The chocolate monitoring check of the island was completed and this showed no rat sign. The twelfth bait check was begun and will be completed this coming week. Chocolate monitoring will be added to each of the bait stations as well during the coming week to prevent interference by other species. The original monitoring stations (with candle, soap and chewsticks) will still be used for the remainder of the project. Access to difficult areas, rock stacks and offshore islets was obtained again this week. There was no bait take by rats or rat sign on any monitoring at any of these sites. Martin Carty continued with the sea eagle monitoring. He updates the project team with information on the birds, in particular the location of activity and behaviour of both pairs as well as other raptor species.
Television New Zealand (TVNZ) visited the island for three days to film the project and interview the New Zealand team and Islanders about the rat eradication project. The footage will be shown on a current affairs programme in New Zealand (which screens after the National News) during the next week or so. A copy of this footage will also be provided to the project for the records.
No days were lost to bad weather.
Abbie Patterson (NTS) left on Tuesday 21st February, Martin Carty arrived on Tuesday 21st February, Charles Thompson, Brice Ebert, Emma Williams and Dave Boyle (WMIL), Martin Carty (NTS), Iain Smith (volunteer) left on Thursday 23rd February. John Tayton and Richard Bakere (WMIL), Hilary Wilkinson (volunteer) and Lisa Scharf (Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) arrived on Thursday 23rd February.
Biz Bell, Dave Boyle and Paul Garner-Richards - WMIL, Sunday 26th February 2006
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