August Newsletter | www.nbr.org.nz

August 2010 Leader Column

We are still getting big numbers of Native Wood Pigeons sent to us, I would like to remind people if you find a Woodpigeon on the ground it means that it is in trouble. Never leave it there with the hope it may fly away, if you can walk up to it that tells you it’s in big trouble. The sooner we get the Bird the sooner we can treat it and get it back to you for release.

At this time we have 14 Native Pigeons recovering at the Centre. We are going through 20 kg of corn and 4 kg of peas about every 7 days so thanks to those that have been sending in donations, it has really helped. I would also like to thank those who have started monthly automatic payments, when you start to get a few of these it really adds up and helps the Birds that are recovering in a big way.

It looks like we are going to get very busy next month as we have received a baby thrush already! Most years we don’t get our first Thrush of Blackbird Chicks about the end of September.

Of the Giant Petrels that were in the Advocate, one has died and the other was released. I took the one for release out to the Dive Tutukaka Team so they could release it at the Poor Knights. Its very funny watching the reactions of the people going on the dive trip. One trip they wanted to let the Petrel walk around the deck, I watched the Dive boat go past the breakwater and could hear the laughter from those on board as they all sat with their legs on the seat so the Petrel would stop playing with their feet.

The Skipper was telling me that one they released some time ago was following the divers around trying to catch the bubbles on the surface.

We are just about ready to start our new web site which is looking really good and we will be able to offer many more services.

A few days ago I visited the 60s up group, I took Sparky the Kiwi along and had a really nice afternoon with them, once again it was the first time most had ever got that close to a live Kiwi.

We are setting up one of the rooms that we have not been using in the Information Building, this will be our new vet surgery. There will be a viewing window so you can have a look at what we are doing with some of the Birds. This will be good for Education, once finished we will be able to help many more birds. It will cost about $5.000.00 to convert the room so if you would like to support this project send in your donation and let us know its for the new surgery. We will put a thank you plaque on the room with all the names of those who have donated to it for all to see.

Robert and Robyn Webb.

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Feature Bird

Woof Woof

Woof Woof was our semi-tame Tui, he would sing and if you were patient he would talk back to you too. He would often startle visitors with his very deep male voice -- an exact match for centre manager Robert Webb.

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Snoopy

“Snoopy” our one legged North Island Brown kiwi died on Wednesday 20 June 2007. Snoopy was 15 years old and had lived with Robert and Robyn Webb at their home since he was only 3 months old.

Snoopys death was a real shock for Robert and Robyn as Snoopy was like a member of their family. Snoopy would call out to them when they arrived home at night and wait to be let out on the grass to probe for worms and grubs. The Webb’s have not had a holiday in years as they couldn’t just leave Snoopy with anyone.

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Sparky

Sparky will now follow in Snoopy’s foot step and take on the role of Kiwi ambassador travelling around schools and other public forums to promote wildlife conservation. Sparky is another one legged kiwi who lives at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre. He came to the Centre as a young bird in 2002, his leg injury was also caused by a “Gin trap” that had been set on the ground to trap possums.

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Story of an egg

Fertile eggs are recovered from the burrows of wild kiwi approximately 45 to 50 days into the 75 day incubation. Incubation, hatching and rearing of the young kiwi is completed in captivity.

Of all the kiwi hatched and reared in the wild only 5% make it to adulthood. Most of the 95% of birds that are killed, die within the first 6 weeks of life. Many of these birds are killed by predators such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, ferrel cats and roaming dogs.

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Bitty the Bittern

“The neighbour phoned me to come over and have a look at this strange looking brown and white bird. She said it was trying desperately to get into her chook house!”

Mr & Mrs Gregory rushed next door and immediately recognised the bird as a young Bittern. Bitterns fledge at 7 weeks (approx.), somehow the “teenaged” bird must have got lost and decided that any type of bird was a good bird to hang around with – even the chooks.

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Royal Albert the Albatross

On 24 December 2005 a Southern Royal Albatross was picked up from Ripiro Beach near Glinks Gully on the west coast of Northland, New Zealand.

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Gone wandering

This bird was found on Ninety Mile Beach by surfcasters on Friday 23 April 2007. The albatross was transferred to a small bird centre in the Far North. The bird was very skinny and they could not get him to eat so they sent him to us at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre on Monday 26 April 2007. It appeared that the bird had been caught in the recent storm, battling gale force winds from the east and he was absolutely worn out, unable to stand or hold his head up.

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Kotu the white heron

The white heron had flown into the back yard of a family in the Ruakaka area where he ate all the fish in the goldfish pond. The family let him as they were so amazed at having such a beautiful visitor. They could also see that the bird had an injured left foot and was not weight bearing on that leg.

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Little Blue Penguin Moult

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Morepork Chicks Too Hot In The Nest

The 2010 / 2011 chick season has seen quite a number of Morepork chicks come into the Centre. Robert Webb, Centre Manager, says that the very hot summer conditions are the cause of the problem.

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