Welcome to the Friends of Flora (FoF) newsletter, sent to keep you informed of our efforts to bring the birdlife back to the Flora.

Clutch cargo. Six fertile blue duck/whio eggs have been removed from their parent's nest by the Pearse River and raced to an incubator at Peacock Springs in Christchurch as part of DoC's captive breeding program. They are intended for re-release into the Rolling River. Because the birds nested early, there is a high probability of the pair producing another clutch; this next one destined for release into the Flora Sream. There are currently four whio ( two pair) resident in the Pearse and 17 birds in the Rolling River.

Rock'n' Wrens. Whilst working as a DoC hut warden on the Heaphy Track, FoF-er Kieran Parish spotted a rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris) on Mt Perry (between Brown Hut and Perry Hut). Details of the sighting have been handed on to Peter Gaze (DoC animal biodiversity head in Nelson). This rare and elusive bird hasn't been spotted in that area before. It will now be put on the rock wren sightings list for that area. The rock wren's diminutive relative, the rifleman/titipounamu is present in ever-increasing numbers on the Flora Stream side of the park. Watch out for them taking the fine fibres of exposed beech tree roots along I line for nesting material.

Trap thefts continue. More trap thefts have occurred, on top of the trap interference reported last month. Ten possum traps beside the Mt Arthur track have been stolen and will need to be replaced. As one FoF volunteer noted, they are, at least, probably being used to catch possums elsewhere...

Pest kills up. The pest kill figures for September were: 4 stoats (total since Feb 2002 = 238) 25 rats (total 554) 15 mice (total 535) 9 possums (total since June 2004 = 150).

There was no addition to the score for miscellaneous pests such as cats (1) and weasels (4). It is of some concern that the kill for the same period last year was much lower: 0 stoats, 8 rats, 7 mice and 9 possums. The higher rodent numbers could be attributable in part to Chionochloa (snow tussock)flowering above the bush line.

What's My Line? This month we take a look at B Line. The top end of B line ("Big B") starts with B27 on the ridge above Mt Arthur Hut and after following the ridge route to over 1,300 m – great for views, raw in winter! – drops off steeply to join Horseshoe Creek. The line then follows the creek through a Powelliphanta paradise to join the Flora Track (I line in FoF-speak) after B74. Towards the end the line passes through a remarkable glade of broadleaf/kapuka (Griselina sp). Rather than walking the 6km back to the car park we usually park a vehicle at the Flora/Horseshoe junction and monitor the line from both ends.

The smaller loop of B Line (B26 - B1) starts at the edge of the bush line on the descent to Flora Hut from Mt Arthur Hut . Passing through dry open beech forest along a broad ridge it then drops down rapidly to join I Line by Holmwood Creek. Bird life is not abundant, but the occasional small flock of brown creeper/pipipi is likely. Pests are present in low numbers too.

More from FoF next month.

Ivan Rogers, FoF Committee