Australia and New Zealand
23rd Oct - 4th Dec 2008
by Pam and Frank Bryant
The main purpose of this trip was to visit New Zealand but when we found out we could incorporate a stop over in Brisbane, Australia we jumped at the chance to go to Lamington National Park, a prime birding spot. A lot of planning during the beginning of 2008 was necessary to find the best locations and accommodation to suit our needs. Together with the internet we used 'Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand' by Kathy Ombler and New Zealand Rough Guide Map (The best map we have ever bought with a plastic, waterproof finish). For ID 'The Hand Guide to the Birds of NZ' by Robertson and Heather. Car hire AUS; Thrifty, Toyota Camry 2.4. Car hire NZ; Apex car rental, Toyota Camry 2.4 (inc car and passengers on Picton Ferry). We felt we needed a large car to contain our entire luggage when moving between accommodations, to give us the freedom to stop off en route ( birders are a target for theft).
We left LHR London Heathrow at 9:40am on Thursday 23rd October on Royal Brunei flight to Brisbane via Dubai and Brunei (on this occasion upgrading to business class as a special treat to celebrate our 60th Birthdays) We arrived in Brisbane on time at 8pm on Fri 24th October, and quickly transferred to our hotel by waiting taxi.
Day 1 - 24th Oct 2008
Arrived in the dark but the temperature was still very warm. Arriving at our hotel opposite the Botanic Gardens at 10pm we quickly dropped off our luggage and took a stroll along the banks of the Brisbane River admiring the city lit up.
Day 2 - 25th Oct 2008
Warm mainly sunny, windy pm. Up early to visit the Botanic Gardens, it was soon noticeable that it was the season of Spring. Birds were singing and gathering nesting material. Large lizards came out of the vegetation to soak up the warmth of the day. Birds seen in the park were White Ibis, Little Black Cormorant, Common Myna, Torresian Crow, Mallard, Moorhen, Pacific Black Duck, Laughing Kookaburra, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin, Masked Plover, Silver Gull, House Sparrow, Australasian Magpie, Magpie Lark and Collared Sparrowhawk. Later we set off to see some sights of the surroundings, this was achieved by using the Citycat,(£2 all day and evening) a brilliant ferry service with the ability to get on and off as needed. Some of the city was visited together with local parks. Other birds seen were White-faced Heron, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Morepork (heard), Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and Nankeen Heron. The Jacaranda trees were in full bloom casting a lovely mauve hue around the parks and Streets.
Day 3 - 26th Oct 2008
Hot, blue skies all day. A quick visit around the Botanic Gardens with some new birds seen, Pied Butcherbird, Crested Pigeon, and Chestnut Teal, then we walked into the city to collect the car from Thrifty Car Rental. We had a free upgrade as they had mistook our booking for a collection at the airport. The route to O'Reillys Rainforest Retreat is interesting especially the last part, hair-raising bends, luckily we arrived safely mid afternoon. Our apartment soon had dumped luggage, an Australian Brush Turkey and Satin Bowerbird were on 'our' lawn as we made off onto one of the rainforest walks. An Eastern Whipbird (pic 1 below) was calling distinctively and it soon came very close for us to see. On the walk and vicinity we saw, Pied Currawong, White-winged Chough, King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Regent Bowerbird, Wonga Pigeon, Eastern Yellow Robin (pic 2 below), Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Scrub Wren, Golden Whistler (pic 3 below), Grey Shrike Thrush, White-browed Scrub Wren, Green Catbird (heard), Welcome Swallow and on returning to our accommodation, several Superb Fairy Wrens (pic 4 below), and Red-browed Finches. Pademelons, some with joeys, came out onto the grass areas early morning and evening.
Day 4 - 27th Oct 2008
Cool start, then warm and sunny. We rose early and had breakfast on the patio quickly joined by Crimson Rosellas (pic 5 below), a Satin Bowerbird, a Regent Bowerbird (pic 6 below) and King Parrot (pic 7 below) all trying to grab a morsel or two!! Today we walked some of the many paths around O'Reillys with new species found, Rufous Fantail (pic 8 below), Grey Fantail, Top-knot Pigeon and Wedge-tailed Eagle. Before our evening meal we enjoyed the outdoor spa overlooking the mountains and marvelled at the superb sunset.
Day 5 - 28th Oct 2008
Very warm - hot blue skies. An early morning walk added two Logrunners, then it was time to catch the bus from O'Reillys for a half day guided trip into an area with access only for four-wheel drive vehicles. Several stops were made and birds seen were Brown Cuckoo Dove, Black-faced Monarch, Bassian Thrush, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Yellow-faced Honeyeater Sacred Kingfisher, Grey Goshawk and Striated Thornbill. Probably the highlight was two Koalas sat in a tree with excellent views.
Day 6 - 29th Oct 2008
Fine and sunny. Another early morning walk around O'Reillys with another new species, a Spangled Drongo before driving back towards Brisbane for our evening flight to Auckland, New Zealand. We had several hours to spare and despite being very hot in the afternoon we found a reserve on the map close to the airport. Called Boondall Reserve and split into several locations it proved an excellent addition to our itinerary. The habitat was very varied, scrub, pools, river, trees etc with some hides which were great to provide some shade. We notched up some new birds for this trip, White Egret, Brahminy Kite (pic 9 below), Whistling Kite, Intermediate Egret, Rainbow Bee-eater, Royal Spoonbill, Mistletoebird, Darter, Crested Pigeon (pic 10 below), Brown Honeyeater, Black-necked Stilt, Bar-tailed Godwit, Striated Heron, Jacky Winter, Galah, Black-faced Wood Swallow, Whimbrel, Curlew, and Crested Tern (pic 11 below). Nearer the airport we found some more ponds next to several busy roads and these produced more new species, many Australian Little Grebes (pic 12 below), Australian Coot, Buff-banded Rail (pic 13 below) and Pale-headed Rosella.
Day 7 - 30th Oct 2008
Mainly sunny, one brief heavy storm, cold wind on the coast. We arrived at Auckland airport at 4am and were quickly taken to BK's Motor Lodge our accommodation for the rest of this morning and the next night. After a very brief sleep our car was delivered at 9am. My first thought on leaving the city was that we were in a giant botanical garden but then the landscape turned to rolling hills clothed with lush green grass, large fields of buttercups peppered with dandelions and daisies……and not forgetting the sheep and cows! But also the birds, where were we? Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Yellowhammers, House Sparrows, Starlings, Goldfinches many more numbers than we see in UK together with the Common Myna. (I will probably not mention a lot of these European species again as they are so common all over NZ).
We drove to Muriwai Beach, and were soon marvelling, the brilliant blue of The Tasman Sea and the colony of Australasian Gannets (pics 14/15 below) and White-fronted Terns. The wind was strong and cold tossing them about when on the wing. A Skylark sang in the fields behind us. Also seen were Black-backed Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, Pied Oystercatchers, Pied Shags, NZ Kingfisher (Sacred Kingfisher), Australasian Harrier, Welcome Swallow and the very common Pukeko (pic 16 below).
Day 8 - 31st Oct 2008
Cold wind, sun and cloud. It was off to Gulf Harbour about an hours' journey north east for our stay of two nights. Today we went to Shakespear Park, a great reserve of forest, ponds, rivers and coast on the end of the peninsular. From the car park Masked Plovers and Pukekos were grazing and the ponds beyond had Pied Stilt, Grey Ducks, Paradise Shelducks, and Black Swans, at the river a White-faced Heron was very close to us and around the trees we found NZ Pigeon, Tui, Silvereye, Fantail, Yellow-crowned Parrot and Grey Warbler. NZ Dotterel (pic 17 below) were seen on the beach with a Pied Shag flying over. Just as we were about to leave a beautiful male Peafowl (Peacock) emerged from the scrub, unfortunately it stopped displaying when the camera came out. Other birds seen in the area were Black Shag, Little Shag, NZ Kingfisher, Variable Oystercatcher, Chestnut-breasted Shelduck, Pheasant and Eastern Rosella.
Day 9 - 1st Nov 2008
Mainly cloudy, windy, cool. We caught the ferry from Gulf Harbour at 9:50am to Tiri Tiri Matangi Island, the crossing took about 20 minutes. We walked the Wattle trail towards the lighthouse and we soon saw Tiri's endemic Stitchbird (pic 18 below). Further along the trails are Saddlebacks (pic 19 below) and a NZ Robin scratching about in the leaf litter. Bellbirds and Whiteheads (pic 20 below) were also seen along this path. Pukekos were very common but the larger Takahe is elusive until we reach the information centre where one is trying to grab the food from the staff. As we are having lunch on the east coast we see Black-backed Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, White-fronted Terns, Welcome Swallows, Australasian Gannets, Pied Shags and Fantail. Several pairs of Red- Crowned Parakeets fly over and nearby our first Chaffinch. As we head back towards the wharf I spot a large blue bird not far from the path, it is the elusive Kokako, what a great view. The cabbage trees and many varieties of large fern give the landscape a tropical feel. As we board the ferry at 3:15pm three NZ Kingfishers are on the rocks.
Day 10 - 2nd Nov 2008
Mainly cloudy, warm, cool in wind. Today we headed for our next accommodation near Miranda on The Shorebird Coast. On the way we stopped at Auckland Botanical Gardens as it was conveniently located just off the motorway, and it proved to be a great place for a snack. The new species seen here were Greenfinch, Spotted Dove and two California Quail (pic 21 below). A brief stop at Matingarahi finds black phase Variable Oystercatchers and one white phase Variable Oystercatcher (pic 22 below) and some White-faced Herons. Our accommodation for the next three nights was Tikapa Moana Eco Lodge our apartment overlooking their organic fruit orchard. The birds came very close to our patio but we didn't see anything different from here this afternoon. We called into the Miranda Shorebirds Centre to find out some information about the area. In the evening an hour was spent in the sauna conveniently located in our living room!
Day 11 - 3rd Nov 2008
Cool, cloudy am then hot and sunny pm. We were sat in the hide at The Shorebird Coast at 9:30am waiting for high tide at 11:15am unfortunately though the tide wasn't to be very high so the birds would not be that close (pic 23 below). Luckily though four Wrybills and five White-faced Herons walked much closer than most of the flock of waders. Lesser (Red) Knot, Pacific Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit besides a Black-billed Gull also seen. I (Pam) went for a Watsu in the afternoon, bliss (A massage in the natural mineral waters) while Frank went for a walk around the local area and found five Wild Turkeys.
Day 12 - 4th Nov 2008
Mostly cloudy with some heavy showers. Most of the day was spent locally walking and driving as the weather was very unsettled. In the late afternoon we drove along the west side of the Coromandel Peninsula as far as Tapu and found many Spotted Shags very close on the rocky shoreline. We had 28 species today.
Day 13 - 5th Nov 2008
Some sun with several heavy rain showers. Today we moved to Arataki (NW Taupo) and stayed in a lovely cottage in a mini wood. (3 nights) En route on the top of a large tree at Omokoroa Beach a Shining Cuckoo was singing its heart out and at some lakes near Rotorua we found many Australian Coot and NZ Scaup (pic 24 below).
Day 14 - 6th Nov 2008
Early rain then sunny and cloudy spells. We visited the cave and thermal park at Orakei Korako, a short ferry trip across Lake Ohakun. 20 million litres of hot water flow over the silicon terraces every day. Walkways took us up through boiling pools, unpredictable gushing geysers with great panoramic views. The afternoon was spent looking for the Blue Duck south of Lake Taupo but unfortunately we couldn't find any.
Day 15 - 7th Nov 2008
Cold wind, sun and rain. One of the reasons for staying in the area was to visit Pureora Forest (pic 25 below), a forest of ancient woodland. From the main road it is about another 30 miles on gravel track to the information centre, something we hadn't realised how long it would take us. Six Redpoll were seen on the way and there were trees covered with wild clematis. We took the Totara Walk near the centre and soon found ourselves immersed in ancient rainforest which was great to explore the varying vegetation but we saw very little bird life just two Kaka in the high trees screeching loudly as they flew through. From the observation tower more Kaka were seen and two Yellow-crowned Parakeets then a walk down Plains Road produced Rock Pigeon and excellent views of two Tom Tits.
Day 16 - 8th Nov 2008
Warm sunny, blue sky. We left early for our next stay at Foxton Beach (2 nights) to try and see Blue Duck. The mountains and volcanoes south of Taupo looked fantastic, covered in snow, and lit by the sun against a brilliant blue sky. (Tangariro, 1967m, Ngauruhoa, 2287m, Ruapehu, 2797m) Guided by 'Where to Watch Birds in NZ' book we left the S4 road just before Raetihi. We stopped at the bridge near Ruatiti and couldn't at first see anything although we were by a cottage called Blue Duck Cottage, we must keep looking! A bit further along the road and over another bridge and there they were, two adult Blue Ducks sat on a rock with two juveniles in the river. We went back to the first bridge to have dinner and saw another pair of adults. We spent the rest of the day around Foxton Beach our accommodation chosen as it was only two minutes walking from The Manawatu Estuary that has RAMSAR status, a prime spot for migratory waders. Unfortunately it was a 'low' high tide that didn't tie up with daylight hours. It was difficult with binoculars but several Bar-tailed Godwits, Pied Stilts and two Royal Spoonbills came in quite close. On the village pond were Australian Shoveler.
Day 17 - 9th Nov 2008
Sunny. We stayed around the area all day but didn't find any new species for the holiday. 26 species seen today.
Day 18 - 10th Nov 2008
Cloudy, windy, cool. Today we left our well equipped cottage for the outer suburbs of Wellington just over an hours drive away. As our motel room (2 nights) was ready early we had lunch and caught the train (nearby) into the city. The city was quickly scanned before we got the cable car up to the Botanical Gardens. Here we spent several hours, the highlight being two Silvereyes (pic 26 below) taking nectar from a Flax plant. The rose garden looked particularly good.
Day 19 - 11th Nov 2008
Drizzle am then warm and cloudy with some sunny intervals. Today we visited Karori Reserve a tremendous asset to the area and within one mile of the city centre. The 225 hectare reserve is fenced to keep out non native mammals. We saw 19 species here, new ones being Brown Teal and Dunnock.
Day 20 - 12th Nov 2008
Drizzle at first then almost full sun. Wellington - Picton Ferry (3 hours) An early rise was necessary for our ferry check in of 7:30am to depart at 8:30am. Unfortunately the weather was drizzly with low cloud. After leaving the boundaries of Wellington Harbour the cloud began to break and we crossed the Cook Straits and sailed up Queen Charlotte Sound in beautiful sunny weather. The crossing was as smooth as sailing on a duck pond, bliss! Birds we saw from the ferry were, Black-backed Gulls, shearwaters, Red-billed Gulls, White-fronted Terns, Pied Shags, Spotted Shags and two new species Royal Albatross and Fairy Prion (pic 27 below). After leaving the ferry, apart from having lunch we made haste to drive to Kaikoura our next stop as we had to confirm by 4pm the pelagic trip booked for the next day. Checking in at Albatross Encounter they confirmed that Frank was the only one booked on the 6am trip so could he transfer to the 9am. This he did and was glad as early next day it was quite windy but settled down later. When we booked the pelagics early in 2008 Frank booked for two consecutive days (13 & 14th) and I booked for the 14th. How did I know back then that the 14th would be the better day? Looking around the shop I was very envious of the dolphin photos and so booked that trip as well. Our accommodation at Bird Cottage, a short distance from the town surrounded by trees and shrubs especially grown to attract birds and with the backdrop of the snow- clad Kaikoura Range it was perfect.
Day 21 - 13th Nov 2008
Cool, cloudy am with sunny spells in the afternoon. Frank went off very excited, his first Albatross Encounter (pic 28 below) at 9am, one that he had been dreaming about for months. When we met up later the grin said it all, although he had felt a little queasy with the rocking of the boat. Six species of Albatross had been encountered, Southern Royal Albatross, Northern Royal Albatross, Wandering Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Salvin's Albatross and NZ White-capped Albatross. Then three species of petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, Westland Petrel (pic 29 below), White chinned Petrel, and three species of shearwater, Hutton's Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater and Short- tailed Shearwater. Also seen were at sea were Cape Pigeons, Pied Shags, Spotted Shags, Black-backed Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, Australasian Gannet, White-fronted Tern and a new species Little Shag. A Humpback Whale, many NZ Fur Seals and some Dusky Dolphins were also seen. We both took to the water in the afternoon for the Dolphin Encounter, the sea being very calm by now, and soon found several large pods of about 100 Dusky Dolphins (pic 30 below). Some were leaping and twisting out of the water in full playful mood. We also saw on the water two species of penguin, Yellow-eyed Penguin and Little Blue Penguin and at a distance a Sperm Whale.
Day 22 - 14th Nov 2008
Cloudy and cool. Since the weather was generally calmer in the afternoon we decided to change the booked morning Albatross pelagic to the afternoon. The morning was spent around the forest walks near the town, 28 species were recorded but no new species seen. Luckily for me the sea was calm when we boarded the boat for the Albatross Encounter. We saw virtually the same species as the day before with the addition of Antipodean Albatross, Southern Giant Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, and Arctic Skua. Wandering Albatross and Salvin's Albatross are pictured below (pic 31/32 below). Dusky Dolphins and NZ Fur Seals were also seen. A Shining Cuckoo was photographed on the washing line (pic 33 below).
Day 23 - 15th Nov 2008
Hot and sunny turning cloudy on the west coast. Today we were travelling to the west coast, known as the wild coast for its unpredictable wind and rain. The journey took us about six hours with a few stops on the way, and also a new species, Black-fronted Tern. After arriving at our boutique- styled chalet overlooking the sea at Barrytown (3 nights) we went walking on the nearby beach. Huge amounts of drift wood had been washed up on the tide line and some birds were calling amongst it. They were Banded Dotterel (pic 34 below) and we were able to get quite close.
Day 24 - 16th Nov 2008
Mostly cloudy, some rain. We went to Pancake Rocks and Blowholes at Punakaiki about 17kms north of Barrytown. The rocks are heavily eroded limestone, layered creating a pancake effect, the sea has burst through in parts forming spectacular blowholes. The rocks are closely viewed by a number of walkways winding through the rocks. White-faced Terns have colonised some of the flat rocks. We drove a bit further north and took the Truman trail, through a small area of rainforest before reaching a huge expanse of beach with a waterfall cascading onto it. After lunch, (pancakes, what else?) we returned to the car and a Weka (pic 35 below) was crossing the car park totally unconcerned by tourists. A visit to a pond near the beach gave us a new species, Grey Teal. During the day we saw 29 species.
Day 25 - 17th Nov 2008
Early sun then rain storms, very windy. We decided to visit Arthur's Pass, (a mountain pass of the Southern Alps) (via Lake Brunner) as the forecast weather on the coast was not good. The terrain was spectacular but as we approached the pass the cloud and rain set in and it became very cold. In Arthur's Pass village a Kea (pic 36 below) was busy biting the attachment on a roof rack of a parked 4x4. It was totally unconcerned at tourists taking its photo. By the time we had visited the information centre, which was of great interest seeing how the road had been built, the rain had set in so we returned to our chalet.
Day 26 - 18th Nov 2008
Sun and cloud, a few light showers. The drive to our next destination, Franz Joseph once again took us through spectacular scenery with stunning views of The Tasman Sea and a few sparkling lakes that we stopped at on the way. After arriving at our motel (2 nights) the snow-clad mountains were temporarily bathed in sunshine so we went to get a close view of the glacier. Four Keas were around the car park.
Day 27 - 19th Nov 2008
Morning mainly sunny a few short showers, rain all afternoon. We went to Lake Matheson famous for its reflective views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, however this morning it was mainly shrouded in cloud, just giving a few brief glimpses through the cloud. We saw 17 species while walking around the lake. The afternoon was so wet we caught up on a welcome rest! Early evening by Peter's Pool we had great views of Tom Tits (pic 37 below) and a Tui singing beautifully (pic 38 below).
Day 28 - 20th Nov 2008
Sun all day. Our drive today had plenty of stops to take in the varied scenery and the beautiful sunny weather. Lake Moeraki came up trumps with another new species, two Great Crested Grebes. Our destination for the next two nights was Lake Hawea and as we approached it was truly jaw dropping, absolutely breathtaking, a large sparkling lake skirted with mountains shining gold in the sunshine. Our lovely cottage was well placed with wonderful views from most rooms. Later we visited the beach at Lake Wanaka and had an evening walk along the beach at Lake Hawea. We chatted to our host Marge about flying to Milford Sound and with her advice made a temporary booking for the next day.
Day 29 - 21st Nov 2008
Mostly sunny some cloud. We were once again up early to ring Wanaka Flightseeing when they had checked on the weather conditions for the Fiordland area. Good news, all systems go so we left for the airport and our flight departure of 9am. We boarded a small Cessna plane (seating for 6 including the pilot!) which took us over Mount Aspiring National Park, with its amazing snow formations, glaciers and lakes. On landing in Milford a bus whisked us to the cruise terminal where we boarded the Mitre cruise boat. The two hour cruise took us through the deeply cut fiord with waterfalls splashing onto the boat. Snow covered peaks were towering above. We saw Fiordland Crested Penguins (pic 39 below) and NZ Fur Seals (pic 35 below). As the boat reached the Tasman Sea it was buffeted about by 1 metre high waves before being turned into calmer waters again. The return flight took us over landscapes filmed for Lord of the Rings. This was such a brilliant day, one we will both hopefully remember for always, it was great to visit Milford Sound (pic 41 below) as we had no time to drive there with our tight itinerary. Late afternoon as we were relaxing in the cottage the wind became very gusty and we had rain throughout the night so we were extremely lucky to have had such a good day.
Day 30 - 22nd Nov 2008
Warm but windy, some sun. Sadly our time at the lakes district of central Otago was over too quickly we were now travelling south to Bushy Point near Invercargill. We chose a privately owned eco- friendly homestay on a managed and protected forest and wetland reserve located on the New River Estuary for our two night stay. We were quickly made very welcome and taken for a guided walk by our hosts, Jenny and Ian, around some of the reserve. We had a few brief glimpses of Fernbirds but we were hoping for better views tomorrow.
Day 31 - 23rd Nov 2008
Mainly sunny and hot. The early morning walk around the reserve paid off with great views of the Fernbirds, really close to the path (pic 42-44 below) . If they heard you talking they would come up from the reeds and take a look at you! Some were busy gathering nest material. Later we walked along the other side of the estuary and found another new species, Brown Creeper we then drove down to Bluff, the most southerly point of the South Island. A total of 37 species was seen today.
Day 32 - 24th Nov 2008
Sunny and warm, rain on Stewart Island. An early morning walk around the reserve gave great views of the Fernbirds again with nine other species seen. It all came too soon though to say goodbye and make our way to Invercargill Airport for our flight over to Stewart Island. We had to leave some luggage in the secure car park as the luggage allowance was only 15kgs. The pilot checks you in, loads the plane, flies you over and then unloads you at the Stewart Island landing strip. After a relatively smooth flight, and crossing Foveaux Strait we landed 20 mins later at 1:20pm. After a well organised transfer to Bay Motel, (3 nights) we settled in and had splendid views from our room of the harbour at Halfmoon Bay. The weather by now was very grey but we took a short walk along the Fuchsia Trail before the rain set in. As we are on a 'new' island here are the species seen, with no new ones recorded, Kaka, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Bellbird, Black-billed Gull, Variable Oystercatcher, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Redpoll, Grey Duck, Mallard, NZ Pigeon and Black-backed Gull. We had booked the evening trip many months ago, and I must admit I was very nervous, climbing down a vertical metal ladder from the boat into a dingy. Anyway the evening arrived and it was wet, cold and getting dark (9pm) couldn't we stay in with a glass of wine?!!! A resounding NO from Frank, you'll enjoy it! So thirteen of us set off in search of Kiwi with the Skipper, Phil Smith. We were all supplied with a torch if we didn't have one. The ladder was easy nothing at all to worry about and Phil landed us all at Glory Bay in two dingy trips. Phil spoke briefly of the care needed, to be quiet, to stay behind him and not lag behind and most importantly no flash photography was to be used. The previous evening someone had used a flash and frightened off a Kiwi spoiling the experience for all. We had to tramp across the peninsula to reach a beach on the other side but firstly we had a steep bank to negotiate. It seemed very serious at the time and some people were ill prepared, (with ordinary shoes on), for a big mud bank squelching with water from the heavy rain. We got quite muddy and had to use our torches to see tree trunks across the path. We finally arrived at the beach which we slowly made our way across following Phil. He scanned across the beach several times and then there it was, the Stewart Island Brown Kiwi, the moment was magical, the moon casting glimmers of light across the beach and the waves gently moving towards us. We watched for ten minutes or so, it was feeding on sand hoppers in the sand. We crossed most of the beach hoping to find more Kiwi but it was not to be so we re- traced are steps before the tide cut us off. The slippery bank had to be negotiated again, most of us sliding down on our bums. The journey back to the harbour saw many Mottled Petrels flying in close to the boat, the atmosphere jovial, with a welcome cup of coffee. We arrived back at the Motel at 12:50am, muddy but happy and yes I did enjoy the trip, and we've had some good laughs about it since!
Day 33 - 25th Nov 2008
Dry at first then heavy rain and hail showers. We walked out to Ackers Point from the harbour seeing a new species, Stewart Island Shag on the way. The coastal landscape was of varied habitat, some tree-clad, some open spaces with good views of little beaches and coves. From the vantage point at the end of the peninsular several Buller's Albatrosses were gliding and twisting across the water. The sky was gradually getting darker so we made our return seeing two Red-crowned Parakeets fly over the path in front of us. Then I saw a very small bird in the bushes across the road, it then flew across in front of us followed by another, our first sightings of Rifleman. The rain got heavier, then hail so we retreated to the café for a welcome cuppa. Kaka pictured (pic 45 below).
Day 34 - 26th Nov 2008
Rain then drier with intermittent heavy showers, a little sun. Today we'd booked a guided tour to Ulva Island with Furhana of Ruggedy Range. We met up at Golden Bay Wharf at 8:15am for our short (4 min) water taxi to Ulva. It was raining but as we landed although it was grey it looked a little brighter. The island is a world-class sanctuary for birds and plants, holding many species that are rare or extinct on the mainland. With a rat-free environment the birds are gaining in numbers. Most of the island is privately owned, the walkable trails are clearly marked. With Furhana's expertise she was able to pick out places where we would most likely see different species. Stewart Island Robin (pic 46 below) was one of the first birds to come and say hello, almost too close to photograph! Kaka screamed across the tree canopy, and several South Island Saddlebacks were seen right by the path. A flock of Yellowheads were seen just above head height, quite close. A Morepork (pic 47 below) was also sat in a nearby tree. Other birds seen were, SI Shag, Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Rifleman, Chaffinch, NZ Pigeon (pic 48 below), Red- crested Parakeet, Weka, Brown Creeper, Fantail (pic 49 below) , Grey Warbler, Tui and Bellbird. The complete layering effect is instantly seen between the mosses, ferns, shrubs, trees and huge canopy trees. Without Furhana's help I would not have found four species of orchid, Green Hooded Orchid, Spider Orchid, Slipper Orchid? and Bird Orchid, also Bamboo with flowers delicately draping over a tree branch. All too quickly the four hours had passed and we were making our way back to the motel our heads buzzing with the pristine natural beauty we had just witnessed. After lunch we did a few walks around the harbour and met up with other birders in the café. We had an excellent evening meal in the restaurant above the ferry terminal, watching Little Blue Penguins (pic 35 below) really close to the docking bay. Twenty two Buller's Albatrosses were counted as a fishing boat came in.
Day 35 - 27th Nov 2008
Mostly sunny with coldish wind. We caught the early morning flight back to Invercargill, the crossing over the Foveaux Strait, a little bumpier than before. After paying the $10 car parking fee (just under £4 for 3 days, bargain!) we made our way along the south coast road, know as the Catlins. We had a coffee at Fortrose and were able to see Royal Spoonbills and Bar-tailed Godwits on the mudflats opposite. The next stop was Curio Bay where the ancient Fossil forest meets the sea .We couldn't believe our luck two Yellow-eyed Penguins (pic 51 below) walking up towards their nest. Our hosts at Bushy Point had suggested we try and call in at Surat Bay, the walk beautiful, glorious blue sea and sky with a wonderful sweet aroma of yellow lupins along the sand dunes. There was just one Sea Lion sleeping on the beach. We arrived at Fantail Cottage (3 nights )at Broad Bay on the Otago Peninsula late afternoon and went for a brief local walk as the sun went down. The end of another excellent day with 26 species seen.
Day 36 - 28th Nov 2008
Sunny most of the day. We spent the whole day walking and driving around the Otago Peninsular. From Taiaroa Head Spotted Shags (pic 53 below) were feeding young on the cliff face, there were also Pied Shags. There were no albatrosses flying as we were told, it was not windy! A mother and cub Fur Seal were playing in the clear waters beneath the lookout. As we drove to the inlets on the east towards Alan's Beach we heard loud calling. It was Pied Stilts with their chicks right near the road. Many White-faced Terns (pic 52 below) were on the boating walkway at Broad Bay. We saw 28 species but no new ones.
Day 37 - 29th Nov 2008
Heavy rain then brightening later. The weather forecast was in steep contrast to yesterday, cold and wet all day! Hence we decided to venture into Dunedin for retail therapy. As we are not really Townies and the sun came out we couldn't wait to escape and made our way to the Botanical Gardens. Once again the Rose Garden triumphed. Baldwin Street was visited, reported to be the steepest street in the world, the concrete upper part is 35% incline. In the evening Taiaroa Head had Royal Albatrosses flying around, we had come here to watch Little Blue Penguins come ashore at Pilots Beach next to the headland. At 9pm the wardens arrived to give us a brief talk about the penguins. They would gather out in the bay and come ashore in groups as big as possible to ward off any predators. Unfortunately the predator in this case was just out in the bay, a Fur Seal waiting for a meal! Hence it was nearly 10pm before they started to come ashore, they were very nervous and it took several tries before they felt safe enough to cross the sand and then the rocks to find their burrows further inland.
Day 38 - 30th Nov 2008
Mainly cloudy some sun. Today we were leaving Dunedin for Christchurch our next stop for 2 nights. About an hour after leaving Dunedin we saw the Moeraki boulders scattered across the sandy beach. They are not the usual boulder, lime materials in the sea accumulated on the core over time and the concretion grew into perfect spherical shapes up to three metres in diameter, quite a site! We arrived at Ananda Cottage late afternoon and went for a short local walk in the evening before it rained quite heavily.
Day 39 - 1st Dec 2008
Rain clearing to cloudy but dry. We caught the bus into Christchurch and wandered around the centre before making our way to the Botanical gardens nearby. The usual 'European' birds were here in good numbers. The rose garden was magnificent in colour and fragrance. We saw a glass making exhibition before making our way back on the bus. We had booked a massage each with our host who runs a clinic from the premises, it was wonderful to have this treatment before the first stage of our homecoming.
Day 40 - 2nd Dec 2008
Mainly sunny with some cloud. The morning was spent packing and driving around some of the suburbs and parks of Christchurch before making our way to the airport for the 3pm flight to Auckland. 1hr 20 mins later we were landing in Auckland and then transferred to BK's Pioneer Motor Lodge for one night.
Day 41 - 3rd Dec 2008
We checked into Auckland airport at 8:15am for our flight home at 11:15am via Brisbane, Brunei and Dubai. We had a two hour wait in Brunei so were able to shower and have a meal in the lounge which was nice.
Day 42 - 4th Dec 2008
TOO COLD !!!! Landed at LHR 6 minutes early where a taxi was waiting to whisk us home, tired but happy after a brilliant holiday.
Information If anyone is interested in further details of all or any part of this trip then please e-mail us birdlodge@hotmail.com