Trapper Monthly

​Another month has passed. It goes so quick if one is catching possums! We managed to get 26 of them which makes it the best September since start of the project. It did bring the total to 1031 possies! Then we had 33 rats and 3 stoats. These are good numbers. Interesting is that some of the first traps out there, D2 and D3 have had rats on a regular basis. Have they come back or are the traps now ‘matured’ and rats go into them?
 
Such numbers are only possible because we go out there so often and clear the traps and rebait. In fact we had 19 outings in September. Some lines need constant attention. District Line and Waterloo Line are always good to check. I have not done Central Line for a while because there the possum numbers have come down quite drastically. Used to be a star performer. Still traps will remain to get any stragglers or newcomers. I find that even with old apple inside the trap the possums still go in. But always better with fresh apple.
 
The trapping numbers are really also good because we have not been able to do Northern Line and top of Circle Line because of lambing. Also of course the new area, Mornington Crescent, has not been done in September because of lambing. But that will soon change. So, in the meantime I have been working on another line which I simply call Backtrack. It is between the golf course and the neighbouring farm. There is a strip of land with lots of native plants and quite a few birds in there. Fantails, bellbirds and grey warblers especially. It is along fairway 5 and 7.
 
So I redeployed the Trapinator traps which had been down on the walkway not doing much at all in the tall pine trees and already caught about 10 possums! Then through the middle of the new growth of natives I used 24 traps Marcel had in his garage doing not much at all and they are now doing good work catching the rats and mice. The track is not quite finished yet and I have to get more inners. The supplier short changed me by sending only 20 of them instead of 40. But it will be rectified.
 
Then I wanted to know whether Piccadilly Line was free of predators and put the camera near trap T57 to see what is going on in the forest. The camera was there for 10 days and when I took it home to see the footage on computer to my great disappointment it showed one large healthy looking cat! It passed the camera basically every day. Then on most days there was also a possum going up and down its own track. Heartbreaking. Not predator free yet and we have been trapping there for three years!
 
So now I put the big guns down there! In the form of an AT220 which has proved rather good at catching possums and cats. So have to see. And then of course camera goes back to make sure nothing else moves around. At least I saw no rats on the camera footage. Great relieve.
 
Thank you all again for helping with this project. It is going really well and I believe the bird numbers have increased yet again. Also the Fantail Visitors Book is doing really well. It is used on lots of days and people write nice things into it. The Fantail Shop is also going to be open soon. The cabinet for it is almost ready and now we have to get some goods to go into it. The newest idea that came to mind is why not have a Fantail Post Office down there? People can buy the card, put the address on to the envelope and then put it into the Post Office Box, we collect the mail and send it to wherever. Service costs ten dollars! All funds go into the Fantail Account. Later on I will be working on the Fantail Gallery as well. I have already earmarked a spot for it on Circle Line. It will be panels with pictures of all the birds and a small description of their characteristics. Such good fun it all is.
 
If you have any other splendid ideas please let me know. We turn this walkway into the best walkway in New Zealand!!