By Susan Sandys  December 1 2009

Lagmhor farmer Russell Langdon is threatening to close his renowned bird conservation and education centre.

The 78-year-old, who in 2006 received a QSM, is disillusioned by how long it is taking the Department of Conservation to approve a blue duck raising programme planned for the centre on his farm.

 Mr Langdon launched Bring Back Blue earlier this year in conjunction with the Orari Save the Rivers Group.

 He was to provide the captive breeding component of the programme, raising as many as 40 chicks from blue duck eggs this spring.

 But time is running out as the blue duck breeding season draws to a close and the final sign-off sits on a manager’s desk.

 “It’s just been a year wasted, absolutely wasted,” Mr Landgon said. “This season is pretty well over now, we have missed a year, just a year of buggering about.”

 While all seemed well initially and it looked as though DOC would approve it, nothing can happen until a translocation proposal is signed off by regional general manager John Cumberpatch.

 Technical support Canterbury conservancy Andy Grant, in Christchurch, said yesterday the proposal was at Mr Cumberpatch’s office awaiting his approval, and it was likely the general manager would be considering arguments both for and against.

 Preparing the proposal had involved consultation with groups such as Arthur’s Pass residents and Ngai Tahu, and there had been some opposition to it.

 While Mr Grant could understand Mr Langdon’s frustration, there were required processes which had to be followed.

 He said it may still not be too late to get eggs for this season.

 A second laying could see ducks with eggs in their nests leading up to Christmas.

 The department had undertaken an initial attempt to locate where some nests may be, by sending a dog team into South Canterbury. But no nests were found.

 Mr Cumberpatch did not return Guardian calls yesterday.

 Mr Langdon said his centre had cost him $50,000 over the years, in establishing aviaries, fencing and the education centre. He had been planning to fly a state-of-the-art incubator worth $6000 from Germany for raising the blue ducks. Eggs for the programme were to be retrieved from wild blue duck nests mainly at Arthur’s Pass.

 This year’s ducklings would have been old enough by next year to breed, and their subsequent young would have been introduced into the wild in Canterbury.

 Mr Langdon believes the tourist potential of such a programme is huge.

 Two weeks ago a busload of American bird watchers stopped over at his centre; they had been wanting to view birds endemic to New Zealand. “They are found nowhere else in the world these birds,” Mr Landgon said.

 He has one adult blue duck currently at the centre.

Pictured: Russell Langdon says his Bring Back Blue project to reintroduce blue ducks back into the wild may as well be called ‘Bye Bye Blue’ as DOC delays put it at risk. - Photo Kirsty Graham 100609-KG-034