Hunters Road field trip 25-7-10

We had a total of 17 interested persons turn out for the perfect day at the Hunters Road reserve car park.
And what an interesting bunch of keen folk who turned up.
A guy from Pukekohe who is very experienced in south island possum trapping and monitoring, GPS andĀ  who is willing to help map all our bird monitoring stations.
And some of the keen folk who could not make the Martyn Wright Road Field day on the previous Tuesday, those folk wish to learn.

 

The whole day had been ably planned by Dave Puflett and Andrew Sinclair and we were to visit four properties, which included the Hunters Bush Reserve, Lyn and Dave Hickey’s block that neighbours the reserve, Ian Laing’s and the Atkinson block, Gallagher’s Bush and Peter Hardy’s block (formerly a quarry that closed in 1928).
The major work done was bird monitoring, setting up some bait stations and working out the challenges these land owners face.

The picture below shows the team discussingĀ  and debating the type of tree the bait station has been fastened to, which was agreed later as a Pukatea.
There is no use coming on a field trip unless you are prepared to learn and good debate enhances the learning experience.
(sorry photo missing)

The weather was perfect.
The standards of the bush blocks did vary. In some weed control was very good but it was noted that our number one enemy woolly nightshade was creating a few problems. as you can see below. We saw some minor infestations such as these and some really bad infestations of nightshade with gorse.

(sorry photo missing)

We finished just before lunch with muffins and banana cake at Peter Hardy’s unique bush block. Many thanks for your efforts Gaylene, the food was great.
Peter’s block was formerly a rock quarry that closed in 1928, so the bush is mostly regrowth, and is great. He has tracked it and also killed some exotic pine trees.
He is managing the gorse and woolly nightshade extremely well. And this block is right on the edge of Patumahoe village.

I am sure everybody enjoyed the day and this field trip. Thank you to the landowners who permitted us on their properties.