Photo: RNZ

Welcome back to RNZ’s new weekly round up of Good News, where we’ll be sharing some of the most uplifting recent stories featured on our website by RNZ reporters and partners.

Here’s what caught our eye this week:

Bumper breeding season for NZ’s rarest bird

Dinner time! A doting adult tara iti, or fairy tern, offers its chick a freshly caught fish.
Photo: Supplied / Darren Markin

The total world population of tara iti, or fairy terns, is less than 40, but five fledglings have already struck out on their own this season, and as many as eight more chicks are to follow. Spirits lifted, the Department of Conservation (DOC) said this season was tracking to be the best since 2013-14.

Pūteketeke returned to the wild after surgery to remove fishhook

The pūteketeke is released back into the wild near Lake Ruataniwha in Canterbury, following surgery to remove a fishhook from her stomach.
Photo: Supplied / Dean Nelson, Department of Conservation

An endangered Australasian crested grebe (or pūteketeke) has been released back to the wild after swallowing a fishhook. The adult female bird, which was found near Twizel in December, underwent a major surgical procedure to remove the hook. There are thought to be fewer than 1000 pūteketeke – recently named New Zealand’s Bird of the Century – in the country.

Gingas paint the town red in celebration

Neill Gordon and Jill McDonald organised the ‘Gingas in the Stings’ event in Hastings to celebrate redheads.
Photo: Lauren Crimp/RNZ

Just one to two percent of the population are redheads – and those with ginger locks often find themselves alone in a crowd. But this week, a gathering of more than 100 people turned a Hastings bar into a sea of red. Organiser Reverend Jill McDonald said she had dreamed of walking to a cafe filled solely with redheads for more than 30 years.

Wintec enrolled nursing diploma students achieve 100 percent pass rate

Annene Bosman, programme co-ordinator for enrolled nursing at Wintec in Hamilton, says the perfect pass rate reflects the hard work and determination of the students.
Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod

Wintec in Hamilton achieved a 100 percent pass rate for students sitting enrolled nursing exams. Programme co-ordinator Annene Bosman said the diploma helped attract students into nursing who might not otherwise give it a go, such as mature students.

Oxford gains dark sky park status

Oxford astronomers hope to protect views of the galactic centre.
Photo: Supplied / Raul Elias-Drago

Dark Sky International has granted international dark sky park status accreditation to the 11,350-hectare Oxford Forest Conservation Area. It becomes the sixth New Zealand community to gain this accreditation, with more than 200 parks around the world encouraging more people to look up at the sky in wonder.

Check back each Sunday evening for your Good News round up, and re-share and spread some good vibes for the week ahead.

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