– Down in the pines/pampas/wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  Down to 9.5 hours nightly activity so may be starting to nest.

Down in the pines/pampas/wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  11 hours activity.

Down in the wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road. Did his transmitter change; 2250g and Good condition. 11.5 hours activity. Getting ready for breeding.

Down in the wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  10 hours activity.

Down in the wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  9.5 hours activity.

Down in the wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  He is down to 7 hours activity so may be starting another nest

Down in the wetland by the estuary at the end of Campbell Road.  9 hours activity.

Not checked since hatching two chicks at the end of September. He should be feeding up after nesting (down to 1900g after being a 3250g bachelor a few years ago). His recent chicks have been named “Kaia” and “Jess” after a couple of the budding Campbell road conservationists.

Nesting in a pampas bush at the end of Campbell Road.  He certainly tested my patience, after his data stream showed a hatch at 68 days of nesting it wasn’t until 27 days later that an increase in activity was shown (12 visits getting his data stream from the nearby roadside later). A careful nest check saw two successfully hatched chicks – the older one was at 27 days old and a much younger one of approximately 5 days old.  Dad was 1900g and in poor condition after his nesting effort. Locals  from Campbell Road Landcare are naming the chicks

Usual area; pine block at the end of Campbell Road. He had been nesting 59 days in on 24/8/23. Good low 130mins nesting activity. Hatch due any day now.

Usual area, pine block at the end of Campbell Road. This keen guy has started nesting 33 days in on 18/7/23. 2.5 hours activity

Usual area, pine block at the end of Campbell Road. 11 hours activity

Usual area, pine block at the end of Campbell Road. 11.5 hours activity

Taking a well earned break after 9 months of solid nesting.10.5 hrs activity.

This guy takes the prize for dad of the year after 3 successful nests back to back to back starting  last June. After 91 days nesting for his last nest, a data stream showing a hatch 14 days prior and  his activity increased to 7 hours  I checked the nest.  There was 1 chick and 1 dud egg pushed to the side of his old dead pampas bush nest. Dad was in ok condition showing how good feeding conditions have been for kiwi over the past 9 months. 1800g MP. Annual transmitter change done.

After a bit of a blip during the cyclone he has continued with his 3rd nest; 47 days in on 15/2/23 5 hours average activity (got up to 9 hrs one night of the cyclone).

Has finished his second nest in the Wrights’ pines at the end of Campbell road. He abruptly stopped nesting after 90 days on 30/12/22. His data stream showed the first chick hatching 15 days previously and there was a dead developed second egg in his nest.  When checked on 17/1/23 he had re-nested!!!! For the 3rd time with little to no gap between, Wally is going to be nesting 9 months straight!!

His activity is currently a good low 3 hours on the 3rd nest. Campbell Road Landcare did a targeted Pest Off pulse last spring which will significantly improve Wally’s chicks’ chances with stoats.

Has finished his second nest in the Wright’s pine block at the end of Campbell Road.  His radio data stream showed that he hatched a chick after 75 days nesting. I left physically checking him until his activity increased to avoid disturbing him.  16 days later his activity suddenly went up. When I checked the nest the first chick and dad had moved on and the second egg was cold. The egg was well developed but dead. So sorry no photo of the chick but he is still out there and the toxin pulse done by Campbell Road Landcare will be greatly increasing his chances of survival by cleaning out some of the trap-shy stoats.  These current warm, wet conditions will be great for a young chick to get a good start on life too.

Sitting hard on his second nest of the season – 46 days in on 16/11/22, 2 hours activity.

After finishing his successful nest last month he has also rapidly re- nested (which is becoming a habit for him), 19 days in on  20/10/22 and a good low 3 hours nightly activity.

Nested in pampas/gums at the end of Campbell road. Checked after 98 days nesting when his activity data increased. His 1st chick had died part way through the hatch – only a small section of egg broken and a long dead chick inside, see pic. Dad had rolled the rotten egg out of the nest. His 2nd chick was alive and healthy with a bill of 42mm so probably a boy. ID chipped and DNA sampled. BYK proud supporters  Integrated Electrical & Solar named him Lumi. Dad was down to 1850g after nesting (Wally was a fat 3250g back in 2018 before he started breeding with Mokopuna and nesting hard).

Nesting in pampas/gums at the end of Campbell road. His data stream shows the first egg hatched at 80 days nesting. I will monitor his data stream regularly for any 2nd hatch or the end of nesting.

Wally well settled into nesting. 41 days on 26/7/22, nightly activity of a good low 2.5 hours. Looks like he is in the pampas and gum tree stand at the end of Campbell road that he has nested in before

Wally has started nesting. 13 days on 28/6/22, nightly activity of 5.5 hours. Looks like he is in the pampas and gum tree stand at the end  of Campbell road that he has nested in before.

Wally is still down by the estuary edge at the end of Campbell road and has a nightly activity of 11 hours.

Wally is down by the Pataua estuary edge at the end of Campbell Road and has a nightly activity of 11.5 hours. I caught up with him for his transmitter change, he was in good condition and 2100g

Wally is down by the estuary edge at the end of Campbell rd and has a nightly activity of 10 hours

Wally is down by the estuary edge at the end of Campbell road and has a nightly activity of 10 hours

Campbell Road landowner David Wright named Wally’s chick that hatched at his place in December “Kim” Wally is back down by the estuary edge and has a nightly activity of 9 hours, he will be feeding up big time after 6 months of continuous nesting.

In a small production forestry block at the end of Campbell road. Nested in a pampas bush in a gum stand there. He successfully hatched a single chick.  This nest had immediate followed his earlier successful nest in September. ID chipped the chick 29/12/21, 250g, 45.5mm

He is hanging in there on his back to back nest.  Because he went straight from one nest to another the microprocessor in his transmitter is thoroughly confused and adding to his first nest daily total. He should be roughly 70 days nesting around now. His activity is a good steady low 3 hours.

He has managed to thoroughly confuse his radio transmitter program with his immediate re-nesting.  His data stream is in double beep mode and showing 130 days nesting on 27/10/21 when it is more likely 30 days nesting. Activity is a good steady low 3 hours.

Hatched his first chick after 70 days nesting, I checked the nest at day 89 and found a stroppy 19 day old chick –315g, 48.0mm and inserted ID chip 007BC6E48 (now named Kowhai by the recently formed Campbell Road Landcare Group – Wally was the catalyst for the group formation). Wally was still on a second egg then and he continued to incubate it for at least another week. I checked at day 101 and he had moved on as the second egg was rotten, but his data stream was still showing continued incubation even though he was in a different pampas patch 100m south of the first nest – he may have gone straight from one nest to another, he did something similar last year. He will end up nesting for over 6 months straight at this rate!

In pampas and gorse at the end of Campell Road.  He hatched his first chick after 70 days nesting and is now holding tight on his second egg with a good low 3 hours nightly activity.

Is nesting hard in a pampas bush in a patch of gorse at the end of Campbell Road.  He was 34 days in on 23/7/21and at a good low nightly activity of 3 hours.

Has settled in the NE area of his territory at the end of Campbell and has started nesting in a pampas bush in a patch of gorse there.  On 30/6/21 he had been nesting 11 days and was active for 3 hours nightly – so he is off to a good start.

Usual area at the end of Campbell Road. 11.5 hours activity.

Rolf and I caught up with him in his network of tunnels in the rushes on the estuary edge at the end of Campbell rd. He was 2050g in weight and has a new transmitter. 11.5 hours activity.

He is feeding up in the rushes on the Pataua estuary edge after his double nesting efforts. 11.5 hours activity.

After his back to back nesting effort he has retreated to the Pataua estuary edge to recover.

Hatched another 2 chicks in his second nest after 90 days on 18/1/21in the pampas at the end of Campbell road.  He was down to a skinny 1650g after 6 months straight nesting (cf a fat 3250g before he hooked up with mate Mokopuna). Landowners (a dog free property) have named the chicks “Uenuku” and “Piko”

After hatching 2 chicks in his first nest he has hatched the first chick of his second nest after 72 days nesting on 31/12/20.

This guy is trying to make up for 10 years without a mate and has already started his second stint of nesting for the spring- 30 days in on 19/11/20 with 2.5 hours nightly activity. His chicks that hatched last month have been named “Toa II” and “Manaaki” by the locals.

He successfully hatched two chicks after 87 days nesting on 8/10/20 at the end of Campbell Road.  He had got down to a skinny 1800g but is a sucker for nice girl (Mokopuna – his mate) because he is nesting again already!!! 7 days in on 27/10/20.  He will really appreciate the recent rain increasing his feeding prospects in the 2 or 3 hours he gets for a quick fed each night.

Has successfully hatched two chicks after 87 days nesting in the pampas at the end of Campbell Road.  See attached pictures – they were both healthy and active and ready to head out by themselves. They have been ID chipped and DNA sampled. Dad was down to 1800g after his nesting stint – he had been as fat as 3250g back in his single days . It shows just how hard these kiwi have to work at nesting.

Nesting – 48 days in on 31/8/20, activity 3.5 hours. In the pampas area he has previously used for nesting at the end of Campbell RoadNesting! – 6 days in on 20/7/20, activity 5.5 hours. In the pampas area he has previously used for nesting.

Nesting! – 6 days in on 20/7/20, activity 5.5 hours. In the pampas area he has previously used for nesting.

Wally is In his usual area in the rushes on the Pataua estuary edge at the northern end of Campbell Road. 12 hours activity

In his usual area in the rushes on the Pataua estuary edge at the northern end of Campbell Road. 12 hours activity

In his usual area in the rushes on the Pataua estuary edge at the northern end of Campbell Road. 12 hours activity

Found him! His transmitter channel had drifted up 3 points which is not a good sign! Daryl of Kiwi Track suggested a transmitter change before potential failure. I got him on the last afternoon before lockdown. He now has a new transmitter and was 2100 g in weight and in good condition. In his usual area in the rushes on the estuary edge.

Couldn’t find him for a while but he turned back up in the  marshes on the edge of the pines at the end of Campbell road.10.5 hours nightly activity.

He nested on the edge of the pines and the estuary wetland at the end of Campbell Road. His data stream showed a successful hatch of his first egg after 66 days and he held tight for further 10 days but after that his activity rapidly increased and he left the nest. When I checked the nest the first chick had gone (hatch confirmed by egg shell and membrane) and the second egg was dead and rotten.

On the edge of the pines and the estuary wetland at the end of Campbell Road. He is bucking the trend and is almost finished his second nest (presumably with Mokopuna). He was 37 days in on 16/12/19 with a good low nesting activity of 2 hours. Mokopuna is still in wetland  NE end of Campbell Rd, 10 hours activity

Usual area pines at the end of Campbell Road. He has bucked the trend and has started a second nest (presumably with Mokopuna) He was 16 days in on 25/11/19 with a good low nesting activity of 3 hours

Usual area pines at the end of Campbell Road. Activity 10.5 hours feeding up after nesting.

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.
Still no signal for Mokopuna – should be close to Wally – looking like transmitter failure.

Nesting in the same gum tree and pampas area at the end of Campbell road as he did last year.  35 days in on 8/8/19,  activity is a good low 2.5 hours, hatch due mid-September.  Still no a signal from Mokopuna, she  should be close to Wally.

Wally is nesting in the same gum tree and pampas area at the end of Campbell road as he did last year.  20 days in on 23/7/19,  activity a good low 2.5 hours, hatch due mid-September. Still not getting a signal from Mokopuna, she  should be close to Wally.

Wally has moved back into the pampas area that he nested in last year at the end of Campbell road. 10 hours activity with some low nights so may be starting to nest.

No signal from Mokopuna, she should be close to Wally.

Wally is on the southern edge of the Pataua Estuary at the end of Campbell road. 11.5 hours activity.

Mokopuna  is in the rushes on the southern edge of the Pataua estuary – close to Wally. 11.5 hours activity.

Wally is on the southern edge of the Pataua Estuary at the end of Campbell road.10 hours activity.

The recent mowing of the pampas in Mokopuna’s usual territory has scared her off and she is now in the rushes on the southern edge of the Pataua estuary, close to Wally.

Wally is on the southern edge of the Pataua Estuary at the end of Campbell road. I did his transmitter band change and he was a fat 2500g with 11 hours activity

Mokopuna is in the rushes on the southern edge of the Pataua estuary- close to Wally.

Wally is On the southern edge of the Pataua Estuary at the end of Campbell road.10 hours activity.

The recent mowing of the pampas in Mokopuna’s usual territory has scared her off and she is now in the rushes on the southern edge of the Pataua estuary, close to Wally.

He had already moved west of the pampas before the mowing and has settled in the pine block there.

This new couple had a good shot at their first nest but after 84 days Wally gave up and I found a rotten egg buried in the pampas nest. Moko was still nearby. It is not unusual for new breeders to take a nest or two to be successful so there is still a good chance of the kiwi population at the end of Campbell road increasing after years kiwi being absent from there.

Wally is 79 days nesting today – so hatch is definitely due.  Moko is nearby.

This new couple have got on with things and Wally was 37 days nesting on 19/10/18 with an average 2 hours nightly activity. Moko is nearby.

After the big news of these two hooking up last month the news is even better now- they have started nesting in the bush at the end of Campbell road. Wally was nesting 8 days on 19/9/18. Even though he is 12 years old this could well be his first nest so it may take him a while to get the hang of it.  He was in super fat condition prior to nesting so will be on a crash diet now.

In August I caught up with Mokopuna for her transmitter band change – she has grown to 2450g and is looking good – but the big news is that she has found herself a boy.  The fattest male I have ever seen at 3250g!  He is our old mate Wally who we released at Kauri Mt in 2008. I was just in the right place at the right time to catch him as he was sneaking through the pampas.
His ID chip – # 0006830BDF identified him in my records. He has travelled a little way and by his weight has been sitting on his butt enjoying single life ever since then. He is in for a crash diet if they start nesting! The other good news is that it is a safe place for kiwi. The property owner and neighbouring properties either don’t allow dogs or have very good dog control. We have been trapping for stoats down Campbell road for the past few years so they have chosen a good place to raise chicks. Both Mokopuna and Wally have newly fitted radio transmitters so watch out for more of their story.

PART TWO, Mokopuna was one of the kiwi released at the Parua Bay community centre back in March- she is a young female kiwi.  After spending time in the pampas at the Lamb road quarry she headed north and settled in the bush/pines at the end of Campbell. I suspected that she may have found a boy there because she was holding in a relatively small area and a nearby landowner confirmed that he had heard a male kiwi calling, so we were hopeful.

In August I caught up with Mokopuna for her transmitter band change – she has grown to 2450g and is looking good – but the big news is that she has found herself a boy.  The fattest male I have ever seen at 3250g!  He is our old mate Wally who we released at Kauri Mt in 2008. I was just in the right place at the right time to catch him as he was sneaking through the pampas. His ID chip – # 0006830BDF identified him in my records. He has travelled a little way and by his weight has been sitting on his butt enjoying single life ever since then. He is in for a crash diet if they start nesting! The other good news is that it is a safe place for kiwi. The property owner and neighbouring properties either don’t allow dogs or have very good dog control. We have been trapping for stoats down Campbell road for the past few years so they have chosen a good place to raise chicks. Both Mokopuna and Wally have newly fitted radio transmitters so watch out for more of their story.

Wally has moved to the back of Jim Comrie’s between Kauri Mt Road and Kerr road.
From here I lost his signal – I searched all over Kauri Mt and Kerr Road. Where is bloody Wally? Had his transmitter failed? Was he hiding in a deep gut? His transmitter battery was due to run out in August 2009 so after September I gave up looking for him – his transmitter attachment band would wear through shortly and the transmitter fall off. Wally could carry on his business in secret….. Scroll up to Part 2 continued where we pick up 9 years later with Wally.

Local landowner Juliet Langley gave me a hand and we tracked him down in the Kauri Mt reserve. He was 2125g and 102.2mm bill – so pretty much full grown.

May – Wally was released at Zac’s place at Kauri Mountain and quickly moved up and over the hill/mountain to the northern side.Where is Wally? Over the next few months Wally proved to be pretty good at hiding and even when I could find where he was he avoiding capture in the ladder fern and scrub.

PART ONE: 2008, After Wally’s transfer to Limestone Island and almost two years later on 22/7/2008 we caught Wally using a kiwi finding dog. He was 1775g and had a bill of 95.5mm so was well ready to come back to the mainland.