conservation Archives - Page 2 of 4

Rakino fish-counting project to date..

A citizen science project funded by the Waiheke Local Board.

On Labour Weekend of 2022 Experiencing Marine Reserves held a workshop on Rakino Island, the purpose being to train the snorkeling participants on timed swim methodology in order to collect rocky reef species abundance and diversity data, to better understand the state of Rakino’s rocky reefs. Ten Rakino-ites attended, and EMR also brought ten of their volunteers over for training.

The funding for this was provided by the Waiheke Local Board, and Waiheke Resources Trust generously umbrella-ed our grant application for free, in the interests of encouraging an ongoing relationship with the Rakino community. https://wrt.org.nz/
We’re very grateful for this. We were also able to purchase an underwater camera and some dive slates with the funding.

We spent the morning in the Hall learning to identify the rocky reef dwelling species we were likely to see around the Rakino coastline, and schooling up on health and safety. Both of these things are harder than they sound!

After a shared lunch the intrepid snorkelers donned their wet-suits and headed for the Sandy bay transects EMR trainer Sophie had plotted out earlier. One group headed around the rocks in the direction of Maori Garden Bay, and the other headed out towards the variously named island in Sandy Bay. I stayed on the beach with the weighty responsibility of counting snorkelers in and out of the water, and generally keeping an watchful eye.

It was a chilly October day and a couple of snorkelers sensibly heeded the health and safety instructions and headed back to relative comfort of shore when they felt out of their depth. The team that headed in the direction of MGB had a more successful snorkel so we have abandoned the transect around the back of the Sandy Bay island in favour of a couple of less challenging yet more fruitful transects.

Simon has since constructed a species identifying chart, and a form for participating snorkelers to record their fish counts on. https://www.rakino.org.nz/fish-count/
The hope is that over time we’ll accrue enough data that it can be mapped to show trends. Unfortunately this year didn’t start brilliantly weather-wise, so it’s not been easy to coordinate snorkelers, but we have a chat group established on FB messenger, and we may get one more fish count in before winter, at which point we’ll resume again in November. We’ve tried to get one fish count in per month. It requires ongoing practice to get the methodology right, and hopefully next season the weather will be calmer and the water less turbid.

I’ve also since learned to snorkel and identify the commonplace fish species so I can participate too, though I’m still learning how to wrangle the underwater camera!

The project is intended to be ongoing, and driven by volunteers. If anyone who couldn’t attend the workshop is keen to participate in future please let us know.

Wetlands

Riparian planting, storm water mitigation, slope stabilisation.

**Exposed tree roots above cars parked down by the wharf.**

The January 27th Auckland flood has me thinking about flood mitigation because storm water run-off has caused a bank to slip into a stream on our Auckland property, but also the culvert running onto our Rakino property has barely stopped running this year, and has consequently dug itself a stream channel which was once ephemeral, but now seems a permanent fixture.

We want to slow the water flow down so as to avoid scouring and flushing out of sediment, and we want to ensure the water is cleaned of any contaminants before it eventually ends up in the Hauraki Gulf. It’s always been the way to pass run off and storm water to the properties downhill, but I think we need to increasingly look at mitigating at the source, water collection, riparian planting, and establishing ‘cleaning’ plants like carex in wetland areas.

Here are a couple of interesting studies from Landcare Research for perusal..

https://icm.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/research.asp?theme_id=1&research_id=13

https://icm.landcareresearch.co.nz/knowledgebase/publications/public/Roots_October08.pdf

Celebrity interview : Spotless Crake, Pūweto

The following is a transcript of a very difficult to secure interview with a Spotless Crake. No photographs were taken in accordance with his wishes.

Me – So, Pūweto, you’re an unlikely candidate for a celebrity interview because you’re famously reclusive. I’d consider you the Howard Hughes of the bird world, except of course, you’re not much of a flier…

Pūweto – pit-pit-pit-pit (scuttles into undergrowth)

Me – Okay, this doesn’t have to be face to face. If you’d feel more comfortable hiding in the muehlenbeckia while you tell me a bit about yourself that’s fine.

Pūweto – Pock!

Me – Oka-a-a-ay. You’re renowned for being cryptic, sort of mud-coloured and blue-ish, and you have glowing red eyes. Great stuff! Anything else you’d like the punters to know?

Pūweto – Well, okay, I agree to the interview, but NO pictures. Agreed?

Me – Chance would be a fine thing.

Pūweto – Exact numbers of Spotless Crakes in NZ aren’t known because we’re so secretive, and crepuscular which is an excellent word meaning active at dawn and dusk. There are a few of us on Rakino, and I’ve got cuzzies on Tiritiri Matangi, and Great Barrier as well as around various bits of wetland in the upper North Island and other offshore islands. Basically we like lurking in reeds and raupo in swamps where humans aren’t. You guys know hardly anything about us, and given we’ve gone into serious decline since European arrival you probably won’t find out either. (makes a sound like a pelican gargling frogs)

Me – Wow, touchy. How can I help?

Pūweto – Since you ask, for starters you can stop draining our wetland habitats for human activity. When you’ve stopped doing that you can replant the wetland plants you destroyed so we’ve got some plant-based food to eat, and then you can get rid of all your introduced predators so they won’t kill us, eat our eggs, and eat our protein source of invertebrates. M’kay?

Me – You’re quite sarcastic for a small uncharismatic bird. How did you do in Bird of the Year? I heard that in 2021 you came last….

Pūweto – RU-U-U-U-UDE! Some radio hosts made up a cool song about us in 2022, so we didn’t come last. FYI the Shining Cuckoo came last, quite rightly, the obnoxious little usurper.

Me – (trying to steer interview back to less troublesome territory) Umm, I think we may have got a little off-track. Which particular predators are the biggest threat to you?

Pūweto – As you so pointedly alluded to earlier, we’re not known for our soaring flight, so pretty much all of them, but most especially cats, dogs, mustelids, and rats. You humans have got a lot to rectify. Pock!

Me – Okay, thanks for your time. I’m going to plant a lot of carex in the stream for you next planting season, so hopefully our next encounter won’t be so fraught, though I understand your irritation. Please enjoy the rest of your day unmolested. 🙂

Spotless Crakes are found in a number of damp locations around Rakino.

According to DoC “They are a potential indicator of wetland health because they are dependent on the presence of high quality and ecologically diverse habitats and rich food supplies.”

This makes me feel happy in the knowledge that if you plant it they will come. Definitely time to get those native aquatic plants into the ground though…

EMR Labour Weekend Workshop

I have good news for the aspiring Rakino fish-counting snorkelers.
Many thanks to the Waiheke Local Board who have approved the grant we applied for to fund the Experiencing Marine Reserves workshop to be held on Rakino this coming Labour Weekend. Part of the grant includes funding for an underwater camera for documentation purposes, so with a bit of practise we’ll be able to show the non-snorkelers what lives in the rocky reefs around Rakino.

Also a big thanks to the excellent people at the Waiheke Resources Trust who supported our application. I’m confident we can build on that relationship in future.

Here is the link for anyone who is interested in Rakino-based citizen science;

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/rakino-marine-monitoring-workshop-registration-422187924447

It’s free to participants, and we’ll supply your lunch. All the details you need to know are in the link, but don’t hesitate to email me at lisa@lisawest.co.nz if you require anything further.

Some depressing news in Conservation Week :(

Read the latest blog from our neighbours on the Noises here…

I’d like to encourage anyone who is worried about the continuing degradation of the Hauraki Gulf to write to the relevant ministers, David Parker, & James Shaw, d.parker@ministers.govt.nz, j.shaw@ministers.govt.nz

Make a noise for the Noises, and the Hauraki Gulf.

Attention Snorkelers!

This summer Experiencing Marine Reserves is keen to run a workshop on Rakino for aspiring citizen science snorkelers. The plan is to teach participants how to do fish counts and collect useful data so we can track what is happening in the water around Rakino. There are places for up to 20 participants and enthusiasm is high. There are about ten places left, so if you haven’t already registered your interest on the Friends of Rakino FB page, email me, lisa@lisawest.co.nz
The intention is to apply for a grant to fund the workshop.

I’ll keep everyone who is interested in the loop, but we’d also like to have a bit of a get-together this Matariki Weekend on Rakino (weather permitting!) in order to have a chat about the workshop, but also to eat snacks and enjoy a few drinks in good company. Details on get-together yet to be confirmed, but here is the workshop outline for your perusal.

Rakino subtidal survey workshop outline 2022 Download

Tiny Museum reviewed

My documentation of the event could have been better, but I was a tad flustered as I was still running around at 5pm trying to assign numbers to the art work for sale. Thankfully Holly was keeping calm like a professional.

Dylan and Simon were happy to pose for paparazzi shots, but sadly I missed the opportunity to take any photos of the throng. I was too busy debating about how to play sea shanties successfully through the speaker to pay proper attention.
I can confirm the ladies of the Backhouse-Smith household were the height of glamour, and I’m dismayed at my failure to document their fabulosity. 🙁

**Posing for blurry paparazzi shots whilst obscuring Katie Blundell’s fabulous artwork.**

There was a brief flurry of consternation as Billie the Dog opportunistically made off with McCann family heirloom ‘shark-stick’, but the treasure was quickly retrieved, and the saliva removed. As Josh remarked drily “well technically, it is a stick”. I’ve made similar faux pas in galleries myself, so don’t wish to cast aspersions at Billie. Scuba Steve was also a very popular exhibit, as were Dylan’s beach fossicked skulls. A certain wall-mounted viciously fanged skull kept the punters guessing, and many were surprised to discover it was a feral cat.

**‘Shark stick’ in lower center left of image.**

**Skulls, sponges, and viewing devices.**

Many thanks to everyone who came to the opening event, visited the Tiny Museum, brought along delicious snacks, and generously lent their treasures, display units, trees, and artwork over the Easter period. The weather was a little unkind, but the turn out was pretty good regardless. I was particularly happy to see how many Rakino kids turned up with their beautiful artwork to stick to the undersea background!

The purpose of the Tiny Museum portion of the Easter art show was to draw attention to marine and terrestrial environment of Rakino, to celebrate our 20 years predator-free status, but also to make us think about where we might go from here. The displays of gecko & skink posters will remain for now, as will the posters of the photographs taken of the Woody Bay & Otata snorkel trips. There are QR codes next to some items, and if you scan them with a code reader you can find out more about them. There is also plenty of artwork still available. Money was raised for the Westpac Helicopter thanks to Harriet’s generosity, and there is still potentially more money to be raised thanks to a further donation of an art work by Anne McCabe, courtesy of Mark & Julianne.

**Work from Julianne Taylor, Christine Rose, Albie McCabe, and Carolyn MacKenzie.**

**A series of unframed prints from Julianne Taylor.**

**Carolyn MacKenzie’s lovely paintings.**

**Thanks All, and see you next time.**

The Tiny Museum @ ORCA

Easter Art Show on Rakino Island

This Easter we have a theme for the Art Show on account of the fact it’s 20 years since Rakino became pest free. In addition to the usual great art available to purchase we are setting up photo displays about marine and terrestrial conservation on Rakino. There will be glorious gecko, and sublime seascapes.

We have an area we are styling as the ‘Tiny Museum’, an open cabinet of curiosities containing beach combed treasures and objet. We have a large wall dedicated to displaying sea critters created by ‘kino kids, so I’m looking forward to receiving lots of marine flora and fauna to attach to our undersea background.

Below are a few tasters of some of the work on show; more images to come. 🙂

**Detail from screenprint ‘Too good to be true’ by Katie Blundell**

**Crab claw pendants in wood by Tania Patterson**

Heavenly Herpetofauna of the Hauraki Gulf: Part II Skinks

New Zealand has 78 known species of skink but, as with the gecko, new species are being identified quite regularly, the Hauraki Gulf has at least eight.

Here are three Gulf locals and two that are regionally extinct – they were once here and could be again as there are plans to reintroduce them to pest-free islands in the gulf.

Rakino has three species of skink that I know of, the Copper skink, the Moko, and the Shore skink.

Others in the Gulf are the Chevron, the Striped, the Hauraki, the Suters, and the Ornate.

Copper skink (Oligosoma aeneum)

If you’re a North Islander, then this is the skink you are most likely to encounter, as it’s found almost all over. It is at risk from competition with the introduced plague skink though, so it’s vitally important to be careful when going to offshore islands not to accidentally introduce them. One of three species present on Rakino.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-aeneum

Moko skink (Oligosoma moco)

Another Rakino local (I saw one just the other day) the Moko is quite distinctive, with broad chocolate stripes on each side. You can impress strangers at parties by informing them that Mokos are heliothermic and occupy their own clade on the Oligosoma phylogentic tree.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-moco

Egg-laying skink (Oligosoma suteri)

New Zealand’s only egg-laying skink is mostly only found on pest-free islands, including some in the Hauraki Gulf. They live around the shore and sometimes forage underwater.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-suteri

Robust skink (Oligosoma alani)

New Zealand’s largest skink, the Robust was once present in the Gulf, but is now regionally extinct. Hopefully moves to relocate them to pest-free islands will see them here again.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-alani

MacGregor’s skink (Oligosoma alani)

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-macgregori

Also regionally extinct, this crepuscular beauty may also be reintroduced to the Gulf.

Heavenly Herpetofauna of the Hauraki Gulf: Part I Geckos

I’ve always loved New Zealand geckos; with their loose, velvety skin and big friendly eyes, they are charming, almost whimsical creatures.

There are 48 known species, but new species were discovered even in the last year. With seven distinct genus groups, they are incredibly varied and long-lived, with some species exceeding 50 years of age in captivity. Due to introduced predators and loss of habitat, many are seriously endangered and live only on offshore islands.

Although there was a reported sighting of what could only be the Elegant Gecko a while ago, no species are officially resident on Rakino. This is a blog about the species present in the Hauraki Gulf, the ones that we could get to see on Rakino Island someday. They are democratically spread across five genus groups with one species each…

The Elegant gecko (Naultinus elegans)

This is the iconic one we all think of; bright verdant green (or yellow) with white diamonds. As if that isn’t enough, the Elegant has a blue mouth, black tongue, and can lick its own eyeballs.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/naultinus-elegans

Duvaucel’s Gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii)

All the geckos are beautiful and fascinating, but the Duvey is almost unfairly endowed with endearing attributes; this, the largest New Zealand lizard is possessed of mesmerizing golden eyes and a beguiling yet self-deprecating grin, can live for more than 50 years and, although nocturnal, hangs out in social groups to bask in the sun. Behold the Duvaucel.

https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/hoplodactylus-duvaucelii

Many Thanks to Nick Harker for the Gecko photos all are copyright Nick Harker