THREE MONTHS ON ISLET

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25994, 23 December 1949, Page 8

THREE MONTHS ON ISLET

PLANS OF DUNEDIN ORNITHOLOGIST STUDY OF PETRELS “The Press’’ Special Service DUNEDIN, Dec. 22. For the next three months Mr L. E. Richdale, a Dunedin ornithologist, will live alone on an island less than hail an acre in area. The island is Where, a precipitous, bushclad piece of land nearly four miles from Halfmoon Bay. Stewart Island. Mr Richdale discounts any suggestion that he will be lonely on Whero or that the time will pass slowly. He will have hundreds of sea birds for company, he says, and will be kept busy on the study of the five different species of petrel on the island—the mutton bird, the storm petrel, the titi wainui. the parara, and the diving petrel. Also on the island are skuas, shags, blue penguins and a few land birds, so that th-ire should be plenty to occupy the time and attention of an ornithologist even for three months. This is by no means Mr Richdale's first visit to Whero. He has already spent 42 weeks on the tiny island, but they were spread over five years. This is his first visit for five years, and when he completes it he will have spent a full year on the island’s windswept slopes. On previous occasions Mr Richdale lived in a tent and had to transport to the island sufficient water to last him for his stay. Now he has a 10ft by Bft hut, and a 40gallon drum to collect the rainwater from the roof. Previously Mr Richdale had two main anxieties—the fear of having his camp blown off the island and running out of water. His new headquarters remove these worries. Supplies for practically the whole of his stay on the island will be taken by Mr Richdale when he leaves for Whero. It is possible that he may be visited at fortnightly intervals by the , owner of a launch, but he cannot count i on regular supplies. There is a sig-|

nailing device on the island so that he may communicate with Stewart Island in an emergency.

“There will be a lot of work to do on the island,” Mr Richdale said. “When I was there five years ago I banded many birds and I shall try to find as many as possible of these ringed birds and record my observations. The first task will be to search the burrows and check the bands and re-band the birds. Apart from these observations there is a great amount of clerical work to De done. In fact, I expect to have my days and nights well occupied.’’

Mr Richdale said that the work he did on Whero would fit in. with his study of the albatross which was the largest member of the petrel family. He left Dunedin this week and will return late in March.