Pakipaki
This girl hatched in “CFU’s” nest at the Lovells’ farm at Purua in October 2015 and was transferred to Limestone Island at a weight of 280g and bill length of 45.7mm.
When we were spot lighting for candidates for release in early 2017 we caught up with her at Limestone Island. She had grown to 1680g and his bill was 101.2mm. Pakipaki was named by the Tuato’o family. She was part of our 2017 February kiwi release at McLeod Bay that was attended by over 400 locals and guests
Finally caught up with her to remove her transmitter. After bouncing between the dense pampas below the Manaia Cub and the pampas and gorse in the Horse paddock she roosted in a small patch of relatively accessible pampas in the Johnstones’ paddock. She was 2450g, 132.6 mm and good condition. She has been a fantastic ambassador for the local kiwi since her release back in 2017. Being able to get her signal from the local takeaways, roadside, Manaia Club and McLeod Bay playground has given many locals and visitors an “ears on” kiwi monitoring experience. This is while many were sensibly walking their dogs responsible on a lead on the footpath there – great positive reinforcement . With her mate Waewae now transmitted Pakipaki has finished her important work.
I have made 7 visits this month to try to remove her transmitter but she has been deep in a burrow, deep in elliagnas, in big areas of dense pampas or too near to the nesting Waewae to get at. Activity of 11.5 hours.
In the pampas at the top end of McLeod Bay Horse paddock. 11 hours activity. Once Waewae has settled into nesting I will remove her transmitter.
In the pampas at the top end of McLeod Bay Horse paddock. 12 hours activity. Found her with a mate in a pampas bush there – this boy was 2075g, 99.3mm and in good condition. He didn’t have an ID chip so is a wild hatched and grown kiwi. He has an ID chip now and has been named by John Thompson and his local team that look after the Horse Paddock. They have called him Waewae – footprint . Once these two have nested I will remove Pakipaki’s transmitter.
Pakipaki’s mate Waewae
In the pampas below the Manaia Club McLeod Bay. 12 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. 11 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. 9 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. 9 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. 9 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. 9.5 hours activity.
In Johnstone’s paddock below the Manaia Club at McLeod Bay. 9.5 hours activity.
In a shallow burrow in Johnstone’s paddock McLeod Bay. Did her 6 monthly transmitter band change. She is 2500g and in good condition.
With the school holidays there are even more interested visitors than usual when I park up for lunch at the McLeod Bay Takeaways and get Pakipaki’s signal and data stream while I’m waiting for my burger. The locals there seem proud of the visitors’ surprise at kiwi being so close.
In a gut of pampas in the paddock below the Manaia Club. 12 hours activity.
Pakipaki – In a gut of pampas in the paddock below the Manaia Club. 11.5 hours activity.
After spending time last month in the pampas below the Manaia club she has returned to her pampas patch in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. Couldn’t find her for a while as her tx signal had drifted up a channel. 10.5 hours activity.
After returning to the Horse Paddock last month she has once again headed back to the pampas below the Manaia Club. A pair has been heard calling there. Her nightly activity is 10.5 hours.
After spending time in the pampas just below the Manaia club I managed to catch up with her in the rank kikuya of Johnstons’ paddock before she worked her way back into the pampas and gorse of the “Horse Paddock” at McLeods Bay. 2300g PM condition
Running through rank pasture
In the pampas and gorse in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock, 9 hrs activity. Her and her mate being heard regularly by nearby locals
In the pampas and gorse in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock, 9 hrs activity.
In the pampas and gorse in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock, 10 hrs activity.
In the pampas and gorse in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock, 10 hrs activity.
Has moved back into the pampas and gorse in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock, 12 hrs activity.
Still in the pampas filled drain in the Johnsons’ paddock McLeod Bay. 10 hours activity.
still in the pampas filled drain in the Johnsons’ paddock McLeod Bay. 11.5 hours activity.
In a pampas filled drain, in the Johnsons’ paddock McLeod Bay. 10.5 hours activity. I did her 6 monthly band change. She was in reasonable conditions but no sign of a mate with her.
In the pampas in the Horse paddock McLeod Bay. She has come close to the Fire Station lately – she may be checking out the major earthworks there? 10.5 hours activity.
In the pampas in the Horse paddock McLeod Bay. 9.5 hours activity
Back in the pampas in the Horse paddock McLeod Bay.
She was in rank kikuya beside Johnstone’s drive so I took the opportunity to do her transmitter change – far easier for both her and me compared to her normal pampas haunt in the Horse paddock. She was a healthy 2500g Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. 9 hours activity.
Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. 9 hours activity.
Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. 9.5 hours.
Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. 10.5 hours.
Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock.
Usual area in pampas/pines in the McLeod Bay Horse Paddock. 11 hours activity.
In the pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 12 hours activity. Did her transmitter change, she was 2400g and in poor-moderate condition and should now be putting more weight on.
In the pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 11.5 hours activity.
Back in the in the pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 11 hours activity.
In pampas south of the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 10.5 hours activity.
In pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 9.5 hours activity.
In pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 10 hours nightly activity.
In pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 9.5 hours nightly activity.
In pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, 9 hours nightly activity.
In pampas in the horse paddock at McLeod Bay, Jack helped me catch her for her transmitter change 2/10/19, she was a healthy 2300g.
Searching for Pakipaki
Pakipaki has a transmitter change
In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 10.5 hours activity.
In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 12.5 hours activity.
In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 11.5 hours activity
In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 12 hours activity.
In the pampas and gorse in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 11 hours activity.
In the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 11.5 hours activity.
In the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. 11 hours activity.
Adam and I caught up with her in the rank kikuyu in the paddock next to the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station. She was 2250g and 131.5mm bill length – no sign of a male with her.
Back to the usual area
Back to the usual area of either the pampas at the Manaia club or across the paddock and down in the “Horse Paddock” opposite the fire station.
This month she returned to the pampas by the Manaia Club.
After 18 months in McLeod Bay she has moved over to Taurikura by the School. The school are very happy to have another kiwi neighbour.
I couldn’t get a signal for her for a few weeks in her usual area at McLeods Bay but then searched wider and found her beside the Whangarei Heads School – down in Dallas’s territory. She is now 3 years old and must be out looking for a boyfriend.
Back in the pampas by the Manaia club again. Activity mainly high.
Back at the horse paddock in McLeods again. Activity mainly high.
Back at the horse paddock in McLeods again. Activity mainly high.
In pampas below the Manaia club. Activity mainly high.
In pampas below the Manaia club. I did her annual transmitter change, she has grown to 2050g, bill length of127.2mm – no sign of mate yet.
Still in the horse paddock in McLeod Bay. Activity is high.
Has moved from the pampas by the Manaia Club back down to the horse paddock in McLeod Bay. Activity is high.
In the pampas below the Manaia Club, 9.5 hours activity.
He/she has moved back to the pampas in the Horse Paddock opposite the Fire station. 9.5 hours activity.
In the pampas below the Manaia Club- near the emergency helicopter pad. Jack helped me do his 6 monthly check, he was 2050g and had a bill length of 118.8mm so it looks like he is in fact a she! . Girls have longer bills but because kiwi are so slow growing it can take a few years to confirm their sex.
In the pampas below the Manaia Club- near the emergency helicopter pad. Activity of 10 hours.
In the paddock below the Manaia Club. Activity of 11 hours. At almost 2 years old Pakipaki is not ready to breed yet.
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.
Moving between the “Horse paddock” and the Manaia club at McLeods Bay. Activity of 11.5 hours.
Time for her 3 monthly transmitter band check – she is still growing so we check young kiwi more often than the usual 6 month check for adult kiwi. She was at patch of gorse in the paddock below the Manaia Club. She now has a new transmitter band. She was a healthy 1725g and his bill had grown to 108.9mm
Find Paki Paki
In the paddock below the Manaia Club.
Still in the horse paddock. 9.5 hours activity.
Two days after release Pakipaki was right down in the middle of the houses at McLeods tucked up in a pampas bush by the road.
Kiwi Release at McLeod Bay Paki Paki gets a fond farewell from many many well wishers as he sets of on his new life at Whangarei Heads
Cathy Tuato’o Ross with Paki Paki
Paki Paki at the release site