Welcome to our Christmas newsletter. The Friends of Flora (FoF) committee wish all our members, supporters and sponsors a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a big thanks for all your support in our efforts to bring the birdlife back to the Flora.

Farewells. Farewell to founding member and committee activist Bruce Porter, who leaves the district for family reasons to take up residence in Hawkes Bay. Farewell also to Motueka High School's young and brilliant Brooke Connolly, recipient of a McKee Memorial Scholarship to study law at the University of Canterbury. Thank you both for all your hard work.

Better Safe than... In the interests of health and safety and visibility to the public, team leaders will from this month's monitoring be wearing high visibity vests. Also in the interests of volunteers' health and safety, a number of committee members and team leaders will be attending a course to renew their first aid certificates.

It's wet, it's cold, it's the Pearse River. FoF committee member Ivan Rogers recently accompanied DoC's Ollie Gansell to inspect a 30-trap line extending up both banks of the Pearse River. The Pearse is home to five blue duck/whio, one pair of which were observed feeding happily in the rapids. DoC is hopeful this pair will shortly nest. The four stoats and two rats hauled out of the traps on December 9 can only increase their chances. If you're planning on visiting the Pearse, be prepared for 22 river crossings between the (tilting at 45 degrees) swing bridge and the resurgence and return.

Pest Kill Progress. November was a low kill month for possums (none!), stoats (two only, possibly due to a cold spring in the Flora) and mice (two). We did get rid of 15 rats, however, bringing pest kill totals from February 2002 to:

180 stoats, 361 rats, 480 mice, 34 possums, 19 wasp nests and the odd weasel and cat.

In the same period our DoC partners (Ollie, Dave, Ross and Ian) operating on C, D, E and H lines and I line from Gridiron Shelter onwards, disposed of a further 9 stoats, 16 rats and 7 possums.

Good riddance to the lot of them!

That's all for December and all for 2004. We look forward to contacting you again next year.

Ivan Rogers FoF Committee