Sunday 28th February 2021

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