new zealand trip report - tropical birding€¦ · trip report: new zealand dates: 31 december 2010...

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TRIP REPORT: NEW ZEALAND

DATES: 31 DECEMBER 2010

GUIDE AND PHOTOGRAPHS

My first trip for the year was to

repeat; for a combination of great birding and incredible scenery, New Zealand

ultimate destinations. This particular trip was designed to be easy going, and focussed

particularly on the endemic birds of this island nation. With only two weeks it was difficult

to fit everything in around these requirements, but we still managed a fine effort

up on the endemics that we targeted

We explored both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, also spending a couple of

days on Stewart Island off the far southern tip

and didn’t just include birds.

Pass and through the Eglinton Valley

hundreds of waterfalls poured

But, the birds still stole the show.

classic New Zealand, while other

the beach for their day at sea,

One of the undoubted highlights of any trip

else are pelagic seabirds as accessible as they are here.

couple of ferry rides, we racked up an incredible 25 species of

your boat (terrible pun intended), put New Zea

The enormous Wandering Albatross, and its 3.6 metre wingspan

NEW ZEALAND CUSTOM TOUR

31 DECEMBER 2010 – 13 JANUARY 2011

AND PHOTOGRAPHS: NICK LESEBERG

My first trip for the year was to New Zealand, land of the hobbits, and it is one I can’t wait to

repeat; for a combination of great birding and incredible scenery, New Zealand


mic birds of this island nation. With only two weeks it was difficult

to fit everything in around these requirements, but we still managed a fine effort

up on the endemics that we targeted, and enjoying a relaxed pace for the whole two weeks

explored both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, also spending a couple of

days on Stewart Island off the far southern tip. The trip highlights were many and varied,

and didn’t just include birds. We enjoyed Fox Glacier, the impressive drive

and through the Eglinton Valley, and an amazing cruise around Milford Sound,

ed off the cliffs steepling above us.

the birds still stole the show. A friendly Southern Brown Kiwi foraging on the be

classic New Zealand, while other highlights included Yellow-eyed Penguins waddling down

the beach for their day at sea, and the boisterous antics of the endemic New Zealand Kaka.

One of the undoubted highlights of any trip to New Zealand is the seabirds, and n

else are pelagic seabirds as accessible as they are here. During two pelagic boat trips and a

couple of ferry rides, we racked up an incredible 25 species of seabird, so

your boat (terrible pun intended), put New Zealand on your to do list!

The enormous Wandering Albatross, and its 3.6 metre wingspan - that’s nearly 5 yards!

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land of the hobbits, and it is one I can’t wait to

repeat; for a combination of great birding and incredible scenery, New Zealand is one of the


mic birds of this island nation. With only two weeks it was difficult

to fit everything in around these requirements, but we still managed a fine effort, cleaning

, and enjoying a relaxed pace for the whole two weeks.

explored both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, also spending a couple of

. The trip highlights were many and varied,

We enjoyed Fox Glacier, the impressive drives up to Arthur’s

, and an amazing cruise around Milford Sound, where

A friendly Southern Brown Kiwi foraging on the beach was

eyed Penguins waddling down

and the boisterous antics of the endemic New Zealand Kaka.

birds, and nowhere

During two pelagic boat trips and a

seabird, so if seabirding floats

that’s nearly 5 yards!

www.tropicalbirding.com of 47

Note – The common names used by Clements for many New Zealand birds differs quite

markedly from the common names that are in wide usage within New Zealand, and

particularly in the popular field guides. I have used the Clements names in this report, but at

their first mention have included the more commonly used names in brackets to help avoid

confusion. Clements is also conservative regarding the taxonomy of New Zealand birds

when compared to some other authors, something to keep in mind when comparing lists

from other trips. A good example is the New Zealand Robin which is sometimes split into

three species. Although we saw all three Clements groups/subspecies, they are all recorded

here as just New Zealand Robin.

Day 1 – Friday, 31 December 2010

Our trip began in the far south of New Zealand’s South Island, in the harbour city of

Dunedin. After meeting at the airport we decided to head down the coast towards The

Catlins, one of the last large areas of forest in this part of New Zealand. We made our first

stop at Nugget Point, a rocky headland which juts out into the Southern Ocean, and which

provides a good opportunity to get a handle on some of the common seabirds we would see

throughout the trip.

As we approached the coast we saw our first

Swamp Harriers; in New Zealand it seems

that you are rarely out of sight of one of these

majestic raptors. We picked up our first Red-

billed and Kelp (Black-backed) Gulls (not the

Black-backed Gulls U.S birders are familiar

with) before arriving at the point and

commencing the walk out. We soon had our

first introduced passerines, a feature of New

Zealand’s open areas, as we added Dunnock,

Yellowhammer and Common Redpoll to the

list. From the towering cliffs we looked down

at a Royal Spoonbill colony, with about

twenty birds nesting on a nearby rock stack.

Birds passing by included our first Spotted

Shags, an endemic cormorant which is

common in most coastal areas, and on the

rocks below there was a colony of New

Zealand Fur-Seals. With breeding season in

full swing, we watched the antics of many tiny

pups flopping around and play-fighting with

The view south along the Catlins coast

from Nugget Point.


each other. As we moved out towards the lighthouse on the end of the point some large

seabirds circling behind a fishing boat drew our attention, and we were able to pick out our

first distant White-capped Albatross. Not very satisfying views, but not to worry, we would

see these guys within metres in a couple of days.

Red-billed Gulls (above) are a common coastal bird, and from Nugget Point we were able

to see a breeding colony, continually being harassed by predatory Kelp Gulls.

From the end of the point we were able to observe a breeding colony of Red-billed Gulls,

and another of White-fronted Terns. On a distant stack we could also see a group of

another endemic, the Bronze (Stewart Island) Shag. Watching the activity here was

interesting, with terns and gulls coming and going to their nests, while marauding Kelp Gulls

circled overhead. A commotion in the middle of the Red-billed Gull colony revealed one of

these Kelp Gulls flying off with a small chick in its bill, while the Red-billed Gulls chased in

vain.

After soaking up our fill of the beautiful views north and south along the coast, we decided

to move on to the Catlins Forest Park. We stopped for lunch before birding the forest and

coming to grips with our first woodland birds. Although the wind had picked up, at ground

level things were still calm and the birds moving around. Our first sighting was a small

foraging party of the endemic Pipipi (Brown Creeper), which remained quite high up in the

canopy. Moving along we picked up some of the more common birds like Silvereye and also

our first of the two endemic honeyeaters, New Zealand Bellbird. We then hit a small mixed

flock, with the first bird to reveal itself a delightful little Tomtit. These small black-and-white


robins are quite common throughout New Zealand, and are very photogenic. They are

extremely responsive to pishing, coming in closely to investigate, and although their

preferred habitat is often quite dark, with persistence we managed some good photos.

A continuous high-pitched contact call

drew our attention to the next target

bird, the tiny little Rifleman. These

diminutive birds behave like nuthatches

as they forage up and down tree trunks

and along branches. They are often

high up, and being so small (only a few

inches long) they are very difficult to

find. It took us quite some searching

before we found a couple of these birds

foraging low down, and managed to get

prolonged views of this fantastic little

bird. After watching the Rifleman (is

the plural Riflemen?) we started our

return to the car, picking up one more

new bird on the way. The impressive

New Zealand Pigeon is quite common

in the forested areas of New Zealand,

and we startled a very friendly pair off

the side of the track which didn’t move

far and gave us great looks. On that

note we decided to call it a day and

head back to Dunedin, our base for the

night. It was to be an early start in the

morning, so we were happy to have an

early finish.

Day 2 – Saturday, 1 January 2011

A new day, a new year, and what better way to kick things off than with a new bird? We

were up early this morning to get out to Aramoana where we were hoping to catch some

Yellow-eyed Penguins on their way out fishing for the day. Although among the rarest

penguins in the world, there are several accessible colonies scattered along the south-east

coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The birds return to shore every night to roost in thick

vegetation behind the beach, where they also breed, so an early morning or late evening

trip to see these birds at one of these beaches will generally be successful. As we arrived at

the beach it was clearly going to be a beautiful day, but unfortunately the bright sunshine

The always inquisitive Tomtit can be seen in most

forested areas throughout New Zealand.


meant the penguins were up early as well. We got to the beach just in time to see four

Yellow-eyed Penguins disappear into the surf and join a group of about seven birds loafing

just beyond the breakers.

We sat down to wait for any stragglers, which gave us an opportunity to see what else was

around. There was a pair of endemic Variable Oystercatchers feeding along the beach, with

two well grown chicks in tow, while Kelp Gulls and Red-billed Gulls were floating around.

We watched in amusement as another oystercatcher flew past the beach, only for the

resident pair to immediately commence a threat display accompanied by much calling. The

visitor knew he wasn’t welcome and aborted his landing to press on for friendlier territory.

Shortly after we saw a head poke out from the vegetation at the back of the beach, and as

we kept still, another Yellow-eyed Penguin started to wander down towards the surf. This

one wasn’t so sure, and after turning around a few metres into his dash, decided to press

on. We watched in amusement as he waddled awkwardly as quickly as he could (which was

not that quickly) to the surf. Once he hit the water though it was a different story; suddenly

in his element he porpoised gracefully out through the breakers to join his mates.

This pair of Variable Oystercatchers, their red bills glowing in the morning sun, were

vigorously defending their stretch of beach and two well-developed chicks.

Leaving the beach, we made two more stops nearby. From the north side of Otago Harbour,

we had a good view across to Taiaroa Head on the south side. On this headland is the only

mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross, and with the telescope we could see several

pairs scattered across the steep northern bank. We didn’t loiter for long, as we were hoping

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for closer views of these impressive birds on our pelagic trip tomorrow. Our next stop was a

small area of mudflats, where we picked up a few common waders. The first was

Island Oystercatcher, another endemic we would see plenty of

weeks. We also got Paradise Shelducks

the mudflats with several Pied Stilts

hit the road north towards Christchurch.

About an hour north of Dunedin we made a stop at the Katiki Point lighthouse nea

Moeraki. While not expecting

photography, as many of the birds are quite used to people and all

approach. It is also the location of another Yellow

to get one or two out in the open. As we strolled down the slope in the bright sunshine we

were immediately rewarded with a

fluffy brown chick. They were surprisingly out in the open,

seemed quite unperturbed by our presence only a few metres away. The furious clicking of

shutters for several minutes didn’t bother t

This adult Yellow-eyed Penguin and its chick were enjoying the bright sunshine

together at Katiki Point. They were about a metre apart, but we were so close I couldn’t

get them both in frame on my camera without the f


small area of mudflats, where we picked up a few common waders. The first was

, another endemic we would see plenty of during

Paradise Shelducks and Double-banded (Banded) Plovers

Pied Stilts. With nothing else around we needed, we decided to

road north towards Christchurch.

About an hour north of Dunedin we made a stop at the Katiki Point lighthouse nea

Moeraki. While not expecting any new birds here, this is a fantastic location for

photography, as many of the birds are quite used to people and allow relatively close

approach. It is also the location of another Yellow-eyed Penguin colony, and we were hoping


were immediately rewarded with a Yellow-eyed Penguin parent, standing guard over their

fluffy brown chick. They were surprisingly out in the open, basking in the sunshine,


shutters for several minutes didn’t bother them either.

eyed Penguin and its chick were enjoying the bright sunshine


get them both in frame on my camera without the fence getting in the way!

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small area of mudflats, where we picked up a few common waders. The first was South

the next couple of

banded (Banded) Plovers foraging on

. With nothing else around we needed, we decided to

About an hour north of Dunedin we made a stop at the Katiki Point lighthouse near

any new birds here, this is a fantastic location for

ow relatively close

eyed Penguin colony, and we were hoping


parent, standing guard over their

basking in the sunshine, and


eyed Penguin and its chick were enjoying the bright sunshine


ence getting in the way!


We continued out the point,

stopping along the way to watch

and photograph more Red-billed

Gulls and White-fronted Terns,

before getting a surprise as we saw

a head peering out from what I’d

assumed were rabbit burrows. This

head belonged to a Little Penguin

though! We found several resting in

nearby burrows, perhaps sunning

themselves at the entrance. Other

sightings included nice ‘scope views

of Spotted Shags, while Bronze

Shags flew past and some New

Zealand Fur-Seal pups played and

fought in the rock pools. We spent a

very enjoyable hour here, relishing a

great wildlife experience before

time pressed and we had to move

on.

Continuing north along the coast

there weren’t many stops for birds

as we moved through the rural

landscape. We eventually arrived at

Lake Ellesmere, just south of

Christchurch, a large shallow lake

where we hoped to find a few waders to add to our list. We crossed the open grasslands to

the lake shore, flushing several Eurasian Skylarks on the way. From the water’s edge we

could see thousands of ducks out on the lake, but the heat haze made identification quite

difficult. Only the Black Swans stood out.

We inspected the edge of the lake closely, and we soon found our target bird, a lone

Wrybill. Moving closer though, we were rewarded as a party of about eight birds came into

view, all foraging on the exposed mud. The Wrybill is quite a plain bird really, except for one

amazing feature - its bill is bent to the side. It is the only bird in the world (I’m told) with a

laterally assymetrical bill, and with the ‘scope we were able to pick up on this feature while

also watching the bird use its bill to feed. They spent a lot of time holding their heads tilted

to the left, and sifting through the surface mud. After soaking up the Wrybills we headed

towards Christchurch, making a couple of brief stops to pad our list with some of the

introductions we hadn’t ticked yet, including European Greenfinch and European Goldfinch.

The endemic Spotted Shag is a common bird, right

around the New Zealand coastline.


Following that it was in to Christchurch, where we celebrated a great start to the New Year

with a fantastic pub dinner and some beers.

Day 3 – Sunday, 2 January 2011

We enjoyed a latish start today, as our

only commitment for the day was to

make it to Kaikoura, a couple of hours

up the coast for one of the highlights

of the trip, the Kaikoura Pelagic. Prior

to any boat trip, my attention always

turns to the weather, as it can make or

break the day. It can also be a little

counter-intuitive. While a nice day

with no wind makes for very pleasant

conditions aboard the boat, it is not so

good for seabirds. They rely on the

wind to carry the smell of food across

the ocean, and also to get airborne

and cruise around in search of that

food. So, you pray for a little wind, but

not so much that it makes the trip too

uncomfortable and seasickness an

issue. As we departed Christchurch in

the morning, we tuned in to the

weather forecast, and fortunately

things were looking good, almost

perfect: high cloud with a little breeze,

although there was the threat of a

southerly change arriving later in the

day.

On our way to Kaikoura we made a stop at St Anne’s Lagoon, to pick up a few ducks that we

needed. We didn’t even have to get out of the car to add a couple of birds to the trip list, as

a small dam on the entrance road held a couple of Purple Swamphens (Pukekos), a pair of

Pacific Black (Grey) Ducks, and a lone Australasian Shoveler. Moving up to the main lagoon

we picked up Black Swan, Grey Teal and our target, New Zealand Scaup, another endemic.

Circling the lagoon we were able to get great views of all these birds, and also pick up a

bonus as we spied a group of Cape Barren Geese, an Australian bird which has established a

small population here.

A magnificent Wandering Albatross glides in front

of the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges, all part of the

amazing Kaikoura Pelagic experience.


Leaving the lagoon we continued to Kaikoura, arriving for a fantastic little seafood lunch,

before checking in for our one o’clock trip. This pelagic has to be one of the great

birdwatching experiences in New Zealand, all because of a fortunate geological

circumstance; the continental shelf here at Kaikoura is only a mile or so off the coast. At the

edge of the continental shelf, deep water currents create upwellings which bring nutrient

rich water to the surface. This makes it a focal point for marine activity. The nutrients attract

the small fish, which attract the big fish, which attract the bigger fish, which attracts all

those things that eat any sort of fish, including seabirds. As we cruised out in our boat with

the magnificent backdrop of the Seaward Kaikoura Range behind us, we were salivating at

the possibilities ahead over the next few hours.

Within minutes we had picked up our

first new birds, as we came across

several rafts of Hutton’s Shearwaters.

These birds gather here during the

summer months to breed in remote

areas of the nearby mountain ranges;

their breeding grounds weren’t even

discovered until 1965. As we continued

out we soon attracted our first albatross,

as a mighty Wandering Albatross started

to follow the boat, perhaps hoping for a

free feed. After about ten minutes we

stopped and our skipper Garry got the

chum ready, a disgusting mixture of fish

offcuts and offal, which is evidently

irresistible to seabirds. Within minutes

we had attracted three Wandering

Albatross, including both gibsoni and

antipodensis subspecies. They were

joined by a bunch of Northern Giant-

Petrels who all settled on the water to

try and pick up the scraps, while several

White-capped and one Salvin’s Albatross

also landed nearby.

Our attention then turned to those seabirds which started to drift in and check out the

action. We soon had several Buller’s Shearwaters circling the boat, and a collection of large

dark petrels. With care we were able to separate White-chinned and Westland Petrels, as

well as a few Flesh-footed Shearwaters. We got a quick flypast from a Sooty Shearwater,

before a Great-winged Petrel meandered in, made a quick circuit of the boat, then

disappeared. Another albatross on the horizon started to work its way in, and when it was

A graceful Buller’s Shearwater arcs above the

swell.


close enough to make out the all dark wings we had completed the great albatross quinella,

with a magnificent Royal Albatross. It was soon joined by a second bird, both of the

northern race, sanfordi. Our next tick was an unexpected one, as a 2 metre long Blue Shark

suddenly appeared at the back of the boat. Surprisingly the birds didn’t seem in the least

concerned by it, as it also tried to score a free feed.

After about 30 minutes we decided to

push out a little further, so we pulled in

the chum and motored off, with most

of the birds we had already attracted

following us. At our next stop

conditions were noticeably bumpier,

with the swell picking up a bit, and

Garry hearing on the radio that boats

further south were getting increased

winds and swell also. Still, we threw in

the chum and soon had even more

birds crowding the back of the boat.

We picked up another new one as a

pair of small Fairy Prions came in to

the slick we had left, and then another

Royal Albatross arrived, this time of

the southern subspecies, epomophora.

With albatross taxonomy in a state of

flux, it is entirely possible that our day

list of four albatrosses will soon

become six, as the Wandering and

Royal Albatross subspecies are split

out.

Unfortunately at this point the wind started to pick up quite rapidly, as the southerly change

started to come through. Our skipper Garry decided that we had best head closer to shore,

but it soon became apparent that we wouldn’t be able to stay out any longer than we had

already. We pitched the chum overboard and watched the remaining birds, including a

newly arrived Cape Petrel demolish it, before heading back to the harbour. It was a quick

trip with a distant pod of Dusky Dolphins being seen by some, but the deteriorating

conditions meant we couldn’t hang around. It was disappointing to have to finish early, but

we had still seen all the birds we expected, and the trip was definitely a success. After

making it back to the harbour we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon tea, before taking the

opportunity to look around Kaikoura and take some photos of the very scenic surrounds.

We then called curtains, and made the uneventful drive back to Christchurch to finish the

day.

A snow white Royal Albatross joins the back of

the boat. Note the black wings and the dark

cutting edge to the bill.


We saw both White-capped (top) and Salvin’s Albatross (bottom) on the Kaikoura

pelagic. Along with one other species, they were formerly lumped as Shy Albatross, but

although the body plumage on all birds is the same, head patterns are different.

Salvin’s Albatross has a prominent grey hood, unlike the White-capped.


In spite of the name, the White-chinned Petrel (top) often doesn’t have an especially

obvious white chin, making it difficult to separate from the very similar Westland

Petrel (bottom). The black patterning on the bill of Westland Petrel is a good feature

to use at close range. We saw several of each off Kaikoura


Day 4 – Monday, 5 January 2011

After a long day yesterday we had a latish start, and decided to chase up a report of the rare

and endemic Black Stilt at an estuary near Christchurch. With the weather from yesterday

well and truly gone, things looked glorious, with a beautiful sunny day greeting us as we

packed up the car. On arrival at the Ashley Estuary we immediately gave our list a kick, with

a pair of Sacred Kingfishers foraging along the river, while Bar-tailed Godwits, and a few

Wrybills worked the mudflats. On an exposed sandbar in the middle of the estuary we

watched a small colony of White-fronted Terns, with a few Black-billed Gulls scattered

throughout, another endemic added to the list. We scanned the estuary and were able to

pick out several Pied Stilts, and Double-banded Plovers, before a pair of Black-fronted

Terns worked their way down the river. We had good looks at this elegant bird, but after a

final fruitless search for the Black Stilt had to call it quits and move on.

We returned to Christchurch before

heading west towards the Southern

Alps, the range which runs down the

spine of the South Island. One of the

most scenic drives of the trip, we

would be climbing them today as we

headed to Arthur’s Pass, and then

across to the west coast. As we

approached the mountains we could

see quite a bit of threatening cloud,

and it looked like our fortunate run

with the weather was going to come

to an end. Crossing the enormous

valleys with mountains steepling

overhead, it was easy to imagine we

were stepping into a Lord of the

Rings set. Still, we kept our eyes

peeled for any birds which might

cross our path.

We stopped briefly for lunch as we

entered the beech forest which

covers many of the mountains up

here, and unfortunately experienced

our first drops of rain. As we ate

lunch in a little shelter we were still

able to watch another inquisitive

Tomtit, and more New Zealand

This Wrybill is still in breeding plumage – note the

black breast band. You can see the ’wry’ bill, which

apparently always bends to the right.


Bellbirds, before leaving to continue to the top of the range. Arriving in Arthur’s Pass the

rain became more persistent, but this didn’t stop us getting our next new bird, a small party

of very boisterous Keas. These endemic parrots are alpine specialists, and here they have

learnt where an easy feed comes from; it is not uncommon to see them making a mess of

the rubbish bins, or pressing unsuspecting tourists for a handout!

Leaving the Keas behind, we commenced our descent off the range and also our search for

another elusive endemic, the Blue Duck. This duck is one of only a few torrent specialists in

the world, and with luck can be found in the fast running rivers on the slopes of the South

Island. They are notoriously difficult here though, and often require a lot of searching to

turn up the isolated pairs which live along these wild waterways. The upper Otira River is a

good spot for them though, so at our first opportunity we were out in the rain to inspect a

fast flowing section of river. Unfortunately all we ended up with was wet boots and

drenched raincoats, so at the next section I was responsible for the search, in an effort to

keep everyone relatively dry. More luck this time, as within a minute of getting out of the

car I had found a lone Blue Duck, resting on a rock right in the middle of the stream!

One of my favourite photos from the trip, this very obliging Blue Duck let us snap away for

at least ten minutes, apparently unconcerned at our presence.

Running back to the car, arms waving wildly, we were soon all lined up watching this

absolutely cracking bird, before it launched itself into the stream and started foraging in the

torrent, working its way upstream. It seemed completely oblivious to our presence and we

were able to rattle off some amazing photos of an amazing bird. The beautiful slate blue


plumage camouflaged it perfectly against the stony background, and when it left the water

we could see the enormous feet which it uses to propel itself through the fast running

water. Definitely one of the trip highlights.

The Blue Duck again, this time working its way dexterously up the swiftly flowing stream.

With the duck in the bag we continued the spectacular descent of the range into Westland,

one of the truly wild areas of New Zealand. Here, the wild rivers still run fast and free, and

the moss-draped rainforest covers the mountain slopes. As the moist air blows in off the

Tasman Sea, it hits these mountains and rises, causing the incredible amounts of rain which

sustain this wild country. Unfortunately for us, this rain was well established today, and as

we hit the coast and turned south it didn’t look like abating. Still, as we continued we were

able to pick out a few more birds. New Zealand Pigeons were common in the forest, and

every open area seemed to have a resident Swamp Harrier. There were plenty of South

Island Oystercatchers and Paradise Shelducks in the fields, and we also picked up another

pair of Cape Barren Geese on a roadside dam, and a Great Egret (White Heron).

As we arrived at our overnight stop of Franz Josef, the rain was still persistent.

Unfortunately this meant that our night time excursion to find the Okarito Brown Kiwi had

to be cancelled. Any search for these birds in the forest relies mainly on sound as you try to

hear them foraging in the undergrowth. With the constant sound of rain it is nearly

impossible to locate them, so we had an early dinner and decided to turn in early, allowing

us an early start in the morning.


Day 5 – Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Making use of our early night, we

were up this morning and on our way

to the nearby town of Okarito to try

and snare a few new birds for our list.

Our first stop was at a short walk

through some swamp and forest,

where our target was the endemic

Fernbird. It was a cool and overcast

morning, so conditions for birding

were very pleasant, and we hadn’t

been out of the car long before we

had picked up Pipipi (Brown

Creeper), Tomtit, Grey Gerygone

(Warbler) and Silvereye. As we

looked out over the extensive

swampy grassland we could see

many Common Redpoll, and they

diverted our attention from a very

friendly visitor, a curious New

Zealand Robin which arrived to

search for insects along the edge of

the track. We were able to watch this

great little bird for several minutes –

unfortunately it was too close most

of the time for our cameras to focus

on!

We continued along the trail and entered a section of forest where we encountered some

New Zealand Bellbirds, and then our first New Zealand Fantails of the trip. These very

charismatic little birds are always active, twisting from side to side, fanning their white tails

and generally never sitting still. We watched a small party of three chasing each other

through the trees, and in spite of the activity still managed a few reasonable photos of this

very cute bird. Leaving the forest we searched the edge of the swamp again, before hearing

the distinctive insect like call of a Fernbird off the track. Unfortunately it was proving to be

very shy and after ten minutes hadn’t revealed itself, so we moved around the track and

closer to the call. It took some searching, but eventually we picked up a pair of cryptically

coloured Fernbirds foraging low down in the dense undergrowth.

We left the swamp behind and proceeded down to the actual township of Okarito, where

we parked the car and took a walk through the streets. More a settlement than a town,

This New Zealand Robin was so friendly, he was

usually too close to focus on!


there are only a handful of houses here, and the only road in town was lined with many flax

plants, most in flower. This was attracting plenty of Silvereyes, New Zealand Bellbirds and

Tuis. We had recorded a Tui (pronounced too-ee in case you’re wondering) earlier on the

trip, but had only had fleeting glimpses, so it was good to be able to soak up these very

captivating birds, with their shaggy manes and white cravats. As they chased each other

through the trees and fed on the flax flowers, they even allowed us close enough for some

good photos. After getting our fill of the Tuis, we called curtains on a very successful

morning and returned to Franz Josef for breakfast.

Our aim for the remainder of the day

was to continue south down the

coast of Westland, before crossing

the mountains to Queenstown. Our

first stop was at Fox Glacier, one of

two glaciers that are viewable on

this part of the coast. A short drive

up the access road gave us good

views of this retreating glacier, and

also a birding surprise. Diving in a

small pond to the side of the river

was another Blue Duck. Having

thought we were only a slim chance

to record this species given our

itinerary, we had now recorded two.

We then moved to a lookout on the

steep hills above the glacier, and

tried for some forest birds. Long-

tailed Koels were our target here,

but unfortunately there were none

calling. We did hear a Shining

Bronze-Cuckoo though, and got

some great views of the glacier.

Unfortunately a camera malfunction

means I can’t put any photos in here

to show you!

Leaving the glacier and heading south we made a quick stop at Knight’s Point, which gave us

good views both up and down the coast. There were some distant White-capped

Albatrosses and Sooty Shearwaters, but nothing new for the list. Because of our excellent

morning we were dragging our heels a little, so as we turned away from the coast and

climbed up over Haast’s Pass we didn’t really have time to stop for much. We enjoyed the

incredible scenery as we passed Lakes Wanaka and Hawea then made a stop at the top of

The flowering flax plants in Okarito were full of Tuis

(above) and New Zealand Bellbirds.


the Crown Range to look out over Arrowtown, Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. We

descended into Arrowtown for a delicious dinner before making it to our accommodation in

Queenstown where we crashed for the night.

Day 6 – Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Our target bird for today was the Black Stilt, a rare endemic wader with a very restricted

distribution. From our base in Queenstown we planned to strike out into the Mackenzie

Basin where we would bird the braided rivers and wetlands, searching for this little gem. We

decided to make it a late start after our demanding schedule so far, and didn’t get underway

until mid-morning. Unfortunately it was a pretty miserable day which was disappointing, as

on a sunny day the Mackenzie Basin is among the most stunning parts of New Zealand. You

can find yourself distracted from the birding with spectacular snow-capped mountains

climbing above you, while the aqua blue lakes in the north of the basin scream for photos,

with the sentinel-like Mount Cook rising in the background.

Approaching Twizel we perused a couple of small wetlands where we saw our first Canada

Geese for the trip, a common introduction in New Zealand. We also passed some fields

being ploughed, with large numbers of Kelp Gulls, South Island Oystercatchers and Black-

fronted Terns in attendance. We stopped for lunch in Twizel, and after a short break set off

to our first site, the Poaka Wetlands just outside town.

We took about 30 minutes to wander around this pleasant wetland area, but had no luck

finding any stilts. We did find some ducks though, with several New Zealand Scaup around

and the ubiquitous Mallard. Having decided to head off, we checked one last sandbank, and

met with success; there was a lone Black Stilt resting there. It was only a young bird, with

some white still in the plumage, but with the ‘scope we were able to pick out the

characteristics that convinced us we were looking at a Black Stilt rather than a hybrid

Black/Pied Stilt. Still, it was a little unsatisfying, a bit like ticking a bird-of-paradise having

only seen the female, so we decided to keep searching for a full adult bird.

We checked a few nearby ponds and found several Pied Stilts, including a pair with very

young chicks, and also had probably our best looks at a resting Black-fronted Tern. Leaving

on our way to another site for the stilt, we passed Poaka again, and this time out on the

quiet ponds spied what looked like an adult Black Stilt. After hurriedly getting to the shore

and setting up the telescope we had fantastic views of a full, jet black adult stilt feeding

along the wetland edge. We watched this bird in worsening weather for a good 20 minutes

before the strengthening rain forced us into the car, and with our target bird in the bag, we

decided to leave the weather behind and head for home. We did make a brief stop just

outside Queenstown at Lake Hayes, where we were able to add Eurasian Coot and Great-

crested Grebe to the trip list, before making it back to our hotel and getting an early night.


Day 7 – Thursday, 6 January 2011

Today is a fantastic day on the tour, and one I had been looking forward to immensely. Not

only are there some great birds on offer, but we pass through some of New Zealand’s finest

scenery before taking a cruise on the stunning Milford Sound in the remote south-west of

the South Island.

We left Queenstown early and drove quickly to Te Anau, where we proceeded up the

eastern edge of Lake Te Anau. This lake is bordered on the western side by the legendary

Murchison Mountains, wild and remote home of the only remaining natural population of

Takahe, a giant flightless swamphen. Although this population is not accessible to the public,

we would have a shot at seeing these incredible birds later in the trip at one of their

reintroductions sites. Passing the lake we entered the southern reaches of the grand

Eglinton Valley, its steep forest clad slopes and winding shallow river coming straight from a

Lord of the Rings set. We didn’t stop in the valley as we were hoping to get to the high

alpine slopes at the entrance to the Homer Tunnel for a crack at South Island (Rock) Wren,

before out cruise on Milford Sound. Approaching the tunnel is a truly awe inspiring

experience, as tremendous sheer cliffs climb above wild rivers, and waterfalls careen off the

high plateaus.

The boulder strewn slopes at the entrance to the Homer Tunnel are the inhospitable

habitat of the beautiful little South Island (Rock) Wren. The perspective doesn’t do this

landscape justice. The waterfalls in the background are several hundred metres high.


Unfortunately this can be an inhospitable location, with avalanches during the winter and

howling cold winds possible at any time of year. We were lucky; on our arrival all we had to

contend with was light rain. Leaving the car we started our walk along the boulder strewn

slopes, straining our ears for the high pitched contact call that might lead us to a pair of

wrens. The call is so highly pitched that any wind makes it very difficult to hear, so we were

lucky to only be dealing with rain. After about fifteen minutes a small squeak grabbed our

attention. Pishing didn’t reveal any perpetrator, then just as we turned away, a spiffing little

South Island (Rock) Wren bounced up on a boulder and announced its presence. It was

soon joined by a mate, and then we were treated to a truly magical birding experience as

we spent about ten minutes watching these delightful birds work their way along the

boulders, feeding and posing for photographs.

An enigmatic bird, these

wrens along with the

Rifleman, belong to the New

Zealand Wren family and are

thought to be the most

ancient lineage of songbirds.

Their ecology is also poorly

understood; no one really

knows what they do in the

winter. The few locations

where they are found above

the snowline are covered in

snow during winter, and

although it had been

suspected the birds moved

lower down, there are no

records of the birds in the

winter months. It is now

thought that perhaps they

enter some kind of torpor, or

maybe survive under the

snow, being able to forage in

the air pockets left under

boulders. One thing that is for

sure, these guys are

absolutely cracking little birds,

and one my favourites in New

Zealand. The very cute South Island Wren. We were lucky to find a

pair of these birds which posed very nicely for some

photographs.


Leaving the wrens behind we

continued through the Homer Tunnel

and down the other side to Milford

Sound. It was raining steadily as we

checked in for our cruise, but that was

not necessarily a bad thing. To use a

Campbellism (for those of you who

know Iain), the Milford Sound cruise is

a very ‘dude’ part of the tour. It is

aimed squarely at the tourist in all of

us, as there aren’t really any birds you

need to cruise the sound to see, but

coming to New Zealand and not seeing

Milford Sound would be criminal. It is

also said that Milford Sound needs to

be seen several times to really

appreciate its grandeur. One of the

most amazing things about the sound

is the hundreds of ephemeral

waterfalls which pour into it. On rainy

days (like this particular one), all of

these waterfalls are pouring furiously

from the high cliffs surrounding the

sound. It only has to stop raining for a

day or two (which is a rare occurrence

here), and most of these waterfalls dry

up completely.

So, we left the dock and spent the next couple of hours enjoying the natural beauty that

surrounded us. We also kept an eye out for the endemic Fiordland Penguin which can be

seen in the sound, although at this time of year they have finished breeding and mostly

gone to sea. As we briefly left the sound we spied a few Sooty Shearwaters skimming the

ocean, but otherwise things were quiet on the bird front. We made a stop at the

underwater observatory inside the sound which was interesting. The large amounts of fresh

water which pour into the sound cause a phenomenon called Deep Sea Emergence. The

layer of freshwater which constantly sits on top prevents the normal amount of light

penetrating the water. Coupled with the still conditions inside the sound, this creates an

environment very similar to that of much deeper water, and so marine life which is usually

restricted to much deeper water occurs in the shallow water of the sound. The underwater

observatory allows visitors to see these marine creatures up close.

Hundreds of waterfalls like these, careen off the

high cliffs that surround the spectacular Milford

Sound.


We finished our cruise as the

weather improved, and returned to

the car for our return to Te Anau.

Leaving Milford Sound and slowing

the car at a narrow bridge, we were

lucky to hear the distinctive insect

like call of a Long-tailed Koel.

Stopping immediately we jumped

out of the car, and the bird called

again. This is a notoriously difficult

species to see, as they can be

unresponsive to tapes, but will call

continuously from the same hidden

perch. It seemed like this bird was

only metres from us, but after a

frustrating ten minutes we couldn’t

see it. Ready to give up, someone

glimpsed some movement in the

canopy and saw the bird’s tail. With

a little manoeuvring and if you held

your mouth like so, it was possible

with the ‘scope to see most of a

Long-tailed Koel, preening and

occasionally calling in the canopy;

unsatisfying, but tickable views of a

tough bird.

Leaving the koel behind we continued back up to the tunnel where we stopped again to find

the South Island Wrens, hoping for more photos. We were lucky to come across the pair in

the same place as earlier, and enjoyed watching and photographing these great little birds.

By this time it was getting quite late, so we pressed on to Te Anau, where our last new bird

was an Australasian Pipit, followed by a well deserved dinner and some rest before our

assault on Stewart Island the next day.

Day 8 – Friday, 7 January 2011

Having connected with most of the birds we needed so far, we had an easy start to the day

with some forest birding around Te Anau. We didn’t get anything new for the list, but were

able to get some photos of a few more common species we had already seen. Some obliging

From the underwater observatory on the edge of the

sound it is possible to see the beautiful marine life,

some which usually occurs in much deeper water.


Tomtits put on a show, while the ringing calls of Tuis and New Zealand Bellbirds echoed

through the forest. We saw a range of introduced species like Common Redpoll and

Dunnock, as well as a few of the smaller native birds like Grey Gerygone and Silvereye.

Leaving Te Anau we worked our way towards Invercargill, getting a few Black-billed Gulls on

the way.

New Zealand Bellbirds are quite common throughout New Zealand. It is not uncommon to

see Tuis or Bellbirds with yellow foreheads like this one, as they become dusted with the

pollen of flax flowers.

In Invercargill we stopped for lunch, and did a little shopping before proceeding out to Bluff,

the departure point for our ferry to Stewart Island. It had turned into a very blustery and

windy day, which was a double-edged sword. The Foveaux Strait, between the South Island

and Stewart Island can be notoriously rough, and with the strong winds our boat trip was

going to be very unpleasant. If you can stand the wind and swell though, taking a position

on the back deck of the boat in such conditions can result in some great birds, so that’s

where this foolish guide tried to stick it out. It was worth the effort.

Within minutes of leaving the safety of the harbour the first of hundreds of Sooty

Shearwaters were rolling past, then for a split second a large Pterodroma petrel revealed

itself between the waves. With the briefest of views I suspected White-headed Petrel, but

unfortunately it was not seen well enough to tick. Still, it got the juices flowing, and soon we

had a White-capped Albatross following the boat, while a couple of Fairy Prions crossed our

wake. A small seabird fluttering away from the boat was our first Common Diving-Petrel,


followed by several more, with some quite close and giving good views. A flash of white

from the underwing of a nearby bird had me inspecting closely, revealing another first, this

time the sought after Mottled Petrel. At this time of year these birds are breeding on a few

of the islets around Stewart Island, and over the next forty minutes nearly twenty of them

passed by the boat. Following the excitement of the petrel we added two new birds to the

list, a marauding Northern Giant-Petrel which followed the boat briefly, and a lone Short-

tailed Shearwater among the Sootys. Conditions calmed as we entered Halfmoon Bay and

we received an unexpected surprise as we came alongside the jetty. An albatross cruising

around inside the bay was not the expected White-capped, but a Buller’s Albatross.

Uncommon at this time of year, this was a bonus bird we were happy to get on the list.

After checking in to our accommodation

we had some local fish and chips for

dinner, before taking a rest in

preparation for our night time excursion

in search of Southern Brown Kiwi. An

absolute trip highlight, this expedition

has been running for twenty years, and

would be well known to birders who

have seen Sir David Attenborough’s Life

of Birds series. He was filmed on the very

same beach we visit, and perhaps with

the very same kiwi! Leaving the dock at

9pm the trip started with a 45 minute

boat ride across Paterson Inlet. We were

joined briefly by a pod of Bottlenose

Dolphins which rode our bow wave, and

we also spotted several Little Penguins

coming into shore after a long day of

fishing. Arriving at our jetty, we received

a short introductory talk from our guides

Phil and Garry, then left the dock in the

twilight, crossing a narrow spit of land to

Ocean Beach. We listened carefully for

any kiwis foraging in the undergrowth on

the way, but didn’t find anything. On

arrival at the beach we walked the length, keeping an eye out for kiwis. The birds come out

of the brush at the back of the beach, and search for food along the high tide mark, where

there is plenty of seaweed washed up. This seaweed hides a multitude of invertebrates

which the kiwis like to feed on.

This sign greeted us after getting off the boat

on Stewart Island. A sign of things to come?


After one lap of the beach we had still not found a kiwi, and we were starting to get

nervous. Phil had made the mistake of telling us that for the last two years they had not

failed to find a kiwi, so the pressure was on. On our second run along the beach we had

reached a small stream at the end with no luck and were about to turn around for another

lap, when our guide Garry spotted some movement. Hurriedly following him and gathering

around we were able to glimpse a Southern Brown Kiwi running along the back of the

beach and into a depression. We crept forward slowly, and were rewarded with good looks

at a female kiwi working her way along the beach before disappearing into the

undergrowth. With the monkey off our back we did one more lap of the beach but couldn’t

improve on our first sighting, with a quick glimpse of another kiwi leaving the beach, but

nothing else. As we decided to leave and head back to the boat a pair of kiwis serenaded us

with their eerie piping and roaring duet, an excellent end to the night.

New Zealand’s iconic bird, the kiwi – this is a Southern Brown Kiwi foraging on Ocean

Beach, Stewart Island.

Day 9 – Saturday, 8 January 2011

After a late night we took a little extra rest this morning before getting on our way to Ulva

Island. Our birding started as soon as we left the hotel, with both Variable and South Island

Oystercatchers feeding on the beach, while White-fronted Terns and Red-billed Gulls

foraged in the bay. We started our walk over to Golden Bay where we would catch the


water taxi, and hadn’t gone far before we heard the strange gurgling and hooting whistles of

a New Zealand Kaka. We saw a bird fly over, but shortly after got our first good looks, as we

found one of these very charming parrots feeding on some flax. It didn’t hang around long,

but was soon replaced by a very loud Tui which gave great views, while we could hear the

nearby chattering of a Red-fronted Parakeet. We arrived at the jetty and boarded our water

taxi for the ten minute voyage to the Island. On the way we picked out a few Little Penguins

loafing on the surface, before pulling alongside and stepping onto the island.

Perhaps the most devastating

problem New Zealand’s birds

have had to face since the

arrival of man, has been the

introduction of land-based

predators where there

previously were none. Prior

to the arrival of Pacific Rats

and a variety of mustelids,

the only native land

mammals on New Zealand

were a few species of small

bat. As soon as these

voracious predators arrived

though, bird populations were

decimated with many species only surviving on remote islands that the predators could not

reach. This has resulted in conservation efforts focussing on similar small islands that are

intensively managed to eradicate mammal predators, allowing the reintroduction of native

birds which then thrive. Ulva Island is one such sanctuary, and is an incredible place to visit

and see New Zealand how it once was.

Within minutes of stepping

off the boat we had our first

new bird, an inquisitive

Weka. These flightless rails

are quite common on the

island, and over the next few

hours we would see several

of them, including families

with young birds. While

watching the Weka, the

distinctive chattering of Red-

fronted Parakeets caught our

attention, as a pair flew in

One of the first birds of the day, an endemic South Island

Oystercatcher.

This pair of gorgeous Red-fronted Parakeets were among

the first birds we saw on Ulva Island.


and landed right above our heads. We were able to watch these shy birds for several

minutes as they rested in the canopy and preened each other. Moving into the forest we

soon had our first New Zealand Robin in attendance, following us along the track looking for

any insects we disturbed. They are so friendly it feels like an effort to stop from treading on

them! There were plenty more common birds around, with Tuis, Tomtits, New Zealand

Pigeons and Red-fronted Parakeets regular sightings.

The weird hooting and gurgling calls of the New Zealand Kaka are usually the first sign of

their presence. We were lucky to watch a pair of birds including this one foraging very

close to us on Ulva Island. They behaved almost like nuthatches, crawling up and down

trunks and branches, looking for grubs.

We arrived at a small bench and took the opportunity for a rest, when the chattering of a

parakeet again caught our attention. Looking closely though, we were able to see the yellow

forehead of a Yellow-fronted Parakeet, another of our target birds. This was closely

followed by the arrival of a pair of New Zealand Kakas, which entertained us for a good ten

minutes. They foraged among the trees like giant nuthatches, even allowing close approach

for some reasonable photographs. We reluctantly left the kakas behind, and continued

searching for our remaining quarry, the elusive Yellowhead. On a couple of occasions we

could hear their distinctive staccato call, but they remained too far away to chase down.

While taking another rest we heard a bird call closer, and start moving towards us.

Immediately jumping up and running down the trail, we craned our necks skyward, as we

saw the silhouette of the bird skip through the canopy. Finally it landed on an open branch


in full sun, and we were treated to the spectacle of a brilliant Yellowhead, calling its heart

out.

Having nailed our last target, and with a late night behind us, we decided to take an early

mark and head back to the hotel for a restful afternoon. Waiting for out water taxi back at

the jetty we were able to get a few more photos of the Weka, before returning to Golden

Bay and walking over to our accommodation, the delightful South Sea Hotel.

The first bird to greet us on Ulva Island and the last to see us off was this Weka, a

flightless rail endemic to New Zealand.

Day 10 – Sunday, 9 January 2011

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel while looking out over the glorious Halfmoon Bay, we

reluctantly packed up our gear and headed down to the wharf to catch the ferry back to the

mainland. It was a beautiful day with bright sunshine and barely a breath of wind, so

conditions on the water would be pleasant but less than ideal for birds. As we left the

harbour we got several Bronze (Stewart Island) Shags resting on a rock stack, but there was

barely a bird in sight outside the heads, with a distant White-capped Albatross loafing on

the surface while a few Sooty Shearwaters passed by slowly. As we moved out into the

straits we were able to pick up a few Common Diving-Petrels, and with the boat not rocking

all over the place, we got reasonable views. Otherwise, it was a quiet trip back to Bluff.


After collecting the car and packing our gear, we worked our way slowly back to Invercargill

where we would be staying the night. We stopped at a few wetlands the area is well known

for along the way, but didn’t pick up any new birds. There were plenty of ducks around, and

we saw Paradise Shelduck, Australian Shoveler and Mallard, plus large numbers of Black

Swan. There were waders about as well, with plenty of Pied Stilts, South Island

Oystercatchers and a smattering of Bar-tailed Godwits. As lunch approached we made for

Invercargill and checked in to our accommodation. With no new birds on offer and a 5am

start in the morning, we decided to have a quiet afternoon catching up on admin and sleep

before commencing our final assault on the North Island tomorrow.

Day 11 – Monday, 10 January 2011

An early morning flight

out of Invercargill with a

stopover in Christchurch

had us arriving in

Auckland at around

lunchtime. We picked up

our new car, and with no

time to waste got on the

road north, heading for

our first stop at Muriwai.

The highlight at Muriwai is

the Australasian Gannets

that have formed a

nesting colony above the

steep cliffs on the

mainland, and which allow

close approach from a

couple of designated lookouts. It was another beautiful day and we spent over an hour just

enjoying the antics at the colony, where there were several chicks close to fledging, and

many adults soaring in the updrafts from the cliffs. Also around were White-fronted Terns

and Red-billed Gulls, both with small nesting colonies on the cliff as well, while several Kelp

Gulls hovered around looking for an easy feed. Several hundred photos later we dragged

ourselves away, leaving the colony behind to go for our next target bird.

A common bird right around the coast of New Zealand, we

saw many White-fronted Terns, including a small nesting

colony on the cliffs of Muriwai.


A majestic adult Australasian Gannet soaring above the cliffs at Muriwai.

Moving out onto the south head of Kaipara Harbour, our next destination was Lake Kereta, a

lake which can hold a variety of waterbirds. On arriving we weren’t disappointed as we

picked up several cormorants including Little Pied, Pied, Little Black and Great. Cruising in

close to the reedbeds was a pair of Pacific Black (Grey) Ducks, and as we pulled in at the

end of the lake, a lone Caspian Tern passed overhead. We jumped out of the car and started

searching for our quarry. At first it looked like we may have been out of luck, until some

movement in the cover of the nearby reeds drew our attention. Soon, an adult New Zealand

Grebe popped up from its dive, and was soon followed by another adult, then two very

small chicks emerged from the reeds, only recently out of the nest. For fifteen minutes we

watched the adults constantly diving and returning with morsels of food for their young, and

as they worked closer to our vantage point we were able to get good views of these

delightful little birds.

By this time it was quite late, so leaving the grebes behind we got on our way back to

Auckland. There wasn’t much to excite us on the trip back except a few roadside Purple

Swamphens and more Swamp Harriers. Arriving in Auckland we had dinner before moving

off to bed, requiring a good night’s rest before our second pelagic tomorrow.


Day 12 – Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Today was arguably the best day of the tour. Leaving Auckland we headed north for our first

stop at Tawharanui Regional Park, getting our list off to a good start with some common

birds like Purple Swamphen, Sacred Kingfisher and New Zealand Pigeon. Arriving at the

park we drove to the first small wetland and got out to scan the edges. On the near side was

a large group of Paradise Shelducks which were very close and allowed some good photos.

Continuing to scan the edge, we soon picked up the first pair of our target bird, Brown Teal.

These rare ducks have been subject to an intense conservation program and it was pleasing

to find them so easily. We watched this pair forage in the water very close to us, even

allowing some reasonable photographs. Continuing to scan the wetland revealed some

other good birds, with White-faced Herons feeding actively along the water’s edge, and a

pair of Caspian Terns loafing on a sandbank. We also found more Brown Teal, ending up

with about nine birds in total.

Leaving Tawharanui behind

we continued up the coast

to Leigh, the departure point

for our pelagic trip. This

pelagic trip would take us

out into the Hauraki Gulf,

which at this time of year is

a seabirding hotspot. The

gulf is surrounded by a

series of islands, islets and

rocky stacks which are a

mecca for breeding seabirds,

and at this time of year it is

possible to rack up an

impressive list. We met our

skipper and trip organiser Karen on the jetty, and were soon aboard our boat and leaving

the harbour, excited at the prospects of what we might see.

Our first bird was unfortunately a dead one floating down the side of the boat, which was

netted and identified as a Short-tailed Shearwater, an uncommon bird in these parts. It had

been caught on a fishing hook and some line. We hadn’t gone far from the harbour though

when we had our first live birds, as we started to scatter some resting groups of Fluttering

Shearwaters from the surface. This was followed by the first of several hundred Cook’s

Petrels we would see over the course of the day, as they sliced across the increasing swell.

Luckily there was enough wind to keep the birds moving around, but not enough to make

the boat trip too uncomfortable. At one point as a few of us were looking out the side of the

boat we had an incredible experience, as a Short-beaked Common Dolphin leapt clear of the

We found this pair of rare Brown Teal at Tawharanui

Regional Park, where an intensive management program is

helping the population recover.


water within about three metres of the boat, only to disappear just as quickly. It was one of

those moments when you wish you could take a freeze frame of what your eyes had just

seen!

After about an hour we arrived at our first stop, where we started chumming and waited for

the birds to roll in. It didn’t take long, and within seconds the first of many White-faced

Storm-Petrels arrived at the back of the boat, dancing across the surface like little

ballerinas. Some Cook’s Petrels came in close for photos, while a small bluish bird was our

first Fairy Prion. We were quickly joined by a few Buller’s and Flesh-footed Shearwaters,

and after close passes we were able to bed down the ID of all these species. This was just in

time for the prize of the day, as the shout of ‘storm-petrel’ went out, with a large black-and-

white storm-petrel coming in swiftly to the slick. It hung around and we had great views of a

cracking New Zealand Storm-Petrel as it fed on the slick for a while. An enigma, this small

bird was known from only three specimens taken in the 19th

century, and had been thought

to be a colour morph of the more common Wilson’s Storm-Petrel. It was ‘rediscovered’ off

New Zealand in 2003 and can now be regularly seen during summer in the Hauraki Gulf.

Incredibly, their breeding location still remains unknown, although it seems likely to be one

of the many islands that surround the gulf.

One of the first birds to arrive at the back of the boat once we started chumming was the

delightful little White-faced Storm-Petrel.


With the storm-petrel in the

bag, we decided to move a little

further out to try for our next

target, Parkinson’s (Black)

Petrel, which breeds on the

nearby Little Barrier Island. On

the way we saw a distant

Common Diving-Petrel, but

until we stopped to chum things

were quiet. We were soon

joined by the White-faced

Storm-Petrels again, and

another New Zealand Storm-

Petrel stopped by. It didn’t take

long before several large, dark

petrels approached the boat, and after carefully looking for the diagnostic features we

confirmed our first Parkinson’s Petrels. Luckily they were joined by a Flesh-footed

Shearwater which allowed us to directly compare these two difficult species. As the petrels

were sitting on the water they were surprised by a 1.5 metre Shortfin Mako Shark who was

attracted to our berley. Unlike the Blue Shark at Kaikoura which hadn’t bothered the birds

at all, this guy was a different story and we watched as each bird took its turn to jump out of

the way of this menacing predator.

Having now seen all the

species we had hoped for,

we decided to head for

home. We made a short

stop to watch a large

school of fish feeding on

the surface, accompanied

by Fluttering and Buller’s

Shearwaters, both storm-

petrels and several Fairy

Prions, but otherwise it

was a quiet trip back to

the harbour, after a very

successful pelagic.

Our final target for the day was Parkinson’s (Black)

Petrel. We found nearly a dozen birds, just off Little

Barrier Island.

This Shortfin Mako Shark came along to investigate the slick,

and the birds didn’t enjoy having him around.


Cook’s Petrels (top) were common around the boat all day, slicing past on the stiff breeze.

We were also lucky to see our prize bird for the day, the recently rediscovered New

Zealand Storm-Petrel (bottom). If you look closely you can see the diagnostic streaking on

the white belly.


But the day wasn’t over quite yet.

After getting off the boat we decided

to make a dash for nearby Pakiri

Beach, where a pair of the very rare

Fairy Tern had recently fledged some

young. On arrival we moved out onto

the beach, scanning for the terns, but

not finding them. We did get a good

consolation prize though, as we picked

up our first Red-breasted (New

Zealand) Dotterels, which also breed

here. We were able to approach some

of them quite closely, and got some

great photos of this endemic

shorebird. Leaving the beach behind

we moved out to the small river

behind the beach, where we were

lucky to spy an Australasian Bittern

from the car. We jumped out for

better looks, but were too slow as it

slid back into the fringing vegetation.

Wait as we might it wouldn’t come out

again, although we did get great views

of a Buff-banded Rail foraging on the

edge of the mangroves instead. On

that note we wrapped things up and

drove to Matakana where we

celebrated a fantastic day with a few

beers and a hearty pub dinner.

Day 13 – Wednesday, 12 January 2011

After yesterday’s big day there was no respite; we left early for the pier in downtown

Auckland where we would board our ferry to Tiritiri Matangi, another island sanctuary just

off the coast. Like Ulva Island, Tiritiri has been the subject of intense efforts to eradicate

mammalian predators, followed by the reintroduction of several bird species which now

thrive. A visit to Tiritiri is one of the great New Zealand birding experiences.

We left for the island around 9:30am, and the trip was relatively uneventful, except for two

new birds we added to the list; a Pacific Reef-Heron on the breakwater at Gulf Harbour, and

a pair of Parasitic Jaegers seen just before arriving at Tiritiri. After leaving the ferry we had

We found several endemic Red-breasted (New

Zealand) Dotterels on Pakiri Beach, including

several young birds.


to wait a few minutes for a brief from

the ranger, before we moved off and

started to build our list. Within minutes

we had added Tui, which are very

common on the island, along with New

Zealand Bellbird, and a pair of

overflying Red-fronted Parakeets. As

we steadily climbed the trail we caught

our first of many groups of Whitehead,

another endemic, followed by a very

friendly Brown Quail which was

foraging on the edge of the trail. A

Sacred Kingfisher crossed the track and

perched giving us good views, followed

soon after by a very obliging New

Zealand Pigeon.

We soon had our attention drawn to a

loud two-note call from the

undergrowth, and as we looked in that

direction, saw two Saddlebacks

explode from the bushes, chasing each

other around. We watched in delight as

the birds bounced around us, although

they were too quick for photos, try as

we might. We had a rest stop in some

denser forest, hoping to hear or

perhaps see a Kokako, but were without luck. Continuing in to the forest we arrived at one

of the supplementary feeders set up on the island to help support the population of

Stitchbird which has been established on the island. We watched the New Zealand Bellbirds

using the feeder, but it took about five minutes before the first Stitchbird arrived, a cracking

male. We watched him use the feeder before being followed shortly after by another male

and a female. These absolutely gorgeous birds are very striking, much more dapper than the

field guide suggests. They are also very jumpy, and we spent quite a while just enjoying their

antics, but try as we might we only succeeded in getting some average photographs.

Leaving the Stitchbirds behind, we worked our way up to the lighthouse, where we arrived

in time for lunch. Unsurprisingly the first bird we saw was ‘Greg’ the Takahe, who has

unfortunately taken a shine to human food, and now pesters everyone for their sandwich,

even taking it right out of your hands if you’re not careful. Not all the Takahes are like Greg

though, and after finishing lunch we moved to the rank grasslands behind the lighthouse,

where we found a pair of Takahe foraging very normally, and looking after two fluffy black

We had seen plenty of New Zealand Pigeons

during the trip, but it wasn’t until Tiritiri Matangi

that we were able to get really good views.


chicks at the same time. Nearby, the insect like call of a Fernbird had us peering into the

middle of some thick undergrowth, but unfortunately we couldn’t get anything better than

a silhouette of this cryptic bird.

Both Stitchbird (top) and Saddleback (bottom) are extinct on the mainland, but survive on

a few predator free islands off the coast, such as Titiriti Matangi.


We started to move back to the

ferry at this point, coming across

another confrontation between two

Saddleback pairs. This time they

were so involved in scolding each

other that we were able to take

some good photos of these

attractive birds. Retracing our steps

we went back to the Stitchbird

feeders and admired these guys for

a little longer, also hoping we may

come across a Kokako, but

unfortunately the large numbers of

people around (it was summer

holidays) was keeping these shy

birds at bay. We arrived at the

wharf just as the ferry was pulling

in, and were soon on our way back

to Auckland.

The ferry trip was used as time to

rest our weary legs, before we

arrived in Auckland and had to

immediately hit the road south for

the drive to Miranda. We arrived

there right in time for dinner,

before checking in to our

accommodation. As we were

unloading the car, the distinctive

repetitive whistle of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo caught our attention. We couldn’t see the

bird despite our best efforts, until it burst from the canopy and flew over, only to keep on

going and not be seen again. Very frustrating! With some sunlight still remaining we made a

brief trip to the mudflats where although the tide was low, many waders were still visible.

With the ‘scope we were able to pick out many waders, although there was nothing here

that we needed for life lists. Still, it was good to see more Wrybill, a few Pacific Golden

Plovers, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Red Knots and Black-billed Gulls.

As darkness fell, we left the estuary and headed inland for a few minutes to try for the

formerly endemic New Zealand owl, Morepork; formerly endemic because in the latest

Clements update it has been lumped with its Australian relative, the Southern Boobook.

After arriving at our site we could hear several birds calling straight away, but none seemed

to respond to our tape. Moving along the road, we kept trying until it seemed we were

With only a very small wild population remaining in

the mountains of Fiordland in south-western New

Zealand, Takahe have been reintroduced to several

sites including Tiritiri to ensure their survival.


going to have to record a heard only, when suddenly one called from right beside the track.

Try as we might it wouldn’t reveal itself though, until an attempt at squeaking had the bird

exploding from the undergrowth to investigate. It perched, and in the spotlight we were

able to watch a Southern Boobook peering around and calling only metres above our heads;

a fantastic end to another spectacular day.

Day 14 – Thursday, 13 January 2011

Unfortunately our last day of the tour had arrived, and we were faced with a dilemma. We

had seen nearly all of the birds we were after, with only two endemic birds still within our

reach, the New Zealand Falcon and Kokako. So, instead of spending the day wader watching

and returning to Auckland, at a leisurely pace, we made the decision to go on a mad twitch

in the hope of possibly picking up one of these difficult birds. We left early and with

breakfast on the run, had arrived at Mapara Wildlife Reserve by mid-morning. Leaving the

car and moving into the forest, we didn’t regret our decision as we were soon surrounded

by birds. A flock of Whitehead moved over, and we also picked up a very inquisitive New

Zealand Fantail. We soon heard the first of many Long-tailed Koels, their buzzing call

echoing across the steep hillsides, although they refused to show themselves.

The found this very cute and charismatic New Zealand Fantail at Mapara Wildlife Reserve

on our last day of the tour.


As we approached an open area a distinctive strident cry sounded from overhead, and as we

snapped our heads skywards we were rewarded with a New Zealand Falcon cruising slowly

by. Much fist pumping and shouting ensued, followed by another falcon which soared by at

a very leisurely pace, allowing us to soak up this magnificent endemic before it folded its

wings and dashed out of sight. Already the trip was worth it, but as we continued we saw

many more fantastic birds. A New Zealand Robin posed quietly in the understorey, while a

Tomtit came to investigate our squeaking. Unfortunately the Long-tailed Koels wouldn’t

reveal themselves, and the Kokako stayed silent and hidden. We had climbed quite a way by

this point, so decided to work our way back down slowly. We heard another falcon calling,

but couldn’t see it, then finally as we reached the bottom, we got brief views of an aptly

named Long-tailed Koel as it flew high overhead. We resigned ourselves to dipping on the

Kokako and started the long haul back to Auckland.

We made one last stop at the Whangamarino wetlands, where we were able to get nice

views of several waterfowl including Paradise Shelduck, Australasian Shoveler, Pacific Black

Duck and a mysterious all dark Little Pied Cormorant which confused us momentarily. Our

last new bird of the trip though was a surprise. A distant brown shape skulking in the reeds

looked like a fallen tree, until through the ‘scope it revealed itself as an Australasian Bittern.

Fortunately this one hung around for a few minutes and allowed us reasonable if distant

views before retreating to cover. By that stage it was getting late in the afternoon, and after

a big day and a big two weeks we had to draw the curtain on a magnificent trip, returning to

Auckland and saying our farewells.

The beautiful Paradise Shelduck is a common bird throughout New Zealand and we saw

them on most days. This bird is a female – the males have black heads.


In summary, given the length of the tour and the time of year, we ended up with a very

respectable total of 125 species. While an extra few days would have allowed us to target

more endemics, the requirement for this custom tour to fit as much as possible into only

two weeks while still maintaining a relaxed pace, meant we had to prioritise and miss a few

birds. The only endemic we missed was Kokako, and this was again a function of our

schedule. With only a few extra days in the itinerary we would have probably added this,

plus a couple of extra kiwi species to the list. The time of year also meant that some birds

like Fiordland Penguin weren’t possible, while others were more difficult, such as the Long-

tailed Koel. Still, given these restraints we did well, and saw nearly all the endemics possible.

Onto the highlights, and for any New Zealand trip, kiwi has to top the list. The Southern

Brown Kiwi on Stewart Island is not only a cool bird, but the whole trip from the boat ride

across Paterson Inlet, to walking through the dark forest, and then the tantalising

excitement of stalking along the beach is a fantastic wildlife experience. Other highlights

included our day trip to Tiritiri Matangi, while individual birds that caught our imagination

were the tiny little South Island Wren, and the gorgeous Blue Duck. New Zealand must also

be the seabird capital of the world; nowhere else is such a wide range of seabirds so easily

accessible. This trip certainly lived up to expectations, with five species and seven taxa of

albatross recorded, fifteen species of petrels and shearwaters, two species of storm-petrel

and one diving-petrel.

So, in short, a wonderful trip and one I hope to guide again soon. This trip will be making our

catalogue for 2012, so if you want to come along, give the office a call. I would love to have

you along next time!


BIRD LIST

This list includes all the bird species that were recorded on this tour. Taxonomy and

nomenclature closely follow Clements (2007). Parentheses denote an alternate name used

by some checklists.

Total: 125 species.

KIWIS: Apterygidae

1. Southern Brown Kiwi Apteryx australis

DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS: Anatidae

2. Greylag (Feral) Goose Anser anser

3. Canada Goose Branta canadiensis

4. Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae

5. Black Swan Cygnus atratus

6. Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata

7. Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhyncos

8. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

9. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa

10. Australian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis

11. Grey Teal Anas gracilis

12. Brown Teal Anas chlorotis

13. New Zealand Scaup Aythya novaeseelandiae

PHEASANTS, GROUSE AND ALLIES: Phasianidae

14. Red Junglefowl (Feral Chicken) Gallus gallus

15. Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

16. California Quail Callipepla californica

17. Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophorus

18. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo

GREBES: Podicipedidae

19. New Zealand Grebe Poliocephalus rufopectus

20. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

PENGUINS: Spheniscidae

21. Yellow-eyed Penguin Megadyptes antipodes

22. Little Penguin Eudyptula minor

ALBATROSSES: Diomedeidae

23. Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri

24. White-capped Albatross Thalassarche cauta

25. Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche salvini

26. Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora

27. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans


SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS: Procellariidae

28. Northern Giant-Petrel Macronectes halli

29. Cape Petrel Daption capense

30. Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera

31. Mottled Petrel Pterodroma inexpectata

32. Cook’s Petrel Pterodroma cookii

33. Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur

34. White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis

35. Parkinson’s (Black) Petrel Procellaria parkinsoni

36. Westland Petrel Procellaria westlandica

37. Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes

38. Buller’s Shearwater Puffinus bulleri

39. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

40. Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris

41. Hutton’s Shearwater Puffinus huttoni

42. Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavial

STORM-PETRELS: Hydrobatidae

43. New Zealand Storm-Petrel Oceanites maorianus

44. White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina

BOOBIES AND GANNETS: Sulidae

45. Australasian Gannet Morus serrator

CORMORANTS AND SHAGS: Phalacrocoracidae

46. Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

47. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

48. Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius

49. Bronze (Stewart Island) Shag Phalacrocorax chalconotus

50. Spotted Shag Phalacrocorax punctatus

51. Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos

HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS: Ardeidae

52. Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus

53. Great Egret Ardea alba

54. White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae

55. Pacific Reef-Heron Egretta sacra

IBIS AND SPOONBILLS: Threskiornithidae

56. Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia

HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES: Accipitridae

57. Swamp Harrier Circus approximans

FALCONS AND CARACARAS: Falconidae

58. New Zealand Falcon Falco novaeseelandiae


RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS: Rallidae

59. Weka Gallirallus australis

60. Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus phillipensis

61. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio

62. Takahe Porphyrio mantelli

63. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS: Charadriidae

64. Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles

65. Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva

66. Red-breasted (New Zealand) Dotterel Elseyornis melanops

67. Double-banded (Banded) Plover Charadrius bicinctus

68. Wrybill Anarhyncus frontalis

OYSTERCATCHERS: Haematopodidae

69. South Island Oystercatcher Haematopus finschi

70. Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor

STILTS AND AVOCETS: Recurvirostridae

71. Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus

72. Black Stilt Himantopus novaezelandiae

SANDPIPERS AND ALLIES: Scolopacidae

73. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

74. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

75. Red Knot Calidris canutus

76. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata

GULLS, TERNS AND SKIMMERS: Laridae

77. Black-billed Gull Chroicocephalus bulleri

78. Red-billed Gull Chroicocephalus scopulinus

79. Kelp (Southern Black-backed) Gull Larus dominicanus

80. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

81. Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus

82. White-fronted Tern Sterna striata

SKUAS AND JAEGERS: Stercorariidae

83. Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus

PIGEONS AND DOVES: Columbidae

84. Rock Pigeon Columba livia

85. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis

86. New Zealand Pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae

NEW ZEALAND PARROTS: Strigopidae

87. Kea Nestor notabilis

88. New Zealand Kaka Nestor meridionalis


PARROTS: Psittacidae

89. Red-fronted Parakeet Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae

90. Yellow-fronted Parakeet Cyanoramphus auriceps

91. Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius

CUCKOOS: Cuculidae

92. Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus

93. Long-tailed Koel Eudynamys taitensis

OWLS: Strigidae

94. Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae

KINGFISHERS: Alcedinidae

95. Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus

NEW ZEALAND WRENS: Acanthisittidae

96. Rifleman Acanthisitta chloris

97. South Island (Rock) Wren Xenicus gilviventris

HONEYEATERS: Meliphagidae

98. New Zealand Bellbird Anthornis melanura

99. Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

THORNBILLS AND ALLIES: Acanthizidae

100. Grey Gerygone (Warbler) Gerygone igata

WATTLEBIRDS: Callaeidae

101. Saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus

STITCHBIRD: Notiomystidae

102. Stitchbird Notiomystis cincta

BELLMAGPIES AND ALLIES: Cracticidae

103. Australasian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen

WHISTLERS AND ALLIES: Pachycephalidae

104. Whitehead Mohoua albicilla

105. Yellowhead Mohoua ochrocephala

106. Pipipi (Brown Creeper) Mohoua novaeseelandiae

FANTAILS: Rhipiduridae

107. New Zealand Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa

AUSTRALASIAN ROBINS: Petroicidae

108. Tomtit Petroica macrocephala


109. New Zealand Robin Petroica australis

LARKS: Alaudidae

110. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis

SWALLOWS: Hirundinidae

111. Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena

GRASSBIRDS AND ALLIES: Megaluridae

112. Fernbird Megalurus punctatus

THRUSHES AND ALLIES: Turdidae

113. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula

114. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

BABBLERS:Timaliidae

115. Silver-eye Zosterops lateralis

STARLINGS: Sturnidae

116. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

117. European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

ACCENTORS: Prunellidae

118. Dunnock Prunella modularis

WAGTAILS AND PIPITS: Motacillidae

119. Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae

BUNTINGS, SPARROWS AND ALLIES: Emberizidae

120. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella

SISKINS, CROSSBILLS AND ALLIES: Fringillidae

121. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

122. European Greenfinch Chloris chloris

123. Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea

124. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

OLD WORLD SPARROWS: Passeridae

125. House Sparrow Passer domesticus

MAMMAL LIST

European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus

Stoat (Ermine) Mustela ermine

Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula

European Hare Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

New Zealand Fur-Seal Arctocephalus forsteri


Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis

Dusky Dolphin Lagenorhyncus obscurus

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus

OTHERS

Blue Shark Prionace glauca

Shortfin Mako Shark Isurus oxirhynchus

new zealand trip report - tropical birding€¦ · trip report: new zealand dates: 31 december 2010...

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