Sunday 17th September 2017

Feeling very poorly

​Hello friends and family
Monday and Tuesday were cold and showery so I spent time in the hothouse, potting up Cabbage Trees. Wednesday dawned much better – the wind had dropped and there was some sun so after a busy morning at the Top tip shop, I decided to finish off treating the bees. All the hives looked good, the weakest one was the one here.

An Oyster-catcher photo bomb

​After completing the last hive, I was feeling very pleased with myself and got in the truck to leave the Lighthouse hills apiary when I got stuck. My all-terrain tyres decided that they did not extend to soft paddock so I took the practical approach and began to walk home. Fortunately, Doug from next door was on his way to the woolshed and rescued me and my truck with his very awesome tractor.

Seal pups keeping each other warm

​He had to tow me all the way to the top of the hill as I could not get traction on a slope. Luckily, I do not have to go back until early November! On Thursday, I picked up the sharpened chainsaws from Owen and gave some tree Lucerne plants to Nadine and Robyn. This will free up space for the Cabbage tree seedlings.

Seals and penguins happy together

​ But Friday was the big day – we found 3 nests at the Moeraki colony with their first egg. It was a day for the females to stay in the nests at both colonies. We found 4 two-year-old females, about to breed for the first time. 3 had been rehabbed for their first moult and one had been rescued as a pre-fledge chick too. That means that of the 4 potential new nests, 3 needed assistance along the way.  Both the three-year old female and the four-year old female were at home and looking fantastic. Our hopes are high!

Such a beautiful egg

Have a great week
Rosalie
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