Fourth Go at Te Kooti Road

Submitted by Dave on

Jarno and I went for another listen before dark. We identified six different males calling spread far and wide. We made a plan for three of them at one end of the block.  The first one flew off as we approached on dark. It just shows when you apply pressure, peafowl react by becoming flighty at night and roosting in difficult places. The next was in a big pine tree calling. There was no where else it could have been roosting. With all of our thermal technology we could not find it. The next caller turned out to be a bluehead (two-year-old male without a big tail). He died on the side of an inaccessible cliff covered in barberry; he never made it to the ground. After that, we shot a few hens and juvies and went home. It was not feasible to chase after the other ones as it was a school night (work the next day) and it was already 11:30. I might leave this block for a week then go back. I have been shooting it for over 20 years and want to try and get every last bird.