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2015 Summer Catch Trips
Tamsin Orr-Walker and Corey Mosen
Kahurangi National Park (NP), Nelson Lakes and the Hawdon Valley
This year was the first time in seven years we did not carry out a full survey of kea populations at our research sites. Funding from the NZ Lottery Grants Board has now been fully utilised, and we will be spending the next few months processing all data to ascertain the best way of assessing kea populations in the future. However, in preparation for the 2015 nesting season, a concerted catch effort was initiated in Kahurangi NP (Mt Baton and Kiwi Saddle), Nelson lakes and the Hawdon Valley. The methods used for surveying kea during our summer surveys is also perfect for catching breeding pairs and their offspring for follow up monitoring and, as such, three short catch trips were initiated at the beginning of January 2015. The aim of the trips was to band additional birds, place transmitters on any breeding adults and identify fledglings. A total of 26 kea were caught up at three sites and three transmitters placed on adults (2 females and 1 male). All kea were banded and blood samples taken from the majority of birds. Work was carried out by 30 volunteers (many of whom were experienced bird handlers teamed up with keen assistants), contributing the equivalent of 156 days effort over the 17 days. Blood samples were stored at Department of Conservation (DOC) in Nelson and will be sent to Dr. Bruce Robertson (Otago University) to increase the sample of kea DNA. Acoustic recorders were set out at sites to capture all
Photo: Donald van der Westhuizen
bird calls (yet to be analysed) and survey booklets were filled out by all field workers. The trips were initiated and run by Kea Conservation (KCT) Trust Field
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Photo: Corey Mosen