Backyard Kiwi Proud Supporters  

The Onerahi and Whangarei Heads Lions Club have generously become a “Proud Supporter” of BYK – Thanks!  Parua Bay School have also kindly continued their support with a fantastic effort of raising $812.50 for BYK through their annual “Great Kiwi Morning Tea” where they sell their home baking for kiwi (a concept created by Kiwis for kiwi).   “Proud Supporter” funding enables us to do crucial work to raise awareness of kiwi recovery . Become a Proud Supporter of Backyard Kiwi

Kiwi book Launch and print release success

The release of Heather’s new book – “Mr Kiwi has an important job” and her new “Kiwi Mates” print at McLeod Bay Hall was a great success. Thank you to Heather and all those that helped out, and everyone who came along to support. The art work and stories from the local schools were impressive and very entertaining. Both the book and print make great presents – find them in  shop section of the  BYK website.

Thanks for all the help  

Thanks to all those that have helped out with trapping and kiwi monitoring since I banged up my knee. Especially Frank and Jack with the trapping and Rolf, Jack, Julia and Frank for the kiwi monitoring.

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme :

September predator trap catches:   Stoats 2, Weasels 0, Cats 0, Rats 47, Hedgehogs 6 and 8 possums.

With kiwi chicks hatching and new stoats due to disperse we will be changing over from eggs and stoat bedding as a lure to salted rabbit in the stoat traps.

Martin has been working hard co-coordinating a controlled pulse of 1080 in bait stations on some small blocks of land. This along with the careful use of brodifacoum (Pest Off) on some private land will have given us a major clean up of any trap shy stoats in those areas – as well as significant rat and possum control.

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
After dry conditions meant a slow start to the nesting season things are now in full swing with dads hard at working hatching chicks:

• Darwin – At Lamb road quarry, nesting in a shallow burrow, 43 days in on 16/9/19. His nightly activity is a good low 2.5 hours.
• Whitu – Nesting above the freezing works. Frank has been getting daily data streams from Whitu’s radio transmitter so we can time the safe checking of his nest. As of yesterday he had been nesting 80 days and hatched his first chick 10 days ago. His activity is still only 1 hour nightly suggesting that he is still on his second egg so we are waiting for that activity to increase before having a look.
• Moa – Moa has successfully hatched 2 chicks in his pampas nest up from the Hall in Taurikura Bay. After 90 days nesting his activity increased so Rolf, with Frank’s help, carefully checked his nest. They ID chipped and DNA sampled the two new chicks and changed Moa’s transmitter band. He was a respectable 2100g even after his nesting efforts. The chicks were 17 days old and approx 10 days old so both were ready for independent life at Taurikura. They have been named “Koa” by nearby residents Lynda and Murray Graham and “Toa” by Burning Issues Gallery who support BYK through selling our kiwi prints . 

  Koa and Toa

• EB – In the pampas opposite houses on Kerr road. Still no sign of nesting with 11 hours nightly activity.
• Pakipaki – In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 10.5 hours activity.
• Ross – After a short stint back down opposite the Parua Bay boat ramp he has settled back up at the top of Pepi Road. Activity steady at 11 hours.
• Harikoa –Still in wetland NE end of Campbell road. 9 hours activity.
• Mokopuna – Still no signal – should be close to Wally – looking like transmitter failure.
• Wally – Nested in the same gum tree and pampas area at the end of Campbell road as he did last year (see picture). He successfully hatched the single egg he had been incubating. That chick left the nest before it could be ID chipped. Jack helped me do Wally’s annual transmitter change and he was looking good after nesting at 1975g  – this time last year he was well over weight at a fat 3250g so becoming a father has done him good.
• Teina – After going walk about from Parua Bay he has settled halfway down Owhiwa Rd in the young pine block there. Activity 10.5 hours.
• Malaika – After being settled in Ross’s pines, Taraunui road for the past 6 months she has been on the move and is now further down Taraunui Road in bush just south of Ross Road.
• Pakiri – After last month’s check in the Hancock Managed pine block at the end of Taraunui Road this guy has managed to avoid us. Carl and Cam have been listing out from the Pataua North side and we have been covering the area around Taraunui Road with our radio listening gear but haven’t managed to track this young kiwi who has proven to be a good walker.
• Awhi – This girl is cruising around near Darwin’s territory in Lamb road and also spending time in the bush east of Campbell rd.

 

ONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):
Rewarewa  

Thanks to Julia from Doc for monitoring these guys this month. Radio signals show 5 of the 7 monitored kiwi are now nesting. As these chicks start to hatch this month we will transfer them to Limestone Island for creching.

Tutukaka Landcare Kiwi Release 

We had a successful evening spotlighting for kiwi on Limestone on Monday – Rolf and Jack catching, while Darren helped process the kiwi as part of his kiwi handling training as the new island ranger.  This is in preparation for the Tutukaka Landcare Kiwi release at 6 pm  Friday October 25 at Tawapou Nursery.

Cheers Todd

Please note that my email address has changed to: todd.hamilton64@gmail.com

Todd Hamilton,

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager,

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum.

 

M 021 1145 385

E   todd.hamilton64@gmail.com