Top 10 blog posts of 2011

January 2, 2012

Although kakapo didn’t win Bird of the Year in 2011, they certainly took out top honours on the Conservation Blog. Nine out of our top ten posts are exclusively, or in part, about this much loved New Zealand parrot. 

#10 Notes from an island sanctuary

This fantail chick lives right outside Chris' lounge

This recent post was the first from our new ranger on Maud Island, Chris Birmingham. You loved hearing about his life on the island, which is also home to Sirocco the kakapo. We’re all looking forward to hearing a lot more from Chris in 2012.

#9 Kakapo ‘curse’ hits breeding season – but more eggs to come

Kakapo chicks

Containing some of the first news of the 2011 kakapo breeding season, as well as a cute kakapo pic, this post promised to be a crowd favourite – and it was!

#8 Animal Health Board staff help save kakapo

We love our kakapo stories, and this one – told by Jane Sinclair of the Animal Health Board, who was lucky enough to win a trip to Whenua Hou/Codfish Island – was no exception.

#7 Mini miracles as kakapo chicks pull through

Kakapo chick, just hours old

The 2011 kakapo breeding season had us all on the edge of our seats. With so few of these beautiful and charismatic birds left, we held our collective breath as news came in from Codfish Island about each and every mating, egg and hatching.

The DIY egg – stuck together with glue and masking tape after kakapo Suzanne stood on it – was one of your favourite stories of the season.

#6 The great ‘kiwi in Russia’ mystery!

Special Agent Kiwi

Remember the kiwi that mysteriously turned up in the Russion port of Sochi back in May? Oh, that’s right, it was actually a common bittern. Never-the-less, it provided the material for this tongue in cheek story that appealed to the conspiracy theorist in us.

#5 Jobs at DOC: Spokesbird for Conservation, Sirocco the kakapo

Munchin' on a kumara-pop

Our ‘Jobs at DOC’ series provides behind the scenes insights into the jobs and the personalities of DOC workers. The post about our very own spokesbird for conservation, Sirocco the kakapo, was by far your favourite of these, taking out 5th place in our top 10. 

#4 Vote now! Remix the sounds of NZ competition

The grand finale of our New Zealand Music Month competition was always going to be popular. In it, our judges – Sirocco the rock star kakapo and Simon the mad morepork owl – played and commented on the top five tracks and then left it over to you, our savvy readers, to pick the winner.

#3 What New Zealand native species are you?

Native species quiz

This native species determination chart was the star of our Conservation Week series.

Over 3,000 people took the fun and fact filled test and, interestingly, we discovered that readers of the Conservation Blog are overwhelmingly kea!

#2 The world’s first takapo eggs

Our April Fool’s day post, about the world’s first takapo eggs being discovered on Maud Island, was a huge hit.

Haggis and Sirocco with their newly found eggs

Almost 5,000 of you have read and shared this fun and far fetched story.

#1 Remix my mates during NZ music month and make me a bona fide rock star!

To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, and to raise the profile of New Zealand’s avian songsters, Sirocco the kakapo put out the call for the musically talented to remix the sounds of New Zealand’s unique birds.

Sirocco the rockstar kakapo

This post received over 3,500 views in one day, and thousands more since then, making it the clear winner of our most popular post of the year.

What was your favourite?

Our top 10 blog posts for 2011 were chosen based on the number of people who viewed them. Do you think this accurately reflects the best of the blog?

Do you have a personal favourite that you’d like to comment on (that either did or didn’t make it onto our top 10 list)? We’d love to hear from you.

Leave a Comment » | Kiwi, Native animals, Sirocco, Uncategorized | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Department of Conservation

Notes from an island sanctuary:

November 30, 2011

An occasional diary by Maud Island ranger, Chris Birmingham

Return of the King

The BGBOL, His Highness, Sir Occo, whatever people like to call him, returned home to Maud Island/Te Hoiere recently after conquering the mainland and capturing hearts and minds alike.

Daryl Eason with Sirocco

It was a reasonably bouncy boat journey back to Maud for Sirocco, the kākāpō conservation superstar, and his human passengers, so we decided that for his own comfort and safety it would be better if he were out of his transport box. With the cabin door safely shut he spent most of the trip sitting on Kakapo Recovery Programme scientist Daryl Eason’s knee. He seemed to enjoy being able to see where he was going and having the sea air ruffle his feathers. Daryl on the other hand did not seem to enjoy Sirocco “stabilising” himself with his beak on the softer fleshy parts of his arm.

He did look a little ‘green’ at some stages though, and was more than willing to get back in his box for the short walk to his pen on arrival at Maud. A pirate’s parrot he is not, it would seem.

Daryl Eason, Linda Kilduff and Sirocco Kakapo

I think Sirocco enjoyed getting back to “nature” after so long in the spotlight. He won’t be free to roam just yet though. He has to go through a quarantine process to ensure he hasn’t brought any diseases back with him. Although Sirocco is very important, there are also other species here to consider such as the takahe, orange-fronted parakeets, and the Maud Island frog. Once he receives a clear bill of health he will be allowed out of his quarantine enclosure.

Don’t panic though, it’s not a cage. He has a large outdoor pen here to loll around in while he waits for the all clear. It’s a catered arrangement too, no macadamias or grapes though, sorry buddy. I’ll keep you posted on his progress and antics.

Takahe chicks

Another significant event here has been the hatching of our first takahe chicks. While it’s too early to count them as members of the overall takahe population just yet it’s looking promising.

Takahe chick

The first to hatch came on the day of the Rugby World Cup final. My partner Linda and I went up to the nest to check the egg for fertility and we discovered a small black chick in the nest, still moist from hatching. It was a great way to kick off a big day for New Zealand.  We have unofficially christened it McCaw. Its dad is named “The Captain” so we thought that was appropriate.

It’s fascinating to watch takahe parents in action, and The Captain and Rangi are great examples. Initially the parents were very protective of their chick. They kept it stashed away in the long grass and ferried bits of food to it, calling to it to tell it to lay low. As it got older and more mobile they have started to bring it out. We give them supplementary food – a mix of blended veges, clover and takahe pellets.

The other day I watched them for 20 minutes. It was awesome to see how dedicated they are to their young chick.  They have a keen sense of danger and will let the chick know if it isn’t safe to be out in the open, such as when the resident NZ falcon lets out its piercing call from high above. The parents turn their eyes to the sky and “whoomp” to send the chick scurrying for cover. Awesome!

Spring has sprung

On a final note, spring has well and truly sprung here on Maud. The grass has really taken off and mowing the tracks has become an all too common occurrence!

Fantail chick

Other locals are breeding too. We have a fantail nest right outside our lounge; the parents have already fledged the first clutch of three chicks and appear to be considering a second! Underneath them, and below the deck, is a family of blue penguins. They aren’t the best flat mates, being quite smelly and prone to late night bursts of noise when mum and dad come home with a belly full of fish to regurgitate, but we don’t hold any of that against them. It’s still very cool to have nature literally on (or under) your doorstep. They will be gone soon enough and maybe we will miss them, but not their smell.

We have a fantail nest right outside our lounge

That’s all from Te Hoiere for now but hopefully I’ll get round to blogging more regularly now that we have settled in.

Leave a Comment » | Islands, Native animals, Sirocco | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Department of Conservation

Mark Carwardine: Putting NZ on the wildlife tourism map

November 23, 2011

By Lizzy Sutcliffe

British conservationist, photographer and presenter (and all-round good-guy), Mark Carwardine, is once again in New Zealand undertaking a whistle-stop tour of some of the best wildlife attractions the country has to offer.

Well-known for inspiring the sexual advances of another conservation hero – Sirocco the Kakapo – Mark is here to put New Zealand on the map as a wildlife destination for tourists coming from the UK.

His visit will highlight our ‘Small 5’ (as opposed to Africa’s ‘Big 5’) – species that tourists can expect to see on a two-week visit – Hector’s dolphins, tuatara, kiwi, kea and yellow-eyed penguins.

I caught up with him this week when he was in Akaroa to meet and photograph our very own Hector’s dolphins.

Hector’s dolphins* © Mark Carwardine

Meeting at DOC’s Akaroa Field Base in miserable southerly weather, the day did not appear to brim with photography opportunities. Mark, Area Manager Bryan Jensen, Ranger (and boat captain) Derek Cox and myself all set out through the clouds and surf to the head of Akaroa Harbour to see if we could find the, often elusive, dolphins – and we were not disappointed.

As the sea became rougher, the dolphins flocked to visit the only boat game enough to be out in the conditions. Groups of between two and six Hector’s would surf the waves as they rolled towards us, ducking under the boat at the last minute and then turn around to repeat their fun.

Frustratingly, despite this brilliant display, it appeared the weather was not going to be so cooperative and driving rain soon set in making photography near-impossible.

Thrilled by the antics of these rare dolphins but thwarted by the southerly, we were forced to head back to shore where we said goodbye to Mark who’s next stop was Wilderness Lodge in Arthur’s Pass to meet more friendly New Zealand locals – kea.

A cheeky kea on Mark's rental car! © Mark Carwardine

It was a pleasure to help Mark with his project and hear his conservation stories. For those of you not already doing so, I would recommend you catch up with the latest news from his travels by following him on Twitter.

*Mark took this photo of Hector’s dolphins in better weather on Sunday when he went out with Black Cat Cruises. We were sad to hear from him that there were several  jet skis getting far too close to the dolphins and not complying with the guideline for sharing our coasts with marine mammals. Please make sure you don’t take advantage of our friendly marine mammals and let them come to you.

1 Comment | Canterbury, Marine, Native animals, Sirocco | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lizzy Sutcliffe

Jobs at DOC: Spokesbird for Conservation, Sirocco the kakapo

September 19, 2011

Every Monday Jobs at DOC will take you behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation.

This week we find out about our Spokesbird for Conservation, Sirocco the kakapo:

At work

Me as a baby, only 14 days old. So cute!

Name: Sirocco kakapo

Position: Official Spokesbird for conservation, and one of 129 kakapo left in the world.

What kind of things do you do in your role?

Officially, I’m the Conservation Spokesbird, and occasionally I get out and about to promote conservation (and myself) in New Zealand. I Facebook and tweet about conservation-oriented stuff and try to get the message out about our threatened flora and fauna and their habitats. Other than that, I’m just your average kakapo stooging around in the bush!

What is the best part about your job?

The travel? Nah, the people. People might think that it’s them seeing me when I am at places like Orokonui and Zealandia, but actually it’s the other way round! I find it fascinating to see all these different shaped bipeds peering through the glass!

And now I'm 14 years old! This is me at my birthday party earlier this year

What is the hardest part about your job?

The travel! No one should be put in a pet crate for any amount of time! The indignity! Why can’t I sit in a seat?

What led you to your role in DOC?

I was hatched into it! Literally. I had health issues when I was a chick and was hand raised by my surrogate mum Daryl Eason (he’s awesome, you should do a piece on him) and the rest is history.

What was your highlight from the month just gone?

The macadamia nuts? Wrong answer! Getting back out into the public eye. I enjoy the solitary ways of my normal parrot life but it’s nice to get out and about and spread the conservation message. The nuts are a bonus too.

The rule of three

Three loves

  1. My mum Zephyr (and you too Daryl!)
  2. Macadamia nuts.
  3. Haggis the takahē, but she ran off with one of them takahē blokes. Woe is me! 

One of my portfolio shots. Who's a pretty boy then?

Three pet peeves

  1. An empty food hopper that should be full.
  2. Blue penguins invading my track and bowl.
  3. Introduced mammalian predators!

Three foods

  1. Lately I have really been enjoying the juicy bits of the renga renga lily, but I will eat most things green and planty.
  2. Coprosma berries (mmm beeerrries).
  3. Macadamia nuts when I can get them.

Three favourite places in New Zealand

  1. Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, it’s my place of hatching. Particularly Norwest Bay, my old hood. 
  2. Te Hoiere/Maud Island, it’s my current home and has a nice climate, plus Haggis the takahē lives there. 
  3. Rakiura/Stewart Island, it’s my ancestral home (where mum and dad came from) and it’s a beautiful part of New Zealand.

Favourite movie, album, book

Munchin' on a kumara-pop

  1. Movie: I’m not really big on movies, I only get to see them from outside the hut (why is that!), but I do like David Attenborough’s Life of Birds series. I’m a bird and I am still amazed by the things birds can do!
  2. Album: It’s not an album but I really like the dawn chorus on Maud Island. It’s like my reverse alarm clock telling me to go to bed!
  3. Book: Alison Ballance’s recent book, Kakapo. It’s about as up to date on kakapo as you can get and, obviously, it has me in it.

Deep and meaningful

What piece of advice would you tell your two year old self?

I would say, “Self, when you’re hanging out in your tree during the day having a snooze, minding your own biz, and you hear the people coming, it’s usually not to give you a macadamia nut! Something is up! Especially when they have the carry crate with them.”

Who or what inspires you and why?

All the people who give their time to conservation. I’ve seen a lot of volunteers and rangers in my time (some even have the scars to prove it!) and it’s amazing how much hard work and love they bring to the cause. It is truly inspiring to see such dedication and it makes me feel all warm to know they have got my best interests at heart, as well as those of all the other critters and plants.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An artist's interpretation of me as Ranger Sirocco

A DOC ranger, they seem to have all the fun. And now, well, I kind of am one aren’t I? ‘Ranger Sirocco’ … Sounds good to me. Where’s my uniform?

And now, if you weren’t working at DOC, what would you want to be?

I quite liked the look of that cockpit on my flight down to Dunedin, all those buttons and lights, maybe a pilot!

If you could be any other New Zealand native species for a day, what would you be and why?

One that can fly! Perhaps a karearea/New Zealand falcon, they look pretty neat and boy can they fly! Is there a pattern forming here? I’m perfectly fine with walking most of the time, but, you know, well, flying looks like so much fun!

What piece of advice or message would you want to give to New Zealanders when it comes to conservation?

My old friend Don Merton once said, “They are our national monuments. They are our Tower of London, our Arc de Triomphe, our pyramids. We don’t have this ancient architecture that we can be proud of and swoon over in wonder, but what we do have is something that is far, far older than that. No one else has kiwi, no one else has kakapo. They have been around for millions of years, if not thousands of millions of years. And once they are gone, they are gone forever. And it’s up to us to make sure they never die out.” 

So true. People! We need to value and protect all of our native species and their habitats, not just the super awesome handsome ones like me. So get out there and get stuck in kiwis. We all need your help. Get involved! Plant a tree, run a pest trap line or give your time as a volunteer to a conservation project, and if you’re passionate like I am, tell anyone who will listen. And if they won’t listen, tell ‘em anyway!

3 Comments | Jobs at DOC, Native animals, Sirocco | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Department of Conservation

‘Bird call’ wins in remix competition

June 17, 2011

Simon Owl, judge in our very own New Zealand Idol for native birds competition

 
‘Bird call’ is the winner in our remix the sounds of New Zealand competition, dubbed New Zealand Idol for native birds.

Shayne Burrows of New Plymouth made the track from bird song on the DOC website, remixed with his own music.

The competition was perfect for Shayne who has always been interested in music and birds – he even uses kokako as his avatar on Twitter and as a logo for his work.

Shayne receives a copy of the brilliant Unnatural History of Kakapo DVD and Alison Ballance’s award winning book Kakakpo: Rescued from the brink of extinction.

Listen to the top five!

Listen to some of the other entries:

About the competition

The competition to remix New Zealand bird song ran throughout New Zealand Music Month. Entries came from New Zealanders as far away as Melbourne, Amsterdam and London.

Our judges picked the top five entries which were posted on the Conservation blog and here on the DOC website. The public voted to choose the winner.

2 Comments | Kiwi, Native animals, Sirocco, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Department of Conservation

Vote now! Remix the sounds of NZ competition

June 10, 2011

Voting has closed. Read about our winner.

Vote for your favourite track in Sirocco’s remix the sounds of New Zealand competition. Vote at www.doc.govt.nz/remix 

The judges have chosen the top five entries. Now it’s up to you to pick the winner!

The judges – Sirocco the rock star kakapo and Simon (the mad morepork) Owl – have chosen the top five entries

The grand finale

This is it. The grand finale of “Remix my mates during NZ Music Month and make me a bona fide rock star!”

At the end of this week long voting extravaganza our winner will be crowned. 

The judges say ‘In the woods’ by Matt Oliver has a slight edge, but we all know these things rarely go the way the judges expect. 

It’s going to be a spectacle of epic proportions – and the decision is in your hands.

Bird call

First up, let’s welcome to the page, Shayne Burrows of New Plymouth with ‘Bird call’.

Shane mixed the bird calls from the DOC website with his own music to create this mellow groove.

Bird call, Shayne Burrows (MP3, 2,733K)

The judges say:

“Best performance of the night, so far”

“Dawg, we got a hot one!”

In the woods

Now, please give a warm welcome to London based New Zealander Matt Oliver with ‘In the woods’.

Except for the tui all the bird song came from the DOC website. Everything else is composed or sampled by Shane. There is a track of cicadas and wood hammering noises heard and recorded from his mum and dad’s place in Auckland – the definitive sounds of New Zealand perhaps?!

In the woods, Matt Oliver (MP3, 4,034K)

The judges say:

“This guy is in it to win it!”

“I am in awe. Very hot dope cool track.”

King Kakapo & the Waipoua Posse

Next, let me introduce Wellingtonian Joey Hobbs!

Joey (aka Absalom) drew inspiration from the sound of desperation in the kakapo call. He gives us some pretty heavy, low key dubstep using bird song from the DOC website. So, without further ado, let’s get into ‘King Kakapo and the Waipoua Posse’!

King Kakapo & the Waipoua Posse, Joey Hobbs (MP3, 5,654K)

The judges say:

“You slayed it dude”

“Well, hellfire, save matches, love a kakapo and see what hatches!”

Moimoia (dream/memory)

And all the way from sunny Nelson, please put your hands together for Liiiiiiaaaaaam Rryaaaan with ‘Moimoia’, remixing the sweet, sweet sounds of New Zealand’s only surviving native owl, the morepork/ruru.

Moimoia (dream/memory), Liam Ryan (MP3, 6,118K)

The judges say:

“Love when you break into your morepork/ruru what-it-is-ness.”

“From my melodic sensibility, it was really delicious.”

Sirocco’s theme

Finally, to finish off this perfect page of performances, let’s hear it for another Liam. Heeeere’s Liam White, with ‘Sirocco’s theme’. And, with a title like that, there is nothing, nothing, more to say. Take it away Liam!

Sirocco’s Theme, Liam White (MP3, 5,460K)

The judges say:

“It’s a work of art, a thing of beauty… and I will finish that off with a double helping of ooh-yeah.” 

“You slammed it.”

The unique melodies of the tui proved to be popular with our remix artists

So, there you have it folks. Your top five!

Both Simon Owl and my good kakapo self were completely blown away by all the entries. People have done amazing things in a very short time. And we weren’t only impressed because so many people featured the morepork and kakapo!

We’ve got something special here folks. Our birds, our music, our identity – be proud.

You’ll be able to check out all 14 entries after the winner is announced on Monday 20 June but, right now, you need to vote for your favourite!

Who do you think is worthy? Let us know in the comments and be sure to cast your official vote over on www.doc.govt.nz/remix

Voting closes Friday 17 June at 12.00 pm New Zealand Standard Time.

Read my ‘Remix my mates during NZ Music Month and make me a bona fide rock star!’ post.

9 Comments | Native animals, Sirocco, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Sirocco the Spokesbird

Remix my mates during NZ music month and make me a bona fide rock star!

May 6, 2011

It’s time to vote. Check out my lastest blog post!

Skraaark! To celebrate New Zealand music month, and to raise the profile of New Zealand’s avian songsters, I’m putting out the call for the musically talented to remix the wonderful sounds of New Zealand’s unique birds. It’s a competition people!

_______________________
Remix 
tr. v. re·mixed, re·mix·ing, re·mix·es
To recombine (audio tracks or channels from a recording) to produce a new or modified audio recording:
remixed a popular ballad and turned it into a dance hit.
_______________________

 
New Zealand birds obviously have charisma and good looks (especially us kakapo), and everyone knows we’ve got a unique sound, but nothing’s really ever happened with our music… and we don’t want to have to go out and get real jobs. Sitting in trees sounding awesome is just fine by us. 
 
As I dwelt on our undeniable greatness, the reason for our failure dawned on me – we are yet to release a really great track. It’s not that we don’t have anything to release, New Zealand birds have been recorded time and time again, but something that Simon Owl said to me recently has just stuck in my head. He said to me, “I think we need to get with the times Sirocco”. 
 
I pressed him for more information, but all he could say when he took off his headphones was “dubstep, dubstep, dubstep”. I thought he was a little mad until I did some research and my eyes were opened to the possibilities! I reckon that my booming, and Simon’s hooting, would go really well with a bit of ‘wob-wob-wob-wob’ dubstep… what do you think?
 
We need someone who can take our sounds and turn them into something banging! Are you that person? If you think you’re up for the challenge why not dust off the MPC, or that Stratocaster that’s been sitting in the corner of your room, and do your worst?!
 

Sirocco the rockstar kakapo

Feel free to draw on any member of SAVE – the Society of Avian Vocal Entertainers – and even a bit of yourself if you like too! 
 
Get your remixes in to me by the end of New Zealand Music Month (31 May 2011) and, together with our very special guest judge – the mad morepork Simon Owl, I’ll choose the track most likely to make me (and you if you’re lucky) a star!
 
The top entries will be posted on the Department of Conservation website and our adoring fans will have an opportunity to vote for their favourite.
 
The remix that is voted the best will be showered with gorgeous gifts* and forever benefit from the profile afforded them as a result of their close association with famous, cuddly, adorable, sexy me! And who knows, the television appearances, radio play and recording contracts might just start rolling in… bona fide rock star status achieved! Winning!

So, email me blog@doc.govt.nz:

  • Your contact details
  • The title of your track
  • A great sound file (video optional):
    • No longer than 5 minutes
    • No bigger than 10 MB
    • MPEG4 for video and MP3 for audio
  • An acknowledgement of the people/organisations who contributed to your remix – we need to share the glory.

Here are some resources to start you off but, feel free to cast your net wider: 

I feel this is the start of something great! Be a part of it.

* Okay, showered with gifts might be an exaggeration but you will receive a copy of the brilliant Unnatural History of Kakapo DVD and a copy of Alison Ballance’s amazing book Kakapo: Rescued From the Brink of Extinction. Oh, and did I mention the glory?

Read the competition terms and conditions

22 Comments | Kiwi, Native animals, Sirocco | Permalink
Posted by Sirocco the Spokesbird

The world’s first takapo eggs

April 1, 2011

Here on Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds we’re very excited and a little bemused at finding what could be the world’s first takapo eggs this morning. 

Sirocco the incorrigible and amorous kakapo has already earned himself a reputation for attempting to mate outside his species but it seems this time he has outdone himself. 

Haggis and Sirocco, the expectant parents

Just over a week ago, on his 14th birthday, Sirocco’s feelings for his friend Haggis the takahē became public when he ruminated on his Facebook page “She’s cute… but she likes figs and I like apples…could anything ever happen between us? Does she even like me?” 

Now, at the start of April, we have the answer! 

The two eggs, found in a nest hidden under long grass, are being closely monitored. 

So far Haggis is proving to be a great mum although, unlike male takahē, who normally share responsibility for the raising of their young, she has discovered that all is not so smooth in cross-species relationships, with Sirocco proving to be a very wings-off kind of dad. 

In hindsight, they make a pretty good pairing though – both are big, heavy, flightless birds at the mercy of introduced mammalian predators. 

Pest free islands are their refuge. And it seems, like humans, these birds come together in times of trial. 

Haggis and Sirocco with their newly found eggs

Both kakapo and takahē eggs have around a 30 day incubation period so, if all goes well, we can expect to see some takapo chicks in the next three weeks. 

Or not.

18 Comments | Native animals, Nelson/Marlborough, Sirocco | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Department of Conservation

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