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!

Warren and Lois separating the ink pads from the animal tracks

Lois helping KCC children make insect tracks

John looking at Agnew's weta house

Collecting rubbish on the beach at Omaha.

Some of the Collectors with a pile of rubbish

Learning about Kea in the South Island - how did your seed feeder go?

KCC children with Kea Conservation Trust members Tamsin and Lorne

Looking at Fossils at Mathesons Bay with Ian Scott.

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

us all after wards

looking at pictures
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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:

1. cars
2. 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
 

Finding Fossils at Matheson's Bay - Sunday 19 September 10.30am

Matheson's Bay is a "Fossil Shoreline".  Join us as we look for evidence and hunt for the 20 million year old fossils that lived there.  These fossils will show us the seas were warmer then than now.

Photo: Dawn
We will walk from the bottom of Wonderview Road along to Matheson's looking at the geology as we go - this involves a few hundred metres of rock hopping so decent footwear is required.

Matheson's Bay is a unique location for giant oyster fossils, and many other marine specimens.  Join Ian Scott, a biologist and geologist who will guide us around and help us discover  fossils.

Photo: Mike E Talbot
Ian, a Forest & Bird member and Leigh resident, trained as a geologist at Victoria University.  He worked as a geologist briefly in Papua New Guinea before retraining as a secondary school science teacher.

Meet at 10.30am
Contact Claire for further details.

Kea Conservation Sunday July 25 1.30pm

Come and hear about what is happening to the inquisitive Kea in the South Island. We will be meeting people from the Kea Conservation Trust who are helping wild Kea in their natural habitat.

We will also be making a bird feeder.

 Photo by StefZ on Flickr

Junior Hall, Warkworth Primary School,  1.30pm.

Gold coin entry.

All welcome so bring your friends.

tomsflickrfotos2

Tracking Tunnels

On Sunday 23 May we visited Warren and Lois Agnew at their home in Scott's Landing and found out about Warren's inventive tunnels that monitor animals living in an area.

Warren told us how he was surprised so little was known about stoats in an urban area, so he devised a means to record what these animals were up to.  The Black Trakka traps, so named after the skilled aboriginal tracker, can use simple peanut butter to lure animals across the ink pad.  The ink, which is entirely safe for animals, leaves an imprint on the special 4 layered card.

                                           Warren speaking to KCC children

From his comprehensive library of prints a great deal of knowledge about animal prints is now known, and individual animals can be identified by their prints.  Some of the interesting facts Warren shared were:

• Rats' front and rear feet are the same width
• Ferrets have a U shaped pad
• The giant weta has a 1cm long foot
• Male stoats hind feet are 10% wider than the female

With better understanding of mammal tracks, male and female prints can be identified, as well as individual animals. 

Warren had many stories to tell about the prints which have been collected, e.g. the mice tracks in the cafeteria at the Wharves, the single rat which was identified on Mokoia Island and the local stoat roaming through a number of tunnels.  We heard about an exciting new development where the tunnels are about the be deployed with Vitamin D3 for pest control.  This will work with an aerosol spray delivering 3ml of the Vitamin D to an animal large enough to activate two sensors simultaneously.  The animal will die within 4 days and the Vitamin D will not be harmful in the food chain.

Then it was out in to the garden to find the tunnels and collect the cards.

 Finlay and Patrick

                        Talia                                                Leah

The outcome was a lot of mice prints!  Warren showed the children how the prints could be examined with his microscope.

                                  Warren showing the prints on his microscope  

Then we moved on to talking about bugs.  Lois helped children create bug tracks with insects which had been collected for the purpose.  These included praying mantis, a stink bug, Lauren's skink and Talia's cockroach.

Lois helping children make bug prints

                                  John looking at the Weta house

  Other highlights were Lois's fresh pikelets, seeing the Tank Vacuum in action, and the weta house.  The to cap it all off each family received a tunnels and cards to set up in their own garden, and mice tracks have already been recorded.

Incedible Science - Auckland University Monday 5 July

Incredible Science is a free one-day event held annually by the Faculty of Science, at The University of Auckland. It's a fun day of activities, lectures and shows that highlight the fun and diversity science offers.  

This is an excellent FREE day to kick off the July school holidays for all the family.  There are lots of hands experiments to touch and try.  I recommend attending as many of the lectures as you can juggle.  These are 30 minutes long and designed to kept children engaged and there are lots of difference topics on offer.

For more information follow this link to the University of Auckland.

Omaha Beach Clean Up - Sunday 13 June 1.00pm

Meet at Omaha Surfclub @ 1.00pm

Come and experience the beach in autumn - bring your whole family.  Learn about threats to our marine and coastal life.  See what interesting rubbish we might find!  Help analyse our rubbish for the Sir Peter Blake Trust Care for our Coast program.

Yes, we mean lend a hand to picking up rubbish at the beach - gloves provided. Sausage sizzle afternoon tea to follow.

Here is a list of some of the more unusual finds around the coasts of NZ.
Half a sponge mattress, a steering console from a burnt boat, diving mask, wetsuit sleeve, 3 sq metres of carpet (Whangamumu Harbour), piece of car fender, car bumper, car door seal, car rims, piece of surfboard and 2 hubcaps. Headphones, lambing rings, picnic table, phone card, metal chain with a hook at one end, sheep wool, ferry ticket, G-shock watch, waterproof camera, goat skull, truck battery, TV screen, computer monitors, blowtorch, workman’s hat, discarded wallet, road cones, a chainsaw, cellphones, coffeemaker, bobsled and seven pairs of gloves in a single cleanup. A 2m tinny was found in the cleanup at Oruapure Bay on 14 May 2007, a 2.5m aluminium dinghy found at Moturekareka Island by the crew of the Spirit of New Zealand on 19 October 2008 and yet another aluminium dinghy found at Tryphena (Great Barrier) also by a Spirit crew. An intact bicycle, as well as bicycle parts, was found at Mussel Bay, Otago Harbour on 5 March 2007 and a push bike found at Lucken’s reserve on 10 February 2009 and a rusting boat trailer added to the most densely littered cleanup area, Evan’s Bay on 2 December 2008. Even the kitchen sink has been found on our beaches, not to mention a dishwasher, rusty old fridge and filing cabinet.

Please let me know if you can make it - your help is appreciated.


Supported by Rodney District Council.

 Dotterel @ Omaha Beach

 

Bug Tracking

Sunday 23 May 1.30pm Scott's Landing

Meet eco-inventor Warren Agnew and find out about tracking small creatures with crafty tunnels.

Skink Footprint x60 magnification.

The weather will be getting cooler but you might be able to find some creatures to bring along - praying mantis, spiders, weta, cockroaches, pet mice, pet rats, skinks etc.  Warren will demonstrate how the tunnels show which creatures are in the undergrowth!  This technology is used in predator free reserves to monitor pest control programs.

To register and for further details please contact me.

It's a Bird's Life

Sunday 25 April - Anzac Day

1.30pm

Meet at the Woolshed, Tawharanui

Meet with DOC Ranger Maurice Puckett and hear about the predator control at Tawharanui Open Sanctuary.  Come and find out about pest control and the species thriving in this unique environment.  We will walk through an ecology trail, find out about forest succession and hear the birdsong.

 

 Kereru by Alastair Smith from Flickr

Please contact me if you are interested in attending. Claire

On Board the Jane Gifford

On Saturday 27 February KCC members joined Forest and Bird friends and journeyed down the Mahurangi River on board the Jane Gifford. Our skipper was Mark Rothwell and also on board was Peter Thompson, part of the energetic team behind the massive restoration program for this boat.

Duncan McDonald look ahead as we depart.

Setting off on a full spring tide our two hour journey took us down as far as Dawson Creek where we turned. For many, myself included, this was our first trip on the river.  On board we recieved an introduction to the Scow and heared some of her history.  Then after a  safety briefing the boat turned and we were off.
The river curves through the mangroves, past boats moored along the way, the cement works, boat yards and some locals catching snapper for their tea.  We motored the whole way - the only option until the boat gets her rigging.  Perhaps even then she will have to motor through these mangroves anyway.

Rico Luyt on board.

Speaking with Peter Thompson it sounds like the next project on his horizon is dredging the river - without this he predicts the end to boats coming up the river.

Leah Jones on board.

We numbered around 100 people. In her prime this vessel was crewed by 2 men when fully loaded.  It is a treat to be on such a beautiful, lovingly restored vessel and I would highly recommend this journey.

Bug Hunting Off - Event Cancelled

Unfortunately the bug hunt scheduled for Sunday March 14 has been cancelled.  

Warwick went to check the showing during the weekend.  The bank which he described previously as comparable to looking at the night sky was a dull show.  This is presumably due to the recent warm temperatures.

My apologies for the disappointment.  Perhaps this is an opportunity to join the snorkeling at Leigh earlier the same day instead.

Community Beach Clean Up - Long Bay

Saturday 13th March, 10am - 3pm

Meet at Site 3 Long Bay Regional Park

Further details to be published soon on www.ecoevents.org.nz/seaweek

Community Snorkeling Day - Leigh Marine Reserve ( Goat Island)

Saturday 6th March (back up day Saturday 13th March)

10am -1pm  Free Snorkeling sessions run continuously
                           no booking taken - just turn up

9.30 am only Half price trip on Glass Bottom Boat
                           need to book - phone 422 6334 or info@glassbottomboat.co.nz

• Families welcome, all children under 15 years need to be accompanied by an adult
• Wetsuit, mask, snorkel and fins supplied at no charge, bring usual swimming attire, sunblock and underwater camers?
• Register for the snorkeling on site at the DOC tent (NB book ahead for the Glass Bottom Boat)

Enquiries phone Department of Conservation ph 425 7812

Art in the Woolshed

Art in the Woolshed
March 6-14th  10am - 5pm each day
Tawharanui Regional Park
An outstanding exhibition of paintings, ceramics and sculpture, being sold to raise funds for TOSSI. This is the community group that alongside the ARC has restored Tawharanui as an open sanctuary. 
Come and help the group celebrate the success of these efforts and support this worthwhile project. Good coffee and quality food available throughout the exhibition.
The perfect event to combine with a trip to Anchor Bay to swim.

Leigh Marine Reserve: Explore the Underwater World

Celebrate Sea Week (7-14 March) by Exploring the Underwater World at Leigh Marine reserve - Sunday 14 March 2010

This event has been organised by Central Auckland Forest & Bird.

Meet at Goat Island for a 1.00pm start under the big Pohutukawa tree at the bottom left of the staircase which lead down to the beach. The plan is to explore the rocky pools and snorkel if the weather is good.

Your local guides will be Tony and Jenny Enderby, well-known marine advocates who have written often for F&B magazine about the marine reserve.

This is an opportunity to learn about marine reserves and celebrate Goat Island, NZ's first marine reserve - see how successful it has become.

Bring warm clothes, sturdy shoes, flippers and/or sand shoes, togs, towel, mask and snorkel and/or swimming goggles, a hat and sunscreen. And drinks and snacks.

There will be a small charge per person for snorkel hire and guiding.

Children must be accompanied by an adult please.

Book with Siobhan by email and let her know you are a member of KCC. (Note; if bookings are limited, preference will go to Forest and Bird members.)

KCC Junior Press Officers Needed

Jenny Lynch from KCC is looking for young conservators to help with the KCC website. She would like Volunteer Press Officers 10 years or older to give a kid's perspective on conservation issues.

Jenny says "the idea is to send them our simpler press releases on campaigns or issues and get them to interpret them into a kid speak with a kids perspective which we will then load onto our website. We’d profile them first so that our KCC members know who's talking to them."

Does this sound like something you would like to do? Would you like to try your hand at being a journalist? Contact either me or Jenny Lynch for further details.