Orokonui Ecosanctuary News

The second poison drop was successfully carried out on the 8th of October. The perimeter track was carefully checked for any oversown bait but until the signs are removed please do not handle or remove any bait or dead animals that you may see and do not allow children or dogs around the Ecosanctuary perimeter.

As I walked the perimeter track I was amazed to see the extent of new plantings on the outside of the fence along the western boundary. It is hoped that in time these flaxes will make for a more pleasant walkway, provide a source of summer nectar for birds and also camouflage the fence somewhat from the Don's Creek subdivision. Well done to Valerie and her team of volunteers.

Will there be a spill over effect of birds from the ecosanctuary into adjacent areas? Volunteer residents from Waitati, Purakaunui and Sawyers Bay sat in their gardens for an hour in the second last week of October, surveying the birds in their gardens as a first step to answering this question.

What effect will our felines have on these birds? From time to time the subject of cats has been brought up at meetings and as a cat owner myself I thought it may be instructive to learn more about what our pets get up to. Yolanda Van Heesik has been conducting research into the impact of cats on the bird population in Dunedin and I have invited her to speak to us at the next local meeting which is on November 14th, 7.30pm at the Waitati Hall.

For further information on the Ecosanctuary, please see our box at the Blueskin Bay Library or visit www.orokonui.org.nz. A fact sheet on the aerial drop is available at the library and the Blueskin General Store.

By Sue Hensley

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