 family groups are rare as more fish are needed On Sunday I was lucky enough to be visited by several people. First to arrive was Hiltrun who quickly set out on the rounds as she was delivering an injured Little Penguin to the Wildlife hospital on her way home so had to leave early. Next was Jill and her family. Jill had been a great help here in 2008 and had written a book about it. While she was down the point, Adrian Hall arrived with his family. I sent them off down the hill while I gave Jill a cuppa, and then gave them one when they got back.  another creche of pups enjoying each other's company All the while Elaine was working on the slides, staining them so we could read them. After all that, Monday was quiet. Jan and Robbie came for the rounds on Tuesday morning but Robbie had to take an injured YEP down to the wild-life hospital, so Jan and I finished the rounds together.  Zzzzzz On Wednesday it was a day for admin, filling out forms for funding so we can keep doing this work.  A juvie that will need help is not good at hiding We were back out in the reserves on Thursday, weighing the chicks at the Moeraki colony. All were over of the 5kg mark but there was one that we could not find. They fall asleep in odd places at this age and that results in a search which may or may not find them. We will keep looking!  Zzzzzzz The rain arrived on Friday, much needed and very welcome. I was able to carry on with the desk work guilt free. Yesterday we were able to locate all of the chicks in the colonies. The oldest chicks are reaching 90 days old so it is time to measure their heads and send the first ones off to soft release. Have a great week! Rosalie   fresh out of the morning shower Hello friends and family This week the team focus was on the 70-day-old blood screening of the chicks. We did Katiki Point colony on Tuesday morning and were concerned to see some chicks losing weight. We brought one into care that had lost 700g and have a plan for intervention should the pattern continue.  The heron is now free. On Monday, Dan and I climbed to the top of the hill at Trotter’s Gorge. The last 50 m was rock climbing – not my area of confidence but I did it anyway! By Tuesday afternoon we had 9 chicks in care. On Wednesday I released a pair of heron chicks that had been orphaned when their tree was cut down. I put them in a sheltered place so they don’t have to contend with coastal breezes.  how to be taller than the baby The team was ready for action again on Thursday and so we did the blood screening at the Moeraki colony. This resulted in one new chick in care that had lost weight. The weather was glorious, and the team saw around 8 Hector’s dolphins off the island.  finding enough shade After setting the blood slides and freezing the samples, Dan and I headed south. We had dinner at the Ironic café and I dropped Dan off at the airport. To make this easy, Robbie came and fed the hospital chicks. It was 27 degrees at the Dunedin airport – I do appreciate our sea breeze that kept us to 20 degrees.  Home from the plane window, by Dan Yesterday I got a call about a stranded penguin on the beach down the hill. "There is a little penguin on the beach below the stockades, there are people drinking in the carpark and their kids are down here throwing rocks at the seas lions!" I explained I could help with the penguin, but the rest was beyond my control!  Jan's Pohutukawa in full bloom Have a great week! Rosalie  The family is on the move under the watchful eye of a parent Hello friends and family The week began with a quick trip to the Dunedin Wildlife hospital with a chick that had a hot foot. Sure enough it was a bone infection and hopefully we caught it in time. At the same time, I picked up our female and she was very pleased to get home and see her partner again.  Glorious Pohutukawa The team completed the micro-chipping in this colony on Tuesday so we only have 2 chicks left in the field to microchip on Thursday.  A younger, still fluffy pair of chicks The team completed the micro-chipping in this colony on Tuesday so we only have 2 chicks left in the field to microchip on Thursday.  mixed cropping in the garden No surprizes – one pair of chicks had lost 1kg in a week so they came in. We don’t know why their parents have stopped feeding them. It does happen but it is good to know that both parents are alive. Then we picked up 3 chicks that had reached 70 days old and had new parents. They have done a great job, but 2 of them had lost 300g in 2 days.  Feeling the heat By Friday afternoon, 3 of the 5 were feeding from the hand. It is a juggling act between fear and hunger. They have never seen a fish before, but we are patient with them until it all works out.  It is cooler in the shade Hiltrun came up yesterday and did the rounds. All chicks in the colonies are doing well. Have a great week Rosalie  all chipped and weighed Hello friends and family Summer is here and it is great to have open windows and no flies. On Tuesday we were joined by Patrick and began micro-chipping the chicks. They are so close to creching that it is timely. Many are over 5Kg and rapidly losing their fluff.  oh, so grown up! Penguin chick fluff is interesting stuff. It seems to be able to defy gravity and have special magnetic properties. The outcome is that we get fluff in our mouths, noses and everywhere else. It surfaces for the rest of the day and washing only makes it cling on more. Fortunately, by next year, we will have forgotten.  pair bonding Wednesday was our day to go to town in the morning. It was very warm and glaring so in the afternoon we went for a walk in the Herbert forest. The tui calls were amazing and we saw a bellbird and 2 robins.  trying to look bigger than the chick On Thursday, micro-chipping the chicks in the Moeraki colony was our focus. We did 17 of them in short order. The heaviest was 5.9 kgs. One hid from us and we had to go back to find it. Robbie moved the webcam back to the path so there will be more to see there.  the seal pups are creching Friday was a quiet one as we got ready for our weekend break. We were on the road by 8 am and off to Wanaka. First stop was morning tea with Walter and Therese in Clyde. We were greeted by them and their quails, tuis and bellbirds.  much admired Then it was off to the orchard in Cromwell and then Wanaka. The generous Judge let us stay in their Wanaka house so we were able to spend the afternoon enjoying the lakeside and the magnificent trees in the area. We had take-aways on the deck for dinner and then an early night so we could be up early to climb Roy’s peak.  Stunning beauty all around Dan and I reached the car park at 5:40am and made our way to the famous photo spot about 1 km before the summit. As we arrived, clouds rolled in – maybe a sign that we should go back? I rested there while Dan did the summit.  I made it! This morning I am fine, but he is stiff and sore! Have a great week Rosalie  Happy New Year Happy New Year friends and family I enjoyed my Christmas day, visiting Anderson’s Lagoon and Jan in the morning and then just chilling in the afternoon. The weather was glorious, and I always enjoy catching up with Dot and the family.  what do I do next? On Monday morning I uplifted the chick that I had been feeding at the nest for 6 days and discovered that it had not been putting on weight in that time – I was the only one feeding it!  getting that fluff under control I brought it in then, for company for the young chick that came down from Christchurch. They both spend most of their time sleeping. So far, so good. On Tuesday Robbie and I did the rounds and neither of the parents were home – they were probably both hungry.  nearly as big as mum! All went well for the rounds on Thursday, and I picked Dan up from the bus in the afternoon. On Friday we dressed the front windows in the lounge. Last night we went to the tavern for tea and puppysat Roxy, Jan’s dog, who has taken a shine to Dan.  ready for sunshine and flies! Today we will go to the Bluffs and cut the vines off at least one tree! Happy New Year Rosalie |
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