Number 55 December 2004

This newsletter is produced RARE BITS primarily as a vehicle for THE NEWSLETTER ABOUT THREATENED SPECIES WORK information exchange between departmental staff found no sign of rats on Campbell, it involved in threatened species was decided to go ahead with the recovery and ecological reintroduction of the teal. A restoration programmes. In FEATURE ARTICLE reintroduction plan was written by recognition of wider interest, however, “Rare Bits” is also Richard Maloney and Philip Seddon, provided to non-departmental and recommended releases of groups on request. The From Pete McClelland, approximately 50 birds for three newsletter’s informal style years, with follow-up monitoring. may occasionally lead to Southern Islands Area Office misunderstandings for some of those readers. Views Mt Bruce and Peacock Springs expressed by the authors are Campbell teal returned produced 28 birds, which were not necessarily those of the home Department of Conservation. supplemented with 22 Whenua Hou birds. The erysipelas scare following After an absence of nearly 200 years, the death of three female kakapo put Contents Campbell Island teal finally made it the transfer at risk, but following Feature Article back to Campbell Island, when 50 protocols advised by Brett Gartrell Conservancy News were safely released on the island in (Massey University) and Richard Northland September. After their rediscovery in Jakob-Hoff (Auckland Zoo), the issue Auckland 1975 on 26 ha Dent Island was overcome. Richard was involved Waikato (approximately 3 km off the coast of in the transfer; feeding the birds in the main island), 11 birds were transit and carrying out sampling for Tongariro/Taupo brought back to the mainland in baseline disease screening on East Coast/Hawke’s Bay 1984 and 1990. The first breeding Campbell. Wanganui occurred at Mt Bruce in 1995, and by Wellington 1999 there were sufficient numbers The captive and wild birds were Nelson/Marlborough to release 12 birds on to Whenua collected at Invercargill where they Canterbury Hou / Codfish Island. These birds were loaded into individual purpose- West Coast bred in their first year on Whenua built crates, and put on board the Otago Hou and were supplemented by ship for the 40 hour trip to Southland another 12 captive birds the Campbell. The birds were all tube- MCU following year. At this time the fed before departure and 12 hourly eradication of rats from Campbell during the trip (which was shorter was still in the planning phase and than usual due to reasonably kind the Whenua Hou population were a weather). backup in case of a disaster on Dent. Once on Campbell, small individual Following the eradication of Norway pens were erected with a shelter and rats from Campbell in 2001, the swimming bath. The birds were held reintroduction of teal became a in these pens, under the dedicated priority. When a check in 2003

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 1 of 19 care of Helen Gummer, until they successful transfer of 12 Laysan reached an acceptable and stable ducks from Laysan in the Hawaiian weight for release. archipelago to Midway Atoll; this is a big step in safeguarding that Birds were then released in groups at critically endangered species. the selected sites in Perseverance Information learnt from both Harbour. This occurred between 8– transfers will be used for future 12 days after arriving at the island. waterfowl work internationally. Some birds appeared very predator naïve after release; this changed PS - the first sentence of this note is within 48 hours, with birds staying not technically correct as a single under dense cover. male teal had found its way to the main island from Dent, and had taken All birds had transmitters attached, up residence in a 6 ft lake — a swim allowing most of them to be located of approximately 20 km (and no I every 2–3 days. While some stayed don’t think he walked overland). close to the release site, others This bird was first seen by Ian dispersed over more then 5 km. More Turnbull (Institute of Geological and surprisingly, some went considerable Nuclear Sciences) in April and was distance up hill — in one case over 1 still alive and doing well in October. km up a steep stream to an altitude However basic biology tells you one of 187 m. The trip ended with all male doesn’t really count as a birds having been monitored for at population. least 14 days post-release and all appearing to be doing well.

Another trip goes down in February CONSERVANCY NEWS to check survival and breeding and it is the results from this trip that will guide future management. NORTHLAND

Thanks to everyone involved in the project, from those who brought the teal back, to all the staff at Mt Bruce From Richard Parrish & who have worked so hard on this Emma Neal species. Thanks also to all those involved in the preparation for the Hochstetter's frogs reintroduction, and the team that were fortunate enough to be on hand Hochstetter’s frogs (Leiopelma when the release took place. A hochstetteri) are being translocated special thanks to Dr Murray Williams from a stream in the Brynderwyn (Science & Research) who has been Hills (40 km south of Whangarei) closely involved in this project since which is being infilled due to repair the rediscovery on Dent nearly 30 of State Highway 1. years ago. Between 26 October and 7 Also of interested is that the November, we searched and found Americans have just carried out a 28 frogs in the affected 100 m of the

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 2 of 19 stream. We were initially expecting a Park; however an intensive predator maximum of 10 frogs, so were control regime occurs in a larger pleasantly surprised to find so many coastal margin area from Whananaki from a severely degraded stream. north to Teal Bay. With the 2004 More intensive search methods were breeding season drawing to a close used rather than the usual procedure (November), we can report that of only lifting rocks. there was only an average reproductive effort this year. The Because the downstream stretches radio-tagged adult female sample regularly get inundated with floods suffered losses to dogs, mustelids off the road, oil washing off and and unknown causes in May, August debris washing in, we have moved and September; reducing the sample the frogs to other nearby (<500m) from 26 to 21 birds. There have been streams (all on the top side of the 28 breeding attempts from 27 pairs; State Highway). The release sites of which 15 have a radio-tagged have all been marked; preliminary female. results show that every frog released has frogged-off. Monitoring will be It is still a little too early to evaluate carried out downstream to see if the overall brood survival from these frogs there survive the works above breeding attempts; many of them are them. still making it through the 10 week phase until fledging, at which time On top of the fill, a rock-lined they will be banded and 20 of them concrete drainage ditch will be targeted for attaching transmitters. created, which we hope will appeal As a snapshot, five nests produced to the frogs. We will be monitoring 32 chicks, with six of those surviving to see if frogs migrate into the area to fledging. at all, and hopefully we can tell if they are frogs returning home or whether they are frogs migrating up from down below. AUCKLAND

We are very interested to see the results, as Transit NZ are planning Bec Stanley and Thelma other works on the hill and every Wilson single stream there is occupied by frogs. If our methods work, then we can do the same, if not, then we will Kermadec Islands have to look seriously at other options such as putting them into Purely in the interests of saying we captivity or using them to establish a got there first… on 18th October new population. several DOC staff were hanging over the bow of MV Southern Salvour as it approached Raoul Island looking at Pateke/brown teal the dolphins and humpback whales welcoming us to the island. The Outcome monitoring occurs for the skipper had assured us the dolphins Northland pateke recovery would pick up the ship a few programme Mimiwhangata Coastal Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 3 of 19 kilometres off Hutchies Bluff, which The Raoul endemic karo they did. (Pittosporum aff. crassifolium) seems to have suffered a higher As for the species? Well they weren't degree of habitat loss than most common dolphins and they didn't plants on Raoul, with the coastal really look like bottlenose either, so habitats preferentially modified by lots of photos were taken to see settlers in the past. In addition it has what the experts back in NZ been browsed by goats and its seed thought. It would appear that they taken by rats. The recovery of this are Fraser's dolphin, never before species seems very slow but we are recorded in NZ waters; but we were hoping the removal of rats will help. pipped at the post by the Air Force, who photographed them while out Fairy terns patrolling in early November.

Fairy terns have once again While at Raoul Island, Richard commenced nesting at Papakanui and Griffiths and Thelma Wilson spent Pakiri. Wardens and local volunteers two days on the Meyer Islands are undertaking trapping to protect collecting DNA samples from nesting birds. The local school pupils kakariki in order to clarify if they have produced signs to educate differ from Macauley Island kakariki. visitors about not disturbing the With kiore eradication planned for birds, and are actively taking an Macauley Island next year, more interest in what is happening on the information about the birds is beach. required to resolve points raised in the resource consent process.

The recovery program of the WAIKATO endemic Raoul hebe (Hebe breviracemosa) is progressing well, with an increase in the population From Jason Roxburgh, Andrea size from 1 plant (in 1997) to 80 wild Brandon & Pim de Monchy adults (of a total of 116 wild plants) today. This increase is mainly the result of new discoveries of wild Pateke populations. In addition, there are 109 hebe planted at various sites on The pateke released at Port Charles Raoul. in May are doing very well. Since the release we have lost three birds to Kermadec groundsel (Senecio vehicle kills, one to starvation, and kermadecensis) is now arguably two to predation; leaving 37 of the rarer than the hebe, as it only grows 43 released alive and well. We've on the Meyer Islets offshore from found two unmonitored ducklings Raoul. It once grew on Raoul itself, dead; one from predation, the other but appears to have been caught in a Fenn trap. There are outcompeted probably by a Mexican several broods about, ranging from daisy Ageratum houstonianum. 1–8 weeks old, and at least another three nests on the go.

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November. In the Waikato No cats have been caught for the last Conservancy, plants are found at a two months, and the cat control now small number of sites in the covers the whole Port Charles Kauaeranga Valley, inland from catchment (nearly 3000 ha). Thames. A total of 135 plants were found, 36 of which were flowering. This is an increase on the numbers of Moehau Kiwi Sanctuary plants found at the same sites last year; 102 plants were found, of At Moehau Kiwi Sanctuary, 12 chicks which 18 were flowering. haved hatch since 1 October. Four of those are Operation Nest Egg Quarterly monitoring of the (ONE) birds which were released at Nationally Endangered coastal cress four weeks of age. One chick was (Lepidium oleraceum) on an island found dead from an unknown nest near the Coromandel Harbour, (cause of death unknown) and one detected a steady decline in numbers has dropped a transmitter. All others over the last two years; the total are OK. population now stands at 69. Two

years ago the population reached its We are still trapping very low highest number of plants ever numbers of stoats and are looking recorded on the island, when 93 forward to another good year for the plants were present. Ongoing kiwi. Ian Westbrooke (Southern monitoring will continue to Regional Science Centre) came to determine whether the decrease is Hamilton recently to present his part of a natural population population model for kiwi, and fluctuation, or whether active together we came up with an management is required to assist estimate of 11–15% annual increase survival of the species at this site. in the number of kiwi at Moehau.

And the sun is shining! A new population of the Nationally Endangered Hebe speciosa was dotterel census established by translocation last month at Te Toto Gorge Scenic The October national NZ dotterel Reserve, on the west coast of the census was a great success on the Waikato Conservancy. Plants were Coromandel, which saw numbers sourced from the sole existing increase from 176 in 1996 to 272 in Waikato Area population which is 2004; an increase of 55%. The located a little further down the coverage of beaches has also coast on private land. Further widened, and the main flock site at plantings are planned to augment the Matarangi had over 100 NZ dotterel new population over the next two in the last flock counts. years. We are monitoring the success of the initial plantings, which were placed in a range of microsites and Plants subject to different ground The annual survey of the Nationally treatments, to assess optimal Critical greenhood orchid (Linguella conditions for future translocations puberula) was carried out in at this site.

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BAY OF PLENTY this year, occurring in September rather than in January as in past years. Furthermore, significantly higher rates of possum browse on From Paul Cashmore, Bridget live mistletoe plants were found Evans, Keith Owen & John when comparing the January 2002 Heaphy and September 2004 survey (the only years that FBI data was available). Cooks scurvy grass Many monitored plants had also died over this period, so could not be A recent check was made on the used for this analysis. This appears to Lepidium oleraceum population on confirm that the causal agent of the Karewa Island. The population on decline recorded over the past 5 the island has spread further from years is most likely to be possums seed sowing over past couple of browsing mistletoe plants, mainly years and appears to still be during the winter months. increasing in size; a good sized population is now present on the mistletoe island after many years of only six seed translocation plants surviving. In September, several hundred more Mistletoe monitoring Tupeia seeds were planted along the sunny northern side of Mokoia Island In late September, staff spent three on fivefinger trees, in the hope of days in Whirinaki Forest Park establishing the species on the monitoring existing mistletoe plants island. in the Rogers-Mangakahika-Moerangi areas of the park. Results of this A quick check on the Ileostylus seed foliar browse index (FBI) monitoring planted in July revealed that some confirmed trends recorded in seed had disappeared from the previous years; of 27 Peraxilla branches, with a few seeds dry and colensoi plants monitored regularly most likely dead. since 1999, 20 (74%) were dead, 2 (7%) were unhealthy (<50% foliage Mokaihaha Ecological Area cover) and 3 (11%) were missing (experience strongly suggests these No pest control was carried out this are dead or nearly dead). Only 2 (7%) breeding season. However an adult of plants were still healthy (>50% kokako census was completed in foliage cover). This widely spread September to assess the success of sample of P. colensoi shows a 15% pest control undertaken during the average annual death rate over the 5 previous three years. year monitoring period. This monitoring shows the ongoing The most recent survey report, from decline of P. colensoi throughout the the 2000/01 season concluded that silver beech forest areas of the park 27 kokako were present in the where there is no possum control. operational area (848 ha). This year’s The timing of monitoring differed survey showed that the population

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 6 of 19 had increased to 54 individual birds although with a number of unbanded (23 pairs, seven singles and one sub- birds it is difficult to establish just adult). The operation has now how many birds have changed ceased. pairings.

Currently there are 13 nests with Rotoehu Forest eggs, all due to hatch in mid- November. One nest has already An aerial 1080 poison operation failed, being found with an infertile using carrots took place over a 440 egg. Observations made during ha area of the Pongakawa Ecological earlier visits noted that the female Area in October as part of a wider was being harassed by magpies, operation undertaken by Kaingaroa which may have caused the Timberlands in adjacent pine abandonment. plantations to control possums. Jeff

Hudson has been employed to Two volunteers and staff are assisting monitor the adult kokako population; Richard; their work centres around results so far indicate that no birds home-range and habitat monitoring have been affected. using radio telemetry tracking tools, and will start once the juveniles have Mokoia Island fledged. Richard has also set up bird count transects in different age Two of the four kiwi on Mokoia classes of pines, subject to differing Island have dropped their control regimes, to determine how transmitters, and will be re-caught in this effects numbers of falcon avian early 2005 to attach transmitters. The prey species. two that have been monitored are looking healthy and seem to be holding territories. We hope to Matakana Island release a kiwi chick or two on Currently there are 38 pairs of Waitangi Day 2005, if they can be Northern New Zealand dotterel being sourced from Whirinaki Forest. monitored on the island, with 36

eggs and 14 chicks. To date, kiwi surveying in the Lakes Area has shown that kiwi are either absent or in very low Katipo spider survey numbers in this region, as no calls have been heard thus far. A survey is currently taking place along the coastal dune systems in the Conservancy. To date very few New Zealand falcon katipo spiders are being found; several were located on Matakana Richard Seaton (Massey University Island. Phd student) is continuing his study of NZ falcon at Kaingaroa Forest. All of his last year’s nest sites (21 nests) have been re-visited in an attempt to relocate last season’s pairs. Many of the pairs have changed partners,

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TONGARIRO/TAUPO The Whanganui has 14 pairs and 14 singles. Of the birds we have been able to visit, four pairs are nesting, however we have yet to find actual From Nic Etheridge & Nick nest sites. Singers

Conservancy-wide whio Central North Island Whio distribution survey Project We are currently in the final throws We are in full swing, monitoring 32 of planning a Conservancy-wide pairs and 21 single birds on the survey of whio, in order to establish Whakapapa, Whanganui and if the population is increasing, stable Mangatepopo rivers, situated within or has declined regionally. Tongariro Forest. Pairs have started nesting and are either incubating The key areas of the survey are the eggs or have young chicks on the Kaimanawa’s, Tongariro River and its river. The season has been 2–3 tributaries, western and southern weeks later this year; 17 pairs have rivers flowing from Mt Ruapehu, been found nesting to date, however Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. The we expect to find more this month. Department is working with the

Tongariro Natural History Society, a We are monitoring nine pairs and community group, who have a two single birds on the Whakapapa; dedicated volunteer organising the surveys last year counted 10 pairs. logistics of the survey. The Six of the currently monitored pairs Department is providing local have nests. One of these nests has information, technical advice, recently been deserted or the female undertaking surveys and is has been lost on the nest, this is responsible for the Health & Safety unconfirmed at present. Egg shell component of the project. fragments have been sent away in an attempt to understand what Currently we have secured funding happened to the egg. The female has from DOC and Environment Waikato; not been seen for sometime and it however we are waiting on a appears the male has adopted a response from a local pub charity paradise shelduck chick. The other which would make all the difference. five nests have yet to be located. In addition, we are supported by the

Central North Island Blue Duck On the Mangatepopo we are Trust, Enviroresearch Ltd, Chain and monitoring nine pairs and five single Rigging and the Symphony Group. birds; seven of these pairs are nesting. Four nests have been The survey will run from December located to date. We are still to March, focusing on counting the searching for the other three. Of number of individuals and measuring those four nests found, one nest has productivity. This data will be seven eggs, and three pairs have compared to that collected in the class one ducklings. past. We hope to make the surveying

a three yearly event, in order to Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 8 of 19 establish trends and identify other Road Pittosporum turneri key populations to protect. populations was undertaken by Jo Meys, with help from Robyn Whymand and Ang Pagent. All Plants populations are healthy, which it not surprising since possum numbers are Threatened plant work has generally still below 2% residual trap catch. been quiet with only a small amount Many plants at all populations are of work occurring. The Ruapehu now heavily flowering. A historic Area biodiversity team spent a day in Pittosporum turneri site (1947 from the Paramanawera Bog undertaking Rangataua) was searched by Petra vegetation clearance to enhance the Specht and Nick Singers; no P. swamp greenhood orchid population turneri were found, only juvenile there. At sites where orchids were pokaka imitating its appearance. found and marked two years ago, However, a wetland at this site three 10 × 10 m plots where cleared, contains abundant Isolepis fluitans while three plots were left intact. growing in a small stream. This work has been initiated following the successful use of this An incidental threatened plant method in increasing swamp discovery of Ranunculus macropus greenhood orchid abundance at was made at the Waihaha wetland, Tangiwai Bog. These plots will be west Taupo. monitored in summer and may be cleared again next winter depending on the regrowth. EAST COAST/HAWKE’S With the help of the Tongariro Natural History Society, the Ruapehu BAY team spent a day caging approximately 60+ dactylanthus plants in Tongariro Forest. Over 300 From Wendy Sullivan, Tamsin plants have been caged in this forest Ward-Smith, Dave King & Brian in the last 3 years. Dix

The Tongariro Natural History Society has been busy building a Kiwi small nursery to propagate The Waikaremoana kiwi project is threatened plants and to help restore away to flying start this season, with threatened plant habitats. Many nine monitored birds laying 17 eggs hundred seedling Pittosporum between them in their first clutches. turneri were collected from beneath Because of nest desertions, six kiwi parent trees at Kuratau and are now eggs or chicks were being cared for growing in the nursery. These will at the Westshore Kiwi Facility in be planted back at the site where a Napier. All are doing well, apart from historic mill site occurred, but which one chick, which upon hatching was is now tall broom and rank grass. highly disfunctional; it would not

feed unless force-fed, and was Annual health monitoring of the hyperactive both day and night. Kuratau, Otamangakau and Kappors Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 9 of 19

Unfortunately it died very young and captivity. The female recovered in an anorexic state. In addition, one quickly and was released nine days chick was preyed upon prior to it later, while tests showed the male being brought into the fold of our had campylobacter, tapeworms and 1500 ha stoat trapping area. aspergillosis. He is currently being However, the remaining 10 eggs or rehabilitated at the Massey Rescue chicks that we know about are doing Centre. well, with five chicks running about happily in the forests of The remaining 22 females and 14 Puketukutuku Peninsula. males were released on 10th September. Ten birds had tail- There have been five nesting mounted transmitters attached and attempts from kiwi pairs in Boundary were monitored weekly. Stream this season. Four of these nests were from “first time” pairs, Two weeks after release, four but none have been successful so far. transmittered saddleback were found Two kiwi were killed in August by a dead following a week of extremely ferret; one was an adult male who cold southerlies which brought snow was killed in his nest containing two to the higher parts of Boundary eggs (one fertile but died later, and Stream. Necropsies of two birds one already dead). Both of these found they died of aspergillosis, a deaths were on the reserve common fungal disease that can perimeter. become fatal when the bird is under stress. One bird had a broken neck, but mammalian predation was ruled Saddleback transfer out. The fourth bird was too decomposed to necropsy, but no In late August 2004, 40 saddleback obvious signs of predation were were captured on Cuvier Island for found. translocation to Boundary Stream

Mainland Island, an 800 ha A survey six weeks after release intensively managed reserve in estimated 21 birds present, giving a Hawke’s Bay. The birds were 57% minimum survival rate. There screened for disease on the island; are five known pairs that are unfortunately initial results were courtship feeding, but none are positive for salmonella. Due to the known to have attempted to nest. difficultly in testing and treating salmonella, which could take up to 30 days, the saddleback were Kokako – Boundary Stream transferred to Auckland Zoo. The Mainland Island retested samples returned positive for citrobacter, a common harmless Following three years of aviary bacteria which mimics salmonella. confinement, the last two captive kokako pairs were released in The saddleback were then driven to August. All released birds have been Boundary Stream. Two males died monitored within the reserve, with through complications in transit. none dispersing outside. One male and one female were too sick to be released and kept in Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 10 of 19

There are four known pairs, two WELLINGTON juvenile females, and one un-paired female. There have been no further losses after an adult male and From Tony Silbery juvenile female were found dead in July, immediately after heavy snowfall, with signs consistent with Fish predation/scavenging by a rat or stoat. The pairs have been monitored Staff visited Lowes Bush Scenic closely and two nests were located Reserve to monitor the mudfish by mid-November — a month earlier population in the reserve and survey than last breeding season when these some of the drains close by; fish birds were still in captive aviary were found in the reserve, but not in conditions. the drains. Monitoring using newly developed protocols will begin next year. A promising wetland in the Kowhai-ngutu-kaka eastern Wairarapa was searched without success, but another survey The infestation on Clianthus will be undertaken next year maximus reported in the last issue turned out not to be sawfly larvae; a huge relief. The problem was caused Bats by a number of species which included the relatively common Preparations are underway to kowhai moth. Caterpillar samples capture pregnant short-tailed bats which had been sent to two from the Tararua Ranges so that their authorities for identification offspring can form the basis of a new apparently did not include the single population on Kapiti Island. animal that was provisionally- identified here. The infected plants Kokako were dosed with insecticide and are now recovering. Monitoring of the birds released at Pukaha/Mount Bruce has New Zealand dotterel commenced. The first territories have been mapped out and possum Gisborne Area contributed to the and ship rat numbers are at low national census, and found a marked densities, so we wait for the first increase in numbers. However, nest nest reports (eagerly!). failures are still unacceptably high, with harriers and spur-winged Kiwi plovers featuring highly as predators, in addition to the usual run of Another release of three birds into predators. Pukaha / Mount Bruce has been undertaken, to complement the five residents. The new birds are behaving in much the same way as those that were released last year. Monitoring of the first release shows

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 11 of 19 that the birds have still not moved NELSON/MARLBOROUGH more than a few hundred metres from the release sites and that over the past months all but one have From Mike Ogle, Cathy Jones, developed distinct home ranges. Ian Millar, Mike Aviss, Steve Another release (a single male) is Cranwell & Peter Gaze planned for December.

Ginko toothed whale Plants

Clayton Ross found one of the rarest A very wet winter has held water whales ever to wash up on our levels high in most of the swamps, shores — a ginko toothed whale. and made spring time monitoring of Only 20–25 have ever been found wetland species impossible without worldwide; and this is only the diving. second one to be found in New

Zealand. The entire carcass, Olearia gardneri seed collected relatively fresh, was freighted whole from cultivated plants has now to Wellington. germinated and the resulting plants will be ready for planting in autumn. This will be the first time that a Invertebrates "second generation" of Olearia gardneri has been produced; all Recent monitoring of plots shows other plants coming from seed taken Rhytida oconnori, a Nationally directly from the wild. Endangered terrestrial snail, continues to decline and is in urgent The Dactylanthus Recovery Group need of protection from predators; held their meeting at Mount Bruce, the main culprit is likely to be rats. and visited the Alfredton On the other hand, sustained possum Dactylanthus site. Even their many control through aerial applications of keen and experienced eyes did not 1080 is starting to have a very add new individuals to the total, pronounced benefit for many which remains in single figures, with Powelliphanta populations in the species highly threatened. Golden Bay.

Last but not least (not by a long A farm subdivision saw the shot!) - community fundraising and Department gaining land sponsorship have raised $558,700 for encompassing all of Council Cave. the Pukaha project. So far kaka, kiwi The invertebrate values (including and kokako have returned to Spelungula) of the cave have been Pukaha/Mount Bruce forest, and protected by fixing a gate to prevent dactylanthus has been found growing public access. naturally. All these will benefit greatly from the levels of pest Bryophytes control that the project has been able top achieve. In October Shannel Courtney and Cathy Jones attended parts of the

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John Child Bryophyte workshop in species into other nooks and Golden Bay, to begin the process of crannies have so far proved getting up to speed with our unsuccessful. threatened non-vascular plants. A survey for Gingidia enysii in Clarence Reserve was successful. Translocations This work has provided Brian Molloy with material to check DNA and A year after approximately 80 tuatara ascertain whether the entity there is were translocated from Stephens the same as that growing further Island to Whakaterepapanui, we south in Canterbury. Nearly 400 were able to check on some of these plants were counted in the limestone animals; most were in good area where it had been sighted condition with some adults having several years ago. When returning increased significantly in weight. over the Kahutara Saddle from the This trip also saw the release Clarence, we saw good numbers of elsewhere on the island of the 350 Epilobium brevipes, which is juvenile tuatara that had been raised currently listed as Range Restricted. from eggs at Victoria University and We had also found good numbers for as youngsters at Nga Manu Sanctuary. this species in March in the upper Unless our prediction of what makes and middle reaches of the Clinton good tuatara habitat is horribly River, so it may be less threatened wrong, these animals will flourish on than originally thought. this island.

Half of the 40 Hamilton’s frogs Black-fronted terns transferred from Stephens Island to Nukuwaiata in May have been Monitoring of black-fronted tern recaptured; all of which were in nesting success on the Wairau River good condition. began in early November. With the aid of a Science Advice funded We aren’t so sure about the success project, efforts are being made to of a tit transfer to Maud Island; it’s determine the fledgling success of early days and they can be difficult! this population.

Four colonies are being monitored; Threatened plants approximately 70 pairs in total. A high turnover of nests has been Inspection of Pachycladon "Chalk observed, with in excess of 150 Range" recently showed plants monitored. Nest failures were due to looking healthy, with many a range of factors including predators increasing in size but no sign yet of and abandonment. Time lapse video flowers for this season. Cages will be used to gain some insight into fastened to the cliff face have the causes of nest disturbance. One survived the winter and are looking of the four colonies is also receiving as good as new. Excitingly, there are predator control and is being a couple of new seedlings growing monitored to gauge if the trapping under them which have arrived there results in an increase in fledging naturally. Attempts to seed the success. Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 13 of 19

remaining chicks are subsequently Pressures on braided river habitat are being hand-reared by Darren Page, continuing to increase in Isaacs’ resident hand-rearing expert. Marlborough, with the proposal for a After an initial slow start and a brief significant hydro scheme on the period of illness, the chicks are now Wairau. Information obtained from doing well and gaining weight. If all this black-fronted tern monitoring goes well they should grow up into will provide an important basis for healthy adult birds. determining the effects of such a scheme. Further breeding is also going on with two other pairs of orange- fronted kakariki at Isaacs. One pair (Windy-wings and Noah) have laid CANTERBURY seven eggs and are now feeding six chicks; another pair (Dazza and Bindi) are incubating a currently From Jack van Hal unknown number of eggs. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they continue their good work and that Orange-fronted kakariki both pairs manage to fledge all their chicks without further assistance. The orange-fronted kakariki team are Egg and chick collection from the pleased to announce that breeding wild has been put on hold to give the has commenced both in captivity and captive birds an opportunity to breed the wild. We are currently on a high, and see what they can produce on after a few rough winter months their own. during which a number of the captive juveniles died. These special Two nests have so far been located; parakeets are certainly not easy to one in the Hawdon Valley and one in raise in captivity! the Hurunui. Both these nests are protected with tin wraps and a ring Following the last Rare Bits story and of Fenn traps at their base. It is quite a couple of bird transfers to and from early in season to be having nests Te Anau and Christchurch, the first already, especially at the chick stage. eggs were laid by Valentine and Further searches will continue and Arthur in Te Anau in late August. all nests found in the wild will get Unfortunately after four eggs were this same nest protection treatment. laid, Arthur mysteriously died and the eggs had to be artificially With rat numbers on the rise, the incubated at Burwood Bush. The Hawdon predator control regime has "supermum" foster parent at Isaacs geared up a couple of notches. Staff Wildlife Centre (Christchurch) have been busy putting out extra bait fortunately came to the rescue again, stations and adding extra bait bag and her eggs were swapped with the lines to the valley, in the hope of orange-fronted kakariki ones. But curbing the rising rat numbers. A fate stepped in once more, and she very intensive and busy time for all abandoned the nest after three eggs staff involved! hatched (one was infertile). The two

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The orange-fronted kakariki team has Tracking tunnel lines and trap recently acquired three temporary catches suggest stoat numbers within nest scouts for the summer season, the sanctuary are relatively low. after Petrina Duncan's departure in However, the annual rise in stoat October. Searches for further nests numbers is yet to occur and only will continue throughout the coming time will tell whether the current months, for as long as the parakeets trapping regime can keep predators continue breeding, and hopefully to a low enough level this season to many more will be found and allow survival of sufficient chicks to protected. If all goes really well, the sustain the population. captive breeding pairs will fledge all their chicks successfully and re-nest This year’s ONE component of the before summer's end. project targeted five specific pairs. We hope these pairs will produce five viable eggs for transfer to the Kiwi and Birdlife Park in WEST COAST Queenstown. So far we have had mixed results. The first successful ‘lifting’ was of a chick which was From Patrick Liddy & Chrissy taken to the park in early October. Wickes The second pair produced a healthy egg and this has been transferred to the park for hatching. The third pair Haast tokoeka sanctuary bred in a very deep burrow and the egg could not be retrieved, instead it The 2004/05 Haast tokoeka breeding will be transferred when it has season is well underway and rather hatched. No signs of breeding have busy, with 10 chicks known to have been detected from the fourth and hatched from 20 confirmed nesting fifth pairs. attempts (some nests are still underway). There are seven chicks This year Centre Island in Lake Te with transmitters on them being Anau was chosen as a crèche site for checked once a week. The other Haast tokoeka; the first chick was three chicks can be accounted for as taken there in mid-November. The follows: one Operation Nest Egg chick weighed 400 g and was (ONE) chick and two which have described as feisty. Te Anau staff will died, possibly from predation. monitor this bird and it will stay there until it is over 1 kg, at which At night, staff are using cameras set time it will be big enough to defend up at burrow entrances to watch for itself against stoats in the Haast chicks to emerge from several nests; Tokoeka Sanctuary. transmitters are to be attached to these chicks. Daytime breeding checks continue in order to detect Okarito rowi any further breeding attempts. It is expected that all nesting will have This breeding season nine rowi finished by the end of January. chicks have hatched in the Sanctuary and there are six nests still going, with possibly more to come Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 15 of 19 depending on whether many renest. exciting threatened species records Four of the chicks have been taken were made. Most collections are still to Motuara Island in the Marlborough to be analysed, but on the plant-front Sounds as part of Operation Nest Egg we have confirmed records of (ONE). This year five pairs have been Myosurus minimus ssp. novae- selected for ONE and the plan is to zelandiae, Myosotis pygmaea var. take a maximum of five chicks up to glauca, Pachycladon cheesemanii, Motuara Island. The chicks will then Carmichaelia crassicaule and be returned to the Okarito Sanctuary Senecio dunedinensis. The fish team once they reach over 1 kg. The five report good numbers of Galaxias chicks in the sanctuary range from depressiceps, including records up to 4–6 weeks old. There has been no 1200 m just below melting snow predation of chicks as yet and rat and banks! A find of moa bones were stoat numbers are low compared to discovered at much lower altitudes. recent years.

Kauru longjaw galaxias

OTAGO The fish team have also been out doing the required monitoring at seven permanent stations on the Kauru and Kakanui rivers. Numbers From John Barkla of fish seem consistent with that seen in previous years, but a full Catlins rat control analysis has yet to be completed.

It's all go at the Operation Ark site in Staff are also doing preparatory work the Catlins. We received money for with the Otago Regional Council on a stoat control but while in the study to look at the impacts of process of preparing an operation moving a small section of river plan, issues concerning rats arose; an channel in order to prevent flood observed doubling of rat abundance damage. occurred between the start and end of October. Additional funds were Pete Ravenscroft has been working at secured for rat control leading to a another longjaw site in a spring-fed big planning effort for a poisoning stream adjacent to the Kauru River operation in two discrete areas with which is heavily impacted by cattle. highest mohua densities. A team is He's liaising with the landowner to now on the ground implementing see what restorative actions can be that plan and getting baits out. taken.

Tenure review Hunter Valley bird survey

This season’s high country tenure The large braided riverbed of the review has kicked off with a survey Hunter Valley at the head of Lake of six properties on the Rock and Hawea was surveyed at the beginning Pillar Range. Despite gale force of November by Wanaka Area and winds and several snow falls, many Conservancy Office staff. Five

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 16 of 19 surveys have been carried out since only recorded from the Dingle Valley 1969, and it was last surveyed in in Otago. 2000. There are mixed trends for the five indicator species (black-backed gull, banded dotterel, black-billed gull, South Island pied oystercatcher SOUTHLAND and black-fronted tern). Numbers of South Island pied oystercatchers showed quite a drop this survey From Dave Crouchley, Brent compared to previous surveys. Beaven, Sarah Thorne, Andrea Banded dotterel numbers were down Goodman, Kerri-Anne Edge & a little, but a large population is still Brian Rance present. Black-fronted terns continue to increase with a steady rise from 38 in 1969 to 186 this year. Black- Takahe Programme backed gulls appear relatively stable. Black-billed gulls have declined The 2004/05 takahe breeding season dramatically from 581 in 1969 to just is now underway. The resident 12 in the last survey. This trend is breeding pairs at Burwood have also evident in the nearby Makarora nested and eggs are now being catchment. Wrybill numbers were incubated. Some have already well down, but this may be an hatched, with three chicks so far. artefact of slightly reduced survey More eggs are expected to be laid in effort this year. the next few weeks. The snow on the Murchison Mountains has been melting rapidly over the last couple Operation Ark Wakatipu of weeks, which is good for the takahe that will also be starting to Barry Lawrence from Wakatipu Area nest there. has been preparing a strategic plan for the stage 3 site in the Dart/Caples Valleys, where the aim is to provide Kiwi protection for mohua and blue duck. A budget has been submitted for Kiwi monitoring in the stoat trapped consideration. and non-trapped blocks of the Murchison Mountains is progressing, with some chicks having now Pittosporum patulum in the hatched and several birds still Young Range incubating. Last week the first sign of stoat predation was picked up Wanaka Area and Conservancy Office with one, possibly two, chicks staff took the opportunity recently to having been preyed upon in the non- check out a record of Pittosporum trapped area. patulum received from the Young Range between the Makarora and Hunter Valleys. This was confirmed Whio and represents a western extension in its Otago range. It is otherwise The first of this season’s whio ducklings have hatched in the

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Operation Ark site; 10 ducklings predator-free Ulva Island, and have hatched from two broods in the hopefully will result in a breeding Clinton and Arthur Valleys. A further population establishing on Ulva. three nests are currently being Stewart Island fernbird/mätä are monitored in the Arthur and Cleddau listed as Nationally Endangered; and we are hoping that more will establishing safe island populations follow. At least two juveniles from of this species will help guarantee its last year are nesting. future on Stewart Island.

Skink disease screening

Dr Brett Gartrell (Massey University) has spent four days on Stewart Island disease screening skinks. This is preliminary work toward a skink transfer to Ulva Island in January 2005. Ten common skinks were caught at the Old Sand Neck and screened. Brett has confirmed the presence of a new species of protozoa from two of the skinks. Ros Cole and Dave Agnew tagging a fernbird/mätä. (Photo: Sarah Thorne, DOC) Successful fernbird transfer

Thanks to sponsorship from the Ulva Recent plant surveys Island Trust and lots of hard work by DOC, a new population of Stewart A survey of additional gullies on the Island fernbird/mätä have been south-western slopes of the Blue established on Ulva Island. Mountains failed to find any more Carex inopinata, however Olearia fragrantissima, O. lineata and Tupeia antarctica were all found. In the Pourakino Scenic Reserve, Ranunculus ternatifolius, Coprosma wallii, Melicytus flexuosus, Olearia lineata and Peraxilla colensoi were all recorded. In the Glenure Scenic Reserve Carex inopinata, Olearia hectorii, O. fragrantissima and

A Stewart Island fernbird/mätä. Coprosma wallii were all found. (Photo: Sarah Thorne, DOC) In addition, a check of a small Carex Two DOC teams caught 30 fernbirds grown in cultivation appears to be from around the freshwater area at Carex inopinata. Once these two Mason’s Bay and transferred them by new Carex inopinata plants have helicopter to Ulva Island. This is the been confirmed, this will increase fifth species to be transferred to

Rare Bits No.55 December 2004 Page 18 of 19 the known sites for this species to only 4–11 of those are breeding nine sites. females!

Last winter (2003) DOC staff Gunnera hamiltonii obtained 12 biopsy samples from translocation nine individuals, and 66 sightings and photos. This winter (2004) has Material from the two female plants been a flop in comparison; only one from the Invercargill area have been biopsy sample has been obtained, translocated to Fortrose Spit. This and only half as many whales sighted translocation will improve the compared to 2003. In 2003, most security of these populations by sightings were in East Cape, Otago, providing another site in a managed Southland and the West Coast. In Crown Reserve. 2004 sightings seemed to focus on Nelson and Northland. Olearia seedling recruitment experiment Auckland University (Nathalie Patenaude and Scott Baker) have Plots have been set up as this year’s carried out mitochondrial and continuation of the Olearia seedling microsatellite DNA investigations on recruitment experiment. Olearia the samples in comparison to the hectorii has ripe seed at the moment Auckland Island and Australian (mid-November) so hopefully we will samples. get some seedlings. The nine mainland biopsy samples have been compared to the 265 known individuals (from a MCU population estimate of 1000 whales) at the Auckland Islands, with no matches. The 30 odd photo From Rob Suisted identification images from the mainland have been compared to the 400+ photo identifications (from a Southern right whale population estimate of 1000 whales) taken from the Auckland Islands, and As everyone should know by now, no matches have been found. we're trying hard to establish the population status of the southern While this doesn't yet answer the right whales (SRWs) that visit the NZ question regarding population mainland. The push has been on to structure, we're slowly gathering the obtain photo identification images information that will. The continuing and genetic biopsy samples to shed support from the public and DOC light on the relationships between staff is vital in achieving this. the populations. If they are separate populations then we estimate that the 'NZ mainland' population contains less than 30 animals, and

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