Below you will find the update for each monitored kiwi, and the monitored kiwi map.

We have successfully released two more kiwi into the Heads in the past month. “Te Rata” was caught on Limestone Island by ranger Ben Barr who heard him calling nearby while he was cooking tea. Ben snuck out and nabbed him. He was released by a good crowd of locals at Zac Smith’s place on the south side of Kauri Mt. On his way there he paid a visit to the Whangarei Heads School and Parua Bay School to be welcomed to his new home. Te Rata was one of last season’s chicks and was a healthy 1725g in weight.

One of the kiwi chicks from the Department of Conservation 1080 trials in the study block at Rarewarewa (just north of Purua) reached transfer weight last month so was also ready to come to the Heads. He/She has been named “Robin” by Moria Pagan and Wayne Burchall who are one of WHLF Backyard kiwi’s Foundation sponsors. Robin visited the Papakarahi Landcare nursery team at the Nook and Parua Bay School before being released at Grant and Raewyn Fabers on the north side of Kauri Mt.

The “smart” radio transmitters on our kiwi are telling us that male activity is dropping at the moment as they start to nest. These Dad’s activity drops from over 12 hours a night down to only around 3 hours as they sit on the eggs.

Some happenings with the transmittered kiwi:

– Lambert: Our “dad of the year” for the past 2 seasons – hatching 7 chicks- has started to nest again in the pampas on Taurikura ridge.

– JR: Is at the North end of Urquharts Bay has started nesting again after a practice start back in April, hopefully he will see this nest through.

– Waka: Is still hanging around the beach houses at Mckenzie Bay – letting the locals know that he is about with some loud calling.

– Dallas: Has spent time around the eastern side of the Whangarei Heads School and even right down to be within 5m of the foot path on Whangarei Heads Road below the school.

– Ari and Xmas: No radio signal from either of these guys this month so hope they are tucked down in rock guts at the back of McLeods.

– Jackie and her mate Jackie’s Boy: Spending plenty of time together at the Nook – hopefully there will be some eggs produced soon.

– King: Is at Kauri Mt has settled into his nesting area from last season