Hi all.

Firstly WHLF AGM on Wednesday April 20 at 7.30pm at the McLeod Bay Hall

ALL Welcome, Guest speakers are Northtec students studying Applied Science and Environmental studies. Hear about the Northtech course and the students’ direct involvement and links with Whangarei Heads projects, pest control and research.

Please make the effort to come. WHLF is a crucial platform for the various Landcare groups and individuals at the Heads and it enables much of the positive work being done to happen.

Bernie’s Farewell

Bernie has finished his 3 year stint as the Limestone/Matakohe ranger. He has done a great job and been fantastic to work with for all the kiwi transfers etc.

Thank you Bernie!!!  There is a send off for Bernie this Sunday 10 April – meet at the Onerahi  yacht club just before 1pm to be ferried over. Please bring a plate.

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Programme (Funded by NRC and Kiwi Coast):

Catches for February:  Stoats 0, Weasels 5, Cats 0, Rats 84, Hedgehogs 13 and 12 possums.  I’m doing a round of eggs as lure this month.

Bream Head Conservation Trust Kiwi Release (Funded by Kiwis for kiwi and Kiwi Coast):

The BHCT hosted kiwi release on Feb 22 went very well with the kiwi Steve and Wiggle great ambassadors for their species.  We visited Parua Bay school during the day and it was great to see that the senior students of the school have a genuine knowledge and passion for looking after the kiwi in their backyard. We are in the process of applying to Kiwis for kiwi for funding for next season to continue our ONE programme that allows these kiwi releases. The application is a combined one with BYK, BHCT, Tutukaka LC and Tanekaha CPCA.
Here is an a great story about the release in the Northern Advocate

Wild Kiwi multisport event

BYK is part of the local team supporting this event – find out about Wild kiwi   We will have a stand there on the day promoting the work of BYK – If you are able to help Heather and Catherine on Saturday April 16 please let us know.

 Pio and Maori TV visit –Tales from the Trails show

Pio and his crew recently visited the Heads and did a story on Backyard Kiwi and Manaia LC.  They were fantastic to work with and very quickly worked out that the genuine community effort was making a difference at the Whangarei Heads. Keep a look out for the show around September. Thanks to Heather and Martin for organising, hosting and feeding us all. We think it goes to air around the 1st of June

 

Kiwi Call counts- How good is your hearing?

Nesting season has finished and with the good conditions (so much for this year being a drought!) the kiwi are all fattening up for the breeding season – which looks to be early this year because of those good feeding conditions. Now is a good time to hear you kiwi whistling away in the evenings.

The official kiwi call counts start on  May 25.  We are planning a practice listening session on Tuesday May 3 for all the old hands and new listeners so mark it in your diary please.  Anyone with good hearing and accurate data recording skills that would like to be trained as a kiwi listener please let me know.

 

Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads

What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

Darwin -His nest in the pampas at the Lamb road quarry failed after 60 days, which is unusual.  Usually if a nest gets that close to hatching (at around 70 days) things are looking pretty good. I couldn’t locate the nest in dense pampas so am unsure of what happened.

Lambert – Usual area at Taurikura Ridge. High activity- 11 hours per night.

Mrs Charlie – at Craig road. High activity.

Whitu – At Reotahi above the freezing works. High activity. (Whitu’s profile coming soon)

Dallas – In pampas by roadside below the Hills and the school.  Did his 6 monthly band change and health check with Pio and his crew. They were amazed to see a wild kiwi within 10m of the main road – the traffic noise interfered with their filming! Dallas was a healthy 2250g and looking good in his starring role.

EB – In the scrub at Kerr road. High activity.

Tindall – Still on Manaia above “Our Road”.  His activity is high apart from a slight dip recently.

Ziggy – Has settled on the Kauri Mt coast at this stage. High activity. (Ziggy’s profile coming soon)

 

BNZONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):

One last nest to left for the season

 Rewarewa

Ray – Did transmitter change – 2150g and med-good condition.

The Acrobat – High activity still.  Lovell’s pines.

Waimarie – Usual area in the paddock below quarry – high activity.

Ngutu Roa – SW end of the reserve. High activity.

Sancho – NE end of reserve, high activity..

CFU – still nesting in paddock–checked at 77 days and no hatch but still good low activity of 3.5 hours per night. I will check him again next week.

The Boxer- Activity high still – usual area above cattle yards.

 

Cheers

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385

E   hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz