Welcome again to the Friends of Flora (FoF) newsletter, sent to keep you in touch with our efforts to bring the birdlife (not to mention the geckos, insects, snails and so on) back to the Flora.

Strange goings-on... Someone, or something, has been interfering with our traps again. Around 30 traps have been moved, set off or kicked over on 'C' Line (follows Gridiron Creek) and also on 'D' Line (following Balloon Creek). Some think pigs are responsible, although there is no obvious pig rooting or sign. Which really only leaves people.... A trap set off might mean a stoat is still at large, so let us know if you see any pigs or people acting suspiciously! We have had the odd trap interfered with before, but not to this extent since the dastardly theft of 12 Fenn traps early last year.

Bird boffins to help. DoC has organised a group of local members of the Ornithological Society to assist FoF by performing annual bird counts. Data from these skilled bird observers will ensure the data FoF volunteers collect monthly continues to be of sufficient quality to accurately measure the rise (and any subsequent falls) in local populations. The first OSNZ count is planned for November.

Rats pip mice in pest kill stats. The pest kill figures for August were: 3 stoats (total since Feb 2002 = 234) 17 rats (total 529) 3 mice (total 520) 4 possums (total since June 2004 = 141).

With no addition to the score for other riff-raff such as cats and weasels. Eleven of the 17 rats were trapped over a relatively short stretch (2.3km) of 'I' Line between Saddle Creek and the Gridiron Shelter. It is interesting to compare these figures with those of the same time last year, at which time the same number of traps were in place: 4 stoats, 14 rats, 3 mice and 12 possums. While the low possum figure for this month may be due to DoC control measures taking place adjacent to the Flora catchment, the stoat, rat and mice figures are eerily similar.

Rats again. A further 60 tunnels to house rat traps are to be constructed by the Motueka High School 'Rat Trappers' and placed next to existing stoat traps as soon as possible. Following some constructive criticism about the garishness of white rat tunnels adjacent to walking tracks, the new ones will be made of more discrete black corflute.

More from FoF next month.

Ivan Rogers FoF Committee