2025-May Report
Kiwi Counting going well
Thanks to the team of keen kiwi listeners working away at our annual kiwi count at 19 sites throughout the Heads. The data is coming in now and the kiwi have certainly been calling hard. Some sites still need to finish their 4 nights so will use the second window of June 14 to July 3. Geoff Pike takes the prize for the first site finished and data submitted. At his Taurikura Ridge site he got an average of 17 calls/hour, up from last year’s 12 calls/hour. Thanks to all the counters for their hard work. I will process the data as it comes in and see if we are continuing to increase the kiwi population or not. Update you next month. Don’t forget to have a listen out at home to see where your kiwi’s breeding territories are, and don’t panic when they stop calling (unless you have a stray dog about!)– it probably means that the dads are nesting.
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum AGM
Thanks to all those that made the recent WHLF AGM. Great to share brief updates on the good work that the many groups are doing. Thanks to those folks that were elected to the committee that will continue the ongoing hard work behind the scenes that helps so much good stuff go on at the Heads.
Predator Free Strategy Consultation Hui
Last Friday the NRC hosted a DoC consultation hui for the Predator Free Strategy Review for the next 5 years. Predator Free 2025-2030 strategy review. Is the link for the review. Submissions are due by June 30.
Tutukaka Landcare Kiwi Release –
This was part of the Kiwi Coast engagement program. In between autumn storms we transferred 4 kiwi from FOMLI managed Matakohe/Limestone Island to the Tutukaka Landcare managed area. The 4 kiwi did their bit for the wider kiwi population by enthralling folks at the FOMLI Whakawatea, Ngunguru School and Te Whanau a Rangiwhakaaahu Marae at Matapouri.
As always the release and ongoing radio monitoring of these kiwi continues to grow the engagement of locals with their kiwi giving better dog control and support for controlled Kiwi saver/1080 bait station pulses for stoat control.
See the Kiwi coast website for the story: https://kiwicoast.org.nz/news/
What your kiwi are up to May 2025:
Whangarei Heads/Parua Bay Radio monitored kiwi:– no nesting yet
- Chookie– In rushes, in wetland in the bottom of his usual valley of pines beside Owhiwha Road. Kerry and I did his 6 monthly band change: 2100g and Good condition. Nightly activity of 12 hours.
- Teina– In his usual valley of pampas and pines at the north end of Martins’ pine block. 12.5 hours of activity. With him being so overweight hopefully this activity is breeding not feeding.
- Beach Girl – In the young pampas in Halses’ cutover pine block Ross road. 12 hours of activity.
- Murdoch –He has headed back down into the deep valley, in the native, on Halses’ block, Ross Road.12 hours activity .
- Humphries – NE side of Martins’ block Owhiwa Road. In pampas in the wetland in the bottom of the valley. We did his tx change: 1975g and Moderate condition. 11.5 hours activity.
- Wally –In his usual area of pines at the end of Campbell road. 10.5 hours of activity.
Released 23/3/25 at Parua Bay:
- Myra– 3.5 year old female. Still settled for the moment in a patch of pampas between the natives and pines on the Martins’ block Owhiwa Road. 13 hours of nightly activity.
- Ping– Young female. She has headed back to her release area at the NW end of Martins’ pine block. Near Teina – hopefully stirring him up. 10.5 hours of activity.
- Matakohe – Young male. He is still hanging just below the central skid site in Martins’ pines. 12.5 hours of nightly activity.
- Kim –2 year old female. Still hasn’t moved far from her release spot in the pampas and pines below Owhiwa Road. Her activity is 13 hours.
With the breeding season in full swing it will be interesting to see if these kiwi stay put or move on.
Kiwi that have walked to the Whareora Landcare area:
- Te Motu Manu Hine – She is well settled in her usual area of the NRC pines behind the Money Factory. Rolf and I did her tx change: 2300g, Good condition, 138.6mm – 4 years old and stopped growing. 12.5 hours nightly activity.
Purua ONC dads (these are the dads that we get chicks from for transfer to Matakohe/Limestone Island – ONC is Operation Nest Chick)
10 chicks transferred to Limestone/Matakohe for the season, an improvement on last season but down on our long term average of 15.
Rarewarewa/Purua ONC dads:
- Moondust – 12 hours activity. Usual area behind Lovell’s Irvine road woolshe..
- Buddha – Usual area in the paddock north of McGraths’ quarry. Did tx change: 2500g and good condition. 12.5 hours of activity.
- Macio – South Purua reserve, south face of Kauri tree ridge. With female – not handled. Did Macio’s tx change: 2350g, Good condition – 10 hours activity.
- Otiria – South end of the Purua Reserve. 11.5 hours of nightly activity.
- 64 – In an old stack of totara slash in Hawkins’ paddock just SW of reserve. Did tx change: 2500g, VG condition, 11.5 hours activity.
- Tahi– South-eastern Purua reserve behind Alisons’ farm. 12 hours of activity.
- Sam – In totara slash in Hawkins’ paddock SW of Purua reserve. Did tx change: 2450g and good condition. 12.5 hours activity. .
- Derek – In an old stump on “Stump” Ridge, South-East Purua reserve. With female – not handled. Did Derek’s tx change: 2200g and mod condition. 11 hours of activity.
- Fletcher – In a tricky gut up behind Lovells’ airstrip. Did tx change: 1900g, Mod condition. 12.5 hours activity.
- Rua – Back of Alisons’ farm. Activity 10.5 hours.
New potential ONC dads found by Yagi (kiwi dog) and Lesley Baigent (Kiwi Coast) 1 May:
- Erima for Erima Henare, youngest son of Sir James & Lady Rose Henare, grandson of Tau Henare MP, (MP 1914-38) father of Peeni Henare, sitting MP. A great historian, matauranga, te reo maori
advocate, an all round very learned leader. It has been 10 years since he passed.
Erima the kiwi was in a shallow burrow on Hawkins’ hill. He is approximately 13 years old (he was previously found by a kiwi dog in August 2012 as a juvenile and tped- 7259674). Now grown to 2100g, 100.0mm bill and Good condition. When I checked his signal 9 days later it was in mortality mode! Checked him – he was in rank kikuya on the Lovells’ side of Hawkins’ hill saddle and fine – 100g heavier, just a faulty tx which I replaced.
- Prime for Kevin Prime who has crucially supported this community kiwi recovery work since its inception– found in a burrow on Hawkins’ hill near the saddle, no tp – now 17085913, he looks old/well mature, brood patch?, 2450g, 98.4mm and Good condition.
- Purua – after the kiwi nursery. Found just off west Purua trapping track, looks like a youngish male, no tp – now 16730213, 1675g, 86.5mm and PM condition.
Thanks to Delaraine Armstrong for these Ngati Hine kiwi names. The gift of the chicks from these kiwi by Ngati Hine and Purua landowners is what enables us to do kiwi releases into areas like the Whangarei Heads and Tutukaka. Thank you!!
Plan is to use these 3 male kiwi to replace Otiria, Tahi (who have not bred) and Moon Dust who is an erratic breeder.
Trapping/ toxin pulses
May catches in predator traps: Stoats 0, Weasels 9, Feral cats 2, Rats 116, Hedgehogs 5, Possums 1.
Cheers Todd
Cheers Todd
Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
M 021 1145 385