Latest Newsletter! - Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust

Hutton’s shearwater crash landing log

March 1, 2016

Hoki Ora Atu Tītī /Fly Safe Hutton’s Shearwater event:

The Trust will be using Hutton’s Shearwater Rescue Logs for crash landed fledglings collected throughout the Kaikoura township.

If you find a Hutton’s shearwater during the Fly Safe month, please fill this log in if possible and deliver with each bird to the Hutton’s Hub. This data is needed for important light disorientation research by the University of Canterbury.

Logs will be available at the ‘Hutton’s Hub’ (adjacent to the Department of Conservation office on 115 Ludstone Road in Kaikoura), Kaikoura schools and Kaikoura District Council.

You can download the log here: FLYSAFE – Hutton’s Shearwater Rescue Log

Filed Under: Events, Latest News, Uncategorized

Found a crash landed Hutton’s shearwater fledgling? If in doubt, call us!

March 1, 2016

HELP US SAVE HUTTON’S during our FLY SAFE event (4 March to 3 April 2016)!

Please collect any grounded bird you encounter, transport in a box and drop off as soon as possible at the ‘Hutton’s Hub’ adjacent to the Department of Conservation office on 115 Ludstone Road in Kaikōura. Birds will then be processed and released by the following morning.

If in doubt or you don’t know what to do, call us on 022 FLY HOME (022 359 4663).

Filed Under: Events, Latest News

Volunteers Needed

February 5, 2016

The Trust is preparing for its first annual ‘Hoki Ora Atu Tītī /Fly Safe Hutton’s Shearwater’ event, which will be held from Friday 4 March until Sunday 3 April 2016.

This month-long event will revolve around increasing awareness of Hutton’s shearwater fledglings crash landing around the Kaikoura township each breeding season, due to light disorientation and attraction.

The key element of Fly Safe will be to mitigate the effect of crash landings by saving as many birds as possible, in a coordinated volunteer effort. Any bird that crash lands is unable to take-off again and remains grounded. Crash landed birds therefore die from injury, stress, starvation, dehydration and predation.

All crash landed birds (dead or alive) will be collected for processing or release at the new ‘Hutton’s Hub’ located at the Kaikoura Department of Conservation office on Ludstone Street.

HELP!

The Trust need LOTS of volunteers for the Fly Safe event held in Kaikoura as of Friday 4 March 2016 – to collect as many crash landed Hutton’s shearwater fledglings around the township as possible.

Will you be in the area to help? If you live in Kaikoura, are planning to visit or pass through, or live in the Canterbury region – we want you. Crash landed birds will be collected 24/7 for a four week period from 4 March until 3 April 2016.

Volunteers are predominantly needed in the evenings and at night, on weekdays and weekends. Please contact us at: admin@huttonsshearwater.org.nz if you can assist. Thank you!

The Trust will organise a volunteer training day in late February prior to Fly Safe launching. Regular updates will be posted on our Facebook page, see: https://www.facebook.com/HuttonsShearwater/?ref=hl

If you need accommodation in Kaikoura, check out: http://www.kaikoura.co.nz/main/accommodation/

Filed Under: Events, Latest News

Newsletter – Issue 16 – September 2015

February 2, 2016

Sponsor-A-Chick
Month Long Farewell Event – Hoki Ora Atu Tītī /Fly Safe Hutton’s Shearwater
Major Sponsorship Opportunity
Light Disorientation
Parrot Dog – RareBird Craft Beer Range
Te Rae O Atiu/Kaikōura Peninsula Colony Report
Threats

HSCT Newsletter – Issue 16 – September 2015

Filed Under: Latest News, Newsletters

Lindsay Rowe – Trustee, Treasurer and Kaikoura Peninsula Colony Manager

February 2, 2016

The Trust would like to thank and recognise Lindsay Rowe, Treasurer and Kaikoura Peninsula colony manager, for the ongoing passion that he has dedicated to the Hutton’s shearwater.

Lindsay has donated his time and expertise to the Trust since its inception, and has been a key driver in ensuring that the Trust remains sustainable financially, and most importantly manages our colonies – he is the man behind all the research and translocation projects.

His dedication and knowledge are mind blowing – we consider ourselves lucky to still have Lindsay on board, seeing as he’s threatened to ‘retire for real’ more than once now.

You are a hero – thank you for everything you do for the birds and our team.

Filed Under: Latest News

Sponsor-A-Chick!

January 28, 2016

We have 7 Hutton’s shearwater chicks at the Kaikoura Peninsula/Te Rae O Atiu colony this season and have now begun advertising these for sponsorship on TradeMe. TradeMe listings will also be shared via our Facebook page. You can sponsor a 2015/16 chick for a one-off $150 donation, which will provide you progress from year 1 to 5, and include naming rights. We also have 2014/15 chicks that are still available for sponsorship.

2015/16 chick sponsorships:
#41 – Sponsored by Lorna Deppe
#42 – Sponsored by Caleb Armstrong
#45 – Sponsored by Geoff Harrow
#46 – Sponsored by Carol Howard
#59 – Sponsored by Jeremy and Ilana Miller
#70 – Sponsored by Blair Rowe
#72 – Available on TradeMe NOW

Filed Under: Latest News

Chick Translocations – A Summary To Date

January 28, 2016

The Trust began Hutton’s shearwater chick translocations from the Kowhai River colony (one of only two remaining wild colonies) in the Seaward Kaikoura Range to the artificial Kaikoura Peninsula/Te Rae O Atiu colony in 2005.

Translocations followed in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013. Chicks adapted well to their artificial burrows within the predator-proof colony on the Kaikoura Peninsula. They were fed sardine smoothies, regularly weighed and fitted with metal bands and microchips – before fledging and migrating to feed in the warm coastal waters off western Australia. Immature birds remain there until 3-4 years of age, and then return for their first breeding attempt at the Kaikoura Peninsula colony. Translocated birds have already begun returning to their artificial colony and made first breeding attempts – great news!

The next translocation will likely take place in 2018.

The Trust is grateful to the many sponsors and volunteers who made translocations possible. Each of you has directly helped make a difference for this endangered species.