Photo Credit: Craig Young
This photo was taken after one of the rain events this month. Craig was a bit stir crazy and found it ‘lovely to get back in the bush again…with extra water flowing!’
Senior Ranger Andy and Ranger Craig started the first week of March bagging up Ratabate paste for the latest pulse. They have been cracking on with it and have done 13 blocks done so far. Thanks go out to volunteers Candace and Ryan who helped out this week. Craig reported that the first week was very pleasant in the bush with a few long-tailed cuckoos heard, and still not much wasp activity.
While out on the first part of Block 13 on Wednesday, Andy was encouraged to see a good variety of invertebrate life amongst the parataniwha by the river.
Photo Credit: Andy Avery
Andy noticed this March fly (family Tabanidae), often called horse flies, and took this up close photo showing its brilliant green eyes.
He also videoed a healthy population of Dolomedes spiders, hunting by the waters edge.
The rangers continued to persevere with the toxin pulse, despite the rotten weather.
Ranger Andy: “While out in the rain this morning I came across a Raupeka orchid (Earina autumnalis) on a fallen branch. It had a lovely vanilla scent that was quite strong compared to other native orchids I’ve sampled.”
Later in the month Andy and new volunteer Halee were out doing a Ratabate toxin block when Halee noticed an endemic Kōura or native freshwater crayfish (genus Paranephrops), which she photographed. Nice work Halee!
Volunteer Steve Detlaff and Ranger Andy worked on the Bullseye trapline. They are having good success with the Victor tree traps which has been Steve’s brainchild that the rangers have assisted on. Watch this space for a full report on outcomes.
The weather made things more of a challenge at the end of the month and thanks go out to everyone who has been out there in these slippery conditions. The latest Ratabate toxin pulse should be finished in early April. There is a freezer full of quality salted rabbit which all the rangers have had a hand in producing during the wet weather and they are eager to get back to traplines and get the new bait out.
Ranger Andy thought that the spider content has been rather lacking lately, so he videoed an orbweb putting the finishing touches to a new web after, presumably, the stormy weather destroyed his old one.