Dear Friends of Flora (FoF) and supporters, we're well into double figures now with our email newsletter No.11 (November 2004) keeping you in touch with our efforts to bring the birds back to the Flora.

More on duck drama. Bill and Maryann report that DoC Buller confirm the blue ducks/whio observed at the Wekakura Creek mouth (reported in our October newsletter) are juveniles fledged in the Oparara Valley last summer. DoC had lost track of them since they left and were very pleased to find out they were well and feisty.

Operation nest egg More on whio.... The remaining captive reared whio released into the Flora in late March and then recovered are to be re-released into the Rolling River in January. DoC's Tim Shaw explains that this is due to the Rolling River having the better food resources (aquatic invertebrates) and an existing community of 9 males and 2 females. As 3 of the 4 captive reared birds are female, this is expected to assist in growing a secure population in the Rolling. Operation 'Nest Egg' will recommence in September 2005 with the initial aim of progressively moving fledgling whio from the Rolling into the Flora Stream and Pearse River. It is acknowledged that the Flora Stream, while lacking the food resources of the Rolling and Pearse, is the best protected whio environment in Kahurangi N.P.

Bush birds recovering More on bush bird recovery... Further to last month's newsletter here are the remaining stats for 'indicator' bird species:

Bellbird/korimako - from 14 (March 2002) to 18 (September 2004) up 28%

Grey warbler/riroriro from 9 (March 2002) to 11 (September 2002) up 18%

Remember, these are averaged figures relating to bird calls and sightings conducted for 1 minute every 200m along 'I' line each monitoring - a period of 40 minutes within a five hour stretch each month. 'Indicator' birds are not recorded if seen or heard outside the monitoring minute, but 'significant' species - kaka, kakariki, weka, falcon/karearea and, of course, whio are noted whever they are seen or heard. So far, their numbers are very low (one or two a month if we're lucky) so there are no discernible trends.

Rats top pest parade. Like September, October's pest kill was (encouragingly?) on the low side. Rats and mice came in at 9 and 4 respectively, with possums at 5. We did catch 2 stoats, though. So the total pest kill since Feb 2002 stands at:

Stoats: 178 Rats: 346 Mice: 478 Possums: 51

Plus a smaller bag of cats and weasels and 19 wasp nests destroyed, bringing us to...

Wasp squad to strike All the equipment and approvals for the use of Fiprinol are organised and as soon as wasp numbers are observed building up FoF will commence with a program to define the areas of wasp concentration prior to poisoning. This is expected to be over January and February.

Our sponsors. Of course, none of our work would be possible without our sponsors. They are: National Parks and Conservation Foundation, Network Tasman Trust, Community Trust Stout Foundation, Carter Holt Harvey, Bush & Beyond (plus their client donations), Fulton Hogan, Ewings Poultry (eggs), Motueka Sports (discount packs) and the Motueka Tramping Club. Thank you all for your continuing support.

TDC Environment Awards Congratulations to Friends of Rotoiti in winning the Individual and Community Award. Motueka High School Rat trappers came runner-up, winning $500 and FoF gained a 'Highly Commended' award.

That's our news for November. We'll be in touch again soon.

Ivan Rogers FoF Committee