Diary with Maureen

​It is three more possums. Again it was T2 right at the beginning of my walk which was successful. And what a mess it was. Not sure what happened to it. Maybe it was a hawk who had a go at it. All the guts hanging all over and trap way down because the rope it was attached to broke. Cleaned it all up. Any volunteers?!!
 
And then I go again onto Waterloo line because that is where my new three traps are. Lucky now with trap 51, first kill for that one. Thought I had to move the trap to other tree but now seems to work. Just takes a few days for possies to turn up. There is a massive track right there coming out of the bush. Must put a second trap there. A yellow box maybe.
 
Then the next new trap had nothing but the last one trap 53 had another possum. From there I did go a bit further to check Taximus but yet again nothing. Not sure what is going on there.
 
And then back up and along Northern Line. There is now only one trap still in contention because the others we had to move because the bulls are grazing the field. They are friendly but not trustworthy. I walk all along the fence just in case. I might have to jump over it. We do not use the traps there because when a dead possum is in it the bulls might come and lick the possum. And they carry TB so better be safe than sorry. But it is so muddy! The last trap on there is T18. Nothing. And the other new traps all along had nothing also. The camera has not picked up any possum activity so maybe there are really none in that pine tree line. A cat was there but it might be a domestic one. Have sent picture to neighbour to look. Not that I go out there and kill their pet!! I think by now they would soon find out who was the one.
 
Then it was home and glorious day came to an end. Tomorrow another trip. Maybe I do Piccadilly this time.
 
Re the Kereru they like tree lucerne. Jack has lots of tree lucerne and when we walked past there were about 10 Kereru in there. So I will go and get some myself even though it is not a native but if it gives the Kereru winter food then so be it. Lucky it is not a very invasive weed so should be ok. But must make sure that no possums there cause they like it too!
 
And for the Tui, which we saw at Jack and Charlotte feeding on their feeder, they have to wait a bit. Because we need plants for them to feed on. They are mainly nectar feeder so we need tree fuschia and other nectar plants like Kowhai of which there is lots. But they flower in spring and we need something later on.
 
So on the way home we go to the tree nursery in Motukarara you might have been there too. But they have no trees whatsoever for sale. All bought by people who want native trees in their gardens. She said that probably all nursery have sold out especially of fuschia. So what to do?
Obstacles and more obstacles.