Volunteer stories: A fantail on a walking pole

We couldn’t do our work without the help of a team of dedicated volunteers who generously give their time to the project. Jess is one of our trap line volunteers and today shares more about why she volunteers.

From left: Catherine (Operations Supervisor) and volunteers Chris, Ian and Jess on the Chingford Park lower line.

What trap line(s) do you check?

• Leith Track (Botanic Garden)

• Brackens View

• Chingford Park (lower track)

How long have you been volunteering with City Sanctuary?

Since November 2021 for the Leith Track. Picked up Brackens View and Chingford Park in February 2022.

What motivated you want to start volunteering?

I’m a bird enthusiast and amateur photographer. I’m also self-employed so have control over what I do on weekdays. However, I’m a bit constrained by care and work responsibilities – no overnight or longer trips – so checking these trap lines gives me a little bit of adventure in my week and a chance to use my hiking gear. I always take my camera, and use iNaturalist when I see interesting plants and fungi I can’t identify.

Interesting fungi!

Have you had any special wildlife encounters on your trap line?

Always the birds. Depending on the time of year there is different behaviour to see. Springtime – a pair of korimako completely involved fighting each other landed splat on the track right in front of me. A tui persistently harassing a kererū in the high treetops. A pīwakawaka landing on my extended walking pole and posing, singing, for a video. Often it’s what you hear rather than see – kōtare and rirororo are seldom seen, but lovely to hear.

Fantail/piwakawaka sitting on Jess’s walking pole.

Any funny stories to share?

Usually involve me sliding down a hill…

I did try and climb up a very steep bank to photograph an enormous fungi – I just couldn’t get close enough to do it justice. Lost my footing on the way back down and went for a slide. There is a rusty Singer sewing machine in Bracken’s View, probably chucked in from Lovelock Avenue, that has had a tree grow around it.

Old sewing machine with a tree growing around it.

What species would you like to see flourishing again on your trap line?

More native birds basically – and perhaps some of the absent natives to move in! I’d like to see tītipounamu, kākā, many more korimako and kererū than are there already. Geckos and skinks would be cool if the habitat is right – I’ve not seen any yet on any of my trap lines, but that is unlikely because there aren’t many rocky habitats, at least for the sun-loving reptiles.

Grey warbler/riorio.