8 keen trappers made their way to White Rock station on Friday 19th April. 4 from Masterton, 2 from Carterton and 2 from Upper Hutt. Pizza was the quick meal of most, although the tasty soup and bratworst looked pretty darn good too !
Joe (from the Aorangi Restoration Trust) did an over view of the project for those that hadn't been to White Rock previously, discussed the traps and what to expect. After hot drinks and biscuits, most of us got an early night, in preparation for the walk on Saturday.
Saturday - fine and calm weather, lovely early stroll to the ' Rock' for some, coffee and packed our kits.
Joe dropped the ' true right of the river' trappers inland, Gen, Trevor, Carl and Sandra. Gen and Trevor had trapped this side of the river once before, Sandra and Carl hadn't. It was a guessing game to find the traps, and figure out whether they were close to the river, down the bank, or on the terrace. Mike, Laura and Nathan trapped the ' true left of the river', with Joe returning to drop them off at the coastal end of the line and setting them on their way inland.
A beautiful calm day on the river, morning tea with fantails, and quite a number of pests caught to p rotect the banded dotterels: True Right - 11 rats, 2 cats, 7 hedgehogs, 1 mouse. True Left - 4 cats, 9 hedgehogs, 1 rat and 2 birds.
