Te Puke Branch – September 2013 Newsletter - Forest and Bird
Te Puke Branch – September 2013 Newsletter - Forest and Bird
Te Puke Branch – September 2013 Newsletter - Forest and Bird
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<strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong><br />
P.O.Box 326, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong><br />
<strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> <strong>Branch</strong> <strong>–</strong> <strong>September</strong> <strong>2013</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong><br />
Indoor evening meetings<br />
Monday 16th <strong>September</strong><br />
Back to the Future<br />
Carole Long speaks on the history of <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> &<br />
<strong>Bird</strong>, with stories of local conservation campaigns over<br />
the past 30 years. We look forward to seeing you there.<br />
7.30 p.m. at Masonic Lodge, Oxford Street, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong>.<br />
Monday 18th November<br />
Special film screening: Thin Ice<br />
With climate scientists being attacked for the integrity of<br />
their work, Thin Ice producer <strong>and</strong> director Simon Lamb<br />
embarked in 2006 on a six-year journey to four continents,<br />
documenting scientists working in fields as diverse as paleontology,<br />
physics, oceanography <strong>and</strong> computer science.<br />
“The main message of the film is that climate scientists are like<br />
any other scientists <strong>–</strong> <strong>and</strong> they can be trusted because their quest<br />
is to underst<strong>and</strong> the planet’s climate as fully <strong>and</strong> accurately as<br />
possible,” said Lamb, who has a doctorate in geology from<br />
Cambridge University.<br />
This documentary film is a joint project of Oxford University<br />
<strong>and</strong> New Zeal<strong>and</strong>’s Victoria University.<br />
Free entry <strong>and</strong> all welcome.<br />
7.30 p.m. at Masonic Lodge, Oxford Street, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong>.<br />
Conservation Heros<br />
Carole Long, recently awarded a Distinguished Life Member<br />
of <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong>, has been an ardent conservationist<br />
for most of her 71 years. Inheriting her father’s conservation<br />
ethic at an early age, she went on to work for the Wildlife Service<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Department of Conservation, <strong>and</strong> for the last 34<br />
years has been an indefatigable member of <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong>.<br />
Carole has been involved in some of the country’s most<br />
prominent conservation battles, including<br />
the Save Manapouri campaign in the 1970s<br />
<strong>and</strong> the establishment of Whirinaki <strong>Forest</strong><br />
Park in 1984.<br />
“Once you take an interest in the environment,<br />
you realise you can’t just enjoy<br />
it, you have to work to look after it so it’s<br />
there for the next generation,” Carole says.<br />
Recent Rambles<br />
Summer Camp at Mt Ruapaehu<br />
Friday 25 to Monday 28 January<br />
This year’s summer camp we stayed at <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong>’s Mt.<br />
Ruapehu lodge, which has been rebuilt after burning down<br />
in 2008. It’s very nice, <strong>and</strong> quite big.<br />
Everyone arrived on Friday to settle in for the weekend’s<br />
adventures, although some people went for a short climb up<br />
past Happy Valley to enjoy alpine foliage <strong>and</strong> dainty flowers.<br />
On Saturday morning we got up bright <strong>and</strong> early for our<br />
6 hour walk to the Tama Lakes. Along the way we came to a<br />
beautiful mossy forest <strong>–</strong> just like Fanghorn <strong>Forest</strong> in the Lord<br />
of the Rings <strong>–</strong> followed by alpine shrubs <strong>and</strong> rocky l<strong>and</strong>scapes.<br />
The first lake was a spectacular clear blue, with s<strong>and</strong>y beaches<br />
<strong>and</strong> cliffs all round. My friend Sarah was tired <strong>and</strong> scared by<br />
the distinctive eruptive noise <strong>and</strong> sulphur smell. John McDonald<br />
told us the booms were the Korean Army practicing near<br />
the mountain.<br />
Most of us went for a swim in the surprisingly warm-ish lake,<br />
then made our way on the long walk back. On the way Dad,<br />
John, Brooklyn <strong>and</strong> I had a swim in a waterfall <strong>–</strong> this time it<br />
was shiver material!<br />
Sunday was much easier, with just three hours for most of<br />
us. We came across three blue ducks playing on the rocks in the<br />
water just below the bridge behind the camp-ground. We also<br />
saw a huge green<br />
hooded orchid<br />
<strong>and</strong> lots of smaller<br />
ones, <strong>and</strong> saw <strong>and</strong><br />
learnt about native<br />
d<strong>and</strong>elions.<br />
That afternoon<br />
we all went down
2<br />
to the information centre <strong>and</strong> watched some Maori legends that<br />
made up the stories of the l<strong>and</strong>. It was pretty interesting, though<br />
Sarah fell asleep <strong>–</strong> from exhaustion most likely!<br />
On Monday there was no walking, just a gorgeous view<br />
from the chairlift all the way up to the snowy peaks, where we<br />
snow enthusiasts<br />
threw snowballs <strong>–</strong><br />
which completely<br />
stopped the blood<br />
flow in our fingers.<br />
Then we had<br />
s<strong>and</strong>wiches from<br />
the deck of the<br />
highest restaurant<br />
in New Zeal<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> enjoyed the<br />
sun, which was<br />
so hot that even<br />
shorts were too<br />
warm. We thoroughly enjoyed the ride down, taking in a brilliant<br />
view of Mt. Egmont.<br />
On the way home, the Dowmans <strong>and</strong> our family had a swim<br />
in Lake Rotopounamu, <strong>and</strong> saw native grey duck <strong>and</strong> brown<br />
teal, which we were lucky to see as they are elusive birds.<br />
We’re all looking forward to next year’s<br />
camp. Many thanks to all those who organized it.<br />
It was awesome fun!<br />
Petra Reid, aged 12 years<br />
Mangorewa Gorge<br />
Saturday 16th February<br />
We only walked five minutes before the first stream crossing.<br />
It wasn’t too deep but I managed to l<strong>and</strong> in the<br />
freezing cold stream <strong>and</strong> had wet feet for a while. Half an hour<br />
later we had climbed up a big hill <strong>and</strong> sat on the top to have<br />
morning tea <strong>and</strong> to listen to the robins.<br />
In one of the little clearings some giant trees had been<br />
blown over in the wind <strong>and</strong> left huge circles in the ground<br />
where they had ripped out.<br />
While we walked, Cathy <strong>and</strong> Dorothy quizzed us on all the<br />
plants <strong>and</strong> bushes.<br />
Some of the stuff<br />
I learnt about was<br />
toru, a red <strong>and</strong> green<br />
tree, mangemange,<br />
with the longest leaf<br />
in the world, <strong>and</strong><br />
tanekaha, the celery<br />
pine.<br />
After walking<br />
an hour uphill, we<br />
got to the campsite<br />
where we had<br />
lunch <strong>and</strong> everyone<br />
collapsed onto the<br />
ground for a rest.<br />
We lay in the sun for<br />
about an hour, before<br />
hitting the trail<br />
again.<br />
On the way back 5 people went for a swim in the FREEZ-<br />
ING stream, including me <strong>and</strong> my friend Petra.<br />
The most exciting thing on the trip was a massive tree fallen<br />
down across a stream bed. The log was about 4 metres above<br />
the ground. Petra, my mum, my sister <strong>and</strong> I all walked across<br />
the log (a lot of screaming was involved).<br />
We learnt loads of really interesting things<br />
from all the people on the trip, <strong>and</strong> thanks to<br />
Cathy for organising it.<br />
Sky Davies, aged 13 years<br />
Humphries Bay & Lake Tarawera boat trip<br />
Sunday 24th March<br />
Wow, that’s<br />
the biggest<br />
flashest boat I’ve<br />
ever been on. This<br />
is where we started<br />
our journey <strong>–</strong> after<br />
cruising across<br />
Lake Tarawera on a<br />
beautiful sunny day<br />
to Humphries Bay.<br />
Backing up carefully<br />
to a rock, we<br />
all jumped out <strong>and</strong> began our walk. “Wasps, wasps, wasps!”<br />
the word got passed back. Not exactly the news you would like<br />
to hear. “Eow! Eow!” I got stung twice <strong>and</strong> they really hurt.<br />
Mum put on some spray that helps with stings. I think it<br />
helped a little but I wasn’t the only one that got stung. A little<br />
bit later we came down a hill <strong>and</strong> out on to a beautiful mossy<br />
area with the track swerving through the trees. Someone had<br />
made a little tepee out of sticks, only just big enough to fit me!<br />
Dodging past one of the many wasps nests I spotted something<br />
moving just in front of me <strong>–</strong> a wallaby! “Dad can you see<br />
it?” Dad was fumbling around with his camera trying to get a<br />
photo of it, but it ran away.<br />
We saw <strong>and</strong> heard a few different types of birds such as the<br />
tomtit, robin, grey warbler, tui, bellbird <strong>and</strong> fantail. I didn’t see<br />
them myself, but they were heard.<br />
When my tummy rumbled we stopped for lunch at a place<br />
right next to the lake. The moss was bone dry <strong>and</strong> a good seat.<br />
After eating my egg s<strong>and</strong>wich <strong>and</strong> other goodies we checked<br />
the map <strong>–</strong> we were over half way.<br />
A couple more wasp attacks <strong>and</strong> we were at the Tarawera<br />
Outlet beach ready for a swim in the cold refreshing water. It<br />
was nice, but Finn, my brother, <strong>and</strong> Dad wouldn’t come in!<br />
The flash boat collected us <strong>and</strong> brought us<br />
calmly home. It was a great day full of walking,<br />
wasp stings <strong>and</strong> wallabies, <strong>and</strong> I enjoyed every<br />
bit of it.<br />
Roseanna Russell, aged 11 years
3<br />
Fungus day at Otanewainuku<br />
Saturday, 22 June<br />
John! Don’t touch those magic mushrooms...<br />
Life at the Beach: Crabby fun<br />
Saturday 9th February<br />
Ann Graeme, who writes <strong>and</strong> edits our Wild Things magazine,<br />
talked to us about shark finning. We did the shark fin<br />
pose below for photos for the KCC magazine number 117.<br />
KCC trips<br />
Lake Okareka Board Walk<br />
Sunday 28th October 2012<br />
Despite rain being forecast<br />
the sun shone on us during<br />
our walk along the Lake Okeraka<br />
boardwalk. The easy terrain gave<br />
very young members of KCC an<br />
opportunity to walk along the<br />
lake’s stunning shoreline.<br />
We visited the purpose built<br />
observation maimai with information<br />
for identifying wetl<strong>and</strong> bird<br />
species. We saw paradise ducks<br />
<strong>and</strong> some Canadian geese which<br />
had made a farm paddock their<br />
temporary home.<br />
On the return trip we saw some signets with their Mum in<br />
the distance swimming on the lake.<br />
Sharyn Heayns<br />
Otanewainuku Un-Nature trail<br />
Tuesday 23rd April, <strong>2013</strong><br />
KCC went on a bush walk up Mt Otanewainuku finding<br />
hard mystery-solving clues <strong>–</strong> stuff you wouldn’t normally<br />
find in the bush. We found a peg, pen, egg carton, glasses, notebook,<br />
coat hanger, hair brush, bucket, glass jar, a tennis ball<br />
<strong>and</strong> a whole lot more. Everyone’s legs felt like they were going<br />
to collapse like dominoes before we were up the<br />
top. I looked around the mountain <strong>and</strong> saw an<br />
awesome view.<br />
I had a really fun day <strong>and</strong> I learnt what things<br />
are not supposed to be in the bush.<br />
Isabelle Amott, aged 9 years<br />
We saw a black, squishy, slimy sea slug the size of about 4<br />
tennis balls <strong>–</strong> Scutus breviculus <strong>–</strong> or the duck’s bill limpet. The<br />
duck’s bill refers to the shape of the shell hidden inside its sluglike<br />
body. We all had a touch of it <strong>and</strong> it was gross because it<br />
was really slimy.<br />
We found a LOT of different types of crabs <strong>and</strong> Ann<br />
showed us how to identify the gender of them. When you look<br />
at the underside of the female crab, they have a half circle<br />
pocket for storing eggs. The male just has a triangular underside.<br />
We saw whelks feeding, rasping themselves<br />
onto their prey to feed. We found bubble shells, a<br />
date mussel shell <strong>and</strong> even some small flounder.<br />
Romy Heayns, aged 8 years<br />
Petrels at the Mount<br />
Saturday 11th May<br />
It was a freezing cold night. I had<br />
two scarves, my jeans <strong>and</strong> my<br />
woolly jacket on as our KCC group<br />
climbed the Mount. Ornithologist<br />
Paul Cumins <strong>and</strong> his helper Ben<br />
stopped us a little way up <strong>and</strong> Paul<br />
told us interesting facts about the<br />
grey faced petrel, while Ben went<br />
up into the forest to catch some<br />
birds that were on the ground calling<br />
their mates in.<br />
We huddled around in a semicircle,<br />
eager to hold the struggling birds which were weighed<br />
<strong>and</strong> their b<strong>and</strong>s recorded. After that we carried on up a little<br />
track leading into the bush, where birds called all around us.<br />
The way down seemed much quicker than the way up!<br />
Thank you for a fun <strong>and</strong> interesting night Paul <strong>and</strong> Ben.<br />
Pipi Kendal, aged 9 years<br />
In Memoriam<br />
John Singleton<br />
Long st<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong><br />
<strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong> committee<br />
member <strong>and</strong> valued<br />
supporter.<br />
Died 18th July, <strong>2013</strong>.
4<br />
Monthly <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong> Walks<br />
You don’t have to be a <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong><br />
member to join in on our walks <strong>–</strong> or<br />
super-fit either. We walk at botanical speed, so<br />
there’s plenty of time to take in the sights.<br />
Children under 13 years must be<br />
accompanied by an adult. Bring food, jacket,<br />
solid footwear <strong>and</strong> gold coin donation as a trip<br />
fee. Trip times do not include car drive.<br />
Unless otherwise advised, meet 8.45am<br />
at Boucher Avenue car park below Export<br />
Meat to share transport. Book with the contact person, who<br />
will notify if the trip is cancelled. Car fees are the suggested<br />
payment per passenger to the driver if car pooling. Add the<br />
emergency contact to your cellphone, in case you become lost<br />
during the drive or elsewhere during the trip.<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>September</strong>. Hamilton Zoo<br />
With New Zeal<strong>and</strong>’s largest free flight avairy, this zoo also<br />
features NZ natives such as skinks, geckos, tuatara <strong>and</strong><br />
kakariki. There’s plenty of exotic animals as well.<br />
Spend all day if you like. 2 hours drive each way. Car $17<br />
Red Charles 573 8151<br />
Emergency contact Karen 022 071 9129<br />
Saturday 26 October. Wekas! ( note the date change! )<br />
Two walks in Opotiki. Firstly seeing weka living in a QEII<br />
Trust property, featuring rich puriri, podocarp <strong>and</strong> beech<br />
forest. Followed by walk around Hukutaia Domain<br />
2 hours followed by 1 hour. Both easy walks.<br />
Add 105 minutes drive each way. Car $15<br />
Dorothy Mutton 573 8152 Emergency 027 606 4285<br />
Friday 8 November. Street Stall<br />
Annual bonanza sale of trees, seedlings, baking & raffles.<br />
All day from 8am to 4pm outside the <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> Post Office.<br />
Dorothy Mutton 573 8152<br />
Sunday 24 November. Orchids at Katikati<br />
Wairoa stream off Woodl<strong>and</strong>s Rd, Katikati.<br />
3 hr easy walk. Add 60 minutes drive each way. Car $10<br />
John McDonald 573 5350 Emergency 027 223 4991<br />
2014 events<br />
January Family Camp at Lake Waikaremoana<br />
Friday 24 to Monday 27 January (Anniversary Weekend)<br />
Enjoy a family adventure exploring Lake Waikaremoana,<br />
the hidden jewel of <strong>Te</strong> Urewera National Park.<br />
Accommodation total: $27 children (to 17yrs) $75 adults.<br />
Add 4 hours drive each way. Bookings essential. Car $35<br />
Cathy Reid 573 9566 Emergency 027 223 4991<br />
Saturday 15 February. Maketu Spit<br />
See restoration of the spit <strong>and</strong> pest control in action.<br />
Neale Blaymires neale@eol.co.nz 573 4157 Car $3<br />
Emergency contact 021 0234 3524<br />
Walks <strong>and</strong> activities<br />
Every month <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong> runs trips especially for KCC<br />
children <strong>and</strong> their families.<br />
You must book beforeh<strong>and</strong>, providing your name, contact<br />
phone number, the number of adults & children <strong>–</strong> including<br />
their ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.<br />
Cathy Reid, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> KCC Coordinator<br />
Saturday 21st <strong>September</strong>, 6pm to 7:30pm<br />
Night-life stream study <strong>and</strong> bat hunt<br />
Red Charles takes us listening for bats with Batbox detectors,<br />
<strong>and</strong> looking for the night-life in a stream.<br />
Meet: Otawa Lodge at the end of Manoeka Rd, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong>.<br />
Bring: Gumboots, warm clothes, torch, a white icecream<br />
container, <strong>and</strong> a net if you have one. Bring a blanket as well.<br />
Booking: Cathy 573 9566<br />
Emergency contact: 027 223 4991<br />
Sunday 20th October<br />
Walk beside one of the Rotorua Lakes<br />
See the baby water birds.<br />
Meet: Time <strong>and</strong> meeting place to be advised.<br />
Bring: Lunch<br />
Booking: phone Sharyn Heayns: 542 1789<br />
Emergency contact: 027 620 5003<br />
Sunday 17th November<br />
Penguin Bay, Waihi Beach<br />
A visit to blue penguin nesting caves, part way through to<br />
Orokawa Bay, hopefully to spy on some baby penguins.<br />
Meet: Time <strong>and</strong> meeting place to be advised.<br />
Bring: A torch<br />
Booking: phone Kate: 576 6510<br />
Emergency contact: 021 254 4037<br />
Your <strong>Forest</strong> & <strong>Bird</strong> Committee<br />
Position Name Address Email Phone Mobile<br />
Patron Dorothy Mutton 3 Strathaven Way, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3119 dotmutton@clear.net.nz 07 573 8152<br />
Chair & KCC Coord. Cathy Reid 139 Alley Road, RD3, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3183 cathy.reid139@gmail.com 07 573 9566 027 223 4991<br />
Secretary Margaret McGarva 1134 Welcome Bay Rd, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3187 sunrisenz@kinect.co.nz 07 542 1934<br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong> editor Neale Blaymires 586 <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> Quarry Rd, RD3, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3183 neale@eol.co.nz 07 573 4157<br />
Treasurer Neale Blaymires 586 <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> Quarry Rd, RD3, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3183 neale@eol.co.nz 07 573 4157<br />
<strong>Branch</strong> Committee: Joyce Bates 51.A Topaz Drive, Papamoa 3118 07 542 2989<br />
Carole Long 27.P / 60 Maranui St, Mt Maunganui carolelong@xtra.co.nz 07 575 2662<br />
Red Charles 114 No.1 Road, <strong>Te</strong> <strong>Puke</strong> 3182 bayroadster@clear.net.nz 07 573 8151