Saving the Endangered New Zealand Brown Teal - What's happening
out in the field
Mimiwhangata, Northland from Emma Neill
* As at 07-Nov-05, 31 birds (14 ad F; 7 ad M; 6 juv F; 2 juv M;
2 unk sex juv) are fitted with transmitters. * Juveniles: 10
juveniles of the 2005 season have been radio-tagged so far, with
more broods coming of age over the next two months. * Deaths: no
deaths of the radio-tagged sample have occurred since the end of
June 2005. * Breeding season: 25 breeding attempts recorded from
23 pairs, of those attempts, one nest was preyed on.
Okiwi, Great Barrier Island from Joanna Sim As at the beginning
of November there are 54 birds fitted with transmitters (26AF,
12AM, 12JF, 4JM). Of these, 16 are missing which are a
combination of suspected transmitter or battery failure and
possible movement out of the basin. An aerial flight is planned
soon to search specifically for these birds. James Fraser has
been out recently to attach transmitters to juveniles and is
also scheduled to come out for another transmitter attachment
trip later this month to boost the numbers.
Two pateke with transmitters have died since July. Both birds
died during the day but at this stage it is unclear what killed
them. A duckling was seen in the claws of a pukeko in Okupu
(further down the island) that had been decapitated - all birds
have been sent off to Massey to ascertain cause of death. In
addition 3 more un-transmittered birds have been found run over,
one on Mabeys Road and two on Aotea Road.
At present there are no monitored females sitting on nests.
Since July, there have been 7 failed breeding attempts, 2
unknowns and 6 successful nesters of which all still have
broods. They range from 3 - 12 weeks old.
Monthly counts have been undertaken with increasing numbers at
all sites recorded so far as post breeding females and juveniles
move to these areas.
Craig has caught 25 cats for the months August - October & is
continuing to survey & control for rabbits & pukekos.
Port Charles from Jason Roxburgh, Lettecia Williams, & Rebekah
Caldwell
Predator Control: Since the last Roundup, the trapping has
caught: * Kill traps: 2 Cats * Live traps: 1 Possum, 3 rats, 1
Banded Rail (in a cage trap) and... 14 Hedgehogs!
Monitoring: Since the May 19 release there have been 12 deaths
of monitored birds (9 x 2005 released birds, and 2 x 2004
released birds). Of the 2005 released monitored birds there
were: * 3 vehicle deaths * 5 predation deaths * 1 unknown death
(found buried in creek) This means there are now 31 (78%) of the
monitored 2005 release birds still alive. In late October we
removed transmitters from 2 released birds due to transmitter
attachment problems. Apart from that we've had no further
transmitter or harness failures, so know the whereabouts of all
the monitored birds
Breeding Season: There are a lot of almost fledged Pateke
around, and several of the broods Rebekah has been following
will fledge 100% of the ducklings hatched. Three nights spent
out with James Fraser and dog Percy netted 34 birds. Twenty of
these were fledglings, all of which were large enough to take
leg bands, but only nine were large enough to take transmitters.
This is part of a shift in our monitoring toward following
ducklings through to their first breeding. Vehicle Deaths: A
hazing fence has been erected to stop Pateke crossing the road
from the release site into one of their favored feeding
paddocks, forcing them to either fly over, or use the culvert
under the road (see attached photos). This has meant there have
been no vehicle deaths on that stretch of road since the fence
was erected. Negotiations continue with the District Council to
replace the two culverts under Carey Rd.
Rebekah and Lettecia continue to advocate strongly with
residents and visitors about Pateke, especially asking people
slow down and be careful while driving. As mentioned above, we
continue to have vehicle related deaths, though the numbers are
reducing around Port Charles.
TiriTiri Matangi from Barbara Walter
It is hectic here so many visitors so it is great that they get
to see Jemima and Ossie at the Wharf Dam. We were on leave when
the last round up was done. April time nearly all of our dams
were dry and apart from Jemima and Ossie at the Wharf Dam and
Finn at Lighthouse Valley Dam most of our ducks disappeared One
of our males, Ralph from the N.E. Bay Dam was sighted Gulf
Harbour Golf Course Dam. As the dams filled our teal were all
seen again (this is of our monitered pairs) including Ralph seen
at Gulf Harbour. Wharf Dam Jemima and Ossie 31.8.05. 3 ducklings
which disappeared 4 days later. They take them up to Wattle
Valley at nighttime instead of taking them a short distance to
the short grass area. She is now sitting again. Lighthouse
Valley Dam Finn and Britannia 19.9.05 she appeared near the
Bunkhouse Dam a long way from the L. H.Valley Dam, with 2
ducklings. Finn was on the dam with another female.Two days
later she was back with Finn on the L.H.Valley Dam but no
ducklings. Fishermans Bay Dam Daisy and Ruan Nil happening.
Daisy getting older ?Ten years old. N.E. Bay Dam Connie and
Ralph Connie sitting at present, due ? 24. 11. 05. Bush 21.Dam
Rose and sometimes Ralph! Nil happening she is also ?Ten years
old Bunkhouse Dam Finn and 2other females! So we have Finn and
Ralph sharing their favours! We have had 2 other males on the
Bunkhouse Dam but Finn chased them away.
Brown Teal Conservation Trust from Neil Hayes
A pretty satisfactory breeding season so far, with two broods
reared - one of five and one of seven. Five hatched and reared
by our old pair and seven hatched and reared by our new pair, in
their first season - this pair having been flock-mated in the
BTCT's new aviary. This is the aviary built with financial
assistance from the Pacific Development and Conservation Trust.
The BTCT is hopeful that Massey University will soon find a
student to work on the brown teal diet research programme in
2006. Sue Moore has already done much work in this area and
further applied research into brown teal diet will provide vital
additional information at specific key sites - and information
necessary for survival of the species - and for the critical
evaluation of proposed release sites for captive reared birds.
Fund raising to assist this research is ongoing and we take this
opportunity to thank all members and supporters who have
contributed to the research fund.
Our good friend, Janet Marshall - New Zealand's leading
waterfowl artist - has generously offered to paint brown teal,
especially for the BTCT to use as a fund-raising exercise.
Initial thinking is that we should produce a BTCT promotional
greetings card from the painting and then to either auction or
tender the original. This is a magnanimous gesture and we are
extremely grateful to Janet. We will keep you informed of
developments.
Karori Wildlife Sanctuary from Neil Anderson
Late August saw 2 new clutches on the Taylor Wetland and lower
lake but survival has been low with only 3 of 7 and 1 of 5
respectively, coming through.
In October 2 clutches appeared on the top dam and with one of
these at least survival has been once again low with only 1 of 5
still around. This is however something of an achievement for
this pair who are notoriously poor parents having lost every
member of their previous 2 clutches. The other hatch was 6 from
a previously very successful pair adjacent to the creeks at the
south end of the dam. The female and ducklings have not been
seen for a while however but the indications are that she may
have taken them back up into the creeks where her previous
clutch was raised. The male meanwhile has stayed on the dam
having paired up with a new young female.
Elsewhere, our most successful pair on the top dam would appear
to be nesting once again as are the lower lake south end pair
whose juvenile has recently fledged. A new young pair has formed
at the north end of the lower lake and may well have started
breeding. If this is the case this will signify a distinct new
territory which will bring the number on the lakes and wetlands
up to 6, a likely maximum carrying capacity for these areas. We
have recently picked up another pair at the south end of the
valley which contains some excellent habitat but as yet have
been unable to identify them.
Other individual birds continue to come and go in the regularly
monitored areas of lakes and wetlands with some birds not being
seen for many months at a time, there being plenty of
opportunity to secret themselves away from view. The 3 juveniles
fitted with transmitters continue to be picked up although only
one is regularly seen in person.
We have recently begun to reduce the amount of supplementary
feeding provided in our main breeding territories and it will be
interesting to note any alteration in productivity or
visibility.