Welcome to the Friends of Flora (FoF) December 2005 newsletter sent to keep you in touch with our efforts to bring the birdlife back to the Flora Stream section of the Kahurangi National Park. Thanks to Wayne Elia for the 'Christmas duck' logo and also the following (slightly abridged) contribution:

Kaka comeback. Towards the end of November 2005 abnormally high numbers of kaka were seen in the Flora catchment. A group of eight was counted and more birds were present round this flock. To my knowledge, for 30 years there has been no such concentration of kaka.

A population increase could be the result of spectacular breeding conditions or sustained control of predators, or both of these. I dare to suggest that this has been an especially good breeding season for kaka. An ample supply of honeydew is a precursor to breeding. Fruit and wood-dwelling insect larvae, leaves and nectar make up the kaka diet. As wasps would compete for most these foods, last summer's low wasp population would leave more food for breeding adult birds. A warm winter and an early spring would make it possible for the chicks to now be fledged, leading to the sightings.

Known kaka predators are stoats and possums [in 'Forest and Bird' Feb. 2005 Graeme Elliot refers to adult kaka, nestlings and eggs being taken by possums]. Our monitoring records indicate that stoat numbers have been suppressed within our trapping area. Possums not only prey on kaka, but they also compete for the same foods - fruit and leaves. DoC has been maintaining a possum control programme in the Flora catchment for some years, involving trapping, poison bait lines and 1080 poisoning. More recently numerous FoF / DoC trap stations have had sentinel possum traps added to their arsenal, with "hot spots" taking regular catches of invading possums.

Whatever the reasons for the improved numbers of kaka, I am hoping that further sightings will indicate that this increase is permanent. If it appears that the population could grow then locating a nest area and affording it increased protection would be a worthwhile venture.

Whio, Weka breeding success Three new blue duck/whio hatchlings are present in the Wangapeka River and the nesting Pearse River whio should by now have had her clutch hatch - all valuable additions to the 190 or so birds resident in Kahurangi. The national poulation is, however, dangerously low at only 2,500 birds. The majority of whio are males because of nesting females being killed on their nests by stoats.

Anne Walker emailed us to report that the pair of weka often encountered on the way to the Mt Arthur Hut now have three healthy chicks in tow.

Rat Pack Trap Marathon. Congratulations to the Motueka High School Rat Trappers Finn, David and Cherie for whipping up no less than 45 new rat tunnels (in eco-friendly black corflute), more in one morning than had been achieved all year.

Whats My Line? This month Dave Wilson takes us for a stroll along F Line:

F Line, often called the Mt Hodder Line, extends along the northern boundary of the Flora catchment and is one of the more challenging FoF trap lines. From trap station I 50 it crosses the Flora Stream, then heads up Lodestone Creek through red and silver beech forest, crossing the creek several times, climbing gently at first and then quite steeply to the saddle between Lodestone and Mt Hodder. From here the climb up onto Mt Hodder at 1377m and along the ridge undulates through stunted mountain beech forest, which was flowering profusely on our November monitoring. Here one is finally rewarded at a magnificent vantage point which has become our regular lunch stop. The superb views extend from Mt Arthur westward towards Salisbury and the Tablelands and right around to the Cobb and Upper Takaka. Decending steadily down the ridge to the saddle between Ghost Creek and Saddle Creek, the final section to F55 is through impressive red beech forest dropping down and recrossing Flora Sream to join the track at I 60. F line has both stoat and possum traps at each station and being on the Flora catchment perimeter has tended to mostly catch possums and stoats on the ridge as animals move into the catchment from the north. In he past wild pigs have been feeding on possum carcases caught in the traps, unfortunately taking the trap as well. For his reason bright pink flags have been attached to the possum traps to make them easier to locate if removed by pigs. Paul Ewers has asumed responsbility for monitoring F line since it was first established and has hardly missed a month. Maybe it should be called 'Pauls Line'.

Rodent rise continues. The November pest kill was: 1 stoat (total since Feb 2002 = 246) 30 rats (total 607) 18 mice (total 572) 9 possums (total since June 2004 = 159) and no 'extras' such as cats or weasels. In the same traps and during the same period last year we caught 2 stoats, 15 rats, 2 mice and no possums. So the recent worrying trend for large rodent kills continues...

Watch your step... The recent rain has brought out large numbers of the giant carnivorous snail Powelliphanta hochsteterii. At least 40 were counted over a 1.8km stretch of B Line and many large specimens could be seen cruising along I Line (the vehicular track). 'It was like walking on thin ice and every time a twig cracked under your boot you recoiled in horror' said FoF chairperson Chris Potter.

Also this month keep an eye open for beech strawberries. A number of silver beech (Nothofagus menziessi) can be seen along I line producing the fruiting bodies of the perennial parasitic fungus Cyttaria gunnii. The fungus lives only in the living tissue of this species and one other - N. cuninghamii of Victoria and Tasmania. Apparantly edible, the fungus was formerly a food source for the Aboriginal people of SE Australia. Resembling lychees, they certainly look edible, but remember wild fungi are often poisonous, poisonous if uncoooked, poisonous with alcohol or poisonous to individuals.

Long tailed cuckoos/koekoea are making a racket right now. A pair was heard screeching around the Mt Arthur Hut, and one was briefly seen being pursued by an indignant potential host - a brown creeper/pipipi. These large (400mm beak to tip of tail!) cuckoos are, like the more plentiful shining cuckoo, far more often heard than seen.

More from FoF next year. Have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. Remember, monitoring weekends are the final two weekend each month and our website is up and running at www.fof.org.nz

Ivan Rogers FoF Committee