleasant and I'll be reaching for my binoculars. Thanks for coming Andrew, see you next time?
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