Trapper Monthly, May 25

Trapper Monthly May 2025
 
Dear Trappers and Fantail Friends

May has been an interesting month. Until the middle of the month we had only three possums and I thought great we are getting on top of it. But then suddenly it changed. Marcel got seven possums in one day all on Waterloo and District Lines. Then I doubled up with another three on Piccadilly Line! That is ten possums in a week. Has not happened for a very long time. Now the total for May is 17 possums! How many more can there be!

Then we had 49 rats, 5 stoats and 3 weasels. The rats too just keep on coming. Relentless really. Also, quite unpredictable. Most are on Piccadilly Line which is the first line where we deployed traps for rats and stoats. One would expect an end to it someday. But there can be a series of catches in a particular trap, say four or five rats within a few days, then nothing for a month or so and then it starts again.

At the beginning of the month, I had a camera out near trap T45 just to see whether there is still vermin around. And well enough it picked up three possums, two rats, a cat and a hare. Interesting to see what is happening in the dark of the night. Because of these sightings I doubled up on traps at that location. Like I installed a trapinator trap, an extra Timms trap and a DOC150 trap! Plus added a lot of lure.

A few days  later I got a rat. Then another day later I got one of the possums and another rat. A week after that it was the second possum and now we are still trying to get the last possum. The camera is worth having because we can adjust the traps and lures. There are now three cameras in operation.

The same technique I am applying to a spot near the coalmine where a camera again picked up a possum, rats and also a cat. They are everywhere. So, I moved some heavy equipment into the area like an AT220 and another DOC150. First result was two rats caught in the AT220. Still waiting for the possum.

It’s been a busy month as we had 21 outings! That is a lot of hours spent down in the forest. I was also busy installing about ten more A24 automatic traps for rats in various parts of the forest. Plus three I had to repair as pigs had wrenched them off the tree! During this work I discovered deep in the forest an old totara tree! I have never come across a totara before and am not aware of any others. Very unusual but a lovely surprise.

Then of course the birds were a delight as well. Lots of fantails. They are everywhere and often in small groups of three or even four. Bellbirds seem abundant and loads of silvereyes. The grey warblers have disappeared a bit. Probably gone to warmer areas as also the shining cuckoos have done. But the biggest thrill is to see so many kereru! Hardly a day goes by when I do not see or hear one of them. Or people on the track tell me that they have seen them. Very exciting to see that happening.

The other big news is that the Fantail Shop is finally open and stocked. It opened on the 15th of May and while not many believed it would work it has proven to be a sounding success! The souvenirs just disappear, and we had to re-stock every second day! What we have there are painted stones by Julia, small pottery plates by Christine, painted paperweights by Jon, some kiwi fridge magnets, postcards and small water bottles. All selling between five and ten dollars. And all gets paid online!






 












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The Fantail Shop!
 
Then in the same week we installed the Fantail Bird Gallery! This is a bit further up towards the lookout point. There are ten panels, each bird depicted in a painting by Julia and a text describing the birds. It will hopefully get people interested in conservation and the importance of protecting these birds. The panels are all in the same area and mounted on trees.
 
So please come and see for yourselves! The shop and the visitor’s book are about 30 minutes’ walk from the stile at Terrace Downs. You can drive down past the driving range to a four wheel track which gets you to the stile.

Thank you again for your interest and support. Special thanks to the trappers too. It’s all quite fantailistic!

Robbie and Christine
 
 
 

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