February 14^th Kiwi release (Funded by Kiwis for Kiwi)

Thank you all for the team effort that made the recent kiwi release at Dudins’ so successful.  The head count was 442 and even though it was big crowd the feedback was that it was still a fantastic kiwi experience.  These releases really do engage people, they loved welcoming EB, Kaha and Manaia to their new home. EB (named after the late EB Firth who’s family have kindly supported Backyard Kiwi after being involved in selling Heather Hunt’s book “Kiwi – the real story”http://www.backyardkiwi.org.nz/home/about-us/kiwi-the-real-story-picture-book) was the only one of the three kiwi fitted with a radio transmitter. EB moved up the eastern side of Manaia the night of the release but I lost his radio signal after that and didn’t pick it up until nearly two weeks later (I was getting grumpy looking for him!). He is now in the scrub between Kerr Road and Kauri Mt Road – almost 6kms away! So much for getting a kiwi to monitor in McLeod Bay – this is the third guy that has walked out of there while kiwi from other release sites have previously walked into McLeods – they obviously just want to look around before setting up home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Release
In association with the Bream Head Conservation Trust we are planning a kiwi release for Bream Head – meet at the Urquart’s Bay carpart at 5.45pm on Monday March 16.

Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Catches for February:  Stoats 2, Weasels 3, Cats 1, Rats 51, Hedgehogs 11 and 12 possums.

Kauri Die Back
Martin organised a boot cleaning station from the NRC for the start of the Manaia track. He, Danny Tuato’o and Tony Phipps got a sweat up installing it on Sunday morning – well done guys- thank you.

Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:

Waka – Usual area at Mckenzie Bay/Taurikura point- activity is 8 hours – he is due a transmitter change but he is holed up in a dense gorse patch at the moment.

Darwin – at Lamb road quarry. Nesting in the pampas there – he hatched 1st chick after 64 days – it has been ID chipped and DNA sampled (photos attached). At 11 days old he was 275g and has been name Murdoch by Lamb Road locals in honour of Murdoch Ross. Darwin is still on second egg which should be hatching any day now..

JR - Still no signal from this guy –looking more like transmitter failure all the time

Lambert - Usual area Taurikura Ridge. Has started nesting again – his third for the season! He had got to 27 days nest on 2/3/15 (on his way to 70-80 days). His nightly activity is mere 3 hours.

Whitu – Seems to have settled on the face above the freezing works – 10 hours activity per night.

Charlie – Usual area at Craig Road- nesting over 80 days with no signal for hatch- the transmitter may have missed it the change in activity. His activity has been up on a  couple of nights but his nest is in pampas and rushes and is too dodgy to check until I’m sure he has finished nesting.

Dallas – Usual area by the school – 8 hours activity..

Lucky – still no signal after extensive search- another possible transmitter breakdown..

Breck – Kerr road area. 9 hours activity.

 

Adam Willetts (Ranger for the Bream Head Conservation Trust) is keeping us updated on the kiwi monitored at Bream Head each month so that we can put them on the Backyard kiwi website updates:

Jules – central Bream Head reserve…BHCT has decided to cease monitoring Jules as he has been too hard to track and constantly evades capture. Monitoring two kiwi will suffice as representative of Bream Head Scenic Reserve area especially with kiwi call counts, trapping results and biometrics monitoring.

Freda – At Busby Head.  Signal is intermittent mortality/low battery signal but has been sighted alive. Due for new Tx ASAP.

Kelly Slater – Homebay….returning intermittent mortality/low battery signal but has been sighted alive. Due for new Tx ASAP.

 

BNZONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):
The ONE dad’s out at Riponui and Rarewarewa have finished their second round of nesting too.

Riponui
Rippy - Usual area with 10 hours nightly activity..

The Knight – has hatched his second chick from his second nest for the season.  LC1411 hatched after 85 days of nesting was transferred to Limestone Is 11 days later on 17/2/15.

Rewarewa
Hanga – still feeding up after nesting.

Ray – Nesting – hatched 1 chick after 75 days that was transferred to limestone on 26/2/15, his second egg was a dud .

The Acrobat – He is due a transmitter change but is still playing hard to get in deep burrows

 

Don’t forget the National Kiwi Hui
The National kiwi hui is to be held in Northland for the first time in many years.  It is to be held at the Marsden Bay camp -

One tree point on May 14-15 –(field trip to the Heads on afternoon of May 13) put the dates in your diary- these hui are always great and this year you don’t have to travel too far.

 

Kiwi Call counts

The kiwi call count period is May 7 to May 26 this year – I will send an email out closer to the date but if you know already that you are unable to do your station this year please let me know.