Lots happening!!!

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum AGM on Wednesday May 23 at 7.30pm at the McLeod Bay Hall

ALL Welcome

Please make the effort to come if you can. WHLF is a crucial platform for the various Landcare groups and individuals at the Heads and it enables much of the positive work being done to happen. It would be great if a representative of each group could give a brief update of what their group is up to- it is always a great way for us all to catch up on the many things that are going on.  Ngaire Tyson will also give an update on the Kiwi Coast initiative and Kane McElrea will cover upcoming NRC changes.

Kiwi Call Count

For all those dedicated kiwi call count listeners it is time to get organised, sharpen up your hearing and data recording skills, and find some warm gear. First period is 2 June -20 June, backup 1 July-20 July (only if absolutely needed).  With all the rain this autumn it could well be an early breeding season (there are plenty of kiwi calling hard already) so we need to be ready to get listening.  I will send out the usual email with detailed instructions soon – please let me know if you are unavailable asap so we can find and train up any replacement listeners.  Because the official national  listening period is a bit later this year (because of moon phases) and our peak calling may be over by then I have put out 4 electronic listening devices in May and will do the same again in the listening period for a comparison.

Even if you are not part of the official kiwi count it is still a great time of year to spend some time in the evening on your deck to check out where the kiwi are calling from so that you have an idea of who is in your backyard and where. If in doubt listen here

Northland Pest Control Workshop coming up on Sunday May 20th

Kiwi Coast is hosting this workshop – if you are interested see the attached flyer and register for it. We can co-ordinate carpooling so let me know if you would like a lift.

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme:

Catches for April  in the predator traps:

Stoats 0, Weasels 10, Cats 10, Rats 33, Hedgehogs 11 and 2 possums.

The usual autumn drop off in stoat catches and increase in weasels continues.

Wild Dunedin 

Heather, Martin, Helen and were invited to Wild Dunedin – NZ Festival of Nature. Local groups funded our flights and were fantastic hosts-see  see the photos and read story.

Injured kiwi returns 

The young wild female that was injured at Kerr Road  (She had a puncture wound in on her rear and was unable to move – probably from a dog) returned after the Kamo vets stitched her up and she spent time with Robert Webb at the WNBRC. Locals have called her JJ2  and she has settled back into the pampas at Kerr Road.  This is a very lucky kiwi as surviving a dog bite is pretty rare for a kiwi.

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

• Darwin – At Lamb road, quarry. I did his annual transmitter change and we took the opportunity to film him as part of the videoing that Heather has been coordinating to produce videos about BYK. Darwin was  with his mate (Mrs D) – a wild girl only seen on trail cam before.  She has a huge bill – 157mm which is the longest ever measured on a Northland brown kiwi
• Lambert – In pampas at Taurikura ridge. Activity 11hours per night. Feeding up for breeding.
• Whitu – Usual area at freezing works, activity down  a bit so may be starting to nest.
• EB – In pampas at Kerr rd. 11.5 hours activity. Transmitter change is due but he’s proving hard to catch up with in pampas.
• Pakipaki –  In pampas below the Manaia club. I did her annual transmitter change, she has grown to 2050g, bill length of127.2mm – no sign of mate yet..
• JJ2 – the wild female injured beside the road at Kerr road, Now tp 783C756. Released after treatment 1550g, 108.1mm.. Activity has steadily improved and she seems to have to recovered well.

Recent Release

These guys still moving a fair bit:

• Ross  –After moving down Taraunui road almost to Ross road he came back to the area by the Whangarei Heads road turn off- He has been crossing plenty of streams.
• Harikoa –Has still been the most stable and has spent her time in the raupo and pines about 1km down Taraunui rd.
• Rukuwai – Was moving about and then legged it for Kauri Mt 6 km away. She is now in the scrub between  Kauri Mt road and Kerr rd..
• Mokopuna –  she has been in the Lamb road quarry just north of Darwin’s usual spot.

ONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):

Rewarewa  .

We were very lucky to have Doc scientists and kiwi dog handlers Hugh Robertson and Rogan Colbourne up from Wellington recently.  It was time to retire some of our ONE dads and replace them with new blood  so we took the chance to transmit some of the kiwi their dogs found. One “Kimposter” had two chicks with him so these guys were transferred to Limestine as part of our ONE programme.

• The Acrobat –Usual area in Lovell’s fenced bush. Still no sign of nesting.
• Waimarie – Not nesting. 11 hours activity in paddock North of quarry. Did his annual tx change, 2500g, MG condition.
• Ngutu Roa- Not nesting 11.5 hours activity, in deep burrow SW reserve – will change tx next visit hopefully.
• Sancho- Not nesting, 11.5 hours, just in paddock North of reserve. Did his annual tx change, 2100g M condition.
• CFU –Looks like he has started nesting, activity 5.5 hours.
• Ray- Finally got him in pampas on slip. His transmitter was in false morality mode and cut out if he moved making him very difficult to monitor. Tx removed (after 24 years!) 2250g, MG..
• The Boxer- usual area W end of reserve. Activity 11.5hrs .

Cheers

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385

E   hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz