 The last of the chicks -the pair from Aramoana will go any day now! Hello friends and family Harvest season has begun, and we have an abundance of pears, beans, mulberries, tomatoes, capsicums and courgettes. On Monday I harvested and froze broad beans and runner beans. On Tuesday Robbie and Patrick worked in the reserve and Lindsey and I did the rounds. There seemed to be a lot of penguins around, so on Thursday, Lindsey counted – there were 52 adults at home. All but the last 2 chicks in the wild have fledged, we have 3 chicks in soft release and 4 in care.  summer harvest On Wednesday I joined the family, and we rode from Duntroon to Oamaru – 57 Kms of glorious North Otago countryside. I was very pleased with myself, but exhausted! The family returned to the lighthouse on Thursday afternoon and on Friday they rode the Hampden forest track, then we went to the tavern for tea.  Mrs 47 has a puncture wound On Saturday it was time for the family to move on and Deleece and Elaine did the rounds with me. All was quiet in the reserves with no apparent problems. I spent the afternoon relaxing, washing and watering as the big dry continues.  penguin footprints in the hall We picked up another wounded penguin on Thursday. It is Mrs 47 who had a puncture wound to the abdomen, with matching cuts to her back. She is responding well to treatment.  the 207 pair begin the moult Have a great week! Rosalie   A Royal penguin Hello friends and family, We have our first Crested penguin in care – I am not sure yet what it is, it has been pecked on the head by gulls so is now here, safe from predation and making good progress. We have also relocated several moulting, Yellow-eyed penguins.  ready to go The first batch of chicks in soft release have gone – they went on Tuesday, which was a fine day, and the sea was calm. On Tuesday we picked up a penguin with a slashed leg and Robbie drove it straight to the Wildlife hospital in Dunedin. In the afternoon we went to the Bluffs and found 2 of our Juveniles have moved there so we are pleased that they are safe. This was Dom’s last week with us. He spent it working with Patrick to clean up fallen trees in the reserve. He has had many new experiences while he has been here. Thank you, Dom for all your work.  Royal accomodation The family arrived on Wednesday evening and they had called in to Genius homes in Timaru to see the new house. One of the extras that I had asked for was a hand basin in the toilet – that was pre-COVID and I think more people will want to see that feature now.  Lake Pukaki On Friday we went to Riverstone to celebrate my birthday and Pamela, Jen and Olivia visited the castle – they loved it! Yesterday we drove up to lake Pukaki and cycled the north bank which is the start of the Alps 2 ocean bike trail. We rode for 31 Kms and today they are doing the lake Ohau leg that I have done already so I have come home to feed the penguins. The weather was a gift – clear skies, no wind and 30 degrees. I loved it. What will next week bring! Have a great week! Rosalie  2 forest dwellers, soon to leave for the sea Hello friends and family One week seems to run into another these days. Penguins come and penguins go. More penguins are coming home to moult and at good weights which is wonderful. The one in 4 juveniles that need a helping hand through the moult all have good manners because of being in care last season. On Sunday we uplifted 2 underweight chicks from Katiki Beach which brings our total to 60 chicks for this season. We also uplifted 2 adults with slashed feet, both were parents, and they are getting a much-needed rest.  moulting with the seals and a friend We released our first penguins that had completed the moult – a Yellow-eyed penguin and a White flippered penguin. On Thursday, 9 chicks went off to the soft release pen. They are well ready, getting stroppy and not being so hungry. Yesterday we did the bloods from the new chicks and both have high white blood cell counts and Malaria. Treatment has begun.  checking out the neighbour's enclosure Have a great week! Rosalie  Hello friends and family Summer arrived this week – beautiful days and mild nights. The garden is in full swing and the penguins are getting on with business. On Monday we picked up 40 boxes of fish from NZ King Salmon who are generously sponsoring us again this year. This time it involved a trip to Hampden as we collected it straight off a big, 20 m Big Chill truck. On Tuesday we continued with our 90-day health check for the chicks and for the first time, saw some pre-fledglings on the beach. Robbie and Lindsey erected the soft release tent and by the next day, it had its first occupant.  On Thursday we took the first hospital chick to soft release. It needed to go on its own as it is very aggressive towards the other chicks. It was a single chick and had Malaria early on and was treated in the field. On Friday I went to town and bought a new dishwasher. I have been without one for months and the problem was the motor controller, and it would cost $250 for the parts alone so after 6 years of trouble with it, I have now purchased a Bosch single one.  Yesterday when I went to feed the chick, I saw another moulting juvenile and Mrs Flipper bird who should have been out fishing. The chicks on the beach had gone. We have 25 YEPs in care and one White Flippered. Happy days  Have a great week! Rosalie |
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HAMPDEN COMMUNITY ENERGYAUSTIN COMPANY
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