Hi all.

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme

Catches for December in the predator traps:

Stoats 7, Weasels 1, Cats 3, Rats 59, Hedgehogs 7 and 5 possums.

The juvenile stoats are dispersing through the country at the moment – so this is usually our peak catch time – 6 of the 7 stoats were juvenile (smaller at this time of year and no crest on their skull).

All 7 were caught north of Manaia as they come into our trapped area. Without the protection of the trapping network our kiwi chicks would be getting slaughtered at the moment

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

The males have settled into their second round of nesting for the season.

Darwin – Usual area Lamb road quarry. Renested in pampas bush 5m from Manaia Excavators truck yard. Hatch due late January.

Lambert – Usual area at Taurikura Ridge. He has renested, hatch due late January.

Whitu – Renesting above the freezing works at Reotahi. Hatch due soon. His nest is deep in a puriri so it is unlikely that I will be able to ID chip his chicks but between dad’s activity data and a trail cam on the nest we should see the result.

Dallas – No more shots of Dallas from the Hill’s “bucket cam” but I keep checking.

EB -In the scrub at Kerr road. He has started a nest in the pampas near to the road there. Hatch due early February.

Tindall -Still on NE Manaia with high activity.

 

ONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):

The ONE dads at Rarewarewa have had a good round of breeding with 7 chicks transferred to Limestone Island and are well into their second round of nesting now with chicks due from xmas on.

The Acrobat – Usual area. Lovell’s’ bush – he has finally started nesting after a break since the spring of 2014..

Waimarie – Renested by Lovells’ quarry. Hatch due xmas day

Ngutu Roa – Renested. Hatch due mid Feb

Sancho – Renested. Hatch due early jan.

CFU – Renested in paddock (see pic). Hatch due late jan.

Ray – Due now – about to check him (see pic)

The Boxer – Renested at Western end of reserve with hatch due soon.

Upcoming Kiwi Release

We are planning our annual public kiwi release for Sunday Feb 12 so let your neighbours, family and mates know – more details closer to the time.

Lizard People (in fact Amphibian and Reptile people)

The SRARNZ (Society for Research on Amphibian and Reptiles NZ) conference is at the Manaia Camp at the end of January (21 and 22). Usually this is not open to community folks but Ben Barr has invited any local with a particular interest in these critters to check out the attached flyer and contact him if they are interested in attending-  bbarr@northtec.ac.nz   Thanks Ben.

Other happenings

TLC Release. As part of our combined ONE work (BYK, BHCT, TLC, Tanekaha LC, Kiwi Coast and funder Kiwis for kiwi) we transferred another kiwi (The Kicker) from Limestone to Tutukaka on Tuesday.  Tutukaka Landcare Coalition are making the most of telling the story of these transmittered, released kiwi as they wander the Tutukaka coast – locals are loving it.

PCE Visit. Dr Jan Wright , the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, visited as part of a trip to Northland to investigate what is needed to reverse the decline of native birds in nz. She and her team were very impressed by the community driven kiwi recovery work. Thanks to Heather and Martin for hosting them and the Kiwi Coast think tank team.

Kiwi Coast  trappers day. Thanks to Ngaire for gathering the KC professional trappers and being van driver to take us up to Steve Allan’s patch to share our views and spruce up or trapping skills.  Support like this from the Kiwi Coast is making a huge difference in the co-ordinated kiwi recovery work going on in Northland.

Please, please get you visitors to leave their dog at home or be extra carefully in controlling it.

Have a good xmas

Cheers

Todd Hamilton; Backyard Kiwi Project Manager; Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385

E   hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz