Bellbird release, Hamilton, Sunday 9 May 2010

[Neil Fitzgerald]

A release of translocated bellbirds is planned for 0800 Sunday 9 May in Te Parapara (the as-yet-unopened Maori garden) at Hamilton Gardens. The event is open to the public. It won’t be a long event – a short powhiri and a few comments from people, followed by the release and a cup of tea.

The birds are being caught at Tiritiri Matangi and Tawharanui near Auckland during next week May 3-8.

There will be sugar-water feeders placed near the release site in the Gardens, plus two ‘acoustic anchors’ that will play bellbird calls for 10 days after the release, one in Hammond Park and the other at Fitzroy Park.

Various factors may yet stop or postpone the release event, including the weather. A final decision will be made on Friday 7 May, and this will be posted on EW’s Halo website http://www.ew.govt.nz/Projects/Hamilton-Halo/Bellbirds-korimako/

We are of course interested in where the released birds go afterwards, on short and long term time-scales. All of the released birds will have unique colour leg bands, and some will have transmitters. Please report any sightings to us or to the Halo website.

We could do with volunteers to a) watch at the feeders or sound-anchors for the first two hours of each day for 10 days after the release; accurate reading of leg-bands will be required, and b) replenish the sugar-water feeders in the Gardens after the release. We have the sugar, and we are unsure how often it will need doing. Reply to me by PM or email if you are interested. I'll be away for the next week or two at Tiri and Tawh and although I'll check email regularly, an immediate reply shouldn't be taken as a lack of interest.

Cheers

[Neil Fitzgerald]

The releases have been postponed. At this stage it might happen next weekend, but it depends on further results of the health screening.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Back from Tiri for the day. The birds have been taking their meds, so I head back up this evening to start attaching radio transmitters and someone will bring them back to Ham for release on Sunday, 0800 on 16th May at the Hamilton gardens.