Tui had not been seen in the Blythe Valley for over 30 years. However, they were spotted at three locations in December 2024, and again in January 2025 with a confirmed sighting of two Tui at Nape Nape Farm. Image at left taken on December 22nd, 2024.

The “F-bomb” and the “Flipping Timmy” have been mostly chosen over automated traps due to cost. Access to the traps is easy and trap checking can be done as part of a regular farming beat. The cheaper trap designs allow for more traps to be placed on the ground with only a minor inconvenience associated with regular checking. In combination, these traps deliver the full suite of predator control needed to protect ground-nesting birds.  

In addition, cage traps (which must be checked daily) and automated AT-220 traps (which need to be checked less frequently) are used in places where appropriate.

Native birds seen or heard during trap-checking are recorded in Trap NZ where practicable.  Note is given to recording birds that are rare or rarely seen. In addition, we undertake gravel nesting bird surveys each year, seeking to engage the independent services of the experts listed on our About Us page.  We also undertook a baseline possum/rat activity index survey using chew cards in spring/summer of late 2024 through the area where intensive predator trapping is happening. This was accompanied by 5-minute bird counts undertaken at 1km intervals (at least to 5 stations) along the Napenape Road, which lies adjacent to the reach where intensive trapping is taking place. These bird surveys will be undertaken annually, and the results recorded on E-bird and the monitoring function of TrapNZ. 

Game cameras have been set up to monitor AT220’s and the SA2kat traps to monitor effectiveness of these traps and animal interactions with them. These cameras can also alternatively used for traps that consistently have their bait taken but don’t catch anything. Cameras will also be deployed during nesting season to monitor identified riverbird nests