Kiwi chicks are hatching and as things start to dry up the dads should be having less of a problem with wet nests leading to rotten eggs.

 

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme:

Catches for September  in the predator traps:

Stoats 0, Weasels 3, Cats 3, Rats 26, Hedgehogs 6 and 13 possums.

I’ve changing over from eggs to salted rabbit as a lure with the stoat season cranking up. A stoat turned up on the trail camera on Lambert’s nest a few weeks back.  We have been using trail cameras on known nests since 2013 and this is the first stoat to show up.   I caught a stoat last week 200m from the spot so hope that it is him – if it isn’t the 1080 pulse will get him!

Controlled 1080 pulse in bait stations

Thanks to Martin Hunt and the Manaia Landcare team who have been prefeeding the bait station network on Manaia. The prefeeding with non-toxic feed keys the rats into the bait stations before the 1080 pulse which will not only get the rats and possums but importantly cleans out any trap shy stoats lurking, the timing will also help with any new stoats moving in at this time of year.  Thanks also to Rolf and the DOC team and others helping with the toxin pulse

Kiwi happenings

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

• Darwin – At the Lamb road quarry nesting in pampas. He has now hatched 2 chicks, the 1st at day 61 and a big gap until day 79 for the 2nd hatch (see pics).  The older chick is named Leo – after the late Leo Robertson who was a proud supporter of Backyard Kiwi for many years through Manaia Excavators.
• Lambert ­­- Usual area at Taurikura Ridge. Nesting in the pampas his nest failed at 75 days which is very unusual. Both eggs were well developed and not far off hatching but the nest had become very wet and the eggs became infected and died.
• Whitu – As suspected he has got straight back into nesting. He is near the Reotahi freezing works. Hatch due late November.
• EB – His nest beside the intersection of Kerr road and Rarangi Heights failed at 38 days – once again probably because of the nest become very wet.  The nearby dog owners are doing a great job of controlling their dogs allowing EB to get on with life.
• Tindall -The East side of Manaia. His activity is has risen again to 12 hours. He is proving to be a reluctant breeder.
• Pakipaki – In the paddock below the Manaia Club. Activity of 11 hours. This guy is still growing and at almost 2 years old not ready to breed yet.
• Dudin – Still in the horse paddock opposite the fire station.  Activity 11 hours –again at almost 2 years old not ready to breed yet. 

ONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):

The ONE dads at Rarewarewa are hard out nesting, except the Acrobat who is once again proving to be a bit slow off the mark:.

• The Acrobat –Usual area, Lovell’s’ bush. Activity 10.5 hours.
• Waimarie – Nesting in the paddock north of quarry.  1.5 hours activity at day 68- hatch due.
• Ngutu Roa- Usual area SW reserve. Nesting in burrow, he has hatched two chicks – the first was transferred to Limestone Island on 4/10/17, the younger one will be moved soon..
• Sancho- Usual area – Lovell’s bush. Nesting in totara stand, 3 hours at day 66- hatch due soon.
• CFU – Usual area – paddock south of reserve.  Nesting in shallow burrow, 2 hours activity at day 69. His data stream shows that he has hatched his first chick and I am waiting for the second to hatch.
• Ray- Nesting in usual area east of big slip, 5 hours nightly activity at day 67 which may be a sign of him giving up on the nest.
• The Boxer- Nesting on steep face at W end of reserve. Hatched 1 chick – LC1701 the first for the ONE season, transferred to Limestone Island 25/9/17.

Release at Pataua North

Pataua North Landcare released three kiwi from our combined ONE program on Sunday. Two females Piper and Gail along with young male Quincy graduated from Limestone Island. Emma had the birds well located so that we could quickly and quietly catch them. 40 folks took part in the FOMLI Wakawaatea by the Onerahi Yacht club and 187 locals welcomed the kiwi at the Pataua North Education camp. Fantastic to see the great community engagement with kiwi recovery at Pataua North – a real credit to John Craig and the rest of the PNLC team.  The combined effort of all involved with the great support from Kiwis for kiwi, DOC, NRC and Kiwi Coast co-ordination points to a bright future for these kiwi.

Other happenings

• The Northland Kiwi Forum meeting on 6 September cover plenty of big picture stuff for Northland kiwi recovery – minutes attached
• Owhiwa Landcare trapping workshop Sunday November 5 – see Kiwi coast website  for details
• Tutukaka Landcare Coalition kiwi release Friday 17 November at 6pm.
• BYK committee meeting 7pm Wednesday 18 October at Catherine McNamara’s. 

Cheers

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385

E   hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz