This gallery contains 9 photos.
Some pictures and notes from Liz Norquay (MRS Secretary) of the workday on Sunday July 3rd: After frosty start the day was glorious – sunny and flat calm. What a relief it was to have a day without weather worries! … Continue reading
The Annual General Meeting of the Motuora Restoration Society was held in the St John Ambulance Hall, Silverdale on Sunday 29th May 2016. As both Ray Lowe and Kit Brown, the long-serving Chair and Secretary of the Motuora Restoration Society, decided to step down from these roles during the past year John Stewart was formally elected the new Chairperson and Liz Norquay the new Secretary. Roger Harker was newly elected to the committee and Les Buckton, Colin Cordes, Kevin Hawkins, Helen Lindsay, Lakshmanan Nataraj, and Bruce Ross were reelected.
John Stewart, as acting Chairperson presented the 2015-16 Annual Report. A pdf copy is available here: Chairperson’s Report
The AGM concluded with Manu Barry presenting information about Duvacel Geckos.
All members and contacts on our database are reminded that we need to update your details so please reply to our letters and e-mails. You can renew your membership or join the Society by e-mail: mrsadmin@motuora.org.nz or write to us at:
Membership Secretary, PO Box 100-132, NSMC, Auckland, 0745
Manu Barry talking about Duvacel Geckos at 2016 AGM
Will be held on Sunday 29th May 2016
at 1:30 pm
St. John Ambulance Hall, Silverdale Street
Silverdale
*The officers of the Society comprise the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary, and the Constitution calls for at lease two other committee members. Nominations for all these positions will be accepted by mail, to be received by Thursday 26th May 2016. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor of the meeting. All nominees, proposers and seconders must be financial members of the Society.
After the formal part of the meeting, there will be a presentation about reptiles on Motuora by Dr Manuela Barry of Massey University.
Motuora 2004
Motuora 2012
Early pohutukawa flowers greeted the 27 people who ferried to Motuora for the last workday for 2015.
It was warm and overcast and a little light rain failed to dampen the spirits of the MRS members and volunteers who worked to help clear tracks, improve the fencing to protect shore skink and gecko areas, selective weeding and pricking out carex seedlings.
Ray Lowe, retiring MRS Chairperson, and Kit Brown retiring MRS Secretary, erected an information sign at the gannet viewing site. Some 20 gannets are nesting, one chick has hatched and there appears to be at least 3 birds sitting on eggs.
Chris Green from DoC and the Auckland zoo team briefing MRS members about the translocation of Wetapunga.
Chris Green co:ordinated a team from the Auckland zoo in transporting and attaching 100 bamboo huts inhabited by half grown wetapunga to branches in established forest.
Labelled bamboo houses containing half grown wetapunga ready for attaching to trees on Motuora
This is the fourth translocation of wetapunga to Motuora and tracking data provides evidence that previous populations have successfully bred a further generation of wetapunga so it appears that the zoo breeding programme and the lack of predators on Motuora are key factors in helping this species to survive.
Ben from Auckland Zoo and Liz, MRS Committee, attaching a wetapunga house.
Nattu, MRS treasurer, attaching bamboo wetapunga house.
The first ever fluttering shearwater chicks have hatched on Motuora as a result of a sound attraction programme on Motuora. John Stewart, MRS Chairperson, and co:ordinator of the seabird translocation programme assisted by Kay Milton banded the month old chick. The other chick was only 10 – 16 days old so was too small to band.
The first fluttering shearwater to hatch on Motuora about to be banded by John Stewart current MRS chair.
John briefing volunteers and MRS members about establishing fluttering shearwaters on Motuora
The first fluttering shearwater to hatch on Motuora about to be banded by John Stewart current MRS chair.
The second fluttering shearwater to hatch on Motuora.
A gallery of photos from the November 2015 Motuora workday, click on image to see full size:
Kowhai
Despite a threat of heavy morning showers 19 people assembled at Sandspit for a workday trip to Motuora. We skimmed over a calm sea as gannets arrowed from on high into the sea near a pod of dolphins. It was warm, heralding spring, an impression reinforced by the breeding plumage of the 2 pairs of New Zealand dotterels scampering on Home Bay as we landed and the abundant brilliance of kowhai and manuka blossom.
A pod of between 6-8 dolphins spent the morning circling Motuora. They too seemed to notice that spring had arrived. (Click on images to view full size versions).
In-fill planting was completed on two sites by many of the volunteers while Ray and Kevin planted posts to hold signs indicating the date when trees were planted on Motuora. The threatened heavy showers never eventuated.
Ray and Kevin using post ram
Signpost dating forest planting
