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Description
This estuary is an important habitat for many rare native braided river birds such as Wrybill and Black-fronted Tern. Many native shorebirds such as Variable Oystercatcher come over and you may even see the rare Black Stilt. Arctic waders come here in the spring and leave in autumn, with Bar-tailed Godwit being especially common, while Far Eastern Curlew, a typically rare bird in New Zealand is found much more often here.
Outside of the waders, other birds you can find include herons, such as the rare and special Great Egret, known as Kōtuku in the Māori language, and currently there is a long time staying bird in Little Egret.
Rarities are very common here, and you should expect to see multiple here every year.
Details
Access
Access to Waikuku Beach via public transit / bike is available by taking the 95 bus to Pegasus and then cycling the Tutaipatu Trail to Waikuku Beach.
You can enter etiher through Kings Ave or the spit. Entering via the spit is quite easy, as there is a carpark right at the entry point with information on the birds you will see, as there is an immediate view of the estuary. The spit is great if you aren't looking for any specific birds (apart from rarities), as it provides a long walk and a good opportunity to view the entire estuary.
Kings Ave gets you closer to the birds, but is trickier to walk through as it may require wading through the Ashley River to get to birds, but it makes up for it by having closer views of the birds and more opportunity for rarities. This area can be accessed by bike by taking the trail to the west from the spit carpark, then going through Taranaki Wetland Walkway where you may hear Baillon's Crake, and then turning left and continuing until you can see the other side of the estuary. Entry by car is through Kings Ave where at the end of the road you continue through the unpaved road, turning right and then parking your car and walking the rest of the way.