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