Karioitahi was largely cleared of natural habitat in the late 20th century to make way for our agricultural land, fortunately some pockets still coexist, and replanting of unproductive areas is now taking place. These small pockets are very much capable of supporting our celebrated endemic species, along with our game birds and a few fallow […]
Author Archives: Predator Free Franklin
Tomtits, Kaka and Falcon
At Martyn Wright Rd in Mauku we have a sighting from Duncan and his wife of a tomtit but no photo yet to confirm. Tomtits are in the Waitakeres and Hunua’s and apparently in bush behind Onewhero. We are keen to learn of more sightings. They are relatively common in forest areas but rare in […]
Black Piwakawaka/Fantails
We have had 2 sightings of a black fantail, or ‘Black Morph’ (at Patumahoe, Wayne Meads and Mauku, Roelf Schreuder) Roelf took the enclosed picture. We are not sure if it is the same bird. Keep a look out. In the North Island they are very rare and Dave Lawrie from Birds NZ commented that […]
Save your apples and your time
One of the most effective changes we’ve made for catching possums in Timms traps is to stop using apple and cinnamon. Don’t get me wrong, fruit and spice suits possums, but it doesn’t suit me and my precious time. I’m constantly walking past traps on my way to move animals, collect fire wood, fix a […]
Dabchick vs Ferret
We’ve been lucky enough to have a Dabchick nesting on one of the ponds around Whiriwhiri. They’re a cool little bird, renowned for carrying their young on their back’s. They’re not renowned for being able to defend themselves from death machines like cats and mustelids. With an estimated 2,000 of these left they are considered […]
New Traps, AT220 & Flipping Timmy
New Trap An AT220 multi-kill trap – a crazy looking thing that will take out 100 possums per battery charge, re-bait itself and run 6 months or more before a service. Andy Saunders has had one in use and had success with 2 possums in 4 minutes, how’d he know that? The eTrapper sensor on […]
Double Tap
New Bait – Double Tap A few of us have been trying out the latest bait from Connovation. Double Tap. This is an excellent addition to pest control options and we have been finding that both rats & possums love it. It provides an excellent alternative to Pest Off which has the active ingredient brodifacaum. […]
Otaua Silver Enviro School
After a lot of hard work over the last few years Otaua School was last week awarded Silver status as an Enviro School. The significance of this was highlighted by the those in attendance, two Waikato Region Councillors and the Mayor himself. From composting, to large scale vegetable production, a Trees for Survival nursery and […]
Whiriwhiri Kaka
2020 Update: The second year running the Kaka have turned up. In 2019 it was two in Sept / Oct but this year they have turned up much earlier arriving in April with four still hanging about three months later. A juvenile Kaka made himself resident at Whiriwhiri last month. The local bird population were […]
Mayoral Conservation Award 2019
Our Collaborative predator Free Franklin Initiative picked up the Collaborative Auckland Mayoral Conservation Award which as well as the signed certificate comes with an extra $2,000.