Mt Te Aroha birds

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Davidthomas
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Re: Mt Te Aroha birds

Postby Davidthomas » Wed Mar 05, 2025 10:06 pm

I’ve had whitehead near the top of Te Aroha also, and I want to say I’ve heard of rifleman up there also? Cannot remember if I’ve seen them there myself.

I also know my brother and father have seen YCP above Te Aroha towards Wairongomai back in the 2000s
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David Riddell
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Re: Mt Te Aroha birds

Postby David Riddell » Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:02 am

fras444 wrote:But, going back to the Kaimai/Mamaku/Coromandel, that whole range has potential to not only be an amazing forest reserve for our forest endemics.. but.. Could become an incredible breeding ground for seabirds as well!!!! that whole eastern facing mountain range, I bet, would have once been a massive mixed seabird breeding colony of our various petrels and shearwater species....
I see so much potential with that area and as a genetic corridor as well

There are quite a few restoration projects along the Kaimai/Mamakus (as well as up the Coromandel), including the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust, the Kokako Ecosanctuary and the Kaharoa Kokako Trust. There's also an umbrella organisation called the Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project which coordinates a range of projects in the area.
I agree the whole area has huge potential, and already has a good range of birds which with appropriate management could expand more widely. I don't think relocation of kakariki and kaka would be necessary; they would probably spread on their own. Seabirds such as black and grey-faced petrels would probably need some help, but maybe one day...
Kaimai-Mamaku also has a high diversity of other wildlife - I've seen forest ringlets above Wairere Falls, and Hochstetter's frogs below the falls and on Mt Te Aroha. Te Aroha also has its own stag beetle (found up into the lower end of the Coromandel Range, where of course there are also Archey's frogs), and I've heard of striped skinks (Oligosoma striatum) near Otanewainuku. So yes, a very special area.
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Mt Te Aroha birds

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sat Mar 15, 2025 12:49 pm

I saw kōkako in Opuiaki (Mamaku) twenty something years ago. Pest control for that population has increased since then and apparently kōkako are 'thriving'.
https://www.kaimai-mamaku.org.nz/news-n ... -two-wjkrl
Andrew Rousell
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Re: Mt Te Aroha birds

Postby Andrew Rousell » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:59 pm

Heard today about a Rifleman being seen on the Lindemann track wbop. This is probably a good ID as the lady involved is a Aongatete forest volunteer and is used to seeing them there regularly.

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