Tūī with brown plumage

 

A brown tūī was reported in Rototuna and has been frequenting a feeding station that backs on to Tauhara Park. Apparently, this is not all that uncommon as Neil Fitzpatrick from Landcare Research says that it’s pretty much identical to tūī that have been regularly seen around Whatawhata since at least 2006 when he photographed one. There were at least two individuals with that colour abnormality present at the same time, and they have been seen for such a long period that I think there have been several generations. Perhaps this one is related.

There are a few colour abnormalities similar to this (e.g., leucism, progressive greying,) but I think these tūī are all examples of the unimaginatively named “brown” mutation (defined as a qualitative reduction of eumelanin). In many birds this is more often seen in females, and all the tūī I have seen like this were female.

Aerial footage of zone 3

 

For those living on the Zone 3 section of the gully (up to Gordonton Road) will be well aware of the clearing in preparation for planting and track building that is going on. One resident, Jason Lee, has captured a valuable historic aerial view of this at it’s very early stage. One thing it does not show is how wet and boggy the gully floor is.

Here are links to two You Tube clips. They are basically the same just two different directions.

Gordonton Rd to Keswick Cres Path

https://youtu.be/mXte8HT1jvU

 

Keswick Cres Path to Gordonton Rd

https://youtu.be/C19AGK91s6I

Reports of large wētā

 

We have had two reports on the exceptionally large size of wētā seen in our gully of late. This will most likely be because they are growing larger (and living longer) without the rat predation that has been around previously. To be fair on rats (if you want to be fair on rats) they are not the only predator on wētā. Cats (yes, your moggy), hedgehogs and possums also give them a hard time.

Wētā have been around long enough to see dinosaurs come and go and to evolve into more than 100 different species, all of them endemic to New Zealand. They have become icons for invertebrate conservation in New Zealand because many species are threatened or endangered although not the tree species in our gully.  This does not mean we shouldn’t look after the environment that supports them though.

Wētā hotel / motel are popular and a lot of fun to have in trees in the gully behind your property if you are lucky enough to live on a gully edge. You can make your own (search on google) or you can buy one from Go Eco located in Frankton, Hamilton for around $30. 

pdf Library additions

 

We are currently having technical issues with the pdf Library link. We lost our hosting site as they no longer accept pdf files. The files are now sitting on google drive however this does not give instant access for those not registered. We are currently looking for an alternative. 

If you have accessed the pdf Library link in the past you may have to clear your browser cache to get into google drive.

Settings - clear browsing data - cache. 

Two documents have been added to the pdf Library

 The Planting Register by Species 2021 from this planting season and Step Building DOC specs on step building, depending on how steep the bank is, as to the type of steps that can be built. These specs are suitable for a surprisingly steep bank, but it does have it’s limits. The steeper the bank the narrower the tread. Once the bank gets too steep for this design you would have to look at floating steps where the tread is flat, and you step on the boards. If too steep for that you are looking at a ladder fixed to the bank and that is very steep!

Another tip on building the DOC specs steps, is make sure that after installing the first side plank that the second side plank is not going to be left floating with little or no ground under it.