It’s lambing and calving season in our parks! This special time means mothers and their babies are bonding, so please give them space. Want a photo - take it from a distance and make sure you get the beautiful park background!

If you visit the Ambury Regional Park, why not do a little bird-watching on the Foreshore Walk? It’s nesting season for many of New Zealand’s native birds, and there are more than 80 species of birds in the area. You might spot some of the candidates for New Zealand’s Bird of the Year competition, such as tūturiwhatu (New Zealand dotterel), kōtuku ngutupapa (royal spoonbill) and tarāpuka (black billed gull).

While you must keep clear of nesting birds, one place to get up close to native species is at Auckland Zoo, where you can meet a ruru. Visitors can experience ruru within Te Wao Nui (in Te Pō / The Night) and also at the zoo’s daily Hidden New Zealand keeper talk. The ruru, or morepork, is Aotearoa’s longest established native owls and is a wee cutie, only weighing about 175 grams on average (and also vying for Bird of the Year).

They are most often heard around Auckland but not seen during daylight hours. To encourage ruru in your backyard, maintain mature trees and trap rats and mice – you could even build a nest box. Here are some tips from the Auckland Council-funded conservation group Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao.

Zoo visitors also have the opportunity to experience another stunning bird of prey, the barn owl (which colonised New Zealand from Australia) – either at Hidden New Zealand or by opting for a special personal experience.

5. Flowering Auckland in praise

For every month of the year, there’s a flower that’s in bloom in Auckland. But in spring, the blossoms and flowers are showing off their beauty big time. While nature can sometimes be unpredictable, here’s what you’re likely to see in flower when in Auckland this spring:

• Magnolias – July - September

Magnolias are some of the earliest blooming flowers, popping up in late winter and early spring. Many streets in Auckland feature spectacular magnolias, and the Magnolia Garden in the Auckland Botanic Gardens will be a shower of pink in August and September.

• Tulips and daffodils – September

If you’d like to tiptoe through the tulips, check out the displays at the Auckland Domain Wintergardens, and while you’re there, check out the darling daffodils growing around Pukekawa / Auckland Domain. If you’re feeling inspired, head along to the Learn to Draw Daffodil and Narcissus class on 15 September, one of the Wintergarden Sunday art sessions.

• Cherry blossoms and kōwhai – September and October

In September, Spring Blossom Valley at the Auckland Botanic Gardens is an eruption of colour with stunning pink sakura, the white pom pom blooms of tree rhododendrons, yellow daffodils and golden kōwhai. Nectar-loving birds such as tūī love the blossoms and the valley echoes with their calls this time of year. Pro-tip: Plant nectar-rich plants in your own backyard to bring the birds to your place.

• Roses – November to summer and early autumn

The best times to enjoy roses in Tāmaki Makaurau are late spring and early summer. The Parnell Rose Gardens at Dove-Myer Robinson Park contain more than 5000 rose bushes, and it’s a delightful spot for a late-spring outing. If you need inspiration for your own garden, visit the Rose Garden at Auckland Botanic Gardens.

There's even an annual event celebrating these colourful beauties. This year Parnell Festival of Roses will see the rose gardens full of stalls, entertainment and family fun on Sunday 10 November.

All the roses featured there are trialled for three years to prove they are suitable for growing in Auckland and resistant to disease. They also hold regular workshops and supply brochures for budding rose growers.

출처 : Auckland Council News