The Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance (PFWRA) and South Titirangi Neighbourhood Network (STNN) recently hosted a hui at the Titirangi Beach Hall with a focus on 'Making your backyard count'.
STNN shared their suppression plans for the south Titirangi peninsula. International expert Elizabeth Bell developed the plan for STNN who launched a pilot project in October with the view to expanding the reach over time. The pilot project includes 90 households and four reserves with 60 bait stations, 30 rat traps and 4 possum traps deployed on a 100mx100m grid. Their goal is to reduce rodents to 5% residual trap catch index. Since October, their efforts have seen 640 rats caught and 5 possums. The response from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, and the results to date look very promising. Watch STNN's presentation here.
Dr David Seldon's talk on Waitākere Ranges Terrestrial Arthopods showcased insects and the amazing work they do. Helping our backyard insects includes removing insect pests, like wasps and exotic ants. Also on the list of pest insects is the honey bee! But please note, he doesn't advocate the killing of honey bees. Watch his presentation here to learn more. David would like to advocate for a shift in attitude and awareness towards insects. They are truly amazing!
PhD Candidate Michael Fox took us on a journey through his research on Grey-faced petrel/ōi relating to mainland restoration efforts. Local trapping is delivering excellent results for these birds, and the hope is that the Waitākere Ranges could see the return of species such as the flesh-footed shearwater, black petrel and fluttering shearwater. Watch Michael's presentation here. If you live in the Waitākere Ranges or Muriwai, please consider assisting Michael in his research by filling out an online questionnaire that explores residents' knowledge and attitudes towards native birds and their conservation/restoration. Click this link for the survey.
Kim Frakes wrapped up proceedings on the day with a talk on BirdCare Aotearoa, our local wild bird hospital based in Green Bay. Kim spoke about the intensive needs of tiny chicks who have very specialised diets that continue to change as they grow. The key takeaway for those finding fledglings in their backyard was to leave them as their parents will usually be nearby. If they are clearly in distress, don't feed them, bring them to BirdCare Aotearoa instead. Regrettably the camera battery died during Kim's talk, but please have a look at their excellent poster linked here on what to do if you come across a fledgling in your backyard. The hospital delivers an invaluable service to our community. They are currently running an urgent appeal to be able to keep offering this service. Have a look at their fundraising page here.
