Anniversary trip

On 15th November members and friends of Motuora celebrated the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Society.   As over 80 people wanted to attend it was ideal to have the comfort of a large cat operated by Kawau Cruises to deliver people to the Island.

After a welcome by Kevin Hawkins and an introduction by DOC Ranger Beth Curran everyone took the opportunity to walk around to their favourite places. 

The party gathered for a sausage sizzle lunch back at the potting shed. 

It was a day for sharing memories and reviewing years of hard work on the common vision of restoration.

Motuora over the years 2004, 2012, 2017 and 2023 showing the advance of trees over kikuyu!

No celebration is complete without cake! 

Mike Harris, original and long-time member, joined by Lynette Harris was asked to cut the cake. Mike spoke about the initial work done by members of Mid-north Forest & Bird who in the early 1990s formed the Motuora Action Group out of which Motuora Restoration Society came to life.

Helen Lindsay said the tremendous effort put in by many people over the years planting natives was paying off now with obvious signs of birds spreading seeds and natural regeneration.   However keeping on top of weeds is vital too and that work, although not so visible is ongoing.

Pictured here the entire group just prior to boarding the ferry for the bonus of a trip around the Island to view from seaward before heading back to Sandspit.  There is one notable person missing. MRS Chairperson John Stewart unfortunately could not attend the event due to a current heath condition.

Thank you everyone for your input on the day and your ongoing support.

Bumble bees invade Pycroft’s boxes

On our September workday some of the team visited the Pycroft’s petrel site to prepare for the coming season. All 101 nestboxes were checked. The entrances were cleaned out and soil was removed from around the box lids. We were pleased to find one early bird already occupying box 42. We were not so happy to find some of the boxes containing bumble bee nests. A few years ago a newly arriving petrel was killed when it entered its box which contained a large active bumble bee nest. It’s a pity to have to remove the bees, but we can’t afford to lose any of our petrels at this stage.

A very active bumble bee colony

D225167 - the first returner of the season

Sight for sore eyes

View from the Lookout

Plenty of rain during winter coupled with spring warmth is good news for Motuora bush.

Sights in spring

A couple of Canadian geese not usually seen on the island taking off from Home Bay.

Dotterels return to nest

Three pairs of northern New Zealand dotterels had returned to Home Bay by Saturday 27th September and one pair already had a nest with three eggs. We placed a protective cage over the nest, which is just north of the normal landing area, and were pleased to see the female immediately return to sit on her eggs. Both birds had been caught and flagged in November 2022. The female is EDX and the male is CXZ. Alistair Owens who visited the Island on the 4th September took these great photos.

Know your weeds?

Alongside flora and fauna recovery there is the every present fight against weeds. Volunteers who want to help the Society with weed control are welcome. As in other years Helen Lindsay has put together a programme of work to be carried out during the 25-26 year.

Penguins having a good nesting season

After a poor breeding season last year, our little penguins are doing much better this season. We have eleven nesting pairs and each has raised two chicks. At six weeks old the chicks are fitted with a passive transponder tag (just like the ones used for domestic pets). If the chick survives, finds a partner and chooses to nest in one of our nest boxes, the tag allows us to keep checking that it has survived and how many chicks it raises. This will help to determine the long-term future of penguins on the Island.

Karin Gouldstone holding a downy chick which has just been tagged.

Fluttering shearwaters nesting again

Fluttering shearwaters have had a successful nesting season with four pairs raising chicks in the nest boxes at the north end of the Island near the gannet site.

The image shows a chick being held for banding.

John Stewart banding a fluttering shearwater chick

Motuora - the richest shoreline in the Hauraki Gulf?

Back in 1975, Professor John Morton from Auckland University, opened his report on the Motuora shoreline with the following paragraph:

That Government should take cognisance of the high ecological quality and unspoiled character of the intertidal shores of Motuora Island, which are today richer, in numbers and variety of species, than any of the mainland shores known to me in the Gulf, including the Goat Island Bay reefs where a marine reserve is currently being sought. It should be noted that pollution from land run-off or human interference and depredation has had virtually no effect on this Island.

Click here to download a copy of the 1975 report.

But what is the current condition of the shoreline? Sadly, we don’t know. But if there are any marine scientists out there who would be interested to find out, please get in touch.

Accommodation for volunteers

Posted on 20/04/2021 by LizN

Cabins are now located where a shade house once stood and have been used extensively by visiting monitoring teams during the past months.   These are basic but really snug with the convenience of solar-powered lights and charging points for phones.    We had a builder erect a roof over the decked area between the pods to provide a dry place to drop wet or dirty gear and footwear.  The next part of the project is to roof over each of the cabins which will protect them from harsh environment and extend the life of their construction.  Rain water collection is also planned.

The new cabins with central deck and steps