bhmet newsletter 09/12 · 2012. 10. 1. · pipiwharauroa or shining cuckoo by chris andrews spring...

BHMET Newsletter 09/12Restoring and protecting the native flora and fauna in the Bluff Hill area. “Bringing back the birdsong” to an environment that is “thriving, not merely surviving.”

Chairperson's Message

Kia ora tatou.

Welcome to our second instalment of the BHMET volunteer newsletter; it seems not that long ago we were introducing our first newsletter; how time flies…

Spring is upon us and with it so far has come beautiful mild weather. I’m sure many of you are noticing the increased bird numbers in the forest both by sight and sound. This is an important time for our breeding bird populations so it’s vital that we check and rebait our Mustelid traps regularly – ideally weekly/fortnightly but at least monthly (please contact Norm for fresh hare meat).

We must also be vigilant with our rat poisoning regime, so please ensure your rat bait tunnels are checked regularly. A good way to know if you have had recent rat activity is to “spring clean” your tunnels so you can see any fresh rat droppings; if there are no rat droppings you are more than likely feeding mice so you can reduce the amount of bait to 1 small block. The large tunnels on your line need to have poison present at all times to help reduce rat re-invasion from outside the control area (please contact me for advice or call up to collect bait, etc).

Possums are still a problem in our forest. Now is a great time to get out there and bait and lure those traps up. We know that ‘juvenile male dispersal’ is happening so keep up the good work and happy trapping!

Finally, please remember to record your catches and hours and send them in to Marion.

Once again, on behalf of our forest community, a big “THANK YOU” for all your time & efforts. --Estelle

2012-13 Annual Plan & Fund Raising

In the June issue, you found out about a few of our projects and our fund raising efforts for them. We've begun fund raising for other projects in the Annual Plan. One such project is possum leghold trapping in areas 3, 4, and 5 (see map back page). The trapping will give us valuable information on the number of

possum outside areas 1 and 2 (where we have our most extensive pest control network). It will also tell us if there is a hill region where those pesky critters are more numerous. Armed with this information, we can design the border protection lines to better restrict incursions into our main areas of protection. We hope to have the funding required to start the trapping in January.

Replacing the rat bait stations along the walkways is another project. The Trustees have selected the Pied Piper bait stations to use in this project. These stations are easy to use, possum tamper-proof, light weight, able to keep bait secure and protected from the elements and can be fitted with tracking cards for monitoring. Most important in that list is that the bait is kept secure – no bait escapes the station to lie around along the walkways or to be hoarded by rats. (I'm sure y'all already know this but if you see any bait outside the stations please remove or put back in the station.) If all goes well in raising funds, there will be Pied Pipers along the walkways in February.

With continuous poisoning we run the risk of rats developing an immunity to the poison we use (diphacinone, Ditrac brand). Another project, then, is to prevent this from happening by selecting a substitute poison that can be used for a period of time before returning to the Ditrac. We'll choose a poison based on how well it combats rats and how little it impacts the environment. Depending on funds, we plan to start using the substitute at summer's end.

So there's a lot of fund raising to do and I'm always looking for ways to raise funds. If you have any ideas please share them with me – email me ([email protected]) or stop by for a chat (51 Shannon). And, if you will, please share the info about USave on the back page with friends and family who like to shop online. It's an easy way to donate funds to BHMET and you get to shop. --Libby

Norm's Corner

There are six trustees that administer the Trust and its operations on the hill. Mitchell Bartlett and Emily Osborne, founding members, Peter and Estelle Leask, Libby Furr and myself. The Trust has enthusiastic track cutters who, along with Peter Leask, do all of the track preparation leading up to the setting of bait stations and traps. Two standouts for this operation have been Tracker Black and John-Boy Hildebrand, two extraordinary guys with large amounts of energy and commitment, as has Peter.

Libby Furr is a daughter of the southern United States. Libby gets through a mountain of office work in her capacity as the Trust Sec/Treas. With partner, Lindsay McLean, she also attends to two mustelid trap lines. When you actually meet Libby you will be immediately captivated and charmed by a totally undiluted southern accent. It's quite bewitching.

Estelle Leask occupies the Chair of the Trust and is our Volunteer Coordinator and her workload is immense, but she loves her role and always takes on more, so much so that I fear her great enthusiasm may diminish before too long. Estelle's bouncy personality pulls you in and carries you along making you think you are doing a magnificent job, which of course you are. Estelle is completely embroiled in her work not only on the Bluff but also on Whenua Hau/Codfish with the Kakapo project and at Omaui where a new conservation project was established with new ICC Councilor Lloyd Esler at its head.

At the time of this writing Emily and Mitch have been on a leave of absence for six months. These two as mentioned are founding members and play invaluable roles on the Trust. Mitch works part-time for DOC and has so much experience in the field his knowledge and commitment to our cause is quite inestimable. His pet project within our brief has been the muttonbird colony monitoring. This colony is the only mainland one in existence and is one of our hidden gems, and, as unglamorous as it may seem to many of our locals, it is unique to the Bluff.

Emily has qualities you would expect from a lady of victorian times. She also has enthusiasm and commitment in truckloads. She writes about the hill with illustrations of Beatrix Potter likeness and talks about her aspirations for the hill with a gentle conviction. Emily is of the school of those who would talk every point out to an agreed conclusion, is very

mindful of others' points of view and has quiet tolerance of those who do not agree. She will, on their return, assume a large workload, as has been her want in earlier stages of our endeavour.

I am the sixth Trustee and you all know me. --Norm

PipiWharauroa or Shining Cuckooby Chris Andrews

Spring has been springing for a few weeks now on the hill, clematis, manuka and fuschia are starting to flower, birds are singing their hearts out and new growth is bursting out everywhere.

Every spring shining cuckoo arrive back in the forest to breed after spending winter in the Solomon Islands. They’ll be here until February or March and

about November they will pair up and one egg will be produced, and amazingly the cuckoo parasitically uses the grey warbler to host and rear the fledgling cuckoo’s. Whether the egg is laid into the grey warblers nest or laid elsewhere and placed into the nest is still not certain since the warblers nest is an enclosed suspended sphere with a small entrance.

When the cuckoo egg hatches the chicks first task is to evict any warbler chicks or remaining eggs and then it makes the same call as the warbler chick and the parent warblers spend the next few weeks stuffing the cuckoo with insects. An adult warbler weighs 6gms, an adult cuckoo 25gms, so it’s quite a task for the warbler parents to feed and satiate that one cuckoo chick. The warbler gets at least two clutches of eggs laid each year and its first is usually laid in August so those chicks will be out in the next few weeks and the cuckoo will be keeping an ear out for the successful nests to know which nest to place its own egg in come November. Amazing hey? --Chris

Sheppard Speaks to SIT Flockby Brian Sheppard

A fortnight ago I once again had the privilege to address Ross Ramsey’s Environmental Management class at Southland Institute of Technology.

So with the help of Mitch and Emily's Power Point presentation, we looked at the establishment of BHMET, the rationale for the trust (to enhance, preserve, encourage Motupohue’s birdlife). We discussed the trustees' and volunteers' efforts, the assistance from DOC and ES in setting up the trust, and ongoing support, then looked at what we have accomplished as a community since 2008.

Early on we had fortnightly meetings, mostly at Mitch and Emily's, quite social events with technical support provided by DOC and ES. So by 2009 we were able to start predator control, but first had to cut tracks every 100m on the contour to site traps and rat poison tunnels, on the DOC administered land. This is the area encompassed by the shore, Torpuni and Millenium trails.

This track cutting progressed steadily as more people became involved, and sped up last winter when we had a break from poisoning and trapping the lower lines and concentrated on preparing the upper part of the hill for a “one off pulse” using Colecalciferol to thwack the energetic rat population before the spring bird-nesting in September. This track cutting was done by a relatively small group of local people, and was largely complete by Xmas.

We then continued with Ditrac rat poison, a lower toxicity bait that requires 3 to 5 days of feeding to be fatal, but is not so long lasting environmentally. The birdlife while being varied need help to build up, as Tui sometimes only raise 20% of their chicks. The birds seem to be responding to predator control, as many people comment on the birdsong and the number of Tui and Bellbirds at bird feeders.

The initiative to clean up the shore-line taken on by the Trust has been very successful. It’s a lot of fun in good weather (like last Saturday), and produces half a tonne of mostly plastic waste two or three times a year, from the surrounding coastlines.

The felling of the pines on the North side of Motupohue may have caused some movement of pests to our area, but that’s another story.

So this thumbnail sketch encompasses a good learning curve for all those involved, a lot of new friendships and links to other groups, and especially

the local schools. The nursery set up by Estelle and Chris at Bluff school is flourishing, with a couple of ‘plant-out’ days so far. St Theresa’s school also had a big plant out day. These are some of the things we talked about at the SIT Enviro Management class, plus pest tallies and kilometre of tracks cut by BHMET volunteers, - so the story goes on; hopefully from generation to generation. --Brian Sheppard. 22 August 2012

A Spot of DOC

Wooden nesting boxes lined up; expectant cage openers standing ready; beautiful sunny but cool day; Lake Tekapo shining to the east. The kakī/black stilts anxiously await. Then the release and out race the kakī, striding purposefully on their stilted legs, only to slow down, then stop and ponder their new surroundings, before wondering away by land and by air. 45 young kakī were released on August 30 by DOC just west of Lake Tekapo. These juveniles were reared at the DOC Twizel aviaries and in Peacock Springs by the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust. These birds were once common all over NZ but by 1981 only 23 birds were left. Critically endangered is the phrase to remember and act on. And they only live around the braided rivers and wetlands of the Mackenzie Basin, South Canterbury. Predation, draining wetlands for development and channelising rivers are the cause of their severe decline. “Research-by-management will be crucial to developing ways protecting the Kakī population in the long term,” writes Narena Olliver at New Zealand Birds Limited.

Kakī mate for life and both sexes build and sit on their nests. They rely on camouflage to protect their eggs and they actively defend their nests. This little critters feed on insects, like mayfly and caddisfly larvae, and small fish. Unlike pied stilts and other waders, these birds will sweep their bills sythe-like, back and forth collecting larvae and worms from mud or muddy water.

A Bit of ESAre you dealing with your pests?

by Tim Riding

Dozens of residents of Bluff and members of BHMET have been working really hard to reduce the pests on Bluff Hill so the bird life and forest can prosper. In areas of the hill that they have been working on, pest numbers have been reduced immensely. Bird monitoring shows increasing numbers of some bird species, and many residents have noticed increased numbers of birds in their back yards.

The concern however, is that there is the continual pest re-invasion into the Bluff Hill area from the surrounding landscape. Rodents, for example, can bread incredibly quickly. A pair of rats which may be living in your wood pile may have up to ten offspring every month or two. The youngsters then go looking for their own territories, and consequently reinvade the areas that are being trapped by the Bluff Environment Trust members and other Bluff residents trapping on their own properties.

So what can you do? How about putting a couple of traps or bait stations in your back yard – this takes very little time or effort and will greatly reduce the impact of pests on your and your neighbours' properties. Trapping and/or poisoning will also stop rats and mice coming into your house in the winter. Trapping possums will protect your fruit trees, roses, vegie gardens and stop them keeping you awake at night. A single possum trap should be sufficient to rid your property of possums, and you could share this trap (at the $12-$40 cost of) with your neighbours.

Rodent baits placed in bait stations will not harm your pets, and a typical quarter acre section may only need 2-4 bait stations to be effective. These can be made out of simple household products at little or no cost, and only need to be checked every few weeks. Talk to one of the BHMET group about the best design and placement of traps, or call the Biosecurity team at ES for advice (0800 76 88 45).

Remember, if you work together with all of your neighbours, controlling pests in Bluff will be far easier, and far more effective, with less re-invasion occurring.

STATS

From Lingerie to Statistics

When my mother was young, she learned how to sell successfully lingerie, and she loved it. Things then changed dramatically, and for the next 40 years she was a statistician for the German Government.

When I was young I learned the trade of Dental Technician, which I loved. Then things changed, I came to New Zealand and stepped into the business of statistics... Analysing how many people create how much food scraps, which in turn feed how many worms for how much worm wee and compost? Interesting stuff.

Since the end of 2009 I try to maintain the stats for the Trust, which can be fun, too. It is interesting to know how many possums would populate Bluff Hill, if you guys and girls weren't out there doing an awesome job, checking lines, rebaiting them, cutting tracks, setting traps.... But without the information about how many hours you all spend on the hill and what was killed when, our Funding lady would have a pretty hard job doing her funding applications, and I wouldn't have anything to do.

Please help me to have some statistics to do for the next 37 years (3 already gone from the forty to beat my mom)... My contact details are: [email protected] 24 Foyle Street in Bluff (nice letterbox, biiiig, for all your stats), or just pop in and have a cuppa. --Cheers, Marion

June-August 2012Volunteer Hours: 469.74

Possums: 15Weasels: 8Rats: 34

Rabbits: 2Mice: 2

Events

Now until Wed. 10 Oct. 9am – Forest and Bird's Nationwide “Bird of the Year” poll. Vote for your favourite bird at www.birdoftheyear.org.nz.

Sat. 22 Sep. 2pm until – Kaikouri – Welcoming home the Shearwaters. Street Party, parade, live music, street stalls. http://www.huttonsshearwater.org.nz.

Sun. 23 Sep. 10am to 1pm – Matueka – Godwits Celebration. First of the godwits arrive from Alaska. Viewing of the godwits, arts and information activities.

Tue. 2 Oct. and Sun. 7 Oct. – Dunedin - Special After Dark Tours at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Enquiries: 4821755 or [email protected].

Sat. 6 Oct. 9am to 4 pm – Transition Town Spring Eco Fest. Badminton Hall, Surrey Park.

Fast Facts

➢ Rabbits and hares reproduce very quickly, bearing 4 to 8 litters each year. This can be a major headache.

➢ Rabbits give birth to their young in burrows while hares give birth in more open areas.

➢ Rabbits are born hairless and blind and dependent; hares are born with fur and sight and independent within a hour after birth.

➢ Rabbits like soft stems, grasses and vegetables; hares like harder fare such as bard, rind, buds, twigs and shoots.

➢ Rabbits live in burrows or tunnels and in colonies; hares live by themselves on the ground only coming together for mating.

➢ Rabbits run at speeds up to 40 kph; hares run at speeds up to 72 kph.

➢ The Jackrabbit is actually a hare.

Did You Know?

As a registered charitable trust, BHMET is required to submit an annual report to the Charities Commission. This report contains the Trust's basic information (name, address, phone, etc), financial information (balance, income, expenditures, etc), changes to our Deed or our Trustees, number of volunteers and statistics (area of operation, activities, who benefits, etc). Along with that report a separate financial report is submitted. The Trust's deed is handled pro bono by AWS Legal. The Trust's Statement of Financial Performance is prepared pro bono by McCulloch & Partners. These two businesses have provided and continued to provide invaluable services to BHMET. Thank you, AWS Legal and McCulloch & Partners.

http://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/

Volunteer Spotlight

Favourite bird.................................... Pukeko, because of the chicks with their enormous feet!

Magpies, both British and Australian, because of what they do to other birds!

The end of G line when you emerge from the bush and see Stewart Island!

Protect and enjoy!

I like to think I am a for-hire environment worker/promoter!

A travel writer.

Not Bluff but Invercargill for 8 months.

I've lived in Pickering, Lancaster, Durham and Boltby in the U.K.

Least favourite bird............................

Favourite spot on the hill....................

Environmental philosophy..................

Profession.........................................

Profession you'd like to attempt..........

How long have you lived in bluff?.......

Where else have you lived?................

Favourite bird.................................... Fantail – it's such a cute, friendly little bird.

Magpie – it's a menacing evil import.

The big rock, northeast of the summit, just off the road at the top point of the crosscountry bike track. In an easterly it's sheltered, relatively untouched and has great views of the sunset.

It's pretty screwed but I'm doing what I can to make it better.

Telecommunications technician.

Rockstar :)

3 years.

Blenheim, Christchurch, Auckland, Melbourne.




Profession.........................................




Favourite bird.................................... Parrot. 'Cause it talks.

My first wife.

The lookout because you can see everything.

Keep it clean.

Tip man.

Pilot.

8 years, I think.

Holland and Invercargill.




Profession.........................................




Favourite bird.................................... Molly Hawk – beautiful seabird, very entertaining

Nelly – because they kill other birds

A rocky outcrop on G line toward the Millennium track – great views of Stewart Island

We must “Protect & Respect It”

Fisherman and Shipwright

Electrician

29 years

Port Chlmers, Stewart Island, France (Nice)




Profession.........................................




Chris Pye

Amber Ward

Lindsay McLean

Peter Leask

Parts 1&2 are main control areas and contain a dense network of rat bait stations, possum and mustelid traps. Border protection lines consisting of rat and possum traps will be established in Parts 3&4. Parts 3-5 are outer protection zones, contain a network of mustelid traps and are the focus of our possum leghold trapping project.

Contacts for Volunteers:

Rats/Possums – Help/Supplies/Advice: Estelle Leask, Volunteer Coord., [email protected], 2128932Mustelids – Help/Supplies/Advice: Norm Irwin, Mustelid Boss, 2127286Reporting stats – Marion Metz, Statistician, [email protected], 2127758Track maintenance – Peter Leask, Tracking Cutting Team Coordinator, [email protected], 2128932

SPONSORS

Community Trust of SouthlandBluff Oyster and Food Festival

Environment SouthlandInvercargill City Council

ILT FoundationLion Foundation

Ron&Edna Greenwood Environmental TrustSouth Port NZ Ltd.Wilbur Ellis NZ Ltd.

TRUSTEES

Mitch BartlettLibby Furr, Sec/Treas

Norm IrwinEstelle Leask, Chair

Peter LeaskEmily Osborne

100% VOLUNTEER WORK FORCE Shop Online and Support BHMET

PART 1

PART 2

PART 4

PART 3

PART 5
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bhmet newsletter 09/12 · 2012. 10. 1. · pipiwharauroa or shining cuckoo by chris andrews spring...

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