Atuanui Restoration Project  Volunteer Working Bee

We need experienced trampers to help us put rat control poison into our 630 bait-stations.  We are now about half way and hope to finish by the end of November.  If you can help, please get in touch asap, as below.

This month we also will need volunteers to check and reset our boundary lines of DOC250 traps.  You can help us one day or both days, whichever suits you.

We meet at 9am, at the top of the hill above the carpark on Kaipara Hills Road.  (Walk or drive through the gateway by the DOC sign and up the metalled track to meet us at the Red Barn at the top).  The working bee involves about 4-5 hours tramping and requires a minimum of medium fitness.

Please come prepared with warm clothing, sturdy tramping boots, wet weather gear, lunch/drink, and personal first-aid kit.  This is all off-track, following pink-taped bait-lines across steep bush country.

If it's too wet, the working bee will be postponed, so please provide contact details for cancellation notification.

Please RSVP if you intend coming to: kaiparaforestandbird@gmail.com
or text/phone 021-271-2527. New volunteers need to read our Health and Safety briefing available by email or hard copy.  Hope to see you there.

Saturday or Sunday October 24th/25th

and

Saturday 31st Oct or Sunday Nov 1st 2009

and Sunday Nov 8th and/or

Saturday Nov 14th

and Sat or Sunday Nov 28/29

Monday 19th October 2009

Committee meeting

6.30pm - Kaipara Branch of Forest and Bird Committee Meeting

Enquiries re attendance welcome, to kaiparaforestandbird@gmail.com

Sunday 15th November 2009

Riverboat trip on the Kaipara Harbour and Kaukapakapa River

8.30am from Parakai Wharf.  Return about midday.

Kaipara Forest and Bird has booked the Kewpie Too for members and friends to enjoy a special trip on the Kaipara and up the Kaukapakapa River. 

Leaving from Parakai, we will spend a relaxing three or so hours on the Kewpie Too itravelling down the Kaipara River, across the south Kaipara Harbour to Shelly Beach with views of an island where seabirds breed, followed by an exploration of the tranquil Kaukapakapa River and the beautiful native forest reserve along its banks.  The informative commentary along the way will cover highlights such as seabirds, wetland and forest birds and other wildlife, local history, including early settlement, kauri mills and bush camps.  Complementary refreshments are available on board, provided by our committee.   Bring your binoculars for some great viewing. 

The cost for this excursion is $20 per person for adults and $10 for children, 12 years and under.  For Forest and Bird members, there is a discount fare of $18 for adults and $8 for children.  Don’t miss out on this wonderful trip.  To book, send a cheque for fares to Kaipara Riverboat Trip, Kaipara Forest and Bird, PO Box 187, Helensville 0840. (Cheque made out to Kaipara Forest and Bird). 

For enquiries and availability, email kaiparaforestandbird@gmail.com or phone Suzi on 021-271-2527.  This trip will fill fast so book NOW.

“Sand Dunes and Seabirds”, a KCC trip to see the waders at Manukapua on the Kaipara Harbour.  (Joint trip with other KCC local groups).

Kids and Parents - Come and join us for an all-day ramble to Manukapua Island on the Kaipara Harbour to see lots of different seabirds and the big flocks of thousands of wading birds that migrate from the northern hemisphere each summer to feed in our harbours. Bring binoculars! 

This trip is limited to children 8 years and older,(with their parents/guardians).  As this is a long day for the kids (and adults!) that involves four hours+ walking on the sand, we cannot take younger children or preschoolers. 

We make our way to Tapora on the Okahukura Peninsula and walk across at low tide to this big sand island, where a reserve protects beautiful dune island and seabird habitat.  We cross the island on a sandy track, (might see fernbirds) and then northeast up the seaward side to the largest bird roost.  There we should see thousands of godwits, knots, oystercatchers and hundreds of terns, wrybill, and turnstones with smaller numbers of NZ dotterels, banded dotts, sandpipers, and whimbrel and curlew are also possible.  On a sunny day it's a stunning location and feels like you are on a boat in the middle of the Kaipara Harbour.

To book, phone Kaipara KCC co-ordinator, Vivienne Wilson on 09-411-5100 or email her at the.wilsons@paradise.net.nz , giving names and ages of children coming and names of accompanying adults, and your contact details.  (Or if unable to contact Viv, email or phone Felicity Smith on felicity@chfs.co.nz  or 094207834).

Saturday 7th November

On-going

Colin Kerr-Taylor Memorial Reserve Volunteers

The Colin Kerr-Taylor Memorial Reserve at Taylor Road, Waimauku was gifted to the Society by Yvonne Hollier and Vivienne Wilson in 1993 in memory of their father Colin Vivian Kerr-Taylor QSM JP (1906-1984) who along with his father Vincent Frederick Kerr-Taylor (1866-1920) and grandfather Allan Frederick Kerr-Taylor (1832-1890) sought its preservation.

The Branch currently has a pest control programme underway, and volunteers are always needed to undertake a range of maintenance tasks suitable for all abilities.

For more information, contact: Viv or Barry Wilson at the.wilsons@paradise.co.nz or kaiparaforestandbird@gmail.com or phone on (9)-411- 5100