Community engagement work.

 

Upcoming events

• Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum AGM – Wednesday June 17 at 7pm at McLeods Bay hall.  WHLF is a crucial platform that allows many of our community groups to carry out their important work at the Heads. Please come along and invite any interested friends and neighbours. Hear what the local Landcare groups (including Backyard Kiwi) are up to.
• Kiwi Counting – Official kiwi counters have started their kiwi counting season. May 5 through to May 23. Hope that we get fine, calm weather to make this difficult task a bit easier.
• Listen out for kiwi at home– You don’t have to be part of the official count to listen out at home on clear evenings to get an idea of how many kiwi you have at your place and where their territories are. If you live outside the Heads and want to have a listen the public area at the start of Manaia track is a convenient spot.
• Northland Regional Pest Control Workshop – Sunday May 24 These annual workshops run by Kiwi Coast and the NRC are fantastic. This year it is at Kerikeri Sports Complex.  Places fill up quickly so make sure you register soon if you want to go.  See the Kiwi Coast website: https://kiwicoast.org.nz/events/northland-pest-control-workshop-3/

Backyard Kiwi visit to Parua Bay School

We recently visited Parua Bay School with 3 kiwi on their way for release as part of our community engagement work.

Thank you to all those involved in the huge team effort that make these community engagement releases possible. Particularly thanks to Ngati Hine and the Purua landowners and DoC where these kiwi originally came from for the gift of the kiwi, they are treasured!

We transfer some young kiwi chicks to the FOMLI/ Te Parawhau managed Matakohe/Limestone Island where they grow up before we re-catch them for release.

We didn’t have a weekend public release this year but instead went to Parua Bay School where over 300 keen students got to meet 3 of their kiwi up close and personally (under strict conditions to ensure the wellbeing of the kiwi). Students got to quietly see the kiwi after learning about the science of kiwi recovery, the biology of kiwi, the history of community kiwi work and in particular the importance of good dog control.

Thank you to the students of Parua Bay for their patience; excellent behaviour and respect for these kiwi (see pics).

After the visit to the school the kiwi were released at Owhiwa Road in a dog free and pest managed block.

Our newest kiwi residents are:

• Owhi – Named by Parua Bay School. An adult female kiwi 2550g in weight. She was released by proud BYK supporter Allen Holwell. She has moved only a few hundred metres from her release spot and has a good average nightly activity of 11.5 hours.
• Tumanako– a young kiwi of 2000g who was named and released by Proud BYK supporters Sue and Wayne Morris.  Tumanako has had a bit of a wander around but has settled for the moment very close to her release spot. Average activity of 10.5 hours.
• Flaxy – A young female kiwi of 2100g.  Released by Wayne Jecentho of Integrated Electrical and Solar – a local business that supports our BYK work. Flaxy has moved north from her release spot but is still in the same safe pine block. 11.5 hours nightly activity.

What your other kiwi are up too:

 Whangarei Heads/Parua Bay  Radio monitored kiwi:–

• Teina– In his usual valley of pampas and pines at the northwestern end of Martins’ pine block. 11.5 hours of activity.
• Beach Girl – In the pampas at 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. 12.5 hours nightly activity.

• Humphries –  North-eastern end of Martins’ pine block.  11 hours nightly activity.
• Wally –The logging of his pine block at the end of Campbell Road has paused. He has moved back up out of the wetland and into the pines. 10.5 hours nightly activity.

Kiwi that have walked to other areas:

• Whareora Landcare area/NRC pines:  Te Motu Manu Hine–   12 hours of nightly activity.  She is still in the NRC pine block behind the money factory. Rolf and I went to do her transmitter change but only got a weak signal and couldn’t pinpoint her.
• Tamaterau/Waikaraka: Kim– In the pampas, on an old slip, in the valley up behind Waikaraka. Did her transmitter change; She was a healthy 3000g and  139.0mm bill length (see pic) so she has well and truly recovered from her starvation on Limestone during last autumn’s drought before her release.  11.5 hours nightly activity. No sign of a male.
• Whanui Pine Block:Ping – .  PNLC monitoring – she is still in a similar spot in the Whanui Block and 11 hours active.

 Purua Operation Nest Chick dads

No nesting yet but it must soon with all the cuddling up going on:

• Buddha – In the paddock north of McGraths’ quarry, 11 hours of nightly activity.
• Macio – South Purua reserve. In a deep tomo, in the creek bed east of Kauri Tree Ridge.  With female – not handled. Did Macio’s tx change – 2400g and Good condition. 11.5 hours of activity.
• 64 –  Usual area SW Purua Reserve. In burrow, on the steep face below the start of the western ridge track. 11 hours of activity. Did his tx change 2500g and Good condition.
• Tahi– In burrow right on Alisons’  farm fence boundary with the reserve – near the top point.  In a burrow with a female – not handled. Just had a very quick check of Tahi’s tx band at the entrance to the burrow- it was good so I left him there rather than do a band change. 11.5 hours nightly activity.
• Sam –  SW  Purua reserve.   11 hours of activity.
• Derek – Usual area on the south face of stump ridge SE Purua reserve.   Activity 12 hours.
• Fletcher –   no datastream this month.
• Rua – Back of Alisons’ farm. Activity 9 hours per night.
• Erima – In native in the paddock on Hawkins’ hill.   12 hours activity.
• Prime – Near the top of Hawkins’ hill. 11.5 hours nightly activity.
• Purua– On face behind lovells’ Irving road woolshed.  11.5 hours of activity.

Trapping/ toxin pulses

April trap catches: Stoats 0, weasels 16, cats 2, rats 123, hedgehogs 16 and possums 7.