Keith Woodley has been the Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre Manager since 1993, and has just celebrated his 30th anniversary.
For Keith, the shell banks, shorebird flocks and the ever-changing light, all make it a special place.
Birds were initially a subject for art, but as that developed, he began seeking out opportunities that brought him into proximity with them. Before long Keith was ‘born again’ as a birder.
To mark this special milestone, we asked Keith to tell us more about his work, the environment, the coastal wildlife and their contribution to the community and beyond.
Photo: Bird watching - Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre
The task of inspiring interest in coastal wetlands like Pūkorokoro is made easy by the biodiversity found here, foremost among which are bar-tailed godwits.
The unfolding story of their massive migrations, and all the adaptations that are needed to sustain them, never fail to enthral visitors.
They are a key focus of countless talks I have given at the Centre, and elsewhere. The second key species is wrybill, the only bird in the world with a bill turned to the side and found only in New Zealand.
They breed only on the braided riverbeds of the eastern South Island which, because Pūkorokoro supports 40% of the world population outside the breeding season, links us directly with that region.
The wrybill is also a magnet for visiting birders.
Photo: Godwits in flight - Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre
Once I arrived at the Shorebird Centre a nascent interest in shorebirds quickly consolidated.
Of course, given the origins of Pūkorokoro Miranda Naturalists’ Trust (PMNT) and the location of the Centre itself, this was inevitable.
Over the years you’ve given hundreds of talks on coastal ecology and shorebird migration.
What keeps you motivated and able to grow your knowledge?
The motivation comes from the subject itself, especially anything to do with bar-tailed godwits.
Their story – the epic migration flights, the things they need to do to sustain such an annual cycle, really emerged during my time at Pūkorokoro.
In the early 1990s, there was only rudimentary knowledge of their migration routes derived largely from sightings of marked birds. Since then, our knowledge has steadily expanded in the most extraordinary way.
The work of a network of researchers both amateur and professional – here and overseas, along with new technology such as satellite tags and data loggers, has resulted in the Alaskan breeding population of godwits being the most well known of any migratory shorebird.
This steady evolution in our understanding of these remarkable birds has meant my talks can be continually updated and refreshed.
It also led to the realisation that my role at the Shorebird Centre gave me a box seat, that I was in the perfect position to tell that story. And that is how I came to write Godwits: Long-haul champions (2009).
Its success made the publishers interested in a more general book on New Zealand shorebirds, which resulted in Shorebirds of New Zealand: Sharing the margins, published in 2012.
Then there is the inspiration of this place called Pūkorokoro – its shell banks, its tidal flats and teeming bird populations, and the satisfaction of sharing it with the thousands of visitors that pass by each year.
So, it has been easy to remain motivated and grow my knowledge. It also led to a third book In Pursuit of Champions (2022), which is both a history of the Shorebird Centre and a memoir of my time here.
Photo: Bird hide - Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre
Adult godwits begin returning from the beginning of September. Other Arctic-breeding species such as red knots, turnstones and Pacific golden plover also begin to arrive. These arrivals continue through into October.
Resident species such as New Zealand dotterel and variable oystercatcher begin breeding from late spring.
By late December wrybill and South Island pied oystercatchers, which as the name suggests also breed in the south, begin returning to Pūkorokoro.
This is when the maximum numbers of birds occur here. By late February many godwits and knots have moulted into their colourful breeding plumage and are storing fuel for their imminent migration back to the Arctic. Many of them will double their weight prior to departure.
Birds then begin to leave us, with departures continuing right through March. By mid-June pied oystercatchers are starting to fly south, with wrybill departing from August onwards.
So now the flocks are much diminished, until a few weeks later, the godwits begin returning once again.
The tidal flats where most shorebirds find their food are much like those found throughout the country, on any harbour or estuary from the Far North to Invercargill.
But the geology of the Pūkorokoro - Wharekawa coast is a globally rare formation called a chenier plain.
A succession of beach ridges called cheniers have built up over about 4,000 years to form the plain.
The Pūkorokoro formation, comprised of shells, is regarded as the best example of an active chenier plain in the world.
Another distinction is the Shorebird Centre which is also unique in New Zealand!
Photo: Flock on the chenier shellbank - Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre
Since 2004 we have had a partnership with Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve in northern China.
At that time over 70% of all godwits on northward migration from New Zealand were stopping on its vast tidal flats to refuel.
Our primary purpose for visiting each year was to complete a shorebird survey, counting the flocks on the reserve.
A particularly memorable experience was being confronted with a flock of c.60,000 shorebirds of numerous species massed ahead of the rising tide.
The prospect of trying to count them was daunting, but the spectacle itself was enthralling.
What we have learned about our coastal environment and the birds it supports provides us with many potent stories.
These stories help us to engage and motivate people, to demonstrate how our piece of coastline supports colossal migrations to the other end of the planet.
And that maintaining the health of those tidal flats is a critical link in the chain.
Photo: Take the trail on foot to the bird hide - Pūkorokoro-Miranda Shorebird Centre
There is a role for everyone in being aware of shorebirds and their habitats, and being mindful of giving them the space they need.
This is particularly important during the periods of high tide. Shorebirds do not have webbed feet so cannot sit on the water like ducks or gulls.
The incoming tide forces them off of the tidal flats where they have been feeding, and onto our beaches and coastal margins.
There they roost until the tide recedes, using the time to preen and sleep. But this also brings them up against people and all our activities.
We need to ensure birds are not disturbed during these times. This becomes critically important when birds are preparing for long migration flights.
We also need to be mindful that some shorebirds nest on our beaches and coastal margins. Many community members are active with predator control and protecting nesting birds.
This is fantastic work and everyone else can play a part by supporting those people, obeying signs indicating birds are nesting, and controlling their dogs.
If you would like to get involved, you can contact or visit the Pūkorokoro Shorebird Centre and support the work they do.
Photo credit: Luke Appleby - image of Keith Woodley
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