Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum invites you to join them for a kiwi listening evening on Saturday 12^th May at 5.30 pm at the Whangarei Heads Primary School.

Come along and hear about  your kiwi, why they call and how to tell the male and female calls. Then listen for some wild backyard kiwi calls.

There will be a sausage sizzle (gold coin donation) and “I Heard a Kiwi” and “I saw a Kiwi” Backyard kiwi bumper stickers available for $5.

We will be listening from the school field – do remember to bring warm clothes.

If the weather is wet or too windy we will postpone until to Saturday May 19^th – any postponement will be on our Backyard Kiwi website: www.backyardkiwi.org.nz

Any questions contact Todd Hamilton on 0211145385 orinfo@backyardkiwi.org.nz

Great start to kiwi breeding season

It has been an excellent breeding season to date, largely due to the good rainfall experienced last autumn. We continue to monitor a sample of 10 kiwi with radio transmitters and 4 of those kiwi males have hatched 6 chicks between them already. There is another monitored kiwi dad still nesting and two others have started nesting on a second round of eggs – this is our most successful start to the breeding season since monitoring started in 2003.

Kiwi population grows to 400

The official kiwi call count carried out at 21 listening sites during the winter months identified 189 individual kiwi and considering that the listen sites cover less than half the area of the Whangarei Heads our estimation of a kiwi population of around 400 through population modeling looks pretty good! The estimated kiwi population of the Whangarei Heads was only 80 adults ten years ago so we can all be proud of the great progress being made.

Predator trapping continues through NRC funding

For the past 10 years we have run a trapping network to reduce kiwi predator numbers at the Heads. Without this predator control over 90% of kiwi chicks would be killed – mainly by stoats. Also any ferrets present can not only kill chicks but also adult kiwi. Every season there is an influx of new predators reinvading the area so it is fantastic that the Northland Regional Council has funded the continuation of the trapping program for the next 5 years through their Community Pest Control Area (CPCA) budget. This NRC funding covers trapping and also importantly a controlled toxin pulse in some areas that may have trap shy animals present. We are very grateful for the NRC support and are determined to show that the Backyard Kiwi work is great value for the rate payers’ money.

BNZSTK Operation Nest Egg

Since 2003 we have been fortunate to be able to supplement the Heads kiwi population with extra young kiwi through a BNZSTK Operation Nest Egg program that involves transferring young kiwi chicks from the Department of Conservation managed areas of Purua, Rarewarewa and Riponui (west of Whangarei). These chicks are transferred to the Limestone/Matakohe Island kiwi crèche to grow to 1200g in weight before being released at the Heads. This year 7 kiwi have been released at the Heads, these releases are our best opportunity for the people of the Whangarei Heads and wider area to see a kiwi up close and personal in their backyard. Over 600 people have had that fantastic experience this season – “seeing is believing” and when linked with the ongoing radio transmitter monitoring of some of the released birds locals really do get to gain an understanding of their kiwi in their backyard. The BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust has once again provided funding to support this program and we have already transferred 10 young kiwi chicks into the safe hands of the Limestone/Matakohe Island Rangers from the new season’s nests at Rarewarewa and Riponui.

Community Engagement with Backyard Kiwi

Without the support of the wider community at the Whangarei Heads it would be impossible to continue the successful kiwi recovery work of the Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum. Uncontrolled dogs still remain the biggest threat to the kiwi population and the responsible dog control by the majority of pet owners is heartening to see. Although dog kills have reduced in the past few years 2 adult kiwi were unfortunately recently killed by dogs on the roadside at the Nook. Another adult kiwi was also run over by night time traffic. In a major effort to inform locals and visitors of kiwi at the Heads the “Backyard Kiwi” road and interpretation signs have been erected. Our website www.backyardkiwi.org.nz has updates on the monitored kiwi and other local kiwi news.

Locals Trapping for Success

In conjunction with the NZ Landcare Trust we are running a local trapper’s day on Sunday the 13th of November. This will look at protecting what is in your backyard from possums and mustelids. Both experienced trappers and novices should get something from the event — see details under trapping news.

“It was a stunning Sunday afternoon when we piled all the kids into the car and headed down the hill to Whangarei Heads for the kiwi release at McLeod Bay. We were all very excited about getting to see a kiwi live, up close! We were a bit late and as we walked up the farm track, we could see Todd holding Charlie, the kiwi. Hoping we hadn’t missed too much we stood at the back and heard Todd tell us how hard the Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum have been working to kill stoats that are such a threat to kiwi. Todd also congratulated all the locals for keeping their dogs under control, making it possible to safely release kiwi in their backyards in McLeod Bay. He urged us to remind visitors to Whangarei Heads to follow the example of locals, and always keep your dogs tied up and under control. He reckoned uncontrolled dogs were now the biggest threat to the survival of kiwi in Northland.

I couldn’t believe it when he then said “Ngaire, can you come and hold Charlie the Kiwi?” Needless to say, he didn’t have to ask me twice, and I quickly left poor hubby Steve to mind our three pre-schoolers! Sitting down on the kiwi transportation box, Todd handed me Charlie. Charlie had been a bit upset, snapping his bill at all these strangers disturbing his day-time sleep and I was worried he would leap away or do some serious damage to me with his tough feet and sharp claws. But as I relaxed, so did he and we settled into a nice cuddle. He was warm and soft and with his head draped over my arm, I could see his eyes blinking as he thought about drifting off for a little snooze… I sat there totally amazed at holding such a rare and precious creature. “Good luck Charlie,” I whispered to him when I saw Todd coming over to take him to his burrow “Watch out for those dogs and stoats, and send your grand-kids our way…!” Later that night, as I tucked three exhausted kids into bed, the last thing 2 year old Fiona said was “Where kiwi gone Mummy?” “Don’t worry” I replied, “Charlie is safe in his burrow – Todd is looking after him….””

Submitted by Ngaire Tyson, NZ Landcare Trust and landcare group member

The kiwi chicks came from the Department of Conservation 1080 trials in the study block at Rarewarewa (just north of Purua) and had reached the required transfer weight of 1000g. Todd Hamilton (WHLF) and Cathy Mitchell (Doc) caught the young kiwi and on their way to the Heads they paid a visit to a group of 50 or so NRC staff at their offices in town – including Chairman Craig Brown. This visit was as a thank you to the NRC for their support of the WHLF kiwi recovery programme with funding for the next 5 years. The NRC team were thrilled to be part of the kiwi transfer and named one of the kiwi “Tiaki” which means “To care for.”

Can you find the kiwi?

The kiwi were released at the Capeys’ property at Bream Head, they were wished on their way by a group of 50 of so locals. Tiaki was fitted with a radio transmitter and will be monitored by the BHCT and Doc kiwi team there. So far he has settled in well.

The photo shows David Capey wishing Tiaki well shortly after releasing him (if you look carefully you can see Tiaki).

Also in the last month Todd found a new adult female kiwi cuddled up with “Waka” (Waka is a young male we released last year at the Hunts’ property at Robinson Road ).

Charlotte - The Wild Girl

Todd had tracked Waka’s radio transmitter to a pampas bush on the point between Taurikura Bay and McKenzie Bay where he found the two kiwi together. All the kiwi released have an ID chips inserted just beneath the skin before release so they can be identified. Todd scanned this girl but found nothing showing she is a “wild” kiwi that has hatched at the Heads and grown to adulthood here.  Kiwi like this are testimony to the predator trapping that we have carried out over the past 9 years – without trapping 95% of kiwi chicks are killed by stoats. The landowners of the property that this pair of kiwi have made their home have named the female “ Charlotte ”.

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.

Some very quiet listeners

“I Heard a Kiwi Night”

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum invite you to come along and hear kiwi in your backyard.

When: 9th April, 6.30pm at Ocean Flowers (100 Robinson Rd, Taurikura)

Come prepared for a 15 minute bush walk to the spot where we will listen out for the many kiwi in the area. You will need warm clothes, sturdy footwear and a torch.

There will be an alternative site for those not so good at walking.

For more information, contact Todd on 021 1145 385 or info@backyardkiwi.org.nz