Sunday 29th October 2023

it seems like a long wait

​Hello friends and family.
  The season has begun! We got the first pip on Thursday and those chicks will be off to the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital on Tuesday. Go well young penguins!
The weather has been great – fine during the day and rain at night – if not for the wind, all would be perfect! The team did the rounds on Tuesday and then went to the Bluffs for a picnic lunch, to celebrate Bronwyn’s coming of age. I was up and away by 6:30am on Wednesday for a bit of maintenance at Dunedin hospital. It is dramatic, but not painful.

multi tasking

​On Thursday, we split into 2 teams, I fed the Juvie at the Moeraki colony and others checked the nests here at Katiki. Then we were off to collect the rental car for delivering the chicks to the hospital. It is an Outlander, like mine so fit for purpose. It rained over night and there was snow on the foothills.
It was great to see our vet, Pauline on Seven Sharp on Thursday evening. You can see her here. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/seven-sharp/episodes/s2023-e185
Watch from 8:25 minutes to 12:04 minutes. 

the cold front

The trip down to the point for the Hui on Friday morning was very cold with bitter wind from the south. However, the Marae was warm and the catering superb. I have eaten out 3 times this week! While Robbie and I were at the hui, Jan did the rounds and found another nest with pipping chicks. It seems that the first trip to DWH will have 4 chicks. On Saturday morning, National Geographic ran the story about avian Malaria https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/when-birds-get-sick/ We are the second story.

​Yesterday the team attended a talk about local geology. We certainly live in a great place.
Have a great week!
Rosalie