News & Tips

We've been long-time fans of Project Island Song as the charitable endeavour aimed high and worked hard to replant, restore and replenish Ipipiri / eastern Bay of Islands. We recently formalised our support using the Soar Initiative, which gave us a good excuse to get back in touch with the legendary Richard Robbins.

It’s that time of the year when we are called upon to do our civic duty, electing a local representative to lead us confidently into the future. Yes – it’s Bird of the Year time!

The results are in for the 2021 New Zealand Garden Bird Survey. At 5894 results nationwide, 2021 saw a near-identical number of submitted surveys as 2020. 

Following on from other successful trapping schemes in the region the Topflite team is delighted to back the arrival of the Oamaru Urban Trapping Project.

Hot on the heels of Valentine’s Day comes more good news from Cupid. New Zealand’s beloved kākāpō, 2020 Bird of the Year winner (and recipient of recent funding from our Soar Initiative), is currently in the middle of successful breeding season.

We sat down with Dr Philippa Agnew to take a deep dive into her work, discovering why our ‘Little Blue’ has such a big role to play in the ocean, within the local community and throughout New Zealand.

Since 2009 Project Island Song has provided a pest-mammal free wildlife sanctuary for several rare and endangered species across the seven main islands of Ipipiri in the eastern Bay of Islands. Keeping track of bird populations can be tricky. However thanks to some feeding stations, remote cameras and our delicious millet, the project team has started off on the right foot…

The winners were announced at the Topflite New Zealand National Bird Show in July, this big Hamilton event the grand finale after many months of hard work and loving care from breeders around the country.