Sunday 6th November 2016.

Our first penguin family.

​Hello friends and family.
On Monday, I mowed the lawns for the first time this year. What with the drought, the rabbits and the hens, this was really just chopping up the inedible weeds – mostly stinging nettle.

The Red-billed gulls are settling to breed

​Tuesday and Wednesday were my days for removing the Varroa strips from the bee hives and adding the first boxes for honey collection, called supers. All of the hives, bar one, were in good shape, so I am now down to 13 of them. Later in the month I will divide some in two to make more.

A furry visitor

​On Thursday, I went to Oamaru and visited Janice. She is in good heart. In the afternoon, I released the penguin from the soft release pen. I also treated 2 chicks for diphtheria. It seems that we must be very vigilant for this disease each season, but if we catch it early, it is curable in most cases. 

And then there were more...

​On Friday, we had our first chick death. The poor wee thing had not been able to feed and died with an empty tummy. It is always sad to lose a chick, but part of the breeding process. We now have 53 live chicks so that is reassuring.

Titi hanging out in the forrest

​On Saturday, Adrian and Michelle from Aramoana visited to see first-hand the challenges that the penguins here must deal with. They were shocked to see the spear fishermen – about 8 of them, within 50 m of the colony. The word they used to describe the visitors here was ugly.

A visiting Sealion

My next few weeks will be ruled by the extent of the Diphtheria in the colony. I can fit other stuff around it, but treating Diphtheria is my priority.
Have a great week
Rosalie
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