Dawn Chorus Issue 132 (Feb 2023)

Chairchat

A great start to the new year: keep it coming

Happy New Year for 2023. I hope you have all had a chance to have a break and are refreshed for the year ahead.

Tourist numbers to the Island are finally starting to improve after the Covid restrictions of the past two years. As a result, the shop on Tiritiri Matangi has recorded the best year-todate figures for the past three years to the end of December. The number of people taking guided walks is also increasing. So, well done to the shop volunteers and guides who have helped to make this happen.

Yvonne Vaneveld, Debbie Marshall and Mary-Ann Rowland have been covering for the guiding manager in January.

Explore Group has introduced its large new catamaran, Tuhi-Rapa, to the Island and this offers a comfortably superior ride.

Emma Dunning is retiring as a DOC ranger on Tiritiri Matangi from early February (see below) and is moving on to another island role on Motuihe. Emma will be greatly missed. There are many challenges and opportunities ahead and we will report back to members as these arise. If possible, please visit the Island and take advantage of the summer weather and let your friends know about Tiritiri Matangi; it always surprises me that many locals have never taken the chance to visit and experience its many treasures.

– Carl Hayson

DOC ranger Emma moves to another island after 4.5 years

Emma Dunning has become a familiar face on Tiritiri Matangi. Dawn Chorus posed some questions to her before her departure to Motuihe/Te Motu-a-Ihenga in early February.

Have you been posted to an island before?

Yes, I have had the privilege of carrying out volunteer and short-term mahi/work on a number of islands but was one of the resident island rangers on Matiu/ Somes Island in Wellington Harbour for four and a half years.

What is it about island conservation that appeals?

Tiritiri Matangi is a special place for me and my family. One of my brothers, Shaun, was Ray’s first official assistant ranger in the 90s, so I used to volunteer here as a teenager. Ray, Barbara and Tiritiri Matangi played a huge part in my decision to work in conservation. It has been amazing to return here as one of the rangers.

I am drawn to islands in particular because of the variety of the mahi. No two days are the same. I get to work and live people’s dreams for the future of Aotearoa, mammalian predator-free, dominated by manu, moko and mū / birds, reptiles and insects. Islands are a lot of mahi and a huge responsibility but an absolute privilege to be part of.

What have you learned while you’ ve been on Tiritiri Matangi?

To create 3D cakes! (Emma's cakes are legendary, eg, the celebratory lighthouse - Ed).

What have been your highlights?

So many! But a few that stand out:

• Seeing the school kids getting on the ferry at the end of the day with wide eyes, big smiles and tired legs.

• Playing the diaphonic foghorn.

• Getting to experience the Island through the lockdowns. It is so rare for there to be only two people on the motu for such extended periods of time. It was truly special to have the opportunity to slow down and really tune into the motu and all that call it home.

• Getting to know the individual personalities of the Island’s takahē.

• Seeing Ray’s face after the inside of the lighthouse had been painted.

• The really stormy days, witnessing the power of nature, and the spirit of the flora and fauna to take it all in their stride.

• Working alongside all the volunteers and with the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi. So much knowledge, so much history, so many stories, so much fun, so many swims.

• And I won’t forget all the cakes, and amazing afternoon teas.

What about lows?

The lockdowns. Overall, they were an amazing personal experience, but

they weren’t easy. The beauty of Tiritiri Matangi is its accessibility, and its role in advocacy for conservation and Aotearoa is huge. Allowing people to experience and connect with nature and the amazing wildlife that call the motu home has always been a guiding principle. The Island feels different with and without humans.

Anything else you wanted to add?

A huge thank you to the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi for all the help, support and guidance. I am leaving still in love with this motu and proud of what has been achieved. The Island speaks for the mahi of the collective effort, care and passion of all who are involved. We are all so lucky to have Tiritiri Matangi as part of our lives; it is a place that never leaves you.

Cover photo: Te Hari by Darren Markin

Photo: Alison Forbes

Tiritiri Matangi guest guide: Manannan O’Connell

The guides on Tiritiri Matangi come from all walks of life, all stages of life and share invaluable knowledge with visitors to the Island. Dawn Chorus thought you should meet some of these dedicated volunteers, starting with one of the youngest, by asking a series of questions about their lives.

Seventeen-year-old Manannan O'Connell is a first-year student, studying zoology with a minor in ecology at the University of Otago in Dunedin.

Manannan (whose name means the Irish god of the sea) grew up in the Waitakere Ranges and has been guiding for three and a half years, since he was 14.

What are your other hobbies/pastimes?

I enjoy surfing, free diving and tramping.

Why guiding?

I’ve always been passionate about our native flora and fauna that we are blessed to have in New Zealand/ Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu and I’ve found that guiding, and being around other guides, has allowed me to improve my knowledge, as well as share my experiences with others, which can be extremely rewarding for both parties.

What has been your favourite experience with guiding?

My favourite experience on Tiritiri Matangi, while not necessarily guiding, was being part of the kiwi pukupuku/ little spotted kiwi survey in 2022.

What is your favourite bird on the Island? Why?

My favourite bird is the ruru/morepork because of their role as a watchful guardian in Māori mythology and the connection to the spirit world. I’ve also spent time caring for them when I worked at BirdCare Aotearoa.

What is your favourite plant/tree? Why?

My favourite trees are the members of the tawhai/beech tree family because of the environment that they create and their significant impact on the life cycle of many other species.

What is your greatest environmental concern?

My greatest concern is the onslaught of introduced mammalian predators that our native flora and fauna are currently subject to.

SoTM Young Scientists’ Awards

Three SoTM Young Scientists’ Awards were given out for 2023 with the winners receiving an Explore travel voucher for two students and two adults plus free guiding on Tiritiri Matangi on their chosen day.

Senior/Middle School Award (Y8-13)

This award was judged at the NIWA Science and Technology Auckland City Schools Fair in August last year. The award and voucher went to Year 8 students Cassidy Foster and Mackenzie Leighton from St Dominic’s Catholic

College in Henderson for their project, Less Pests, More Birds? Both students will share one SoTM-funded Explore voucher to visit Tiritiri Matangi on a day of their choice.

Junior School Award (Y1-8)

The two first-equal winners in the junior section were Maddison Smythe (Y8) from Northcross Intermediate and Tyler Griffiths (Y6) from Summerland Primary in Henderson. Both students received a SoTM-funded voucher to visit Tiritiri Matangi on the day of their choice.

Above: Award winners Mackenzie Leighton (left) and Cassidy Foster; centre: Maddison Smythe; right: Tyler Griffiths (left).

Well deserved

Congratulations to Dick Veitch, who was created an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2023 New Year Honours List for services to wildlife conservation.

Dick has had a long association with Tiritiri Matangi, dating back to before the Department of Conservation was formed. In 1973, as the NZ Wildlife Service’s protected fauna officer for Auckland, he got permission to release kākāriki/redcrowned parakeet on both Tiritiri Matangi and Cuvier Islands. The kākāriki was the first bird species to be reintroduced to Tiritiri Matangi, 10 years before the planting programme began in 1984.

– Anne Rimmer

Obituary

Robert “Bob” McHardy (86) became involved with Tiritiri Matangi initially as a guide when he retired, then with the watchtower. His wife, Carole, worked in the shop. Thanks to a small inheritance, Bob donated a video microscope to the Visitor Centre in 2014 to help with the education programme. He’s shown here watching a group of children playing with the new technology.

Fauna facts

Dr Kathryn Jones (left) is now compiling Fauna Notes. Kathryn has been involved with Tiritiri Matangi since 2005 as a guide, as a member of the kōkako monitoring team, as membership secretary, an archivist and by taking part in citizen science projects.

“This presents an awesome opportunity for me to combine two great aspects of the Island – getting to know people and learning about New Zealand wildlife.”

Kathryn, who has a science/legal/ management background, is a customer manager for NZTE, the government’s business development agency. Her PhD was on Alzheimer’s disease.

2023 calendar correction

Dear Supporters

It has come to our attention that there is an error in our Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary 2023 calendar.

The error lies with the December 2023 grid layout. November 30 correctly falls on Thursday but December 1 is assigned incorrectly to Saturday. This means the dates for December are out by a day.

We are very disappointed this has happened and apologise profusely for the error. Please let family and friends know about this error and convey our apologies.

We have taken steps to ensure this error will not be repeated next year. Our calendars are very well received and showcase the beautiful Island sanctuary. I hope you will be able to enjoy the stunning photographs and put a note in your calendars to alert you to this error in the month of December.

Debbie Marshall Operations Manager

Book review: Home is an Island

Author: Neville Peat

Publisher: Potton & Burton

Price: $33.99

Home is an Island tells a fascinating story of eight islands of Aotearoa New Zealand, revealing their geography, geology, fauna (birds especially), flora and people. The people involved range from pre-European Māori, whalers and sealers, early settlers to today’s conservationists.

The treatment of Tiritiri Matangi is excellent. Next, Kapiti Island, turns out to be like Tiritiri Matangi’s big brother, much larger but with many similarities. Neville Peat’s enjoyment of passing through glades of tall kohekohe trees with “lots of flowers and big grape-like fruit” attracting the birds will resonate with anyone familiar with the Island.

The author’s section on the lifestyle of little spotted kiwi (dubbed NZ’s honorary mammal) is especially interesting as Tiritiri Matangi’s kiwi population was sourced from Kapiti Island. He details a lot of the work that goes on for the care of Kapiti’s large population.

Each of the other remaining islands is invitingly well presented.

This book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of birds, maps, landscapes and people and has four pages of references at the end.

Neville Peat is an ardent student of sissology (the study of islands and “islandness”) and this book is a masterpiece of writing for this new science.

– Warren Brewer

Above: Dick Veitch at the public release of kiwi on Tiritiri Matangi in 1993.

Photo: Neil Davies

Photo: Chris Hannent

Photo: Martin Sanders

“Neighbourhood policeman” celebrates an impressive quarter century

Morag Fordham knows Te Hari probably better than anyone. The kōkako team leader explains the background to this respected senior who has become a bit of a celebrity on the Island.

Te Hari, who turned 25 late last year, is one of the oldest kōkako recorded in New Zealand. He has always been considered one of our most handsome males with his very large, impressive wattles, which he has passed on to some of his sons.

There was great excitement when he arrived on Tiritiri Matangi in March 1998, along with his three brothers. They joined their older brother Te Koha Waiata and his mate Cloudsley Shovell, who had been released on to the Island the previous year. It was hoped these birds would establish a population to help conserve the Taranaki kōkako lineage.

Te Hari hatched on November 4, 1997, and when he arrived on the Island he established a territory around the upper Kawerau Track. He held this until February 2022 when his partner, Phantom, paired up with their grandson. Since then he has maintained a low profile. He has recently been seen on his own close to that area and as far away as the northern end of Ridge Rd, near the junction with NE Bay Track.

His first partner on the Island was Shazbot (autumn 2000) and during the time they were together they fledged three

chicks. When Shazbot was translocated to the Hunua Ranges in 2008, Te Hari paired up with Piper and, in January 2009, they successfully fledged one chick. Sadly, Piper died in November 2009 and, after a brief liaison with Punga, he was joined by Phantom who remained his partner until February last year. Over this time they successfully fledged 12 chicks, some of whom were translocated, while others are still on the Island today.

When it was decided to try a couple of egg swap experiments with the Hunua Ranges as a way of trying to improve the kōkako genetics on Tiritiri Matangi, Te Hari and Phantom were selected as foster parents. Although they were successful in raising one fledgling, Hunua, he unfortunately disappeared.

Te Hari is very relaxed around people and, as a result, is much photographed. From time to time, when there is a melee of kōkako chasing one another through the trees, it often seems to disperse when Te Hari, nicknamed “the neighbourhood policeman”, arrives to restore order.

Above: Te Hari, right, with Phantom.

Photo: Martin Sanders

Bird numbers grow despite unsettled weather

It has been a challenging season for bird monitoring due to the wet weather. This has meant that when the monitoring teams have been out in the field they have been very focused on getting the work done.

Takahē

The takahē nested early this season. Both pairs successfully hatched a chick each in October. The chicks have been growing fast and are now getting their colours. Thanks to the rain the ground is softer, so they have all been able to supplement their mainly grass-based diet with a feast of worms and grubs.

The chicks, now almost the same size as their parents, have become inquisitive and brave. They are now a regular delight for the visitors to the Island. You are most likely to see the takahē in their family groups around the lighthouse or southern end of Tiritiri Matangi, and at the northern end of the Island. If you are lucky enough to see the takahē, remember to give them lots of space.

Hihi/stitchbird

The hihi have been keeping the team busy. The 74 females on the Island have made 117 breeding attempts so far (including successes, failures and current attempts). Of these, 56 have been successful and there are 153 fledglings spreading their wings and learning how to be a hihi.

A few nests were lost in the early stages, likely due to the wet and windy weather, forcing females to try to balance their time between brooding and looking for food.

We have come to the tail end of the first nests, including those who are on replacements as their first nesting attempt failed. There are currently 31 females on their second nests with either eggs or chicks, with more getting ready. Some females are already laying eggs in the second nest box we provide in their territory before the chicks have even left the first nest.

The hihi females have some eager beavers amongst them. These females built so fast that they went from a completely empty box to a fully-lined nest with one or two eggs in just four days! One female has already raised her second nest and produced seven fledglings so far. We are hoping for a third nesting attempt from her, and hope the other females attempt a second nest. Maybe this will beat the record of 252 fledglings in a single season.

With the wet weather causing a few ferry cancellations, we still managed to have at least one member of the team on the Island at a time. As a result, we managed to band 171 chicks.

Titipounamu/rifleman

All indications are that titipounamu numbers are healthy, with many noisy

families evident. So far this season, around 75 pairs have been confirmed.

In 13 days, around Christmas/New Year, 66 titipounamu were caught – 46 were new birds and 20 retraps. Although neither of the 10-year-old males from last season has been seen recently, we now have one 10-year-old female who successfully bred again this season.

Kōkako

There are 22 pairs on Tiritiri Matangi this season, with another possible pair not confirmed. Most of the first nesting attempts failed due either to the weather or predation. However, most pairs are nesting again and by January 10 we recorded three pairs with one fledgling each. They were Te Rae and Chatters on December 28, followed on January 6 by Discovery and Sarang, and a new young couple, Oran and Haar, who were successful in their first breeding attempt.

Another five pairs now have a chick or chicks of various ages who will hopefully fledge over the next few weeks. Most of the remaining pairs are incubating. It is frustrating that Aquarius (and her partner Rakataura) have chosen once again to nest over the cliff which we cannot access. Her previous attempts in this location have failed due to predation so perhaps this time will be different.

Photo: Alison Forbes

Above: Titipounamu/riflemen numbers are on the increase on Tiritiri Matangi. In addition to 36 nesting attempts in titipounamu boxes, most of them successful, nests were also started, and in many cases completed, in 16 hihi, six kākāriki, six tīeke/saddleback and one penguin nest-box. Opposite page: Around 33 kākāriki chicks had hatched in the last count.

Another young couple, Wai Ata and Awenga, set up a territory next to Rehu and Noel where Wai Ata cheekily built her nest very close to Rehu’s nest. This nest was not successful. Joy and Honesty have also moved in next to Honey and Rimu, which has led to much sing song from Rimu and Honey who are not impressed. We believe Joy has attempted to nest as she disappeared for about three weeks. We did not discover the nest and it must have failed as the pair have recently been seen together again.

Phantom has recovered from her leg injury and nested again, but the second nest was unsuccessful.

There are quite a few single birds, mostly young females, moving around the Island and this has been unsettling for our established pairs who have spent much time chasing them away.

Kākāriki

Kākāriki tend to start nesting later than most other species. The nest boxes were first occupied around mid-November. By mid-January there were 12 boxes in use with at least 74 eggs laid. Six of the clutches had hatched, producing around 33 chicks, the oldest of which are expected to fledge in late January.

Seabirds

Unfortunately, only one of our 22 diving petrel nest boxes has been used this year so there is little to report on breeding success. Catching adults on the surface was very

successful with 130 new birds banded and 113 retrapped birds which had been banded in earlier years. The retraps included four of the 39 birds first banded in 2013.

It is too early to say how well our surfacenesting seabirds are doing but we seem to have around 60 nesting pairs of whitefronted terns. If they succeed in fledging chicks this will be one of their more successful seasons. This year some of them appear to be nesting on the reef near the wharf, a change from their more usual sites on the eastern coast.

Kororā/Little penguin

Last year, three of the wooden nest boxes along Hobbs Beach Track were used without success. This season has been better with six boxes used, as well as the three display boxes. Nine pairs had 10 nests and 20 eggs were laid.

Fourteen eggs hatched and seven chicks fledged – a reasonable success rate of 0.78 chicks fledged per pair. Three nests failed at egg stage and one at the chick stage.

This season we began to give the birds an individual transponder tag, like those used for our hihi and for cats and dogs. This will allow us to follow the long-term survival and productivity of individuals in the colony and greatly add to our understanding of how well the kororā are coping with a changing environment.

Unusual sightings

“Chaz”, the New Zealand dotterel who hatched at Hobbs Beach in 2015 (and who bears a flag with the letters CHZ), was seen at Big Manly beach, associating with other dotterels, on December 16. She (we believe she’s a she) has been seen from time to time over the years, quite often at Shakespear Park, but there has been no evidence yet of her having attempted to breed.

On January 7, two fork-tailed (Pacific) swifts were seen on the Island. Apparently this is a first for Tiritiri Matangi as previously only white-throated needletail swifts have been recorded.

On January 24 a whitespeckled sea hare, about 20cm long, (at left) was spotted near the wharf. Sea hares are a type of sea slug which feed on algae.

Compiled by Kathryn Jones with contributions from Emma Dunning, Karin Gouldstone, Emma Gray, Morag Fordham, Simon Fordham, Kay Milton and John Stewart.

Photo: John Sibley

Photo: Karin Gouldstone

Why I wrote the books about Tiritiri Matangi

With the publication in 2021 of the supplement, Tiritiri Matangi 2005-2020, and last year’s reprint of my old book Tiritiri Matangi: A Model Of Conservation, which was first published in 2004, I feel like I am closing a chapter of my life.

This seems a good time to explain a little of the background to the books. I grew up in Wellington, did a science degree at Vic and moved to Canada for an unexpected 20 years. Following the sudden death of my Canadian husband, Dr David Rimmer, I returned home in 1991 in my early 40s, with my two young daughters.

Coming home, I was struck anew by just how beautiful and unspoiled New Zealand was and resolved to work towards keeping it so. I joined Forest and Bird North Shore branch, becoming its Chairperson for a short stint, and was soon introduced to Tiritiri Matangi by Claire Stevens.

Islands have a special charm for many people, but especially for a Kiwi who had spent years landlocked in Canada, and I was hooked immediately. I was part of the first guiding intake in 1998, and the training programme set up by Barbara Walter established the pattern we still follow today. The guiding team grew very quickly, and right from the beginning we all had that intense pride in our work that makes our tours so popular.

Even back then it was astonishing and significant how many of the “old guard" were still actively involved on Tiritiri Matangi, but some were old, others were ill, and we started worrying that we may lose some of the knowledge they had amassed. I proposed writing a book but I had no track record, and the SoTM committee, perhaps understandably, refused to support me in this venture, saying they planned to write one themselves.

But about two years later, when I was feeling more secure and nothing more had happened on the book front, I decided to go ahead anyway. I made a rule that I would first find a publisher, and after a winding trail I signed with Bob Ross and Helen Benton at Tandem Press. This warm, supportive couple guided me superbly through the writing process.

My first interview in 2002 was with Carol West, who had been botany professor Neil Mitchell’s first graduate student on Tiritiri Matangi. Over two years, I interviewed people from all walks of island life: surviving members of the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park Board; DOC officers and scientists;

lighthouse keepers, signalmen and their descendants; the farming family, Hobbs, and many volunteers. Everyone was eager to help in any way they could. To thank everyone I organised a Tiritiri Matangi reunion in 2003, which was attended by 130 people. We should have another one!

Others had come before me, and I was able to use interviews from the 1980s done by Pat Greenfield and Wynne Spring-Rice, the archaeologist. Regular newsletters, which started as a flimsy one-page spread at the formation of SoTM, later morphing into the superb Dawn Chorus, were a rich source of information.

I knew that I could handle the scientific side of the Island’s story, but initially I found the history a daunting prospect. However,

I soon became an enthusiastic sleuth, always looking to fit another piece into the jigsaw puzzle, even now for example, still trying to find out if the watchtower was initially a onestorey building. My greatest regret remains that we still don’t have a genuine colour photograph of the lighthouse when it was painted red, before 1950. However, Alfred Sharpe’s 1883 water colour A grey day off Tiritiri, which is in the Auckland Art Gallery (and available online or click here) shows the lighthouse as red.

Before the Visitor Centre was built, some old photos were stored in a filing cabinet in the old potting shed, and many people I interviewed offered photographs of their time on the Island. I copied everything I could, and these formed the basis for the digital Tiritiri Archives that are now such a valuable part of our historical record.

A major regret is that 20 years ago it was normal practice to scan a photograph at a much lower resolution than we use today. Since many precious photographs were borrowed, scanned and returned,

Photo: John Sibley

Left: Author Anne Rimmer; above: Guiding on Tiritiri Matangi in 2004; below: Anne with her daughters Alix (7) and Meredith (12) in Canada in 1991, after the death of her husband. The photo was taken just before returning to New Zealand.

Anne Rimmer shares the poignant story behind her journey to write the history of the Island and the subsequent supplement.

Photo: Geoff Keen

our copies are of a much poorer quality than I would like. You can easily see the difference between the small illustrations in the original book, and the large, sparkling images that grace the supplement.

Both books were designed by Jacinda Torrance of Verso Visual, who is responsible for the beautiful appearance of both of them. She is a joy to work with. It was also Jacinda who had saved the only complete set of the very old pdfs in an obsolete format from 2004 that enabled this new reprint of the book to be done. Even the Taiwan printers and the book’s New Zealand publishers couldn’t supply a full copy of the pdfs.

As the Tiritiri Matangi book was being readied to go to press a major hiccup occurred: Bob Ross and Helen Benton decided to retire and sold Tandem Press to Random House, a much larger publisher. Part of their agreement was that books like mine, which Tandem Press had committed to, were to be published by Random House along the same lines as before. I was horrified! It was like being told you’ve been assigned a new husband, but things should remain the same. However, though difficult, it all worked out well, and I was, and still am, delighted with the finished book. Tiritiri Matangi: A Model Of Conservation was launched at Takapuna Library in 2004, and won the Environment Section of the Montana Book Awards in 2005. I recall the poet Vincent O'Sullivan remarking to me at the awards luncheon that it was very unusual for an author’s first book to win an award.

It was certainly a heady time for a first-time author, including interviews with Kim Hill, and with Wayne Mowat, on National Radio. At the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival, I was honoured to share a platform with Australian scientist, Tim Flannery, and my personal hero, the Canadian conservationist David Suzuki.

The book sold out its first print run in less than a year (another surprise). It was reprinted in 2005, and again in 2009 in a slightly updated edition in which I changed two photos and corrected a bit of text. Random House merged with Penguin Books in 2012. The rights to the book reverted to me in 2018 after Penguin Random House, understandably deciding that the book was no longer profitable, allowed it to go out of print. I believe about 5000 copies were sold in all.

For the first six years after publication I gave many conservation talks to community groups such as Forest and Bird, tramping groups, church groups, Probus, Rotary, etc. I made a small income by selling autographed copies of the book and spread the word to thousands of people. These talks were mostly in Auckland, but I was also invited to speak at Zealandia in Wellington, and even gave a talk in Rarotonga. Apart from these few book sales my only income from both titles is royalties: $2 per copy for the book, and $1.50 for the supplement, plus a small annual sum which covers the copies held in libraries.

SoTM will fund the reprinting of both books in future. They will probably be sold only in the shop on the Island and online, with all proceeds going to SoTM. But this is not a money-making venture for SoTM as the profit margin on small print runs (300 copies) is very small.

The 2021 reprint of the original book is exactly the same as the 2004 edition. The new supplement, Tiritiri Matangi 2005-2020, which was self-published in 2021, contains all new information and photographs; it is not in any way a revised edition of the old book. Its production costs were donated by a generous Tiritiri Matangi Supporter who wishes to remain anonymous, thus giving SoTM all the profits from the sales of the first small print run of 300 copies.

The supplement took far too long to produce, but this delay added an odd advantage: the last pages are entitled “Covid Coda” and I fear this book records the end of an era for Tiritiri Matangi.

We will struggle back in some way, of course, and as Ray Walter said in 2003, “if we all walked away tomorrow, the Island would just carry on”. But the pandemic is leaving its mark on Tiritiri Matangi in many ways: monetary, lost educational opportunities, and, not least, the loss of a year or more of valuable data – for example, the banding of a season’s kōkako chicks was disrupted. I feel it is important to document what we are losing, for the future record.

Tiritiri Matangi has given me so much: great friendships, plus enormous pride and satisfaction in being able to contribute to such an important project. Thank you to all my Island friends. The journey continues. Go safely.

NOTE: Please check with your local library to see if they have copies of Tiritiri Matangi: A Model Of Conservation and the supplement, Tiritiri Matangi 2005-2020, and ask the librarian to order them in. They are listed by Wheelers which supplies books to libraries.

A highlight in Anne's life: Meeting her hero, Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist David Suzuki, in May 2005, when they were both guests at the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival.

Out on a limb: the precarious pōhutukawa

Natalie Spyksma discusses the prevalence of pōhutukawa on Tiritiri Matangi, and how their future cannot be taken for granted with the risk of myrtle rust.

exact replicas of the parent tree, a form of cloning if you like, which appear as named varieties in nurseries and garden centres. These trees avoid the juvenile stage and flower almost immediately but are not usually the type used in revegetation projects, such as on Tiritiri Matangi, where locally-sourced seed from strong, healthy trees is the preference.

Variation

Pōhutukawa seedlings vary hugely. This is a consequence of the plant’s reproductive strategy, which focuses on multi-staged flowering. This helps to ensure continued gene pool diversity.

Flowers are pollinated by nectar-feeding birds (tūī, korimako and hihi on Tiritiri Matangi), bees, bats and geckos. They also have a short hermaphroditic stage during which flowers can self-pollinate (inbreed).

Seldom do the flowers appear all at once on either an individual tree or across the population. This provides multiple opportunity for pollination from different sources, especially in the face of adverse weather conditions.

Seed is dispersed by the wind through March and April and can travel vast distances, providing a useful mechanism for gene flow between populations. Seeds struggle to establish amongst grass or other vegetation, making bare earth, exposed coastal slip faces and rocky crevices ideal spots for germination to occur.

Nothing symbolises a northern New Zealand Christmas more distinctly than the crimson red flowers of the pōhutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa). These coastal stalwarts naturally inhabit shorelines and hang precariously from cliffs north of Taranaki and Gisborne, but have now been planted much further afield where frosts aren’t severe.

Pōhutukawa flower sporadically from December to late January, with the peak flowering period a short 10-day window either side of Christmas. The timing can vary from year to year and is generally a reflection of the previous growing season, particularly when bud initiation is taking place in the autumn.

As the ferry pulled away from Tiritiri Matangi a few days before Christmas, only a hint of red was revealed across the hillside, rather than the usual characteristic blaze.

Indeed, a late and poor flowering occurred on the Island during the 2022/2023 season.

Thousands of pōhutukawa seedlings were planted on Tiritiri Matangi between 1984 and 1994 to join the few mature specimens already standing. One of those on the Kawerau Track has since been carbon dated at 800–1000 years old. It is a sprawling monster!

There is now a literal forest of pōhutukawa in places on the Island and some trees are being removed to create light wells to allow other species to germinate, improving diversity. However, initially, they were quick to establish and provided shade for other species at the beginning of their lives.

Aside from seedlings, another way to grow pōhutukawa is from cuttings. Propagation material is ideally selected from mature healthy specimens that flower spectacularly and have good form. This method produces

This results in the wide variation of characteristics with which we are familiar. Some flower more prolifically than others, some don’t flower at all and the shades of crimson red vary. Natural selection will weed out the weakest along the way and, interestingly, this is more probable amongst the self-pollinated.

The support system

As well as producing basal roots, pōhutukawa can grow aerial (adventitious) roots from their trunk or branches, as needed. These help the trees to colonise rocky or poor soils where little else can survive. Development is mostly stunted on rocky terrain but under optimum conditions a mature specimen can form a wide-spreading tree 25m tall and 35m wide.

In order to support such a mass, pōhutukawa wood is extremely dense and strong (Metrosideros means hard heart wood). Trees will branch from a young age,

Photos: Natalie Spyksma

eventually forming huge horizontal limbs that not only withstand wind damage and drought but spread and balance the weight of the crown as widely as possible across the unstable terrain they often inhabit. In turn, the crown protects the roots from the elements.

Families and threats

Being a member of the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae), sadly pōhutukawa are now coming under threat from myrtle rust, a disease thought to have arrived recently on the wind from Australia. The rust generally

attacks and distorts new growth, buds, flowers and fruit and is listed as a biosecurity threat.

Possums, goats, trampling stock, habitat loss and fire are also huge threats to pōhutukawa. A grass fire or beach bonfire at their base can kill a mature tree.

Although there are only two endemic species of pōhutukawa in New Zealand, M. excelsa and M. kermadecensis (a smallergrowing variety from the Kermadec Islands), there are many other Metrosideros scattered throughout the Pacific, plenty of which now grow here in our gardens.

I remember a wise man once asking me if I was worried about planting the introduced cultivar, M. springfire, prized for its mass of spring flowers, in case it crossed with our pōhutukawa. I also remember replying, “No, they don’t flower at the same time, so it shouldn’t be an issue.” How wrong I was! This year I observed exactly that happening right outside our window. A huge old specimen flowered unusually early in November and neighbourhood springfires extended their flowering season right into early December. Tūī flew happily between them. Food for thought!

Opposite page: Pōhutukawa clinging and growing on rocky edges on the east coast on Tiritiri Matangi. This page, above, top: In flower near one of the dams; above; Pōhutukawa can produce aerial or adventitious roots from their trunk or branches when needed to help secure themselves on rocky terrain or in poor soils; above, right: Staggered opening of the flowers from buds through to finished flowers.

Sharing the love: where are the takahē now?

An update by Phil Marsh, the takahē sanctuary sites ranger with the Department of Conservation/ Te Papa Atawhai, shows the influence Tiritiri Matangi takahē have had on the overall population of these magnificent birds in recent years.

This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list but it highlights the contribution that takahē from Tiritiri Matangi continue to have on the programme to increase the population throughout the motu. It also demonstrates the fluidity of the takahē programme.

2009 – Apiata was removed off Tiritiri Matangi and transitioned to the Murchison Mountains. He is still alive there to this day and has produced juveniles with his partner, though the number is unknown. He is a great example of how well takahē from sanctuary sites can transition, provided they receive the necessary training at Burwood Takahē Centre prior to being released in the wild. I’ve seen him in the Murchison Mountains around six times since being involved in the programme and I have a real soft spot for him.

2010 – Wal was moved to Burwood as a breeder from 2012-2021 and raised a number of juveniles (four juveniles in

2018-2020 alone). He was shifted to a privately-owned sanctuary in the South Island in 2021 where he is paired with a new partner to this day.

2013 – After leaving Tiritiri Matangi, Pukekohe spent time at Tāwharanui Regional Park where he was part of a breeding group, although he was never successful at raising a juvenile. Today he is on Mana Island and has successfully paired this season. They produced two chicks, his first to date.

2014 – Mohio spent time at several sanctuaries but appears to be infertile. However, that has not prevented him from being used as a foster parent at the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary. He's currently raising his sixth chick this season, from a fostered egg.

2015 – Jenkins has been at Burwood for a number of years now as a breeding female. Since 2018 she has produced five juveniles.

2016 – Turama was moved from Tiritiri Matangi to Burwood for a number of years as a breeding male. Since 2019 he has produced five juveniles.

2017 – Waimarie transitioned through Burwood, paired up and was then sent to Orokonui Ecosanctuary in Dunedin. Last season she produced her first two juveniles, which are being trained for release into recovery sites. This season she produced two more chicks.

2017 – Kahukura is now paired on Mana Island and has finally produced two chicks this season, his first to date.

2018 – Hana was sent to Mana Island (where she has paired up with an offspring of Turama) and produced her first juvenile last season.

2018 – Mira was sent to Motutapu Island where she was seen with a partner recently. She has no juveniles to date as far as known.

Photo: Janet Petricevich

2018 – Te Paea transitioned to Burwood and was released in the Murchison Mountains in 2019. A colleague and I saw him in a territory with a partner during the 2020 census, showing that he had settled into the site.

2019 – Te Marino was sent to Cape Sanctuary at Cape Kidnappers and paired with the single male there. They had breeding attempts during the last season but were unsuccessful.

Other incidental takahē related to Tiritiri Matangi: Fyffe (breeding female on Rotoroa Island) is one of Wal’s offspring. She has been a successful breeder the last few seasons. Walter (male on Motutapu Island) is one of Wal’s offspring. Hogan (male at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve) is one of Jenkins’ offspring.

Photo: Malcolm de Raat

Opposite page: Mira on Tiritiri Matangi. This page: In their new homes – Jenkins (above left) produced one chick this season; above right: Turama, at left, with juveniles. Below: Before being translocated – Pukekohe and Mohio as a chick; bottom right: Te Marino as a juvenile.

Photos: Phil Marsh

Photo: Darren Markin

Tiritiri Matangi Kids,

by Stacey

As you walk along the wharf towards Tiritiri Matangi Island you will start to hear the bird song from some of Aotearoa's most vulnerable manu/birds. Match up the manu with their names and fill in the gaps in the descriptions below. Have fun!

Beaks have various functions and these include defending themselves, grooming their feathers, attracting other manu, regulating their body temperature, building nests and feeding themselves and their young

Draw a line to connect each manu to its name

pīwakawaka/ fantail

Looking at the photos of the manu fill in the gaps in the text below

A Out of all of the manu in the Aotearoa ngahere/ forest the beak of the opens the widest This enables them to swallow, digest and distribute large fruit and seeds of the karaka and other trees

B The have very strong beaks and use them to snip softer grasses and herbs They hold a blade of grass down with their foot and expose the inner core by removing the tough outer sheaf This is the most nutritious part They graze from the side so that the growing shoots are not damaged

pāteke/ brown teal

C. The use their beak for climbing, as well as crushing and cutting objects for food. They are responsible for chopping up flax flowers that can be seen on Tiritiri Matangi. They chew the flower to get the nectar, giving nothing back to the plant unlike the tūī and korimako who pollinate as they eat.

kiwi

pukupuku/ little spotted kiwi

D The has a curved, long beak with a fine brush-tipped tongue This allows them to extract nectar from the putiputi/ flowers in the ngahere as well as pollinating the flowers

E The has small bristles around its beak to help direct the insects in for dinner. They also use their beaks to search for insects that hide in cracks in the bark of trees. They will hang upside down, on the underside of tree fern fronds, looking for moths that might be hiding there.

takahē

kōtare/ kingfisher

F. The has special strong lamellae that help them sieve through material quickly for food. Lamellae are small, comb-like structures along the inside of the bill They act as a sieve and can look like teeth

G The has a broad, long and pointed beak which helps them to catch their prey by entering the water without creating a wave or noise In grassland they can be seen perching on high vantage points searching for prey such as insects and skinks

H. The has nostrils at the end of its beak to enable it to search for food. It does this by probing its beak into the soil in search of insects.

Photos: Jonathan Mower, Darren Markin, A Morris, John Sibley, Helen Bucksey. Giverny Forbes, Luca Kornelia Kosa, Neil Davies

Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi

The Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi (SoTM) is a volunteer Incorporated Society that works closely with the Department of Conservation to make the most of the wonderful conservation restoration project that is Tiritiri Matangi. Every year volunteers put thousands of hours into the project and raise funds through donations, guiding and our Island-based gift shop. If you’d like to share in this exciting project, membership is just $25 for a single adult, family or corporate; $30 if you are overseas; and $13 for children or students. Dawn Chorus, our magazine, is sent out to members every quarter. See www.tiritirimatangi. org.nz or contact PO Box 90-814 Victoria St West, Auckland.

SoTM Committee

Chairperson: Carl Hayson chairperson@tiritirimatangi.org.nz, 027 3397105

Secretary: Gloria Nash secretary@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Treasurer: Peter Lee treasurer@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Committee: Stacey Balich, Hester Cooper, Barry Fraser, Rachel Goddard, Val Lee, Jane Thompson, Ray Walter and Michael Watson

Operations manager: Debbie Marshall opsmanager@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Interim guiding manager: Kim Briggs guiding@tiritirimatangi.org.nz, 09 476 0010

Membership: Rose Coveny membership@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Educator: Barbara Hughes

Assistant educator: Liz Maire educator@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Fundraiser: Juliet Hawkeswood fundraiser@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Social Media: Stacey Balich socialmedia@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Dawn Chorus editor: Lyn Barnes editor@tiritirimatangi.org.nz, 021 407 820

Island ranger: Talia Hochwimmer tiritirimatangi@doc.govt.nz, 09 476 0920

Coming Events

4-5 March

Supporters’ Weekend

Saturday 4 March

Concert for the Birds

Monday 13 March 7.30pm

SoTM Social Fickling Convention Centre

546 Mt Albert Rd, Three Kings

Reptiles on Tiritiri Matangi – Projects Past, Present and Future

Roger Wallace & Malcolm de Raat

Easter Working Weekend

Friday April 7- Monday April 10

April 30

Photo Competition closes

Working Weekends are a chance for members to give the Island a hand. Travel is free, as is accommodation in the bunkhouse. Book through guiding@tiritirimatangi.org.nz

For the latest information on events on the Island, visit the SoTM website www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz

Visiting Tiritiri Matangi Island for education or recreation

Day trips: Weather permitting, Explore runs a return ferry service Wednesday to Sunday from Auckland Viaduct and the Gulf Harbour Marina. Bookings essential. Phone 0800 397 567 or visit https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/tiritiri-matangi-island/tiritirimatangi-island-ferry/. Call 09 916 2241 after 7am on the day to confirm the vessel is running.

School and tertiary institution visits: The Tiritiri education programme covers from pre-school (3-4 year-olds), to Year 13 (17-18-year-olds), along with tertiary students. The focus in primary and secondary areas is on delivering the required Nature of Science and Living World objectives from the NZ Science Curriculum. At the senior biology level there are a number of NCEA Achievement Standards where support material and presentations are available. For senior students the Sustainability (EFS) Achievement Standards are available on the NZQA website. There is huge potential in that these standards relate directly to Tiritiri in various subject areas: science, economics, tourism, geography, religious education, marketing, health and physical education. The Island also provides a superb environment for creative writing, photography and art workshops.

Tertiary students have the opportunity to learn about the history of Tiritiri and tools of conservation as well as to familiarise themselves with population genetics, evolution and speciation. Groups wishing to visit should go to www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/schoolvisits.htm or contact schoolbooking@tiritirimatangi.org.nz. Bookings are essential.

Overnight visits: Camping is not permitted and there is limited bunkhouse accommodation at $20 a night for members ($40 for non-members). Bookings essential. For further information: www.doc.govt.nz/tiritiribunkhouse or ph: 09 379 6476.

Supporters’ discount: Volunteers doing official SoTM work get free accommodation but this must be booked through the Guiding and Shop Manager at guiding@tiritirimatangi.org.nz or 09 476 0010. SoTM members visiting privately can get a 50% discount but must first book and pay online. Then email aucklandvc@doc. govt.nz giving the booking number and SoTM membership number (which is found on the address label of Dawn Chorus or on the email for your digital copy). DOC will then refund the discount to your credit card.

Photo: Margaret Hooper

Tiritiri Matangi 2023 Photographic Competition

We’re now looking for entries for our photographic competition (and photos for our 2024 Calendar). The categories are:

• Fauna

• Landscape/Seascape

• Under 16 years old d

• Flora

• People on Tiritiri Matan gi

All photos must have been taken on Tiritiri Matangi Island. You retain image copyright and can enter up to four photos in each category. Entries close April 30, 2023

Details and image use policy are at: w www tiritirimatangi org nz/news

Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi wishes to acknowledge the generous support of its sponsors

Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi welcomes all types of donations, including bequests, which are used to further our work on the Island. If you are considering making a bequest and would like to find out more, please contact a member of the Committee.

Photo – Geoff Beals

Photo –Jean Hawken