Milestone for shore skink population  Update from shore skink monitoring undertaken at the end of January

  • Thirty-one shore skinks were caught in 2021, most of which are thought to be island-born (16 adults, 7 gravid females, 7 sub-adults and 1 neonate).
  • This number exceeds the 24 individuals released in 2011 and therefore confirms the important milestone that the population is moving into Translocation Stage 3: ‘population growth as indicated by the capture of more animals than were originally released’. This is the first formal survey to exceed this threshold number of captures – although an informal winter check of refuges in July 2020 (after COVID-19 lockdown) also exceeded this threshold, observing 28 shore skinks. That similar counts of shore skinks were obtained in 2020 and 2021 provides additional confidence that this milestone has been met.
  • The average weights of adults and gravid females were 4.4 g and 5.0 g, respectively; and both groups had an average snout-to-vent length of 60.1 mm. All shore skinks were in good condition.
  • The shore skinks are expanding the area of dune that they inhabit. The population has expanded to the north and south of the original release site, and further inland than on any previous survey.
  • The shore skinks continue to exist alongside copper and moko skinks.   On the picture below copper (left top), moko (left bottom), and shore skinks (right).  Twenty-four copper skinks and eight moko skinks were caught (or observed) and all were in good condition.
  • Raukawa geckos were present in reasonable numbers at the release site, and we also detected an individual at Macrocarpa Bay indicating that they are dispersing.
  • Pacific geckos are showing promising signs of establishment including multiple adults, island-born juveniles and sub-adults, and individuals were found north of the release site during spotlighting.

July workday

A party of nine had a pleasant crossing and easy landing on Sunday morning. After the usual introductions and safety talk we split into work groups and made good progress with the tasks for the day.

Overhanging vegetation was removed from the rear of the shade house where the new cabins will be located.

This part of the shade house will be modified to locate the new cabins

Colin Cordes and his helpers removed the old weed mat from two shade houses and replaced it with new. This is part of the work needed to re-instate the nursery operation which we intend will commence when Vonny returns in September.

Karin stops off to admire the work as the team secure new weed mat

Other tasks included investigations into the sound system at the new site we are hoping diving petrels will adopt. After much tooing and froing it appears that the control box has a fault and that we need new speakers.

Kay Milton made a number of transect counts of birds as part of the fieldwork for a new national bird atlas of New Zealand while Chris Green continued his search for wētāpunga to collect DNA samples.

Sausage sizzle time

We finished the day with a few small tasks and then made a quick check of some penguin boxes. It’s great to see them back. There was also evidence of fluttering shearwaters attending some of their boxes, four gannets have taken up residence at their site near the north end and five NZ dotterel were present between Home and Macrocarpa Bays.

Fund raising for new accommodation under way

Work is well underway to purchase and install two new cabins which will provide dedicated overnight accommodation for our members and volunteers. The cabins will be located in the rear standing out area of the nursery which will be modified to suit.

New cabin

Funding for one of the cabins has been provided by a generous grant from the Becroft Foundation. We have also had a wonderful offer of dollar for dollar funding from one of our long-term members up to a total of $5,000. So if we can raise a matching amount that will be a total of $10,000 which will be enough to allow us to go ahead with the purchase.

Members and friends have received an e-mail appeal for donations but if you haven’t been contacted and would like to help please get in touch via mrsadmin@motuora.org.nz

AGM Motuora Restoration Society

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Motuora Restoration Society’s Annual General Meeting 

will be held on Tuesday 28th May at 7:00 p.m. 

at the Old Library (formerly Red Cross Hall), Pioneer Village, Silverdale

AGENDA

1. Minutes of the 2018 AGM

2. Matters arising from the Minutes

3. Financial Report

4. Chairperson’s Annual Report

5. Election of Officers and Committee Members*

6. Subscriptions for the 2019/2020 year

7. Any other Business

*The officers of the Society comprise the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary, and the Constitution calls for at least two other committee members.  Nominations for all these positions will be accepted by mail, to be received by the Secretary at PO Box 100132 North Shore, North Shore City 0745, by Thursday 23 May 2019.  Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the meeting.  All nominees, proposers and seconders must be financial members of the Society.

Workday Sunday 26/08/18

Kanuka flowering view from centre lookout. New water tanks in background.

Monitoring of seabird nests and wekapunga release sites, infill planting of maahoe (whiteywood) harakeke (flax) and tii ngahere (cabbage tree), nursery weeding and recovery of water tank piping were the tasks completed by the 13 people who water taxied to Motuora on a calm and cloudy early spring day.

Kowhai blossom Home Bay

Kowhai and Kanuka were in full flower and the bush was lush and green after a wet winter.

Water pipe recovery

As the new water tanks are in place the piping from the old water tanks was recovered with Kevin’s capable guidance. This involved locating the pipes in the Kikuyu, dragging them out and coiling it for transport to Home Bay.

Kevin ferrying the recovered pipes to Home Bay

I was disappointed to not see any Popokatea (Whiteheads) during my walk over the ridge track but I did see Magpies, Pukeko, Tui, Piwakawaka, noisy Spur Winged Plovers, California quail, and this pair of Tuturiwhatu (NZ Dotterel).

Tuturiwhatu (New Zealand Dotterel) south of Home Bay.

The new water tanks replace the broken plastic tank that stood beside the original concrete tanks. Here are two images of the old water tanks. One taken in 2004 and the other taken on this visit:

Old water tank 26/08/2018. Note the forest growth.

Original water tanks on Motuora photographed 5/09/2004

And compare these two views of the southern lookout point from the northern lookout:

Water tanks from centre lookout 26/09/04 70mm lens

View of southern lookout peak from centre lookout peak. 35mm lens

White dingy transport to water taxi.

 

 

MRS has arranged for the manufacture of ladders to facilitate disembarking and embarking to and from the water taxi at Home Bay. In the meantime we improvise using this little white dingy and Kevin’s skill and hardiness:

 

White dingy embarkation from Home Bay

Please renew your membership of the Motuora Restoration Society if you have not already done so.