Come with Kiwi Conservation Club and meet our guide Thelma Wilson for a trip up Mt Tamahunga - the perfect challenge for the end of the holidays.
I have it on good authority that many local young people have climbed Mt Tamahunga, and do remember the power of a group of other children, not to mention other incentives of the lolly kind, to get children up a hill!
Thelma is a ranger from DoC and comes as a highly recommended guide.
Tuesday 25 January 9:30 Meet in the carpark - 1 km up Omaha Valley Rd, on the left.
General description of the walk; the first third of the track is across farm land, climbing quite steeply to the forest edge, a distance of about 1km. There are gates or fence styles.After entering the bush, the track climbs steadily, with several (4, I think) steep sections until the saddle just below the Summit.
The Summit has a wooden helipad & a Trig station, but views are generally not very good due to vegetation in the way. There is a small Lookout rock just before the summit that gives nice views over Omaha Bay & the east of the area. The Summit is 436m, and you start from just above Sea level, so it is a bit of a climb, but downhill all the way home.
We'll return the same way, so if someone does run out of steam, it isn't a problem. They can either wait for the group or make their way back down.
Thelma will show us an exclosure plot, which is used to monitor the level of impact wild animals have on vegetation. She will talk about predator control being undertaken by a local community group, which includes Forest and Bird members, as well as the the history of the area.
Bring: food & water,
sunscreen
and if anyone is allergic to wasps, bring your medication / antihistamine. (The forest often has a lot of wasps, but should be OK on the track.)
Togs for a swim at Omaha afterwards (& ice-cream) would not be a silly idea on a hot day!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
What a wonderful year we have had, lots of trips to look back on. Starting with the Jane Gifford.
Maurice Puckett from ARC showed us his stunning collection of some predators trapped at Tawaharanui.
Visiting Warren Agnew and learning about Trakker tunnels - what did you find in your own garden? Mice were in evidence here!
Collecting rubbish on the beach at Omaha.
Learning about Kea in the South Island - how did your seed feeder go?
Looking at Fossils at Mathesons Bay with Ian Scott.
And finally a trip to Tiritiri Matangi where we saw the Kokako, and Takehe, Stitchbirds, Saddlebacks and blur penguins!
Look ahead to 2011 next year there will be opportunities to snorkel at Whangateau, check traps up Mt Tamahunga, and celebrate Sea week at Tawharanui.
If you are struggling with Christmas present ideas, I can recommend the KCC site - perhaps a gift membership for cousins or friends.
Thank you to all the wonderful people we met this year. Wishing you all a happy Christmas with your family, and we look forward to seeing you in 2011.
Warm regards
Claire McDonald and Burnette O'Connor.
Maurice Puckett from ARC showed us his stunning collection of some predators trapped at Tawaharanui.
Visiting Warren Agnew and learning about Trakker tunnels - what did you find in your own garden? Mice were in evidence here!
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| Warren and Lois separating the ink pads from the animal tracks |
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| Lois helping KCC children make insect tracks |
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| John looking at Agnew's weta house |
Collecting rubbish on the beach at Omaha.
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| Some of the Collectors with a pile of rubbish |
Learning about Kea in the South Island - how did your seed feeder go?
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| KCC children with Kea Conservation Trust members Tamsin and Lorne |
Looking at Fossils at Mathesons Bay with Ian Scott.
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| Ian explaining the ages of the different types of rocks |
And finally a trip to Tiritiri Matangi where we saw the Kokako, and Takehe, Stitchbirds, Saddlebacks and blur penguins!
Look ahead to 2011 next year there will be opportunities to snorkel at Whangateau, check traps up Mt Tamahunga, and celebrate Sea week at Tawharanui.
If you are struggling with Christmas present ideas, I can recommend the KCC site - perhaps a gift membership for cousins or friends.
Thank you to all the wonderful people we met this year. Wishing you all a happy Christmas with your family, and we look forward to seeing you in 2011.
Warm regards
Claire McDonald and Burnette O'Connor.
Kea Conservation Talk - by Duncan McDonald
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| us all after wards |
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| looking at pictures s |
On Sunday 25 July Tamsin and Lorne, from the Kea Conservation Trust met Warkworth KCC. They came to tell us about the Kea. We discussed kea, why they were endangered and are one of New Zealand most intelligent species of bird inclusive of current research, threats to kea and how you can make a difference.
Kea are killed by:
- cars
- eating lead nails (lead is deadly poisonous and very soft)
Many people have now realised this and will offer to help save the kea E.G. I'm going tramping this week ,we stay in an old cabin want me to take a hammer and nails to replace the old ones?
Links
www.keaconservationtrust.co.NZ
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