17 May 2023
Peter and Glenda help out Forest and Bird with the trapping at Blowhard Bush so they decided to combine a trap check day with a tramp. Four others were keen so a group of 6 left Pukahu at 8 AM in the van arriving at the Blowhard carpark about an hour later. There was another group of trap checkers already at the carpark, they were going to check the traps in the northern part of the reserve while we were to do the ones on the south side.
For the first part of the day we followed the trap line, rebaiting the traps and removing any catches. This trap line took us from the shelter along part of the troglodyte track and its interesting geological formations, along the southern edge then steeply up to the top of the reserve.
While Peter & Glenda dealt to the traps on the road at the top of Blowhard Ridge the others, (after doing return a brisk walk along the road just for fun) , went to take in the great view of the Kawekas from the look-out. Reunited we all started back down the Tui Track, with a few deviations, to complete the trap line. In the 4 weeks since these traps were last checked the mouse traps had not caught anything but in the other 39 manual traps there were 4 rats and 1 hedgehog. The five automated traps recorded catches of 1 possum and 6 other smaller pests (probably rats).
Upon completing the trap line we had a late lunch at the shelter and then did a short walk along the Tui Track and the Rewi Track loop, to view its magnificent trees and enjoy the very vocal bird life (Robins, Whiteheads and Tui). Off the 6 on the walk , three had never been there and 1 had been there once about 10 years ago.
Party: Peter B, Glenda H, Denise and Lindsay D, Jeurgen G and Barbara H.