 Time to go - chicks leaving the soft release pen Hello friends and family, This has been a full-on week. On Sunday morning I went down the hill only to see 2 small boats with about 8 people harassing Hector’s dolphins. The people were young and selfish, but our protected species deserve better. I reported them. Monday was my birthday, so I was treated to chatting with the family and yummy food. Older but just as hedonistic!  looking for the ocean The team came out on Tuesday morning, and we did the rounds. We found about 6 penguins going into the moult at great weights, so we left them to get on with it. We found 2 under 7 kgs so brought them in. One was Mrs. 297, and she was with her partner, so we brought in the pair. Guess who lines up first for extra fish? It does not matter. She needs help and can get it with her mate happy in care. We took 9 chicks to soft release, leaving only 3 here at the lighthouse.  a visiting adult female sealion We got a call about a penguin at Kakanui, so Robbie spent a lot of time looking for it. He found one – a starving adult Hoiho from Stewart Island that we could not save. It has gone for an autopsy.  two of the last to leave The busy times continued on Thursday. It was great to release the Little penguin down the hill where we found it. It took off to sea very quickly. Robbie picked up Mr 17 from the Wildlife hospital and then we found 3 more penguins needing help at Okahau. One was on the landing waiting for us.  Having a day off now the kids have left home The rest of the team went off to the Bluffs and I stayed with Elaine who was doing the bloods. It is so helpful to know more about why these beautiful birds need help. Jan brought back 2 penguins from the Bluffs. One of them was perched out in the full sun, on the cliff face. When she got here, she did not want to get out of the carry cage!  almost ready to go - just another kg required On Friday evening, we picked up our first failed fledgling. It was one of ours, a natural fledge from Okahau that is already feeding from the hand. Have a great week! Rosalie   New feathers and ready to go today - our first juvenile moulter of the season Hello friends and family, This week started out a little differently – we had an injured penguin come in down the hill. Someone saw it, told someone else who called DOC. DOC left me a message and so after closing time, Jan and I went down and rescued it. It had a slash wound to the belly, so on Monday morning, Dave and I took it down to the Dunedin Wildlife hospital.  The remnants of the gull population after the chicks were predated by Black backed gulls We did the rounds on Tuesday morning, noting the chicks that had fledged and checking on the rest. We were treated to a display by a pod of Hector’s dolphins in the bay. I counted 6 of them.  At the scruffy stage of the moult Most of the chicks were fine and we only weighed a sample of them to ensure they were okay. We took 6 chicks to soft release at Okahau and Robbie opened the door for the chicks at the Bluffs. The crested penguin we have in care dropped feathers to reveal white cheeks – it is a Tawaki!  The Tawaki (Fiordland ) crested penguin On Thursday the team was joined by Environmental officers from the Waitaki District Council and the Otago Regional Council. Both were very encouraging and supportive of our work. We rescued an injured penguin that was taken down to the Wildlife hospital. We took the opportunity to say farewell to Dave with a picnic lunch at the Bluffs. 4 more chicks were taken there for soft release.  The little penguin is making good progress Friday was the day to catch up on the parked chores and get ready for Saturday morning when I drove Dave to the airport. I also picked up the Kawariki chick from the OPERA so it can be released here. Jan has come out to help with the afternoon feeds for the last 2 weeks – such great support! Have a great week! Rosalie  chicks creching in the reserve Hello friends and family. Once again, the weather gods smiled on us at the start of the week, and then left us to a very mixed bag! Tuesday was the first big day. We had 25 chicks to catch and weigh, were a man down and had to bring 3 of them into care for Malaria. We did very well, managing creches of up to 6 chicks who are averaging 6kgs and have hardened beaks. The first chick had fledged on Tuesday.  The erect crested penguin We picked up our first Crested penguin on Sunday. It was found by a dog – no human would have seen it. It is an Erect Crested penguin, starving in the moult, and settled it quickly. It is not well, hiding in the dark and not feeding from the hand.  A pied shag. We are seeing these more often with no Spotted shags here Wednesday was Toptip day and Dave came along for the experience. It was a slow but steady morning, and the afternoon was grey. On Thursday, the first 4 of the chicks went to soft release. Robbie and Murray took them down, along with two vets from the Wildlife hospital. They get very few chances to see the penguin habitat and it was great to see them. One of our chicks was in their care for over 5 weeks, so it was nice to be able to show them the progress the chick has made.  The first 4 chicks in soft release On Friday I had an appointment in Dunedin at 9:15am so it was an early start. I fed 29 penguins in 17 minutes! It was another grey day, but we took the scenic route home anyway. It has not really warmed up much since! Have a great week! Rosalie  4 of the 8 chicks creching in the colony Hello friends and family, Our fun in the sun continues. On Monday I took Dave to visit some local spots, including the Boulders, and the team came out on Tuesday to do the chick weighing here. The chicks will fledge in the next few weeks, so it is time to measure their heads. This is to get an indication of gender. We could not find 2 of the chicks, Chick 42 has been missing for 2 weeks, chick 90 was seen in the weekend.  ready to run On Wednesday Dave and I went to Oamaru in the morning to stock up on essentials and went via Kakanui to show Dave the coastline. We got home in time to get a message that we needed to drop a parcel off in Palmerston, so took the opportunity to visit Anderson’s lagoon – no needy penguins, but a nice flock of Spoonbills!  Spoonbills with pied stilts in front Thursday was the turn of the Okahau chicks to be weighed and measured. The chicks are holding their weights rather than getting heavier. I went down after dinner to look for Chick 42 again and found him where he used to be. His mum was faded and scrawny – she would be lucky to tip the scales at 4kgs. I brought the chick in to give her a chance. Friday and Saturday were ruled by the weather. It was wet on Friday and windy on Saturday. Jan came out and helped with the afternoon feeding and locking the gate. On Friday night at about 11pm, a group of 4 young men came out in a souped-up saloon and did damage to the entrance way. Patrick was on to it, and it was all soon repaired. We heard the perpetrators, but the guy next door, rabbit shooting, saw them.  first juvie well into the moult We have 28 penguins in care. The first of the chicks will be going to soft release this week. Have a great week! Rosalie |
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