Forest & Bird: Recent Posts

auckland anne on "Ecologist working to save kokako at Ark in the Park"

auckland anne — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:55:05 +0000

<a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/6389583/Ecologist-on-track-to-help-save-kokako" rel="nofollow">http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/6389583/Ecologist-on-track-to-help-save-kokako</a>

ecogeek on "Tui plague worsens!"

ecogeek — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:09:20 +0000

I'm always cautious about the use of poisons of any kind. In Wgtn broadificoum has been used quite extensively since about 2000/2001. Since then native bird life has increased dramatically, not just tui. There was an article in the paper about it a couple of years ago, based on bird surveys that had been conducted (by whom I can't remember). There seems to be a robust morepork population within the city, but I have no idea whether it was larger in the past, whether it is static or whether it has increased over the last 10 years. Being nocturnal I suppose they are more likely to evade night-time huntings pests?

ecogeek on "Morepork"

ecogeek — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:04:00 +0000

I think Morepork can move about a bit rather than just stay in one area, depending on suitability of habitat. Anne, I'm interested to know what parts of central Ak have morepork. Much of Ak seems devoid of native birds except for the occassional tui, waxeye or fantail. I recall seeing a morepork once when I was a kid in south Ak. That was the only time I ever saw/heard one in Ak. I figure the native plantings along the motorway along with the old Grafton cemetary will provide good habitat for morepork in years to come.

auckland anne on "Tui plague worsens!"

auckland anne — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:30:22 +0000

Hey guys, I'm not wanting to pick any argument here, and this is a genuine question. What sort of "fall-outs" or problems have there been from the use of aerial broadifacoum at places like Hauturu, Tiri, or Tawharanui, Motutapu/Rangitoto or non-aerial pest control at eg Ark in the Park or countless other places including local residential parks and reserves? If there were problems, wouldn't the use of broadifacoum be stopped at these places?

Tawaki on "Pest control, How to do it."

Tawaki — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:20:51 +0000

We visited Totaranui in the heart of Abel Tasman National Park last year, Kukupa. On the Anapai Beach Track I found all the feathers of a banded rail just like the one that you have caught here. It had been killed and eaten by a feral cat or stoat. So the answer is that you need to do something to control pests but the techniques need to be such that they don't kill the very thing that we are trying to save. Tragically, I have also seen weka killed in the stoat traps set in the Milnethorpe Scenic Reserve in Golden Bay where weka are now endangered. This "by catch" risk is one of the reasons why I much prefer bait stations to trapping especially in the places where I live where there are always very smart and inqusitive kea around.

kukupa on "Pest control, How to do it."

kukupa — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:22:24 +0000

The very birds we are trying to protect! Absolutley gutting!! I was told to make the holes on the DOC200 stoat traps bigger then the DoC standeds, (private property) so you catch hedghogs. What a mistake!

GillyJ on "Tui plague worsens!"

GillyJ — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:04:10 +0000

Agree with you 100% Ropati..... lethal stuff.

GillyJ on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

GillyJ — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:02:57 +0000

Tui up here in Northland are on their 3rd lot of rearing young now.. so a while to go now.

woodhouse on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

woodhouse — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:31:11 +0000

Thank goodness! Ecogeek you have given me hope. I have found the high-pitched and piercing noise they have been making very trying indeed. We moved here in November so that's in keeping with your timing on their build up of aggression as well. It can't be long now before the juveniles become more tuneful and the young have left home.

Ropati on "Tui plague worsens!"

Ropati — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:07:43 +0000

@ Tawaki I know it does a great job controlling possums and especially rats. That's why it is used for rat eradication jobs. But it doesn't resolve the problem that it is persistent and accumulative in the food web (I explained it in my first post). Brodifacoum needs tighter controls (should not be freely available to buy by anyone) and that DOC banned it from public land was the right move. It is nasty and damaging stuff, you can't ignore the dead cold facts. It is not scaremongering (like people do with 1080), but based on very robust science by our country's most respected scientists in this field! You can not just point out how great it works but ignore the fact that this toxin has negative implications: <a href="http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol23_2_219.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol23_2_219.pdf</a> <a href="http://notornis.osnz.org.nz/system/files/Notornis_53_2_235.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://notornis.osnz.org.nz/system/files/Notornis_53_2_235.pdf</a> <a href="http://www.envirolink.govt.nz/PageFiles/606/884-HBRC131%20Environmental%20fate%20of%20brodifacoum%20in%20wildlife.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.envirolink.govt.nz/PageFiles/606/884-HBRC131%20Environmental%20fate%20of%20brodifacoum%20in%20wildlife.pdf</a>

ecogeek on "Tui plague worsens!"

ecogeek — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:32:54 +0000

Thanks for the info Ropati. I don't use poisons so don't have any use for the PDFs, but like to keep myself aware of the possible drawbacks of poison use.

ecogeek on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

ecogeek — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:30:42 +0000

Tui start being loud and noticable from late winter/early spring when they start establishing terratories for breeding. This is when they start becoming quite aggressive to each other and any species that compete for the same food (they will chase off bellbirds and kaka, but seem not to bother with kereru). The noisy and somewhat tuneless birds with a limited range of calls you hear are juveniles learning to sing. They do improve eventually. Juveniles can be recognised by their smaller size and by the fact that they haven't developed the tuft of white feathers on the throat. I've seen tui gather together in small groups from autumn and through the winter. They have finished breeding, their young have dispersed and they tend to feed more on insects than on fruit or nectar.

dave on "Fiorldland Link Experience Submission"

dave — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:48:18 +0000

Hi, Am wanting to make a submission regarding Fiordland link proposal aka "The Monorail". I am not too familiar with all the technicalities of this issue. Can anyone give me some vital points I should include. Thanks

woodhouse on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

woodhouse — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:09:23 +0000

Perhaps I am being a bit harsh. There are a number of them around here though and they are very noisy very early in the morning with a high pitched and piercing call. Does this last all year? Is the end in sight and will they go back to being those lovely birds with the gentle song and chuffing noise I thought they were?

Tawaki on "Tui plague worsens!"

Tawaki — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:27:29 +0000

Here are two wonderful examples of unique New Zealand plants saved by the careful use of Pest Off possum baits in Indac bait stations on private land near Arthur's Pass. Red Mistletoe (Peraxilla tetrapetala) and Golden Mistletoe, a recently described colour morph of red mistletoe. Without "Pest Off" possum control for the last 15 years these unique examples of our wonderful native flora would be extinct. The banning of Pest Off bait stations by DOC on public land (managed by DOC on behalf of all the people of New Zealand) shows a tragic failure by DOC Scientists and Managers to show leadership in achieving integrated pest control by the community. Such bait stations could easily be managed by ordinary, responsible people. Instead we have a handful of gold plated predator fences around NZ and an orgy of community stoat trapping that does nothing to control possums, the prime predator of most of our vulnerable plant species. Pest Off baits kill all the possums in the area, attracted by the cinnamon flavoured baits that are irresistable to possums. The baits are also eaten by rats and kill all the rats in any area. Both possum and rat bodies are then eaten by stoats and studies show that you kill all the stoats (both males and females) through a secondary kill in the treated area in a matter of days. Humans would have to eat a lot of the baits for many days to get a lethal dose so Pest Off is actually much safer for humans than the far more lethal Cyanide ("Ferratox") and 1080. With low deer and goat numbers (controlled by shooting) and Pest Off bait station pest control of rats, possums and stoats, the result is an immediate upsurge in the growth of all the vulnerable plant species like mistletoe, rata, fuchsia, wineberry and kohekohe. This is soon followed by a remarkable increase in the native bird populations. The little birds that breed fast show the most striking and immediate response; Riflemen. tit, warbler, fantail, creeper and then bellbird and tui all increase in number. The parrots also show an incredible but slower response with abundant kaka, kea and parakeet once they start breeding successfully. We also find high numbers of falcon and morepork. The Indac bait stations cost $15 each with a metal mount and should be mounted 1 to 1.5 metres above the ground. The 10kg bags of Pest Off bait cost around $50-$60 each at any stock and station store. Keep you dog and the neighbours dog out of the treatment area and shoot the wild pigs (if there are any there) before you treat the forest. Only use the Pest Off in a bait station and there are appropriate warnings about cautionary signage requirements on the bags of bait. Good luck!.

auckland anne on "Morepork"

auckland anne — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:58:20 +0000

One of our Central Auckland branch committee members wants to start putting up nesting boxes for morepork in a local park in the middle of town here because they're comiing back in large numbers to the city for some reason. So obviously he thinks that providing boxes will attract and help them - maybe you could consider the same for your garden? If you'd like to talk with him about it you might consider emailing us at <a href="mailto:centralauckland.branch@forestandbird.org.nz">centralauckland.branch@forestandbird.org.nz</a> attention Rob Jones and it'll be passed on to him.

GillyJ on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

GillyJ — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:42:16 +0000

Not 'spiteful' but territorial at times of the year, woodhouse. When they are in breeding mode, they are aggressive to other birds but other birds are also... tis just bird life. They try to protect their food sources, their young. Tui are highly bright birds... I've brought up Tui from babes and they can also be very affectionate..... tis a tough life out there for all birds.

woodhouse on "Morepork"

woodhouse — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:23:21 +0000

Heared one three times on different nights since moving near to small pocket of native bush early Nov. Haven't heard it for the last 2 weeks (approx). Could it have been a visitor rather than a resident and is it possible to tell? There are bush corridors going up to the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens and Totara Park, so I'm thinking maybe it was just visiting. Is there anyway to encourage Morepork to take up residence? It's unfortunate that there is quite a bit of noise on occassions from the people who reside in the area and of course there were a lot of fireworks New Year's Eve and last night in the neighbouring suburbs. Could the Morepork have been scared off?

woodhouse on "Advice on small pocket of native bush"

woodhouse — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:02:21 +0000

Tui's, yes indeed they are quite spitefull birds I have learnt in the short time I've lived with them in permanant residence. Previously they had only ever visited me in my garden, mostly in spring, sung sweetly and looked lovely. Since living with several in the bush all around me I've learnt they are aggressive, loud to the point of irritating and wake up long before any sensible bird has opened and eye. They dive bomb the other birds, and chase each other at such speed that I felt the whoosh as a couple went overhead whilst I was sitting on the deck having a cup of tea. I can't imagine why I would want to encourage more of them as I'm sure it would be a disadvantage to the waxeyes, fantails and other birds. Is the aggressive and noisy nature of the Tui just a temporary thing at this time of year?

auckland anne on "Finding Kiwi"

auckland anne — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:28:06 +0000

If you are concerned about your household cat with say a Timms trap for possums, put the unset trap out for several nights and sprinkle pepper or curry powder in front of it to discourage it, or train it to be frightened by the loud bang when you set off the trap by hitting the top (once or twice should be enough to teach it). Set off the trap in the morning, if you wish, so no animal can be caught, and reset in the evening and keep your cat inside overnight. Positioning traps , like elevating them (up a tree trunk say), and using one where the entrance is too small for cats to get into the trap, depending on the trap used, also reduces the chance of catching a cat. The post on this page called "pest control - how to do it" <a href="http://forum.forestandbird.org.nz/topic/pest-control-how-to-do-it" rel="nofollow">http://forum.forestandbird.org.nz/topic/pest-control-how-to-do-it</a> might also have some helpful info on it. I can't think of any poisons which wouldn't harm cats and dogs; it's more about where they are placed. Broadifacoum at least has a known and fairly straight-forward antidote, vitamin K, but that's obviously a last resort and you'd want cats and dogs to avoid the poison to start with.

auckland anne on "DoC 200 traps -"

auckland anne — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:18:39 +0000

Just an alert if you have recently bought, or are thinking of buying some DOC 200 traps. There appears to have been some recent design changes which means the trigger can jam sometimes. The Kapiti stoat eradication team are looking into the problem and hopefully it can be sorted ASAP. This news came from Northland Save the Kiwi.

auckland anne on "Finding Kiwi"

auckland anne — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:16:13 +0000

Hi Wetkiwi Asked the guys at Bay Bush Action (group doing pest control at Opua) and here's the reply: Bay Bush Action This is the way I would go about it; First going out every (moonless) night and find where a pair is living. Then you will have to sit and wait. Along a stream bank, or were there’s lots of leaf litter. The best time for lis...tening is May and June, as the male is most likely sitting on an egg or two now. Sadly the chicks will most likely be killed by stoats or cats if there’s no pest control :( Hope you have lots of patients! Here's a good website, hope this helps. <a href="http://www.savethekiwi.org.nz/about-the-bird/kiwi-characteristics/kiwi-calls.htmlSee" rel="nofollow">http://www.savethekiwi.org.nz/about-the-bird/kiwi-characteristics/kiwi-calls.htmlSee</a> MoreKiwi Calls - BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust <a href="http://www.savethekiwi.org.nz" rel="nofollow">www.savethekiwi.org.nz</a> Kiwi share the night forest with a host of other New Zealand native species. You can hear the kiwi’s call... .Andrew Macdonald We played some kiwi calls on the speakers at the bach and got a heap of kiwi replies - only problem is they came from a near vertical section of hill. Might try the kiwi call thing again somewhere less vertical.

Ropati on "Tui plague worsens!"

Ropati — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:21:07 +0000

ecogeek - Good question. Brodifacoum gets into pigs either by direct contact with the bait (most bait stations are not pig proof) or through secondary poisoning. Pigs are scavengers and will "vacuum up" any dead or dying animals from the forest floor. Since it is accumulative and persistent and because pigs can get quite old they will be repeatedly exposed to brodifacoum over their life time. That is why 2nd generation anti-coagulates like brodifacoum should only be used as a one-off pest eradication tool (It is very suitable for one-off island eradication operations). I can't upload pdf files here. But I can email them to you if interested. Cheers

auckland anne on "Transfer of hihi from Tiri to Bushy Park"

auckland anne — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:47:43 +0000

Reminder in case help is still required.

auckland anne on "the roles of scientific reserves vs recreation reserves and zoos"

auckland anne — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:39:11 +0000

Ah!! Hamlins Hill/Mutukaroa Yes, it was planted with it's first natives by our branch of F&B some years ago now. I was just reminiscing with a friend about how when we first went up there about 12 years ago, it was bare mud where wwe were planting, and that year was extremely wet - it was like Flanders up there. But the plants have done really well - they're mature enough to attract tuis and other birds there (I hear there's rabbits up there now also). Presumably the fact that this hill was the old cattle holding-pens for the abbatoir across the Gt Sth Rd at Ann's Creek means good fertiliser! Management was vested in the then ARC on behalf of a Trust which includes local iwi - the area at that stage was being land-banked for Treaty settlement back then I believe; don't know where it's all at now or what it's long-term future is. The linkages thing between different parts of the region is an excellent one, and is what F&B's Auckland Naturally 'campaign' is all about - this was drawn up about 2001 - and the Northwest Wildlink is the first practical step towards creating a physical link between Hauraki Islands/Tiri and Ark in the Park/Waitakeres.

Fiordland Coast Walks on "Haast-Milford New Highway Promotion"

Fiordland Coast Walks — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:16:30 +0000

We have recently launched a venture taking guided walks along this coastline, following many years wandering and exploring it. The coastline is spectacular and we agree that any road along here will completely destroy the environment. This coastline is the longest stretch of wilderness coastline in New Zealand that can be walked (relatively easily) and for that reason alone the road proposal should be tossed in the bin. If anyone has any questions regarding this area please don't hesitate to contact us. Similarly, if there is anything we can do to assist in keeping this coastline pristine then get in touch. We are already helping DOC with a beach clean-up program to remove the flotsam and jetsam from fishing boats. Tawaki above has it right regarding the road - economic lunacy and environmental disaster.

ecogeek on "the roles of scientific reserves vs recreation reserves and zoos"

ecogeek — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:07:56 +0000

"Especially after reading a bit in the weekend about Kate Wilkinson applauding the success of Sylvia Park (as far as I was aware it is a new suburb up here with a large shopping mall) and saying it shows how we can attract huge numbers of people to our parks by following a similar model." I presume that Kate was referring to the Regional Park across the other side of the motorway from the Sylvia Park mall. It's a block of land that used to be grazed, some of it was planted out about 10 years ago (by F&B I think) and the bush there is now a few metres high. There's not much birdlife - mostly pukeko. I've never come across other people there and I would be surprised if it did attract huge numbers of visitors as it isn't anywhere near as good as the Hunua or Waitakere Ranges. I think the tactic of creating wildlife refuges on islands that the public can visit is good. The Hauraki Gulf islands in particular because they create a chain of habitat from east Auckland (potentially the Coromandel Peninsula too) to north Auckland and from there links to the Waitakere Ranges. Who cares if takahe were never liekly found on those islands? They are safe there to breed and thus become less endangered. And there aren't many significant areas of old growth forest near Auckland (and AKers are not very "outdoors" kind of people who go tramping much) so it's good for people to be able to easily visit an island and see what they are missing. So much of the city is completely devoid of native birdlife. The island sanctuaries will play a part in changing that as birds spread out. Birds from Tiri have started spreading to nearbly Whangaparoa peninsula, from there they may spread further. People have used the "zoo" label for Zealandia too, but whether you love the place or hate it, it has become a breeding ground and dispersal point for a lot of native birds. A few years back I never thought I'd see kaka, kakariki or robins in Wgtn city, now they're spreading around the place.

ecogeek on "Tui plague worsens!"

ecogeek — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:52:36 +0000

I spent a couple of days at Piha earlier this month, possibly the only place I've been with a greater population density of tui than Wgtn it seems, they were everywhere. Ropati - how is broadifacoum getting into the pigs? You mention that Marlborough Sounds has been 'contaminated' by broadifacoum use so that people can't eat wild pigs there. I presume the pigs have eaten the stuff rather than they have just breathed some in or walked over ground that had a broadifacoum bait station on it.

auckland anne on "Tui plague worsens!"

auckland anne — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:20:35 +0000

Isn't broadifacoum one of the main poisoning chemicals used in domestic/household rodent poisons and also a main chemical used for blood-thinning to prevent blood clots and strokes in human medicines?

Ropati on "Tui plague worsens!"

Ropati — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:31:24 +0000

"Regional Councils such as WRC and the former Auckland Regional Council (now ACC) have for many years made extensive smart use of the anticoagulant chemicals using bait stations. DOC has stupidly largely banned their use on most DOC managed land because they feared bad publicity and argued that brodifacoum was "persistant" Of course it is persistent and that is its huge advantage because it means that you can get the stoats and feral cats through a secondary kill from them eating the rats and possums." DOC has not "stupidly banned" brodifacoum. It is persistent and accumulative in the food web and in soil and poses a real risk to the environment and people who take animals to eat out of these areas. Especially pigs are known to have extremely high brodifacoum levels in muscles and liver at levels that make consumption dangerous to humans. It also is known to be a threat to moreporks and possibly to a few other native species. The uncontrolled use and the readily availability of brodifacoum to anybody is a problem. The many bach owners using brodifacoum in the Marlborough Sounds around their properties have caused contamination of the area so that the consumption and removal of pigs is now banned from that area. This is not wacky "1080 kills everything" talk but based on peer reviewed scientific publications by our best scientists. Do you homework before stating outrageous claims like that. Read papers by Charlie Eason who did some very compelling research on this topic. Besides that, brodifacoum is extremely inhumane. Brodifacoum should NOT be freely available and the encouragement by the likes of Auckland and Wellington councils to use it in your garden is shocking and very short sighted. Brodifacoum needs stronger regulations and should only be able to be used by certified operators. It is very nasty stuff! BTW, I am big supporter of 1080, just to make sure I don't get shoved into the "anti-poison" nutter brigade drawer. What is Forest & Bird's stance on brodifacoum?

Ertvarkie on "Tui plague worsens!"

Ertvarkie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:18:03 +0000

Interesting dicussion, chaps. The recovery of tui in Wellington has been extraordinary. I just wish the teenaged tui in my backyard would learn a few more notes! To answer your question, yes, GWRC uses 1080 poison to control possums in the Aorangi, Rimutaka/Orongorongo (last drop 2009) and Akatarawa (last drop 2007) ranges A joint operation with the Animal Health Board is planned for the Rimutaka ranges this winter (28,000 ha) <a href="http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Documents/CouncilMeetings/Western%20Community%20Committee/24%20November%202011/Agenda%20and%20reports.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Documents/CouncilMeetings/Western%20Community%20Committee/24%20November%202011/Agenda%20and%20reports.pdf</a>

Tawaki on "Rena Oil Spill"

Tawaki — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:47:26 +0000

Good on you Forest and Bird.

Mandy on "Rena Oil Spill"

Mandy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:57:57 +0000

Agreed. We're supporting calls for a proper independent official inquiry into preventing any further such accidents, and NZ's oil spill response capacity.

Tawaki on "Keas for Keeps"

Tawaki — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:18:51 +0000

A sea level/lowland population of at least 15 keas are living here South Westland in the kahikatea dominated Moeraki Valley floor forest. Radio tracking by DOC here shows that althought these birds are called mountain parrots, they are actually permanently resident in low altitude podocarp-beech rainforest. Moreover they are successfully breeding here. This morning we had 5 juveniles parading all around our house showing off their whitish coloured head feathers and their very yellow upper beaks and eye surrounds. This valley and the native forests right down this coastline have been the focus of a huge DOC aerial 1080 pest control operations. Since 1998 there have been 5 separate 1080 applications over the last 14 years, the most recent on 27 October 2011. This treated the entire 10,000ha Abbey Rocks block between the Moeraki and Paringa Rivers. 9 kea were radio tracked here before and after that operation and all survived unscathed. Moreover, the presence of these young birds seen today shows that without the disastrous impact of stoats and possums that kill most kea chicks on their nests, our Southern South Westland keas here are prospering. Kea can be heard here all day long around where we live. They are very popular with the tourists here who love to photograph them. They call in the dark from their kahikatea tree roosts and nest sites. Howvever we never feed them and they just go about their business almost oblivious to human presence. Here is a photo of a young kea that I took on the summit of Arthur's Pass showing the yellow upper beak and eye ring

Tawaki on "Rena Oil Spill"

Tawaki — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:19:41 +0000

So if all the experts knew that it was likely that Rena would split apart and sink, how come they spent weeks getting only a small proportion of the containers off the ship before it sank? Why didn't they bring in every available crane, heavy lift helicopter and barges from Sydney to Singapore and absolutely go for it when the weather was fine and sea calm? Instead they seem to have wasted much of that fine weather mucking around and removing only a small proportion of the containers. There are now containers and rubbish spread right across the Bay of Plenty. It seems to me that their contingency plans need massive revision. As an analogy, in the old days with wild fires in NZ, we used to throw small amounts of fire fighting gear at them and then only use the full fire fighting resources later on. Now the strategy is to treat every small fire as a potential big fire and put a lot of resources in at the front end to extinguish the fire/solve the problem and avoid a much bigger problem later on. Maybe Maritime NZ needs to think hard about this because the only certainty is that disasters like the Rena will happen again. It is unacceptable to allow these marine transport operators to trash our coastal waters and beaches as has happened this time.