Week 11

Another week of variety, from looking through microscopes to being on a little blue penguin camp. The microscope was back at the Taranaki Regional Council looking for different species in soft sediment samples. I seem to be getting better at finding different species and can identify most. At the moment I am just finding things in the species and seperating them out before I try to identify them with Erin.
On Thursday I went on with a group og 10 secondary school pupils on a camp to Urenui. It was organised by 60 Springs, an educational part of Puke Ariki (the local museum and library). The Little Blue Penguin Experience was a chance to go out and observe penguins in the wild, to learn about penguins and to get to know other like minded people. The students came from all around Taranaki. My role was the official photographer and videographer, as well as general helper.
Thursday saw us getting together. We had a talk from Bridy, a lecturer from Massey about penguins and penguin recovery. A lot of her team are currently in the Bay Of Plenty dealing with the ecological disaster. After that we headed to Chaddy's Charters to look at some penguin chicks in a nesting box. There is a camera in the box providing a live feed into the shop. Was good to start the camp by actually seeing some penguin chicks. We headed out to Urenui and set up our baches.
Some people came and told us they had spied a penguin on the beach so a bit later we went down to find it. he wasn't looking all that well, breathing irregularly and so we weren't sure of what to do. We decided to organise getting him to a vet. When we picked him up he didn't fight. The vet said he had a broken toe but he died as he was being examined. A bit of a sad start.
That night we went to nearby Wai-iti beach and ended up seeing about 6 penguins coming up out of the sea to feed their chicks. Was really cool to see them and they certainly can run across the beach but freeze when we got too close or shone too much light on them.
The next day we looked for footprints, surveyed bach owners, played games and that night we went to Rapanui to see grey faced petrels come into land. Unlike the penguins they don't come ashore every night and so we didn't see any.
Saturday was more games, some talks with local iwi, and some suggestions about what the kids could do back in their own communities.
It was a really good experience and part of the variety I am really enjoying with my fellowship.

This weeks video is the penguin that later died, but this is him on the beach during the day which made hime easier to film.