Author Archive

Recent news, insights & articles from around the Island.

Rangers Report: June 2021

In late April the Department of Conservation dog surveillance team came out to check for pests. The team included Brian Shield with the Argentine ant dog Bobby, Hannah Johnston with…

Hauturu’s Magic Birds

By Michael Szabo I’ve aspired to visit Te Hauturu-o-Toi since reading, three decades ago, that plans to transfer huia to the island failed to eventuate after the last pair captured…

Hihi: Ray of Light

By Anna Santure The hihi (Notiomystis cincta) is a threatened passerine (perching) bird endemic to Aotearoa, whose closest relatives are the tīeke/ saddleback, kōkako and extinct huia. In contrast to…

Kākā Portraits

December 2020 Working Weekend Report By Richard Stirling After an unfamiliarly early arrival at the Department of Conservation (DOC) Warkworth quarantine station things quickly turned to custard when the very…

The Case of the Clean Windows

May 2021 Working Weekend Report By Dr John Sumich It was roughly 40 years ago that I first visited Hauturu, and 12 years since I had a wonderful week helping…

Bouncing Kōkako and Posing Tuatara

March 2021 Working Weekend Report By Kim Frakes The perfect start to our amazing trip was stopping to watch a pod of dolphins feeding along with various petrels and gannets…