Ashburton Courier: September 12, 2019

Page 6, Ashburton’s The Courier, Thursday 12 September 2019
Local news at www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Feeding the birds has gone bananas
By Mick Jensen
There are bananas
hanging fromtrees at
PauletteClark’s house,
andthe birds lovethem.
TheAllenton
resident is doing her bit
to feedbirdslike
fantails,waxeyes,
chaffinches and even
tuis over winter.
Bellbirds are abit
more choosy who they
eatwith and feastinthe
back garden.
Paulettebuys
discounted bananas,
part peels them and
hangs them out for the
birds to snackon.
Some 60 fresh
bananaswere hanging
when The Ashburton
Courier called, making
for an unexpectedsight
in suburban Ashburton.
Whilethe birdscome
flutteringdown to enjoy
the fruitand to
supplement their diet,
they are watched by
some of Paulette’s cats.
The catsclimb the
shorttreesand sit
bemused.
Paulette’s been
feeding birdsfor 65 of
her 78 years and usually
concocts lard, fruit,and
oat mealballs.
‘‘We need birdsand
bees and butterflies and
my garden is friendlyfor
all of them,’’ she said.
Avolunteer at Mid
Canterbury Animal
Welfare Centrefor the
lastsix years, Paulette
alsoloves her cats and
dogs.
She has six cats and a
dog and other regular
feline visitors.
Acat named Teddy
was bornjust two
minutesafterher own
birth, and was aclose
companioninPaulette’s
youngeryears.
In the aftermath of
the February 2011
Christchurch
earthquake, herbeloved
pussAJwent missing
for 17 days,but
eventually turned up
alive.
‘‘AJ hasn’t slept
indoors since and that’s
why I’ve set up the
covered outdoor
sleeping areaasan
optionfor my cats.’’
Another stray kitten
from Christchurch
adopted by Paulette
also likes to sleep
outside on one of the
two sheepskin beds that
are well protected from
the elements.
‘‘I’vealwaysbeen
aroundanimals and I
alwayswill.’’
Photo:Paulette Clark
with bananas hanging
from herfront garden
trees.
Down and dirty in mud and the glug
The mud was flying,tyres
were spinning and
traction and momentum
testedatthe christening
of anew dedicated fourwheel
drive park near
AshburtononSaturday.
The Mid Canterbury
4x4 Park will provide offroad
fun and challenges
for driversand is at the
southern end of
Cochranes Road.
The 8ha site has been
developed after
discussions between
Environment
Canterbury (ECan)and
the Mid Canterbury
Four Wheel Drive Club
and is aimedatproviding
another driving option
for four­wheel
enthusiasts.
Mid CanterburyFour
Wheel Drive Club
secretary John
McDonaldsaid the new
park would give drivers a
convenient and
accessible alternativeto
tracks in the Ashburton
River bed,whichfor a
number of monthsofthe
year were off limits to
protect nesting birds.
The riverbed was also
in floodfor partofthe
year and was too softto
driveatother times.
The clubhad been in
discussions withECan
over the last fouryears
and those discussions
had been ‘‘ramped up’’
over the last two years.
Both DonnaField and
Ryan Dynes,from ECan,
had been supportivein
establishing the
dedicated driving area,
said Mr McDonald.
ECan had wired­roped
the allocated 8ha block
and in less than thana
day adigger had
established abasic track.
The loop track would
evolve over time and
featured anumber of
drivingchallenges,
including deep ruts and
mud.
‘‘Getting in is easy
enough,but getting out
is not so easy.’’
Driver numbers willbe
monitored through a
track cam at the entry/
exit to the park.
Mid Canterbury Four
Wheel Drive Club
president MarcusEwart
said the rules of the 4x4
park were at the
entrance. No
motorbikes,bikes or
quads are allowed.
Letter to
the editor
Recently aNorth Canterbury
town enforced acull
of gulls that had become a
pest to the town. I’m wondering
if we need to instigate
something similar in
Ashburton with all the
gulls settling on the
Harvey Norman "cliffs".
The fouling they are causing
is a disgusting and
expensive mess. There
would be opposition to this
considering their protected
status but there must
be some way short of
shooting or poison to deter
them settling around the
CBD. Airports have bird
scarers as do some
orchards,if nothing is done
it will be asmelly disease
ridden summer .It’s time
to get the flock out of here!
Garry Quinn, Hampstead.
Fines
More than $20,000 in dogrelated
fines were issued by
the Ashburton council in
2018/19 for 91 offences.
The details are in the dog
control annual report.
Offences included failing
to register adog, failure to
advise change of address,
failure to microchip adog,
and failure to keep a dog
controlled.
There are 6514 dogs registered,
62 menacing dogs and
830 complaints were
received.