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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.

All photos courtesy of © Nick Harker

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

Ōtata Snorkel Trip

I set off punishingly early in the silent pre-dawn of Rakino Island, wandering down to the wharf I passed three houses with their lights on. These folk were not early risers, something strange was afoot.

Nine of us turned up to catch a boat over to Ōtata, the largest island of Noises, a collection of islands to the northeast of Rakino.

I may have been overly keen as I’d squeezed myself into a wetsuit even before the boat arrived, sparking a conversation about the difference between ‘fitting’ and ‘appropriate’.

Steve turned up with the team from Experiencing Marine Reserves, some of them with diving gear to explore the Rakino coast, the rest to join the nine Rakinoites over to the Noises.

Sue Neureuter met us on the beach and told us a bit about the history and ecology of the Noises.

Captain McKenzie built a cottage on Ōtata and sold it to one Frederic Stanley Wainhouse, deputy harbour master for Auckland Harbour Board, who purchased the island group in 1933 for £200.

Wainhouse married Margaret Neureuter and they spent a significant amount of time living there during the second world war, keeping chickens and brewing their own beer. Now that’s what I’d call intrepid, living on an island in the Gulf with the threat of the Japanese navy in the Pacific.

The Noises have a long history of visitation and seasonal habitation by Iwi, and midden contents on Ōtata predating the eruption of Rangitoto is one of only two archaeological sites this early in the Auckland region.

Obsidian tools have been found there, fashioned from black volcanic glass, they can take a razor-sharp edge. Interestingly, most of the obsidian for tools came from Tuhua (Mayor Island) in the Bay of Plenty, and the top-quality raw material was traded far and wide.

The water was a balmy 23 degrees as we slipped in and began exploring the caves and chutes on the east side of the island. I’ve been snorkeling a bit around Rakino recently and, exciting though Rakino is, the Noises have a much larger diversity of marine species. One reason for this may be the interrelated nature of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Ōtata is almost completely forested and home to many terrestrial species including numerous seabird species whose guano cycles back into the marine environment and contributes to fertilising the kelp forests which are home to many piscine denizens.

the highlight for me was a pair of friendly and inquisitive squid

It’s a great credit to the Neureuter family and also, I think, an inspiring example of what can be done. It is now 20 years since Rakino was rid of rats, with much more planting of native vegetation it could become a breeding ground for far more seabirds if only we’d stop stealing all their food.

We saw a fascinating variety of sea creatures, but the highlight for me was a pair of friendly and inquisitive squid, waving their tentacles and pulsing with rainbow colours.

After a terrific couple of hours in the water, Sue took us for a bit of a trek. Ōtata has never been cleared or farmed and it’s mostly pohutukawa dominant closed-canopy forest with very few invasive weeds. With no browsing mammals or rats, it’s also got a decent understory of many fern species and a wide variety of indigenous coastal plants.

Wandering back down the hill, in a world of my own, I strayed away from the group, took a wrong turn, and ended up on the wrong side of the Island. I only just made it back before the boat left, greeted by perplexed looks and the unspoken suspicion that a chap who managed to get lost on a 15-hectare island might very well constitute a mental health risk.

It was a fantastic trip. Many, many thanks to Experiencing Marine Reserves and the generosity of the Neureuter family.

Images courtesy of Lorna Doogan of EMR.

Boil-up!

The rock clamber between Woody and West Bays at low tide is one of my favourite Rakino activities; there are plenty of toe and hand holds to mitigate the risk of a skin-tearing plunge into the sea, but enough a frisson of danger to make it feel like an achievement in light adventurism.

We revisit familiar landmarks, the Exhibitionist Amorous Stick People, the kingfisher nests, the black-backed gull strafing danger zone, the Siren Pool fringed with Neptune’s Necklace, whilst giving the penguin roosts a wide berth, just in case.

On our most recent rock reconnoiter, we’d just carefully negotiated the last and most vertical part of the rock climb, sharp rock oysters beckoning below in the churning turning tide, when I spotted a series of boil-ups happening out in West Bay between our rock outcrop and the Three Sisters. A fisherman in a small boat to the west of us looked astounded as columns of spiraling silver sprats pursued by sizeable kahawai seethed all around the bay.

The white-fronted terns were first on the scene to aerially assail the sprats. About thirty terns rapidly appeared closely followed by a couple of petrels. Unfortunately I don’t know what species of petrel they were but there are a number of different species to be found in the Hauraki Gulf, including this small treasure, the white-faced storm petrel which is a resident on our neighbours The Noises, to Rakino’s east.
https://www.thenoises.nz/2021/11/16/return-of-the-tiny-winged-taonga/
Two pied shags, a heron and a foolishly inept juvenile black-backed gull joined the fray, its parent barking commands to its hapless offspring from the comfort of the shore.

Teams of muscular kahawai were rapidly herding sprats inches from our jutting rock perch, and I briefly fantasised about having a fishing rod to hand, but I quickly dispelled that scenario. I half-jokingly suggested this would be a perfect feeding frenzy for an orca or three to join, and dawdled as Simon strode off towards the final rock scramble before the sandy sweep of West Bay. Moments later I heard him shouting that orca were out in the bay. Thankfully I was carrying my second-best glasses, though regretfully not my binoculars. The Orca were trawling along the inward side of the Three Sisters, no doubt invigorated by the boil-up-inspired carnage.

This is the first time we have seen orca off Rakino, and despite the relative distance from where I was standing, I was not disappointed. One breached, which was just downright fantastic. I hadn’t fathomed how large orca were. They are surprisingly larger than a dolphin, news to a novice cetacean spotter. I think I’ll spend more time down by the seaside instead of swamp toiling. That should hopefully improve my odds of seeing orca-stimulating boil-ups in future. 🙂