Notes from Branches and Sections

Forest and Bird, Issue 186, 1 November 1972, Page 21

Notes from Branches and Sections

NORTH SHORE BRANCH A Northcote university lecturer in zoology, Mr F. F. Jenkins, who has made several years’ study of the rare New Zealand bird the saddleback, was the lecturer to an audience of over 60 at the June meeting of the North Shore Branch. Mr Jenkins’s particular interest in the saddleback comes from his studies in animal communication. He found that the saddleback colony on Cuvier Island was particularly suited to his needs. Being a large bird, it is fairly easy to observe and handle; it is almost flightless, moving mainly in short hops, so that it can be easily followed as it moves through its bush domain; it is quite tame, allowing close approach for observation and recording; and it has long legs particularly suitable for banding for identification purposes.

Taking advantage of these peculiarities and by dint of mueh persistence and patience, Mr Jenkins has charted the territories of each adult bird on Cuvier Island, over the last 3 or 4 years. He has also recorded their territorial calls —their proclamations over the areas which they maintained as their own. He has had these calls analysed on a sonograph and displayed the resultant pictorial “music” to show the audience at the branch meeting the similarities and differences of the calls of birds from various, parts of the saddleback territory.

These and the tape recordings of various saddlebacks vividly illustrated how dialects exist in bird calls. Various specimens of the same species have decided variations in the notes they produce.

Mr Jenkins illustrated with coloured slides how some birds communicate from one to the other by various postures. Scents and light (as in glowworms) were other means of communication between animals dealt with by the speaker, who pointed out that only man and other mammals had extensively developed sound as a means of communication in their groups. But animals used sounds only to convey feelings; they had . none of the ability of man to translate sound into words. Interesting facts about the saddlebacks mentioned by Mr Jenkins included observations that they formed pairs early in life and stayed paired throughout their lives, though that did not mean that they remained faithful to a single spouse. There was indeed a good deal of wife swapping! They were attracted to dead wood, where they found the huhu grubs, wetas, and other insects that formed much of their diet. Indeed they could properly be called the New Zealand woodpecker, as their pecking at decaying timber could be heard 'some distance away. Though they moved as closely knit family groups during the day, they dispersed at night to roost in separate holes in trees. This occurred even with birds only a few days out of the nest. The saddleback was a most interesting bird, quite apart from its beauty of a saddle of coppery hue which contrasted with the blue-black body; the

light orange wattles at the base of the beak added further charm. It was a great pity that this lovely bird had been unable to withstand the predatory 'instincts of introduced cats and was now to be found only on a few off-shore islands. Fortunately recent transfers of reasonable numbers of saddlebacks from Hen Island had allowed the species to establish itself on other islands offering suitable habitats. The birds’ survival was assured for some time provided cats and other predators could be kept from these island refuges. WELLINGTON BRANCH Next year is the Society’s Fiftieth Jubilee year, and to celebrate the event the Wellington Branch will be holding a weekend camp at a new holiday camp complex at Forest Lakes, near Otaki. The weekend is planned for 10-11 March 1973. and we will welcome any member who wishes to come, particularly those from our neighbouring sections at Wairarapa, Horowhenua, and Manawatu. Full details are available from Mr P. Rider, 20 Salek Street, Kilbirnie, Wellington 3. WAIKATO BRANCH Anniversary Weekend Camp Members are reminded of the camp to be held at Coromandel during Anniversary weekend 1973. Cabin accommodation for 24 people has been booked at Simpson’s Holiday Camp at a cost of $4.50 per person, which covers accommodation for 3 nights, 26,. 27 and 28 January, and use of all camp facilities; members are to provide their own meals. The main feature of the weekend will be a climb to the summit of Mount Moehau, but various other less strenuous activities will be arranged to suit all ages. Caravan and tent sites are also available. If you are making your own accommodation arrangements, but wish to join in the weekend’s activities, would you please send in your name to assist with the organisation. This should be a most enjoyable weekend; so make your booking, sending a deposit of $2 per person, as soon as possible to Mrs G. Garvey, 56 Fairfield Road, Hamilton; telephone 56-752. Mount Te Aroha Summit Project The branch committee is co-operating with the N.Z.B.C. and the Te Aroha Rotary Club to improve the area around the TV transmitter building on Mount Te Aroha by planting native alpine and subalpine species. An attempt to re-establish the indigenous flora destroyed when the station was built is a first priority, but as the area is now more exposed and windswept, plants from the volcanic plateau and other mountain areas will be used to provide an interesting and attractive feature for

the increasing numbers of tourists visiting the mountain. A small trial planting has already been made, but the major work will be left until after the hot weather. All species introduced will be recorded on a master plan. If any member can help with suitable plants or working bees, please ring Mrs Leonie Garvey, 56-752. Mamaku Forest Our Society has for 'the past year been campaigning to save more areas of the steeper gully and gorges from being clear felled and then planted in exotics. In this we have been successful. We now have a large area reserved and other areas of good quality indigenous forest where no felling will be done. We have made submissions to the Forest Service, New Zealand Forest Products, the Hauraki Catchment Board, Ma'tamata County, and Members of Parliament and have given talks to interested organisations. In all meetings we have been courteously received. A small committee of fine people from Okoroire worked with us and together our efforts made progress. The response from the public was tremendous. We feel that the authorities will be more careful in the future. It is possible that a new forest park of 50,000 acres will be created. This will take in all the forest from State Highway 5 above Fitzgerald Glade to the high country on the Kaimais. Rangitoto-Ranginui Range A meeting was held in August in Otorohanga to discuss, the formation of a 50-square mile forest

park on the Rangitoto-Ranginui Range. This meeting was convened by the Otorohanga Rotary Club. Many organisations were represented, including the Forest Service, Waikato Valley Authority, South Auckland Conservation Society, Deerstalkers’ Association, our Society, and local farmers. As this bushclad range is at the headwaters of the Waipa River, it is a very important area for flood control. Milling has been carried out for a number of years and erosion is becoming increasingly evident on the steeper sidelings. The Rotary club is continuing investigations on this range under the leadership of Mr F. L. Phillips. Our committee is being kept in touch with developments and wishes to support the Rotary club in every way possible in its aim to preserve the bush on all steep slopes and to have the area designated as a forest park.

Coming Events in Districts

Auckland Branch 25 November (postponement date, 2 December): Barbecue at Huia. Bus leaves C.P.O. (rear) at 1 p.m. Book with Mrs Allan (phone 584-979). Cost: $1.50 adults, 75 cents for children. 11 March: Enjoy a day on the harbour, visiting Motuihi for a swim and then on to Motutapu to inspect historic sites. Miss Janet Davidson, archaeologist, Auckland Museum, and Mr Sanders, of the Hauraki Maritime Park, will attend. Write to Mrs I. Thompson, 83 Michael’s Avenue, , Ellerslie, and send $1.50 for each adult booking and 75 cents per child. 15 February: Annual “Get Together”. Timaru Section 3 December: Trip by private cars to Mount Cook National Park to view alpines flowering in Hooker Valley. 15 February: Slide lecture: “New Zealand Birds of the Sea and Shore”, and “Rocky Shore Communities”. Arranged by Mr F. Oldman. 17 February: Visit to albatross colony; seal and penguin colonies; points of interest on Otago Peninsula. Numbers visiting albatross colony are limited; no limits for other points of interest. Members interested to advise secretary by 1 December. 21 March: Forest and Bird Week to mark Fiftieth Jubilee of founding of the Society. Details to be advised later. All evening meetings will be held in St. Mary’s Church Hall unless otherwise stated in advertisements. Reminders will appear in the “Timaru Herald” 2 days before outings or evening meetings. Evening meetings have ' been extended to summer months. A silver collection is taken at each meeting. For information or transport ring: Mr F. B. Ross, chairman (85-421) or Mrs H. W. Washbourn, secretary (88-425). x