A story from our new trappers: it’s great to have Luke and Joel on the team Banner Photo: Joel in training under Deb’s watchful eye I love the outdoors. So does Joel, my 15-year-old son. As a fisherman, tramper and hunter, I normally want to push on towards the best fishing, the next track, the… [Read More]
Camy is a canny kiwi
Kiwi ‘Camy’ is a very important kiwi to the project as he’s the only monitored kiwi from Maungataniwha still with a transmitter. He’s also the most difficult kiwi to get to and was overdue for a health check and new transmitter. Last week, Deb and David flew in from Bridge Pa with perfect flying conditions…. [Read More]
Operation Nest Egg funded by the WWF and the Tindall Foundation
During the 2022/2023 nesting season, we received funding from the World Wildlife Fund NZ and the Tindall Foundation for rearing from six eggs, and a further funding for four eggs in the 2023/2024 season. Our thanks for their help. The first chick ’Pip’, a female, was released into the Kaweka Forest Park in January 2023…. [Read More]
Rapid responders fix the vital crèche fence
The fence around the Opuahi crèche is secure again, thanks to super-quick action by Pestproof Fences Ltd. John and Nigel from the company got onto the job immediately, with repairs now complete. We can’t thank them enough. The next stage will be to undertake intensive trapping to remove any pests that may have got inside… [Read More]
Cyclone Gabrielle causes major damage to the kiwi crèche – and the loss of two chicks
Monday 6 March, 2023 DoC Rangers Kahori and Alan did a recce trip on 26 February to see if it was possible to get through to the crèche by road. Eight of us then went in on 2 March to round up the surviving chicks. It was a big day. I don’t think we’d make… [Read More]
New kids on the hill
Banner Photo: Grant Russell from Stantec holding kiwi chick ‘Stanley’ Meet Stanley, our first chick release for the season. Deb had the pleasure of taking Grant Russell (and son Brodie) from Stantec, together with Reece O’Leary and Angelo from PanPac out to release ‘Stanley’ and ‘Pip’ back into the Kawekas. Stantec has sponsored Stanley under… [Read More]
Wow, a kiwi chick
Johno, our superhero kiwi in the Kaweka Forest Park, produced a kiwi chick and an egg (subsequently incubated at Westshore) in his first clutch of the 2022-23 season which is from June to March. Although the north island brown kiwi can lay eggs in any month. The chick, Johno Q, was released into the kiwi… [Read More]
Stoats galore?
Thursday 26 January 2023 Te Puia, (TP1- TP9) DOC250 traps, Hot Springs – Te Puia (370 – 411, DOC200, and CT13), Mangatainoka (W1-W15) Double set DOC200 traps It was a fine day at last, and so Grant headed out to do his monthly check of the trap lines. He rebaited an unmarked DOC200 trap near… [Read More]
Johno’s fading signal leads to a double surprise
Banner Photo: Johno S and JohnoT in their transportation carrier for the ride to the kiwi crèche. Fiona and Robyn received a message from Deb asking if they could do a nest raid on Johno. Data showed his transmitter battery was failing, he had been nesting for 88 days, and he hadn’t triggered a hatch…. [Read More]
MTT help with grass maintenance at the kiwi crèche
It was great to have Justin and his Jobs for Nature crew from Maungaharuru Tangitu Trust come to clear the lake track at the Opouahi kiwi crèche. There has been so much rain lately that the grass and other growth on the track was rampant and we needed it cleared for the summer visitors. The… [Read More]
Meeting the guardian of the fence
Wednesday 16 November, 2022 Lake Opouahi, Kiwi crèche Every month, a volunteer walks around the outside of the pest-free fence at the Opouahi Panpac crèche. They check for damage or other problems. Peter and Marilyn did this tour of duty last week on a fine and still day. They found a few minor issues in… [Read More]
Kanuka was killed by a stoat
Banner Photo: Kiwi footprints seen by the body of Kanuka Back in September, we lost Kanuka, a healthy breeding kiwi. Fi and Chris found his body under a recent tree-fall. He had some suspicious-looking puncture marks to his head and neck. DoC ranger Kahori sent his remains to Massey School of Veterinary Science for an… [Read More]
