Category: Conservation

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Squandered

SQUANDERED: THE DEGRADATION OF NEW ZEALAND’S FRESHWATER by Dr Mike Joy
SQUANDERED: The degradation of New Zealand’s freshwater by Dr Mike Joy

I was stoked to have helped design this eBook for Mike who is a kiwi ledgend.

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BioBlitz

My son found this albino cockroach on a night walk through Kepa Bush.
My son found this albino cockroach on a night walk through Kepa Bush.

BioBlitz is awesome. I had a great time learning about fungus:
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342538
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342527
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342521
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342520

And had a great time exploring the bush at night:
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342536
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342534
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342531
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342530
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342529
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342516
http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/1342515

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Takahe

I have been helping monitor the release of 10+ Takahe at Tawharanui Open Sanctuary with telemetry gear. It has been fun work, great people and amazing scenery. The birds have also gown on me. Some photos (the number is the channel we monitor them on):

Dampier
Dampier
Douglas
Douglas
Frana
Frana
Joan
Joan
Kiko
Kiko
Pleiades
Pleiades
Tamahunga
Tamahunga
Kikorango
Kikorango
Whito
Whito
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Good Nature Traps

My Good Nature A24
My Good Nature A24

July 23 2014
Installed Good Nature A24 trap

August 6 2014
3 strikes recored no dead rats nearby

September 6 2014
5 strikes recorded no dead rats

November 5 2014
Replaced lure in trap

December 3 2014
Still says 5 strikes, replaced gas canister, tested (6 strikes)

December 10 2014
Gas canister says 7 strikes, no dead rat

December 17 2014
Gas canister says 9 strikes, still no dead rats

Good Nature Test Results

Early test correlates strikes more closely with canister replacement than lure replacement. Bodies may be removed by other predators, tho disposed bodies from other traps on this line tend to stay around. Strike counter checked weekly.

January 23 2015
Gas canister says 11 strikes, 1 dead rat!
Dead Rat

19 September 2015
Reset lure and new canister 3 weeks ago, 3 recorded kills – two rats and one mouse body lying on the ground! So awesome.

13 November 2016
I have had a look at my last two seasons of data and the A24 trap is outperforming my victor rat traps at 4 kills to one just based on the body counts. If I counted strikes (assuming bodies were being removed) then it might be even eight times more effective.

Great product, definitely worth the extra money. Go buy one.

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Worst nest ever

NZ Dotterel nest in the middle of a road. The birds were desperate because the grass had grown too long in the paddock. I fenced the nest but it did not survive.
NZ Dotterel nest in the middle of a road. The birds were desperate because the grass had grown too long in the paddock. I fenced the nest but it did not survive.
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Two things about signs

Graffiti guard is awesome, I just wiped the graffiti off this ACM sign with a glove.
Graffiti guard is awesome, I just wiped the graffiti off this ACM sign with a glove.
These roofing nails with rubber washers work great on corflute signs.
These roofing nails with rubber washers work great on corflute signs.
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My Brothers awesome diet

"Hayden has gone from eating meat from the supermarket to now only consuming "pest" meats of New Zealand. Pest meats are not roadkill, but instead wild, introduced animals which are damaging our native environment; things like deer, rabbits, pigs and goats."
“Hayden has gone from eating meat from the supermarket to now only consuming “pest” meats of New Zealand. Pest meats are not roadkill, but instead wild, introduced animals which are damaging our native environment; things like deer, rabbits, pigs and goats.”

Full article on the NZ Herald

Pest meat! Unfortunately there does not seem to be a market for the rats and Possums I catch… fertiliser?