 I would rather be busy! Hello friends and family I love windy days – no mosquitoes! We have had a few windy days lately. Last Sunday morning it was calm, so I tackled the weeds at the Moeraki colony and in the process, passed a nest box that had been empty and there were 2 penguins in it. Always the optimist, I went back the next day and found one penguin with an egg. On Tuesday we checked the nest, and yes, the egg is real, and the mum is the young female from the south end who was yet to lay. She has abandoned the 3 keen suitors down that end and has laid her egg under the Pohutukawa tree with an older male.  The Red -billed gulls have eggs On Thursday we were joined by Michelle who is working on fundraising for us. It is an unenviable job that someone has to do, and her efforts are essential and very welcome.  Yes - the Spotted Shags have chicks Hiltrun and Elaine came yesterday, and we began the candling process. We tested the eggs from 11 nests. All but one egg looked fine, so we are hoping for good fertility, in spite of the many divorces and new partnerships in the reserves.  Woolly whispering The weather was glorious and the car park full. I wonder if the visitors know of the tragedy unfolding as they walk around.
Have a great week Rosalie  And the wait continues Hello friends and family The miserable weather continued onto Tuesday. I was spending time indoors but everything in the garden was growing – I had to cut the lawns on Tuesday afternoon – this is becoming a habit! The penguins are now very settled. On Tuesday we checked them for ticks and found none. They are focused on incubation and as they are all in nest boxes, the wet weather does no harm.  Spring cleaning - 16 sterilized water bowls Wednesday was a hint of summer – glorious. I did spring cleaning with good cheer and in the afternoon, I planted the carrots and beetroot. After the rounds on Thursday, Robbie and I planted another 8 cabbage trees and so slowly but surely, the tree pen here is emptying out. It is still very dry but rain is forecast.  A moulting Leopard Seal The rain arrived on Friday night and Saturday was glorious. I did the rounds in the morning and went to the working bee at the top tip in the afternoon. The unusual activity of the week was going to Kaik 2 and photographing the Leopard Seal that was beached there. They are now considered residents of New Zealand – they can’t be living off penguins here – there are not enough of them!  A snoozing juvenile YEP Have a great week!
Rosalie  Possible logo for tee shirt Hello friends and family We have our numbers for the new season – 20 nests here at Katiki and 17 at the Moeraki Colony. Of the 20 females here, 14 were rehabilitated last season and 6 made it independently. This is down 3 nests from last year. One female moved to the Moeraki Colony, one died, and one has gone missing – presumed dead. There were no new recruits here. At the Moeraki colony, 10 were rehabilitated including 3 new recruits, one yet to lay and 1 who disappeared, presumed dead. 9 made it independently and 3 disappeared, presumed dead. 17 is one down from last year.  And so the wait begins We have finally had some significant spring rain. This meant juggling our penguin work to fit in with the weather. Tuesday and Thursday were busy with monitoring and other jobs on the list. There were 6 of us here on Thursday dodging showers.  A group of seal pups I even went out twice in the evenings this week – once to a show in Hampden and once to dinner in Moeraki. My tomato plants are now in the hothouse as are my seeds for the garden. The lawn is growing so fast, I even scared away a pair of ducks enjoying some spring growth.  The Red-billed gulls have arrived home. A new fence has been built out the front and currently the truck is parked in the carpark as the gateway has wet concrete. Wet day – empty shed – maybe it is time to sort out bee boxes!
Have a great week Rosalie  Practicing for the future Hello friends and family Gavin was with me for the first half of the week and the weather forecast was dicey, so we made the call to do our cycling adventure on Sunday. Robbie joined us and lent me a very nice ebike. We set off inland and left Gavin’s motor home on the side of a country road north of Omarama. We then piled into Robbie’s car and drove to the canal at the back of Twizel.  Beautiful Lake Ohau We set off on the bikes at around 11 am and followed a sealed road to Lake Ohau. That was great as I had a chance to get used to the ebike on the easy surface. We then left the road and biked around Lake Ohau on the Alps to Ocean trail. I had never been there before, and it was magnificent. The weather did not disappoint either. The next stage was a 400 m climb over 10 kms which was where the ebike came into its own. This was followed by a very steep and rough decent, back to the motor home. We cycled 54 kms and I loved every minute of it.  Queen of the hill On Monday the expected cold snap kept us indoors and on Tuesday, our working bee day, we did the rounds, Gavin and Robbie installed the first fan for the enclosures and we planted 50 Swamp Ribbon-woods donated by the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust (Thank you) at the Moeraki Colony.  cherry blossom in the garden On Wednesday we had an easy day and Gavin left after lunch to have dinner with Hamish in Christchurch. Thursday was working bee day and we did the monitoring rounds in a bitterly cold sou’wester, but Friday was balmy and so Jan and I did the coast walk. It was very quiet, but we did see 2 juveniles.  It is good to look up - clematis in the reserve Yesterday we found 3 new nests which brings our total to 34.
Have a great week! Rosalie |
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