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Thanks to an active intervention program, at Whangarei Heads we really do have kiwi in our backyard.

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December 8th, 2016

2016 November Update

Ferret caught

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme

Catches for November in the predator traps:

Ferrets 1, Stoats 1, Weasels 3, Cats 1, Rats 59, Hedgehogs 12 and 9 possums.

The ferret was caught in a Fenn trap at Harambee Road, Kauri Mt and is very big news. Ferrets are much larger than stoats and capable of killing adult kiwi. One ferret can have a devastating impact on a kiwi population so it was crucial to catch this guy – the last one I caught was back in 2010 and prior to that I got 6 in the period 2002-2004. It shows the importance of our trapping network!!! Thanks to more landscape trapping in Northland ferret numbers are way down on the bad old days of 15 years ago but we still have to have traps out there capable of catching them (they pull their heads out of Doc200s).

w-16.11-Ferretferret in a fenn trap

The juvenile stoats will be starting to disperse now so trapping for them to protect the recently hatched chicks is also crucial.

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

The older males have settled into their second round of nesting for the season.

Darwin – Usual area Lamb road quarry. Activity is lowish at 7.5 hours a night so it looks like he is renesting.

Lambert – Usual area at Taurikura Ridge. He has renested, 4 hrs activity at day 11, hatch due late January.

Whitu – Renesting above the freezing works at Reotahi. 3 hrs activity at day 34, hatch due early January.

Dallas – No more shots of Dallas from the Hill’s “bucket cam” but I keep checking.

EB – In the scrub at Kerr road. Activity 10 hours a night.

Tindall – It is a year since this guy was released so he needed a transmitter change. He was a real pain hiding in the dense kiekie at the northern end of Manaia so I had to wait until he was spending some time in the scrub at the end of Our Road to catch up with him. He is a healthy 2000g and his bill has stopped growing at 102mm so he is now full grown. He is 4 years old. 

w-16.11-Tindall

ONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):

The ONE dads at Rarewarewa have had a good round of breeding with 7 chicks transferred to Limestone Island and are well into their second round of nesting now with chicks due from xmas on.

Upcoming Kiwi Release

We are planning our annual public kiwi release for Sunday Feb 12 so let your neighbours, family and mates know – more details closer to the time.

Other happenings

TLC Release. As part of our combined ONE work (BYK, BHCT, TLC, Tanekaha LC, Kiwi Coast and funder Kiwis for kiwi) Tutukaka Landcare Coalition hosting a Kiwi Release on Friday November 18. There was a great turnout for the release with almost 300 locals and visitors there. The 2 released kiwi had transmitters and TLC are monitoring their travels through the backyards of folks on the Tutukaka coast. We also visited Ngunguru School on the way to the release so plenty of folks got to see their wild kiwi up close and be inspired to tie their dogs up!

Meetings. Had both the Kiwi Coast think Tank meeting and the Northland Kiwi Forum meetings this month. Heaps of hard work going on many groups and agencies leading to the successful recovery of kiwi in parts of Northland. Dr Jan Wright , the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, is visiting today as part of a trip to Northland to investigate what is needed to reverse the decline of native birds in nz.

Ross Road LC trappers day. A few Sundays ago Ngaire of Kiwi Coast and I took a trapper training day at Bridget and David Hallsworths’ for Ross rd LC. Great turn out of keen folks looking to increase the trapping protection in their area – fantastic to see- and also great to see the 4 pateke on the pond next to us there.

Ute. Thanks to a huge effort by Heather my non- descript ute is now a BYK standout – Check out her post on BYK facebook.

w-16.11.30-#5-Ute-passenger-side_1836

w-16.11.30-#2-Ute-drivers--frontdoor_1830

 

Have a good xmas

Cheers

Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385
E hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz

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