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Helicopter tracking trial for Kiwi Jaybee

Where in the world is Jaybee?

Monday, 5th July, 2010: - A successful operation was mounted today to try to distance track male kiwi "JB" from the air.  With very generous support from Maurice Wooster (Rimutaka Heli Services Ltd) we did a fly-over of possible areas of the Rimutaka Forest Park this morning.

Here are some photos of this momentous event - a first for the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust kiwi project team.

 Maurice Wooster instructs Alan Thomson on the 2nd safety harness that he'll be wearing during the operation

 (a) Maurice instructing Alan on the (2nd) safety harness he will wear while leaning out the open (removed) door with the tracking Antenna

(b) Alan getting a safety briefing from Maurice (whilst quietly hoping this is the first and last time he ever sees the Emergency Beacon, the Fire Axe and 1st Aid Kit)

JUst before take off, Alan is seen with the modified antenna and radio receiver ready for action!

(c)  Show time!!  Alan holding an adapted Tracking Antenna (which is also connected by a safety harness to the aircraft to prevent it being lost overboard accidently during the flight.)  Underneath the woolly hat is a pair of ear muff headphones connected to the Tracking Receiver on Alan's lap.

We have lift off on our mission to find Jaybee!

(d)  Up, Up and Away!

 The Fly By:

Referring to the map below: (double click on it to open as a PDF if required).

1.     We put a transmitter (Tx) in Melody's pocket and did a loop over the Ranger's Station to test picking the beeps up from the air.  That worked 100%; No trouble picking up the Tx.

2.     We then flew south west and did a couple of loops around the west side of Mt. McKerrow (as this was the last known area where JB was  previously detected).

3.     We then came up to Mt. McKerrow from the south, nothing heard!

4.     We went back south again and turned back north pretty much over the Catchpool Valley (didn’t realise how far south we had got!)

5.     Headed over to the Turere Valley and went up to have a look at the eastern side of the McKerrow Track, but nothing was heard.

6.     Tracked out again and went up and around the area between Whakanui and East Whakanui Tracks; still nothing heard.

7.     Cut over the East Whakanui and started to head home and BINGO! Just when we were least expecting it, a strong signal was obtained from JB's radio transmitter!!

You can see the first tight loop when I gave the Pilot (Maurice) the thumbs up and he circled back.  We then had a bit of a problem getting back on the same spot as the signal was very localized.  You can see how we circled several times timing to get a better fix on the source.

In the end I was happy that JB was down off the East Whakanui pretty much directly across from (and slightly north of) where North Boulder Creek comes down into the Orongorongo River Valley.

Map showing the GPS track of the flightpath taken by Alan and Maurice in their successful hunt for Jaybee

Lessons Learnt:

1.     NEVER underestimate how far JB can gallop when he has his mind set on the search for a girlfriend.

2.     Holding a tracking antenna outside the door of a helicopter is not that easy!  Quite tiring after 30 minutes or so, especially to keep it out at a horizontal level.  Surprisingly high wind loading (down from the rotor) and back from the forward motion of the aircraft.

3.     Never give up, just when you think it is all over and no result – its not all over until the errant Kiwi sings!

4.     Tracking from the air is "a goer" and it does work!  Not an easy task but we have tested and proven the basic principles.

 Alan Thompson

Photos credit: Melody McLaughlin

(See also our related Press Release here:-)