November update
Backyard Kiwi Celebration
Thanks to Heather Hunt for the fantastic evening celebrating the success of Backyard Kiwi at Newday café. BYK toasted the community and extended congratulations to everyone who contributed to the ‘2014 Manaia Predator Control Project’.
Update funded by the NRC
BYK also released 2 more kiwi prints to complete the series of 6 fine art prints. On top of that the “Free Range Kiwi” made its official debut and Heather invited everyone to …… “stick your Free Range Kiwi in the ground where it reflects light – it will pop out – make you smile and I hope become a talking point for kiwi recovery around the country”. Thanks to Newday café and Grinning Gecko Cheese Company for providing superb food. Please support these local businesses that support their community. Thanks to Philip King, Catherine McNamara, Heather hunt and Ben Barr for their entertaining and inspirational words.
The exhibition is on from 24th of November to the 5th of January, the prints and the Free Range kiwi mini road sign make excellent Christmas presents so go and check them out!!
Kiwi Print exhibition Newday Cafe, 24th November to 5th January
Meet the Free Range Kiwi
A Champion of Kiwi Recovery
Manaia Landcare
For the follow up monitoring results of the 1080 pulse at Manaia see http://www.backyardkiwi.org.nz/manaia-landcare/page-4). Thank you for all those involved, not only has this team effort lead to a fantastic medium term boost to the forest and fauna health of Manaia it has been the catalyst for the formation of a new Landcare group- Manaia Landcare MLC – this is great for the long term future of Manaia. Thanks to Martin and all those that came to the recent shed BBQ meeting to put their thoughts into the future of MLC – see Martin’s attached notes from that meeting and please contact him if you have any input or want to get involved in the action on the ground.
Free Range Kiwi , mini reflective sign
Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Catches for November: Stoats 3, Weasels 0, Cats 4, Rats 54, Hedge Hogs 13 and 13 possums – we are working extra possum traps around Manaia to try and mop up those possums on the edge of the 1080 pulse area.
Likewise I’m working the predator traps hard as this is the time of year that the young stoats from inland disperse and reinvade the trapped area. Thanks to those that have got me rabbits – I now have a full freezer.
Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
After a good 1st round of nesting over the spring the dads are now re-nesting for a second round.
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
Darwin – In pampas at Lamb road quarry, feeding up after nesting- activity 9 hours per night.
JR – South Taurikura Ridge. Has started his 2nd nest, activity 4 hours per night, hatch due early January.
Lambert – Taurikura Ridge. Also on his 2nd nest , activity 4 hours, hatch due mid December.
Whitu – Usual area at Reotahi. He has finally started his 1st nest, 4.5 hours activity, hatch due late January.
Charlie – Craig Road at McNamaras’. Activity 9 hours, proving elusive in scrub and pampas..
Dallas – 2nd nest in a pampas bush that is within 5m of the main road McGregor’s Bay/Taurikura. Activity 2.5 hours activity and hatch is due around xmas.
Waka – He is still moving between Mckenzie Bay and the pampas on the peninsula at the south end of Taurikura Bay – Activity ranging from 7 to 9 hours but he still hasn’t started nesting!
Lucky – He has still up to the very top of Taurikura Ridge. Activity 8 hours.
Breck-spring 2014
Breck – this is the kiwi caught in a life capture possum trap at Kerr road last month. The landowner, Callum, and I caught up with Breck for a health check – he/she was holed up in a tomo– his/her skin is healing and weight has increased by 115g in a month. See attached photo – the blue thing is the radio transmitter.
BNZONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):
The ONE dad’s out at Riponui and Rarewarewa are also starting their second round of nesting.
Tutukaka LC release
We released two of the creched kiwi from Limestone at Tutukaka. These kiwi are part of our combined BNZONE programme with Bream Head Conservation Trust, Tutukaka Landcare and the Kiwi coast. Over 230 people got the opportunity to see them up close at Glenbervie school and then at the release.
Meetings/Reports/Happenings etc.
Kiwi Coast think tank meeting 25 November
WHLF Backyard kiwi meeting 2 November
Manaia Landcare meeting 6 November.
Had a kiwi session with Huanui College while they were on camp at McGregors Bay.
Have a good December and please remind any visitors over the summer with dogs to control them.
Cheers
Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
ph 021 1145 385