Bags of batteries

seabirdsDuring the past year we have had automatic cameras doing a number of jobs or us – watching the pest-proof fence for any unwanted visitors, watching the seabird nesting boxes and watching some special sites for bell-birds. The photo right shows some recent activity near the seabird sites – a pair of fluttering shearwaters showing some interest. And this video shows a couple of little blue penguins tripping in and out – we think they’re nesting so we’re hopeful of soon having some movies of chicks as well.

batteries 2The cameras are out in all weather so they have a hard life and need good batteries, and they’re out all hours as well and so you can imagine that we get through an awful lot of batteries too. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of MAXLIFE, this has so far cost us nothing. This photo shows just a few of batteries they have generously provided us with.

Maxlife-CD082013

Similar Posts

  • |

    Robins are here

    ByPeter Jackson

    We now have North Island Robins at Shakespear Open Sanctuary. Many happy volunteers and Sossi members watched 20 robins released on Friday 8th April. This represented the end of the first stage of the translocation of North Island Robins to Shakespear Open Sanctuary. These robins were translocated from Mangatutu in the central North Island.  This …

  • |

    The rat family tree

    ByPeter Jackson

    The sanctuary is back to its pest-free state and DNA testing has been completed on the 26 Norway rats caught a few months back. With the aid of some earlier profiling of the genetics of rats in the Auckland region it was then possible to work out where our invaders had come from. Luckily the…

  • | |

    SOSSI is growing

    ByPeter Jackson

    SOSSI and Tuesday volunteers have completed a major upgrade of the Sossi nursery, with financial support from Auckland Council and Pub Charity. This has created a more efficient production unit for pricking out and bagging on new young seedlings as they arrive from the Botanic Gardens who are doing the seed propagation work for us….

  • |

    Whiteheads arrive

    ByPeter Jackson

    There are some gregarious new residents at Shakespear Regional Park! While other birds have repopulated the area naturally since pests were removed, recent events saw the first release of native birds behind the predator-proof fence. In July 2015, after many months of behind-the scenes work, a group of bird translocation experts and experienced volunteers caught…

  • | |

    Have you seen a bulbul?

    ByPeter Jackson

    The destructive and aggressive red-vented bulbul has now been seen in several parts of Auckland, including our Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Evidently they like nice gardens and compost heaps, especially one with food scraps. If you see one please record the time and place, take a photo if you can and call Biosecurity on 0800 80 99…