Well, the last month has been a whirlwind! In not particular order:I had a great day with a class from Berhampore school in Wellington. We travelled out to Kapiti Island as part of the Experiencing Marine Reserves programme. When we first got there, it was too rough to snorkel, but we got to walk over the island, seeing many kinds of native birds - kaka, kereru, weka, whiteheads, robins, tui and more - such a treat.
In the afternoon it was a joy to take the kids snorkelling. To listen to them trying to talk through the snorkels was a hoot! Eagle rays glided beneath us, paua were glued to the rocks. We looked at the feet of the kina, waving amongst their sharp spines. What was familiar to me was new for them - it was a great day!
I spent half a day at Red Rocks in Wellington with Rachel Clausing, a Fullbright scholar from California. She has a neat project looking at introducing nutrients to the intertidal area, and looking at the effects on growth and abundance of seaweeds and shellfish, such as limpets. She is doing a parallel project in the Channel Islands off California. On this day she was lucky enough to have the assistance of other VUW students in setting up and surveying the stations.
On Mount Taranaki, with DOC heroes Dean and Lyn, we walked up the Manganui Stream and located a female Blue Duck or Whio, that was wearing a transmitter. We caught it (carefully) in a net, removed the transmitter, weighed it, inserted a microchip ID and released it. What a beautiful little bird! It was pleased to be set free, and was happy to be without the transmitter too
As part of a symposium with other Fellows, we got to visit the Marine Education Centre in Island Bay in Wellington. Victor and Judy presented a programme to students from Scots College. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and after a talk against a great backdrop, they scuttled over the rocks, looking at the critters and plants in the rockpools.
One of my projects is to develop a monitoring programme at the Tapuae Marine Reserve south west of New Plymouth. We are hoping to compare the size and number of paua inside the reserve, with those outside the reserve. Finding a survey technique that works is a challenge!
One of DOC's jobs is to respond to calls from the public about environmental concerns. In this case, a fur seal was on the beach at Ahu ahu Road beach, and there was concern about its health. Callum had a good look at it, and was satisfied that it was happy and healthy enough, and we left it in peace! I have felt spoilt, excited and motivated by the opportunities I have had, and I have been asking LOTS of questions!
Hello Pat. Interesting to see Blue Ducks (whio) being micro chipped as a means of identifying them. I'm very mindful from time spent trout fishing on the Tongariro River that these ducks need all the protection they can get. I had the novel experience of close encounters with two of them while fishing on that river. Standing in the corner of a small pool (about the size of a bathroom) there was a circular backwash of water going round and round in it and I was in the middle casting out beyond that. I was intrigued to see two Whio coming down with the current and into my little pool. They went round and round in it, underneath my fishing rod, at times within arms length of me as they grovelled away in the stones and weed. At times you could have touched them. After 2-3 minutes they left with the current going further down the river to where another fisherman was standing. All of a sudden there was barking and ducks exploding into the air as the fisherman's terrier made a dash for them. The dog missed, but it highlighted how vulnerable such ducks could be where dogs are not controlled in the back country.
ReplyDeleteBob Rosemergy