Thanks to the NRC, Kiwi Coast and our Proud Supporters

WHLF AGM

Thanks to all those that braved the miserable night to make the AGM. There were 14 Landcare groups/projects/agencies represented there and reporting on all the good work being done by our community in their backyard.

Congratulations to Danny, Helen and Audrey on their re-election as Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, thanks for their ongoing work. Thank you to the NRC staff (particularly Rolf),  Ngaire from Kiwi Coast and Amy McDonald (NRC Councillor) for their ongoing support of WHLF.

Kiwi Counting 

Our annual kiwi count is just winding up with keen counters at most of our 20 Heads sites counting kiwi calls and working out approximate kiwi locations.  THANK YOU to all our hard working counters and data collectors.  Just waiting on a few more stations’ data and Fay and I will process it and let you know what is happening to your kiwi population.

Backyard Kiwi Predator Control Program:

June catches: Stoats 1, Weasels 2, Cats 2, Rats 87, Hedgehogs 3, Possums 7.

This gives totals for the past 12 months of: Stoats 21, Weasels 27, Cats 15, Rats 958, Hedgehogs 99, Possums 64

What your kiwi have been up to:

After much calling and other breeding activities the adult males are now settling down to 3 months of nesting, so don’t panic if your kiwi are going quiet – the boys aren’t getting up until the early morning hours for a quick feed and the girls are recovering from egg laying.

Whangarei Heads/Parua Bay Radio monitored kiwi:-

• Chookie – Usual area of pines and natives SW end of Martins’ Owhiwa Road block. Has started nesting. 6 days in on 27/6/22, 6.5 hours average activity.
• Malaika – Her activity dipped to 6 hours mid-month before going back up to 9 hours. She moved 500m North from her and Chookie’s normal area on Martins’ block Owhiwa rd.
• Valentine – She has been around within the Martins’ block- her locked on 80 pulse signal is making her much easier to monitor.
• Teina – Still in the native bush at the north end of Martins’ block. Still high activity; 11.5 hours nightly average.
• Beach Girl – still in the native bush just north of Martins’ block. Not far from Teina. 12 hours average activity.
• Pepi – NW of Pepi road, 11.5 hours nightly activity.  A couple of local dogs wandered nearby recently, locals now knowing they have kiwi in the area reacted quickly. The dogs are now in a new kennel and under close watch.
• Wally – 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.
• Pakipaki – In a gut of pampas in the paddock below the Manaia Club. 11.5 hours activity.

Rarewarewa/Purua 
These guys are slightly behind the Heads dads in nesting but they will start soon

• Nick – 10.5 hours nightly activity.  Lovell’s Bush
• Sancho –11 hours activity,  In the paddock by Lovells’quarry.
• Ngutu Roa – Julz got his signal west end of reserve, 11 hours activity.
• Nanakia – In Lovells Bush/ pine harvest area. Average activity 11 hours
• Moondust  – Julz got his signal behind the woolshed, 11.5 hours activity.
• Gorgeous – Usual area Hawkins’ hill. Activity dropping to 9 hours .The      newly monitored Kiwi from Lesley and Yagi finds:
• Buddha – In the paddock between the big quarry and the Purua reserve. Activity down to 5.5 hours – nesting.
• Macio  – No signal (yagi aerial faulty) .
• Mitch – No signal (yagi aerial faulty).
• Otiria – Weak signal Purua reserve. 13 hours activity.
• Kopaki – Weak signal in Purua reserve. 13 hours activity.

Cheers Todd

Todd Hamilton

Backyard Kiwi Project Manager

Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

M 021 1145 385

E  todd.hamilton64@gmail.com

W www.backyardkiwi.org.nz