March Update
April 9th, 2015I hope that you all had a good Easter – it was heartening to see good dog control by the visitors that I saw.
Kiwi release (Funded by Kiwis for Kiwi and Kiwi Coast)
A silent cheer for Nova from pupils at Whangarei Heads School
Another great team effort with BHCT, FOMLI and Backyard Kiwi saw two more kiwi successful released at Bream Head. Thank you to Kiwis for Kiwi and Kiwi Coast for their support of this. “Nova” and “Twilight” visited the Whangarei Heads School (pic attached) before the public release at Urquharts Bay – between the blessing, school visit and release 164 people got the opportunity to see a live kiwi up close in their backyard – taking the total for the year to 1084.
In association with the Kiwi Coast another release event is planned for Sunday May 3 at Taheke Landcare (Pataua North road). Please RSVP to Ngaire Tyson at 09 430 0954 or ngaire.tyson@landcare.org.nz by Tuesday 28th April if you are planning on attending.
These releases continue to be a fantastic way to engage local communities in kiwi recovery – especially responsible dog control.
Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Stoat catches remain low for the year – hopefully this means excellent chick survival for the season – this won’t be confirmed for a couple of years when those chicks mature and start calling.
Catches for March: Stoats 0, Weasels 5, Cats 3, Rats 57, Hedgehogs 13 and 8 possums.
Submissions on the NRC Long Term Plan
As outlined previously it is crucial that we get as many submissions in support of the targeted rate for pest control in the Whangarei Heads area as possible. Philip, Martin and Fay attended the recent NRC information evening representing WHLF- Backyard Kiwi
Please make a submission, it does not have to be in depth – just brief and supportive.
Here’s a link explaining how to make an online submission http://www.backyardkiwi.org.nz/targeted-rate-how-to-make-an-on-line-submission
It includes: Possible points for inclusion in a submission to NRC regarding Targeted Rates for Whangarei Heads
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.
Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
Waka – Usual area at Mckenzie Bay/Taurikura point. I caught up with him in a hollow puriri tree near Peterkins’ drive for his annual transmitter change (photo attached). He hasn’t found a new mate and consequently hasn’t nested so is in a very fat condition-weighing a wopping 2850g – a full 1 kg up on his usual post nesting weight.
Darwin – At Lamb Road quarry. He has finished nesting. He hatched the 1st chick “Murdoch” after 64 days but his second egg was a dud. I did his annual transmitter change – he was 2050g in weight.
JR- Still no signal from this guy –looking more like transmitter failure all the time
Lambert – Usual area Taurikura Ridge. Still nesting but his transmitter data stream is giving some strange readings so it will be hard to know when any hatch occurs.
Whitu – Seems to have settled on the face above the freezing works – 9.5 hours activity per night.
Charlie and BYK ‘Proud Supporter’ James of Grinning Gecko Cheese Co
Charlie- Usual area at Craig Road. After nesting 87 days his data stream showed a chick had hatched but I couldn’t safely get to the nest in deep gorse and pampas so waited until he finished nesting to do his transmitter change. Landowner James McNamara was home after winning the national cheese awards – (Grinning Gecko Cheeses have been great supporters of Backyard Kiwi) and was very happy to see Charlie right in his backyard. See attached photo.
Dallas – Usual area by the school – 10.5 hours activity.
Lucky – still no signal after extensive search- another possible transmitter breakdown..
Breck – Kerr road area. 11 hours activity.
EB – This is the guy that was released at McLeod bay back in February. After rapidly moving 6km north he seems to have settled in the scrub between Kerr Road and Kauri Mt Road
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 – returning intermittent mortality/low battery signal but has been sighted alive. Due for new Tx ASAP.
Freda – Busby Head –no signal- flat battery.
Kelly Slater - dropped his transmitter
BNZONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):
The ONE – dad’s out at Riponui and Rarewarewa have finished their second round of nesting and are now feeding up for the next breeding season.
Riponui
Rippy – Usual area with 11 hours nightly activity..
The Knight – Usual area with 11 hours activity.
Rewarewa
Hanga – Usual area with 10.5 hours activity.
Ray – Usual area 11.5 hours activity .
The Acrobat – He is due a transmitter change but is still playing hard to get in deep burrows
Remember to make a submission.
Cheers
Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
M 021 1145 385
E hamiltont@maxnet.co.nz
Targeted Rate how to make an on line submission
April 8th, 2015
Go to NRC website www.nrc.govt.nz/ltpfeedback “Have your say” LTP 2015-2025
Go to Login/Register (if not registered follow the registration process)
Click on the blue tab “Read and submit on Document”
At the bottom of the list on the left click on “Have your say” then the blue tab at top right “Make submission”
This time a series of boxes should come up. Box 2 is Whangarei Heads Pest Management. Click on the circle “agree” is you agree with the
proposed targeted rate.
If you wish – type in your reasons for supporting the proposal. If you would like to speak at the public feedback sessions click the circle
for this at the bottom of the document.
Possible points for inclusion in a submission to NRC regarding Targeted Rates for Whangarei Heads Pest Control
Most important point – be clear that you are in support of the proposal, and that you support Option 1 (set rate per of $50 rating unit).
Without the predator trapping programme carried out for the past 15 years the kiwi population at Whangarei Heads would be gone by now.
Without ongoing predator trapping the survival rate of kiwi chicks has been measured at 5%. Predator trapping has been shown to increase survival of kiwi chicks to 60%.
Without ongoing financial resourcing of this trapping programme the gains made in the past 15 years will be very quickly eroded – and our grandchildren will not be able to hear kiwi in their backyards.
We know that our predator control programme is working. The Kiwi call count for Whangarei Heads has risen from an average of 2.9 calls/hour/station in 2002 to 7.1 calls/hour/station in 2014. This increase in population from approximately 80 to over 500 adult kiwi is a result of the predator trapping and community engagement on dog control at the Heads. This is allowing the kiwi population to expand northwards and inland of the original managed area.
We are proud of the community driven kiwi recovery at the Whangarei Heads.
The Whangarei Heads community is to be congratulated on their dog control as over the past 10 years the number kiwi deaths due to uncontrolled dogs has dramatically reduced even with the big increase in the size of the kiwi population present.
Support of targeted weed control at Whangarei Heads is also acknowledged as crucial to maintain the special biodiversity values of the area.
A targeted rate means that those that benefit the most from work being funded pay for it.
Postponed- Kiwi Release now on the 17th March
March 9th, 2015Due to weather forecast for next week this kiwi release is postponed from Monday the 16th -Tuesday the 17th March
Upcoming Kiwi Release
In association with the Bream Head Conservation Trust Backyard Kiwi invite you to attend a kiwi release.
Learn about kiwi at Whangarei Heads, see a wild kiwi up close and take part in the release of kiwi into the area.
5.45 pm on Monday 17 March 2015
Urquarts Bay
Meet at the Urquarts Bay carpark.
Wear good footwear for a 20 minute walk through paddock and bush to
the release site (optional).
For more information, contact Todd on 021 1145 385
or info@backyardkiwi.org.nz
February Update
March 5th, 2015February 14th Kiwi release (Funded by Kiwis for Kiwi)
442 people attended the kiwi release
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.
Members of the Firth Trust
With illustrator Heather Hunt and “KIWI the real Story”
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.
Meet Murdoch, Darwins new chick 11days old
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.
2015 January update
February 10th, 2015 Kiwi release this Saturday
Things are coming together well for the kiwi release on Saturday 14th Feb – 3 kiwi transmitted on Limestone are ready to come off Saturday morning and the weather is looking good at this stage.
Release at the Dudins’ property McLeod Bay at 4.30pm.
Kiwi handler,Ben Barr shares a kiwi moment at the 2014 kiwi release
Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Catches for January: Stoats 1, Weasels 1, Cats 2, Rats 68, Hedgehogs 12 and 11 possums.
Only once before have I only caught 1 stoat in January (the average catch for January over the past 10 years is 5.2 stoats!). As I said last month hopefully this is an indication of how effective the controlled pulse of 1080 at Manaia has been.
Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
Darwin – Nesting in the pampas at Lamb Road quarry. Hatch is due late February.
JR – South Taurikura Ridge- Unfortunately I haven’t had a signal from JR’s transmitter in over a month, even after a good search so he is either hiding somewhere or his transmitter has failed.
Lambert – Taurikura Ridge. His activity has dropped to 6 hours so he may be starting to nest again.
Whitu – Has moved over the ridge from his usual territory. He is now on the slope above the freezing works at Reotahi. Adam (from BHCT) and I caught up with Whitu and changed his transmitter – he was in very good condition and weighed 2500g, this is because he has had a relaxed summer not nesting! We found Whitu with a new wild adult female – this is probably the reason that he has moved over the ridge! She weighed 2400g, had a bill of 144.3mm and now has a transponder (ID chip) under her skin. She has been named Marama by Clarie and Graham of Reotahi.
Charlie – Craig Road at McNamaras’. Still on his nest. Hatch due in March.
Waka – Mckenzie Bay – no sign of nesting.
Lucky – Like JR I haven’t had a signal from this guy for a while so his transmitter may not be working.
Breck – Keeping busy at Kerr road – nightly activity of up to 10 hours.
Dallas- As reported last month Dallas successfully hatched a chick in a pampas bush next to the main road. Heather put the story of Dallas and his chick “Aroha” on facebook and it got picked up by the Leader newspaper.
Adam Willetts (Ranger for the Bream Head Conservation Trust) is keeping us updated on the kiwi monitored in Bream Head:
Jules – In thick pampas on the slip on the North face west of the Peach Cove Track. His transmitter shows non-nesting for 35 days. He is proving hard to catch for his annual transmitter change.
Freda – At Busby Head. A low transmitter battery gave a mortality signal, then no signal, then normal signal and he was found alive but couldn’t be caught. Rolf and Adam plan to change his transmitter as soon as they can.
Kelly Slater – Above Home Bay – not nesting.
Cheers
Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
ph 021 1145 385
Kiwi Release 14th February
January 28th, 2015Backyard Kiwi invite you to attend a kiwi release. Learn about kiwi at Whangarei Heads, see a wild kiwi up close and take part in the release of kiwi into the area.
4.30 pm on Saturday 14 February 2015
Dudin’s property (McLeod Bay)
Meet at the gateway between 1945 and 1953 Whangarei Heads Rd (Please park on the road).
Wear good footwear for a 20 minute walk through paddock and bush to the release site (optional).
Support Backyard Kiwi
For sale at the release:
Caps $25, Bumpers stickers $5, Books $30 and Reflective signs $75
Proceeds go to support Backyard Kiwi (cash or cheque only).
Come and see a kiwi at Whangarei Heads
For more information, contact Todd on 021 1145 385 or info@backyardkiwi.org.nz
If you can’t make the release, remember to ‘like’ us on Facebook (Backyard Kiwi) or visit our website for regular updates on what the kiwi are up to and other news! www.backyardkiwi.org.nz
2014 December update
January 13th, 2015I hope that summer is going well for everyone.
Things are going well for the kiwi with the good rain before Christmas helping things along. Stoat numbers are still down, probably due to the Manaia Landcare 1080 work and most visitors have been good about controlling their dogs.
Upcoming Kiwi release
As part of our Kiwis for Kiwi BNZONE programme we are planning a Kiwi Release at McLeod Bay Saturday 14 February. It will be at the Dudins’ property at 4.30pm.
Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Catches for December: Stoats 2, Weasels 2, Cats 1, Rats 52, Hedge Hogs 10 and 13 possums – stoat catches are still low for this time of year (none so far in January!), probably due to the 1080 work undertaken at Manaia. The salted rabbit lure we use is going rotten very quickly in the hot conditions meaning that I’m chasing my butt around the traps. I have attached the Trapping Report for the 2013-2014 for those interested in more details of the trapping programme.
Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
Some wins and losses from the second round of nesting- see below:
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
Darwin – He has renested in the pampas at Lamb Road quarry. Hatch is due late February.
JR – South Taurikura Ridge- Sea Horse Farms in the kiekie there. His second nest was due to hatch about now but from the look of his signal data the nest has failed.
Lambert – Taurikura Ridge. His nest failed after 56 days of sitting which is unusual for him as he is a very reliable nester.
Whitu – Usual area at Reotahi. After finally starting his first nest back in November I lost his signal and suspected transmitter failure but I found him today above the freezing works – an area he has never been in since his release in 2005 – the land slip in his usual area may have made him jumpy.
Charlie – Craig Road at McNamaras’. He has started another nest – his 4th for the season (2 failed in their early stages) Hatch due in March..
Waka – He is still moving between Mckenzie Bay and the pampas on the peninsula at the south end of Taurikura Bay – His activity is still varying and every time I think that he is nesting it increases again.
Lucky – I haven’t got a signal from his usual area at the very top of Taurikura Ridge. Can’t find him anywhere else either – will keep listening out for him.
Breck – Keeping busy at Kerr road – nightly activity of up to 10 hours..
Dallas’s new chick, Aroha at 7 days
Dallas – 2nd nest in a pampas bush that is within 5m of the main road McGregor’s Bay/Taurikura. After 86 days of nesting he hatched a single chick last week– named Aroha. See photos below. Aroha now has an ID chip just below her skin -00075B73A5 to identify her. Darwin is also sporting a new radio transmitter. The vehicle and pedestrian traffic past his nest has enormous over the holidays.
Dallas’s nest was just meters from the road
Local Luminary Features in Backyard Kiwi Exhibition
December 18th, 2014Kiwi prints and a new reflective sign are exhibited at the Newday café Parua Bay Shopping centre. Exhibition runs through to January the 5th.
Cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday coffee and food is superb meet the Free Range Kiwi and enjoy six of our kiwi prints on show all together for the first time.
The Free Range Kiwi reflective sign and Kiwi Prints can also be viewed and purchased at Burning Issues Gallery, 8 Quay side, Town Basin Whangarei: http://www.burningissuesgallery.co.nz/ and online http://www.heatherhunt.co.nz/shop
A donation is made to support kiwi recovery with every sale .
Meet Local Luminary – The Free Range Kiwi
Local Luminary Features in Backyard Kiwi Exhibition
December 18th, 2014Kiwi prints and a new reflective sign are exhibited at the Newday café Parua Bay Shopping centre through to January the 5th
Kiwi prints and the Free Range Kiwi reflective sign can also be viewed purchased at Burning Issues Gallery, 8 quay side, Town Basin Whangarei: http://www.burningissuesgallery.co.nz/
Or online http://www.heatherhunt.co.nz/shop
Meet Local Luminary – The Free Range Kiwi
November update
December 2nd, 2014WHLF Backyard Kiwi November 2014 report
(funded by the NRC):
Thanks to Heather Hunt for the fantastic evening celebrating the success of Backyard Kiwi at Newday café. BYK toasted the community and extended congratulations to everyone who contributed to the ‘2014 Manaia Predator Control Project’. BYK also released 2 more kiwi prints to complete the series of 6 fine art prints. On top of that the “Free Range Kiwi” made its official debut and Heather invited everyone to …… “stick your Free Range Kiwi in the ground where it reflects light – it will pop out – make you smile and I hope become a talking point for kiwi recovery around the country”. Thanks to Newday café and Grinning Gecko Cheese Company for providing superb food. Please support these local businesses that support their community. Thanks to Philip King, Catherine McNamara, Heather hunt and Ben Barr for their entertaining and inspirational words.
The exhibition is on from 24th of November to the 5th of January, the prints and the Free Range kiwi mini road sign make excellent Christmas presents so go and check them out!!
Kiwi Print exhibition Newday Cafe, 24th November to 5th January
Free Range Kiwi , mini reflective sign
Meet the Free Range Kiwi
A Champion of Kiwi Recovery
Manaia Landcare
For the follow up monitoring results of the 1080 pulse at Manaia see http://www.backyardkiwi.org.nz/manaia-landcare/page-4). Thank you for all those involved, not only has this team effort lead to a fantastic medium term boost to the forest and fauna health of Manaia it has been the catalyst for the formation of a new Landcare group- Manaia Landcare MLC – this is great for the long term future of Manaia. Thanks to Martin and all those that came to the recent shed BBQ meeting to put their thoughts into the future of MLC – see Martin’s attached notes from that meeting and please contact him if you have any input or want to get involved in the action on the ground.
Kiwi Predator Control Programme:
Catches for November: Stoats 3, Weasels 0, Cats 4, Rats 54, Hedge Hogs 13 and 13 possums – we are working extra possum traps around Manaia to try and mop up those possums on the edge of the 1080 pulse area.
Likewise I’m working the predator traps hard as this is the time of year that the young stoats from inland disperse and reinvade the trapped area. Thanks to those that have got me rabbits – I now have a full freezer.
Radio Tracked Kiwi at Whangarei Heads
After a good 1st round of nesting over the spring the dads are now re-nesting for a second round.
What your radio tracked Backyard Kiwi have been up to:
Darwin – In pampas at Lamb road quarry, feeding up after nesting- activity 9 hours per night.
JR – South Taurikura Ridge. Has started his 2nd nest, activity 4 hours per night, hatch due early January.
Lambert – Taurikura Ridge. Also on his 2nd nest , activity 4 hours, hatch due mid December.
Whitu – Usual area at Reotahi. He has finally started his 1st nest, 4.5 hours activity, hatch due late January.
Charlie – Craig Road at McNamaras’. Activity 9 hours, proving elusive in scrub and pampas..
Dallas – 2nd nest in a pampas bush that is within 5m of the main road McGregor’s Bay/Taurikura. Activity 2.5 hours activity and hatch is due around xmas.
Waka – He is still moving between Mckenzie Bay and the pampas on the peninsula at the south end of Taurikura Bay – Activity ranging from 7 to 9 hours but he still hasn’t started nesting!
Lucky - He has still up to the very top of Taurikura Ridge. Activity 8 hours.
Breck-spring 2014
Breck – this is the kiwi caught in a life capture possum trap at Kerr road last month. The landowner, Callum, and I caught up with Breck for a health check – he/she was holed up in a tomo– his/her skin is healing and weight has increased by 115g in a month. See attached photo – the blue thing is the radio transmitter.
BNZONE program (funded by Kiwis for Kiwi):
The ONE dad’s out at Riponui and Rarewarewa are also starting their second round of nesting.
Tutukaka LC release
We released two of the creched kiwi from Limestone at Tutukaka. These kiwi are part of our combined BNZONE programme with Bream Head Conservation Trust, Tutukaka Landcare and the Kiwi coast. Over 230 people got the opportunity to see them up close at Glenbervie school and then at the release.
Meetings/Reports/Happenings etc.
Kiwi Coast think tank meeting 25 November
WHLF Backyard kiwi meeting 2 November
Manaia Landcare meeting 6 November.
Had a kiwi session with Huanui College while they were on camp at McGregors Bay.
Have a good December and please remind any visitors over the summer with dogs to control them.
Cheers
Todd Hamilton
Backyard Kiwi Project Manager
Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
ph 021 1145 385
http://www.backyardkiwi.org.nz/
