And the rain continues!

I am always the first to celebrate summer and autumn rain because it is so good for kiwi but even the kiwi have probably had enough now!

The weather isn’t helping the trapping either.  Stoats love waterways so we target them on stream sides. Even with careful placement this makes these traps vulnerable to flooding and a few traps have been washed away in this year’s storm events. If you find any traps or trap boxes please let me know so I can salvage them.

 

Extra risk of Roadkill  

A benefit of the wet summer has been the good growing conditions for this season’s kiwi chicks. So between the wet weather and the good stoat control from the trapping network and in particular the kiwi saver /1080 bait station pulses in places like Manaia there is a big crop of young kiwi at the Heads. These chicks are now making the magic 1000g in weight (big enough to fight off predators apart from a dog) and literally hitting the roads as they disperse out.  These young kiwi travelling combined with day-light saving changing means more car traffic in the dark increasing the risk of road kill. Recently 2 chicks of 925g and 1000g were run over in the danger spot between McLeod’s and Parua Bay (see pics) so please take extra care driving.

A sad update on the young female kiwi that was hit by a car a few months ago on Nook Road and sent to Massey University for treatment; after initial high hopes the kiwi did not recover well enough so was put down.

Kiwi Coast led Piroa Kiwi Release

As discussed last month a huge team effort has gone into a kiwi release at Te Waorahi down behind Langs Beach, led by Kiwi Coast. These are kiwi from our Operation Nest Chick program – chicks gifted by Purua landowners and Ngati Hine to be raised on Limestone Island by FOMLI and Te Parawhau before being released.

Kiwi went extinct in the Waipu/Mangawai/Piroa area in the 1960s.  DoC releases there in 2012 re-booted the kiwi population and now there is a growing population thanks to community lead work by Piroa Conservation and others. The release and follow up radio transmitter monitoring of these released kiwi will help further engage the community with their kiwi, leading to increased support for kiwi saver/1080 pulses to control trap shy stoats and ongoing dog control to protect adult kiwi. See more at: https://kiwicoast.org.nz/community/kiwi-release-showcases-hapu-and-community-conservation-success/

 

Annual Kiwi Count coming up May 5- May 23

To monitor the effectiveness of our kiwi recovery work we count kiwi each year at 19 listening stations throughout the Heads. Preparation is well underway for this important work and official kiwi counters can expect an email from Jess and I this week.

Backyard Kiwi monitored kiwi update for March 2026

 

Whangarei Heads/Parua Bay  Radio monitored kiwi:–

• Teina– In his usual valley of pampas and pines at the northwestern end of Martins’ pine block. 10.5 hours of activity.
• Beach Girl – Moving between the pampas in the logged area on Halses’ at Ross Road and the northwestern end of Martins’ pine block.  11.5 hours activity.
• Murdoch  – He is in the regenerating native on the Halses’ block at Ross Road. 12 hours nightly activity.
• Humphries –   Feeding up after nesting. North-eastern end of Martins’ pine block.  11.5 hours nightly activity.
• Wally –I have been checking him at least weekly while the logging of nearby pines continues.  The landowner and logging operators (locals McLean Forestry) are doing a careful harvest job. Wally is still hanging safely in the wetland on the estuary edge north of the pines. 11.5 hours nightly activity.

Kiwi that have walked to other areas:

• Whareora Landcare area/NRC pines:  Te Motu Manu Hine –  Steady 11 hours of nightly activity.  She has remained in her territory of pampas and pines in the NRC block behind the Money Factory.
• Tamaterau/Waikaraka: Kim – She is still in the valley up behind Waikaraka but has moved closer to the village after the storm. 10 hours nightly activity.
• Whanui Pine Block:  Ping – .  Carl monitoring.

Purua ONC dads

They are definitely cuddling up for the breeding season. Wiremu Keretene of Ngati Hine Kaitiaki gave me a hand to do some band changes:

• Buddha – In rank Kikuya, in the paddock north of McGraths’ quarry, 11 hours of nightly activity. Did his band change; 2450g weight and in good condition. Ready for the breeding season. (see pics)
• Macio – South Purua reserve. 12 hours of activity.
• 64 –  Usual area SW Purua Reserve. 11 hours of activity.
• Tahi– Back on the radar – back of Alisons’ farm. 10 hours nightly activity.
• Sam –  SW  Purua reserve.   12 hours of activity.  In burrow with the usual female (just quick handle to check her ID chip; 16162955). Did Sam’s band change; he was 2100g in weight and in Moderate condition.
• Derek – Just in from the boundary fence on SE Purua reserve behind Alisons’ farm.   In a deep burrow with his usual female -080edfbb – just a quick handle to check her tp/ID chip.  Wiremu was helping me and has named her “Erana”. We did Derek’s band change. 2100g weight and in Mod condition.(see pic)
• Fletcher –   In his usual area behind Lovells’ airstrip. 12 hours nightly activity..
• Rua – In the paddock at the back of Alisons’ farm. In a burrow with his  usual female – see pic (80ef54f – 142.0mm, 2600g, good cond). Did Rua’s transmitter change; 2100g and in Good cond. Activity 10 hours per night.
• Erima – In the stand of native in the paddock on Hawkins’ hill.   11.5 hours activity.
• Prime – Near the top of Hawkins’ hill. 11.5 hours nightly activity.
• Purua– In a fallen epiphyte near the top of the steep face behind Lovells’ Irving road woolshed.   Did his band change with Wiremu’s help; 1700g and 96mm (up from last year’s 86.5mm) hopefully up to breeding this season.  11.5 hours of activity.

Trapping/ toxin pulses

March trap catches: Stoats 0, weasels 19, cats 1, rats 117, hedgehogs 13 and possums 6.  Planning for further kiwi saver pulses is underway.

19 weasels is a monthly record – hopefully an indication of low stoat numbers.

Cheers Todd

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum