Te Ārai, Forestry and Black Swamp beaches are home to many native species, some you even may not have heard of (and even may be a bit worried about). Te Ārai includes one of the larges active dune ecosystems remaining in Auckland, and the whole area ranks as endangered, because there has been so much damage and change to sand dune areas around New Zealand.

Te Ārai dunes are home to birds, including threatened birds tūturiwhatu (New Zealand dotterel), tōrea pango (variable oystercatcher) and taranui (Caspian tern). Plus New Zealand's rarest bird, tara iti (fairy tern) nests here, which is one of very few of sites they nest. This species is highly threatened, luckily the Fairy Tern charitable trust works here with the Department of Conservation and NZ Forest & Bird to improve breeding success and adult survival. Tara iti nests are small hollows in shell-covered sand, so from October onwards please make sure to keep an eye out for these precious birds so we can all leave them alone to incubate their eggs.

Native skinks are also in the dunes, as well as the katipo spider - another species at risk of extinction. Let's hope none of us ever locate those few katipo's left here!

Walk the tracks behind the headlands and you may find yourself in an even rarer place, the Tomarata dune lakes, which are the only east coast dune lakes in Auckland. Lake Tomarata has a dense fringe of wetland plants, including the only known Auckland location of the Wire rush. You may also hear (and if you are very lucky, see) the Moho pererū (banded rail), Matuku (Australasian bittern) and Mātātā (North Island fernbird).