Shaun Lee

December 7, 2016December 7, 2016

Aucklands waste

This infographic was adapted from a piece of work I just completed for the Industry Pollution Prevention Program (IP3). The landfill problem is huge and scary.

December 6, 2016December 8, 2016

I was stoked to photograph this historic translocation. For the first time in a century, the Duvaucel’s gecko can now be found in mainland New Zealand thanks to a successful reintroduction of the species into Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary.

November 12, 2016December 7, 2016

Tamaki Estuary Shorebird Census Data Summer 2016

Taniwha St lawns
2 Spur-winged plovers

Dunkirk reserve
6 Spur-winged plovers

Tahuna Torea
5 Pied shags
1 Pied shag juvenile
9 White-faced herons
6 Southern black-backed gulls
5 Southern black-backed gull juveniles
13 Pukeko
16 Mallards
1 Muscovy duck

Point England reserve
126 South Island Pied Oystercatchers
6 Variable oystercatchers
5 Pied stilts
2 Pied stilt chicks
8 Northern New Zealand Dotterel
2 White-faced herons
1 Royal spoonbill
4 Spur-winged plovers
2 Southern black-backed gulls
1 Southern black-backed gull juveniles
27 Pukeko
2 Pukeko chicks
1 Mallard
2 Paradise ducks

November 11, 2016December 30, 2016

Fire on Browns Island

Just after the fire was put out on Browns Island I kayaked over to check on the shorebirds. I went for a short walk and was quite upset by the damage done to the reptiles.

I found so many burnt corpses. In places near the edge of the fire (where I think it was less hot) there was a native skink corpse (I checked the head scales) every meter or so. While sad it is nice to know so many lived on the island. — I found so many burnt corpses. In places near the edge of the fire (where I think it was less hot) there was a native skink (I checked the head scales) corpse every meter or so. While sad it is nice to know so many lived on the island.

This rare moko skink survived despite having her tail badly burnt. While other surviving skinks can live of the fat reserves in their tails while their habitat recovers this one will have to work harder. — This rare moko skink has survived despite having her tail badly burnt. While other surviving skinks can live of the fat reserves in their tails (while their habitat recovers) this one will have to work harder.

Although it was sad to see these golden bell frogs roasted alive, they are are not native. I was surprised to see them in multiple spots high up on the crater rim. Some seem to have survived under the rocks. — Although it was sad to see these golden bell frogs roasted alive, they are are not native. I was surprised to see them in multiple spots high up on the crater rim. At least one survived under a rock in the crater.

The rest of my photos here. Hopefully some good comes out of it.

UPDATE 30 DECEMBER 2016:
Six weeks later the grass has largely rejuvenated, however without the smothering grass, many seeds that lay dormant in the soil have germinated. Most of the new arrivals are invasive weeds, I saw wooly nightshade, apple of Sodom boneseed and moth plant. However the center of the crater is more interesting. From under the rocks bracken has emerged (how long could it have waited there?) and I think the reptiles will enjoy the extra cover.

October 21, 2016

Seacleaners

I had a great day out yesterday with Seacleaners (sponsored by Watercare in Auckland) and Wilkinson Environmental.

Plastic Pellets — Simon took a lot of photos of small plastic pellets (used in the manufacture of plastic products) that littered the foreshore. Unfortunately we could not clean these up.

Full boat — We loaded up most of the boat in less than an hour or two, we had to stack up the back of the boat to balance the load.

Bottle with black bottom section — I remember these bottles from my childhood, amazing how long it takes for plastic to breakdown.

September 25, 2016October 21, 2016

Development

I have always assumed when humans ‘develop’ land, some of it ends up in the ocean. I had a look at some of the Glen Innes development in the rain today to see what was going on.

A failing silt fence holding back cubic meters of muddy water

The local creek is suspiciously the same colour as the water at the development site

It was good to see development companies trying but unfortunately all this mud ends up smothering marine life and poisoning the Hauraki Gulf. Not such a nice development.

September 11, 2016January 13, 2019

Ambiance Impex

This is so gross – documented here for Auckland Councils Pollution Response Team.

Location:

Please click on the thumbnails to see the full image.

Shows how they have to exit to do the dumping.

View from the dump site down into the stream

Paradise brand name clearly visible

View from the opposite side of the stream.

The Ambiance Impex brands dumped into the stream are all branded Paradise.

When I first noticed the dumping in March and reported it to council the dumping was not so bad.

I wonder if the tires are from this dodgy looking bridge which is no longer there but is still visible in the council satellite imagery.

Even tho this site 120m from the Manukau (West coast of NZ) it flows through the Tamaki Estuary to the Hauraki Gulf (East coast of NZ).

UPDATE: 27 November.
Eight months later and the site is still sending plastic like these Paradise branded ‘cut green beans’ into the harbour. I am giving the council regular updates on the site but I don’t know how much (if any) is being cleaned up by Ambiance Impex or if its just getting washed into the ocean.