Good-bye Alex, Hello Sophie - December 2nd

Sunset on West Landing:

The sound of engines early in the morning is not as unusual as you might expect here on Rangatira. Normally it is just the locals collecting crays from their pots but today they have come to collect us! Keven, Alison and I will be taking the boat back to Chatham island and then the plane to New Zealand. But the “Acheron” has brought Sophie, Brigitta and Annika to join Mel and take over as robin-hunters, tomtit-watchers, chick-weighers, skua-dodgers and prion-rescuers.. I mean, as Melanie’s field assistants. They will be watching over our friends – and Sophie will be writing to you about it, so keep her posted if you have more questions about Tawhiti and Asha, Lupe and Mathias, Liddy and her whanau or any of the spiders, snipe, seabirds and seals on the island! And right now I have to go and bid a tearful farewell to Eddie the tomtit…