Alastair Mackintosh Reports:Hi Will. Nothing to report concerning trapping this past month. Traps all still set but no nasties. May need a change of bait.

Much to the annoyance of the tui, friend kākā is still visiting and fairly tame. In changing the bottle on the feeder, I am able to extend my hand to as close as 25 cm when it will just hop away. What I find interesting is that it does not have a leg band. This makes me think it has not been bred in a sanctuary and released, but completely wild. Probably a young one in search of new territory. I do not feed it anything else as I do not want it to become dependent on humans. Just replaced the bottle on the feeder for the third time today. Five litres already at 4pm. Within one minute the Kākā was feeding, while seven tui and one bellbird were waiting. What more could one ask for? Cheers, Alastair.

Will Reports: Yep, had the dreaded C virus and spent some time looking at some trees from a hospital window.  (The nurses are good though). Had all the injections too, so thinking of asking for my money back! 

Only spent three days up the gully this month, planting some trees and such but good to hear from Alastair of the kaka visiting. It was lower down too as Glenys Glover reported seeing it on their place. 

A great effort on the 6th July with all the help with the planting above Henry Road and Grassy Saddle. If you have noticed the wide gap in the plants nearby the two power poles just down from Grassy Saddle, it is for the proposed new track above Henry Road. This will by-pass our narrow track and from the Top Track or a little above, to go across Henry Road and then up to Grassy Saddle. 

Kevin Piper Reports: No chance that any plants will dry out this past month.  The average rainfall around here for July is 114 mm, but my rain gauge is headed north of 290 mm for July 2022.  I guess we might pay for this in a few months.  We had a big planting day on 6th July with the Will’s Gully group joined by members of KRB, TDC, and private contractors to get over 500 plants in the ground.  Plantings have extended the area under natives uphill from Grassy Saddle, above the top table and east of the top end of Henry Road.  With help from Peg (wife) we have the rest of the Brian Hirst donated trees in the ground, so work is pretty much up-to-date at the moment.

Bryan Riley Reports: Hi Will, How are you.  Well recovered I hope?We arrived back last night. Nice to be home and it looks as though we have missed a lot of wet weather while away?    

[Sure have, Bryan, at my place 262.5mm fell for this July which is now the highest for this month – average is 107mm. But we have had 4 other July years of over 200mm – 2004; 2017; 2019; &  2021. Note above; Kevin’s rainfall though. – Will]

July trap catches. Waterfall line — 1 rat   1 mouse Wilks line      —   3 rats  1 mouse

Bruce Harvey Reports: Hi Will, Another month has slipped past and hard to find a fine day to check the traps. Just 6 mice caught around Grassy saddle this month. Interesting that all had been dragged to the very back of the traps and devoured. Only small pieces of tail and feet remained, maybe the wekas are hungry. Cheers Bruce 

Mike Oliver Reports: Mike’sGully Lines:  8 mice, 3 rat.
On Mike’s Fire Lookout Lines: 1 (big) other.

This months total Gully Catches:   16 mice, 7 rats.