Monday, August 31, 2009
Aerial chase in Katie's backyard
So, I ended up driving my friend Katie Sandling back to her house today so she could pick up her computer. Little did I know that I would witness a high-speed avian chase. As I pulled into her driveway, an accipiter (Cooper's Hawk, most likely) whipped in front of the car chasing a Mourning Dove. The accipiter disappeared behind Katie's house too fast for me to get a positive ID on it, but it was the right size for a Cooper's.
Day 5: Franz Josef to Te Anau
Today held another long drive, this one eight hours, from Franz Josef Glacier to Te Anau, on the eastern edge of Fiordland National Park. Almost no new birds, but an amazing drive out of the West Coast, through Otago, and into Southland.
We started off heading south into Fox, where we pulled aside into the glacier area to get looks at the mountains. With the morning clouds lifting, we got amazing looks at Mount Cook and the rest of the range, as well as Fox Glacier itself. On the Paradise Shelduck pond a little ways back down the road, there was the usual group of Paradise Shelducks, but this time two Gray Ducks, my first and last for the West Coast.
Heading south out of Fox towards Haast Pass, we hoped to walk a bit at Bruce Bay and then search for Fiordland Crested Penguins at the beach just north of Knight’s Point. We ended up finding some beautiful white rocks at Bruce Bay, along with a single Kelp Gull, and Dad and I had a rather adventurous hike in seach of the penguins. The man from the Glenfern Villas who had helped reserve the Kiwi tour had directed me to a beach where he had seen Fiordland Crested Penguins several times during the breeding season and at all times of day.
Dad stopped the car at the parking lot just north of Knight’s Point, and the two of us searched for the trail for a few minutes. We finally found it heading down the hill and into the dense rainforest. Dad and I started off down the brushy, muddy track, only to be faced with five fordings and two off-trail tangles. We finally reached the beach, which had a “Fiordland Crested Penguin Breeding Area” sign at it. It was a huge beach, a huge beach devoid of penguins. Disappointed, Dad and I struggled back to the car, and the whole family went south again.
Fiordland Penguin Breeding Area Sign
Our final stop on the West Coast was a beautiful lake just north of Haast. On it were eight or nine Black Swans, twenty-two Mallards, and two Great Crested Grebes. We then drove over the beautiful Haast pass, through Otago, and into Southland, with the only other notable species being two New Zealand Falcons, one adult in the forests just east of Haast pass and one juvenile on a fence post a dozen kilometers before Te Anau.
The drive, through devoid of new birdlife, was incredibly interesting. The majority of it was spent driving through open agricultural areas with snow-capped mountains rising about us. It is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever done, and, though its long, the scenery is well worth the time.
I got a few species in Southland in the failing light, and then we reached Te Anau and our cottage at Birchwood Cottages to stay the night.
55. Great Crested Grebe
56. New Zealand Falcon – 637
We started off heading south into Fox, where we pulled aside into the glacier area to get looks at the mountains. With the morning clouds lifting, we got amazing looks at Mount Cook and the rest of the range, as well as Fox Glacier itself. On the Paradise Shelduck pond a little ways back down the road, there was the usual group of Paradise Shelducks, but this time two Gray Ducks, my first and last for the West Coast.
Heading south out of Fox towards Haast Pass, we hoped to walk a bit at Bruce Bay and then search for Fiordland Crested Penguins at the beach just north of Knight’s Point. We ended up finding some beautiful white rocks at Bruce Bay, along with a single Kelp Gull, and Dad and I had a rather adventurous hike in seach of the penguins. The man from the Glenfern Villas who had helped reserve the Kiwi tour had directed me to a beach where he had seen Fiordland Crested Penguins several times during the breeding season and at all times of day.
Dad stopped the car at the parking lot just north of Knight’s Point, and the two of us searched for the trail for a few minutes. We finally found it heading down the hill and into the dense rainforest. Dad and I started off down the brushy, muddy track, only to be faced with five fordings and two off-trail tangles. We finally reached the beach, which had a “Fiordland Crested Penguin Breeding Area” sign at it. It was a huge beach, a huge beach devoid of penguins. Disappointed, Dad and I struggled back to the car, and the whole family went south again.
Fiordland Penguin Breeding Area Sign
Our final stop on the West Coast was a beautiful lake just north of Haast. On it were eight or nine Black Swans, twenty-two Mallards, and two Great Crested Grebes. We then drove over the beautiful Haast pass, through Otago, and into Southland, with the only other notable species being two New Zealand Falcons, one adult in the forests just east of Haast pass and one juvenile on a fence post a dozen kilometers before Te Anau.
The drive, through devoid of new birdlife, was incredibly interesting. The majority of it was spent driving through open agricultural areas with snow-capped mountains rising about us. It is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever done, and, though its long, the scenery is well worth the time.
I got a few species in Southland in the failing light, and then we reached Te Anau and our cottage at Birchwood Cottages to stay the night.
55. Great Crested Grebe
56. New Zealand Falcon – 637
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Day 4:Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers
Today we spent the day in and around Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Only four new species for the day, but made up for with amazing rainforest hikes, great glacial views, and a relaxing half hour in the “Glacier Hot Springs” of Franz Josef.
Having reserved a spot on the evening’s Kiwi tour with the registration desk, we started off the day by going up to the Franz Josef Glacier. We drove up and parked in the car park for the hikes in the area, and I got out with binoculars ready. The first bird I saw was a Dunnock singing from a nearby tree. I watched it for a moment, turned around, and started. In the moment that I had been looking away, a Kea had come down and landed on the car next to ours, which had a ski rack on top. It was quite content to chew on the rubber window seals and plastic ski bindings as I snapped several pictures of it. Just as we were about to leave, however, it gave a loud, keening cry that bounced back and forth across the valley, causing Mom to duck and Sarah to start in surprise. As I watched, another Kea came circling down from above, showing off its red underwings and calling back to the one on the car. We headed off on the hike.
Kea on car
Our hike through the rainforest ended at sentinel rock, with a platform overlooking Franz Josef Glacier and another Kea sitting on the rail. I got several more pictures of this one and then we headed back down to the car, this time devoid of inquisitive Kea. As we emerged from the rainforest, a male Tomtit flew out onto the end of a Fern Tree and sat there as I took its picture, then flitted away. It was the first male I had seen, and what a beautiful bird!
We then drove over to Fox Glacier, half an hour south of Franz Josef. Here, all the trails were flooded, so we could only walk up to a little knoll overlooking the terminus of the glacier. More Tomtits were flitting about in the trees, and a lake just south of the knoll contained around twenty Paradise Shelducks, the first time I had seen them outside of a wet field. On the drive back down the south bank access road, Dad dropped me and Mom off at the bridge hike that would take us across the river to meet him and Sarah on the north bank access road. The hike started off across a wodden swing bridge and then took fifteen minutes or so through a beautiful lush rainforest. As we walked, small flocks of Silvereyes and Pipipis, or New Zealand Brown Creepers, flew back and forth in the canopy.
We met Dad and Sarah in the parking lot on the north access road, and then headed off on an hour and a half hike to an overlook for Fox Glacier. Due to swollen rivers from recent rains, we had to turn back after only half an hour, and did not get a good view. I’m happy with this, however, because it paid off when we went down to Lake Matheson.
On the drive to Lake Matheson, we passed through waterlogged fields holding the usual Spur-winged Plovers, Purple Swamphens, and Paradise Shelducks. One small pond held a new West Coast bird, however, a White-headed Stilt. We reached Lake Matheson and started off on the trail, but Sarah had left her rain coat and fleece in the car. Just as Mom was about to turn back, Dad saw a “Green-backed parakeet,” as he put it, fly across the trail. Mom went back to the car, Sarah and Dad stayed at the trail, and I dove into the bush in search of the parakeet. It was calling right in front of me, so I moved forwards. It stopped, I moved backwards. It started calling again, I moved forwards. It stopped, and I pulled aside the branch in front of me, giving me and unobscured view of a beautiful Yellow-crowned Parakeet.
Yellow-crowned Parakeet
The only other birds on the hike around the lake were a few Mallards, three Tomtits, and a dozen Common Blackbirds. We drove back to the Glenfern Villas in Franz Josef Glacier only to find out that the Okarito Kiwi Tour for the evening had been cancelled due to rain and that the “White Heron” tours were also closed because of the aforementioned rain. Instead, we ate at a restaurant, The Landing, for the first time since arriving in New Zealand and visited the Glacier Hot Springs, where we soaked for a half hour in 36ºC, 38ºC, and 40ºC water. We returned to the villa with a long drive, from Franz Josef to Te Anau, in store tomorrow. The upsides are a shot at Fiordland Crested Penguins and driving through a new region, Otago, and into another, Southland.
51. Dunnock
52. Kea – 634
53. Pipipi – 635
54. Yellow-crowned Parakeet – 636
Having reserved a spot on the evening’s Kiwi tour with the registration desk, we started off the day by going up to the Franz Josef Glacier. We drove up and parked in the car park for the hikes in the area, and I got out with binoculars ready. The first bird I saw was a Dunnock singing from a nearby tree. I watched it for a moment, turned around, and started. In the moment that I had been looking away, a Kea had come down and landed on the car next to ours, which had a ski rack on top. It was quite content to chew on the rubber window seals and plastic ski bindings as I snapped several pictures of it. Just as we were about to leave, however, it gave a loud, keening cry that bounced back and forth across the valley, causing Mom to duck and Sarah to start in surprise. As I watched, another Kea came circling down from above, showing off its red underwings and calling back to the one on the car. We headed off on the hike.
Kea on car
Our hike through the rainforest ended at sentinel rock, with a platform overlooking Franz Josef Glacier and another Kea sitting on the rail. I got several more pictures of this one and then we headed back down to the car, this time devoid of inquisitive Kea. As we emerged from the rainforest, a male Tomtit flew out onto the end of a Fern Tree and sat there as I took its picture, then flitted away. It was the first male I had seen, and what a beautiful bird!
We then drove over to Fox Glacier, half an hour south of Franz Josef. Here, all the trails were flooded, so we could only walk up to a little knoll overlooking the terminus of the glacier. More Tomtits were flitting about in the trees, and a lake just south of the knoll contained around twenty Paradise Shelducks, the first time I had seen them outside of a wet field. On the drive back down the south bank access road, Dad dropped me and Mom off at the bridge hike that would take us across the river to meet him and Sarah on the north bank access road. The hike started off across a wodden swing bridge and then took fifteen minutes or so through a beautiful lush rainforest. As we walked, small flocks of Silvereyes and Pipipis, or New Zealand Brown Creepers, flew back and forth in the canopy.
We met Dad and Sarah in the parking lot on the north access road, and then headed off on an hour and a half hike to an overlook for Fox Glacier. Due to swollen rivers from recent rains, we had to turn back after only half an hour, and did not get a good view. I’m happy with this, however, because it paid off when we went down to Lake Matheson.
On the drive to Lake Matheson, we passed through waterlogged fields holding the usual Spur-winged Plovers, Purple Swamphens, and Paradise Shelducks. One small pond held a new West Coast bird, however, a White-headed Stilt. We reached Lake Matheson and started off on the trail, but Sarah had left her rain coat and fleece in the car. Just as Mom was about to turn back, Dad saw a “Green-backed parakeet,” as he put it, fly across the trail. Mom went back to the car, Sarah and Dad stayed at the trail, and I dove into the bush in search of the parakeet. It was calling right in front of me, so I moved forwards. It stopped, I moved backwards. It started calling again, I moved forwards. It stopped, and I pulled aside the branch in front of me, giving me and unobscured view of a beautiful Yellow-crowned Parakeet.
Yellow-crowned Parakeet
The only other birds on the hike around the lake were a few Mallards, three Tomtits, and a dozen Common Blackbirds. We drove back to the Glenfern Villas in Franz Josef Glacier only to find out that the Okarito Kiwi Tour for the evening had been cancelled due to rain and that the “White Heron” tours were also closed because of the aforementioned rain. Instead, we ate at a restaurant, The Landing, for the first time since arriving in New Zealand and visited the Glacier Hot Springs, where we soaked for a half hour in 36ºC, 38ºC, and 40ºC water. We returned to the villa with a long drive, from Franz Josef to Te Anau, in store tomorrow. The upsides are a shot at Fiordland Crested Penguins and driving through a new region, Otago, and into another, Southland.
51. Dunnock
52. Kea – 634
53. Pipipi – 635
54. Yellow-crowned Parakeet – 636
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Day 3: Abel Tasman to Franz Josef
Today we drove from Abel Tasman over to Westport and then down to Franz Josef, where we are staying for two nights and then continuing on to Queenstown. This drive spanned several habitats and moved from Tasman to the West Coast.
While Mom and Sarah were finishing up getting ready, I went back out to the fog-shrouded Purple Swamphen field behind our cabin for the last time. Besides the fifty or so Purple Swamphens that are always there, the two Paradise Shelducks were very close to the path, allowing me to get rather good photographs of them. Fantails were flitting among the Eucalyptus trees as Common Blackbirds and Song Thrushes dodged about on the field. The prettiest bird in the field was a single male California Quail running among the Song Thrushes.
I went back into the cabin and helped pack the car. As Mom took her shower, I headed over to reception to drop the Okarito brochure off. In the hedge next to the building was a Gray Gerygone, which I watched for two minutes. Dad then pulled up in the car, with Mom and Sarah already sitting in it, just as Don entered the reception. We bid farewell to him and then headed out on our drive.
The first hour of the drive was pretty much the same as the drive from Nelson to Abel Tasman, through vineyards and sheep fields. After this hour, the vineyards slowly vanished, leaving just huge tracts of fields on each side of the road for another hour and a half. These fields each had large numbers of Purple Swamphens, a pair of Paradise Shelducks or two, and from two to ten Spur-winged Plovers. As soon as the vineyards went away, a Yellowhammer flew alongside the car for a second. A little while after that, we drove up through a small pine forest and over a small pass, and, on the other side, crisp black and white Australasian Magpies started appearing in the fields. The only other new bird during the drive to Westport was a single Pacific Reef Heron hunting up on one of the hillsides.
As we drove down the winding mountain road towards Westport, we stopped off at the Buller River Gorge swing bridge, a 110 meter swing bridge, the longest in New Zealand. We walked over the bridge among the ringing calls of Bellbirds, and I saw two Common Chaffinches in the rainforest canopy; these were my first two birds for the West Coast.
Continuing down the serpentine road, Dad yelled “Brown duck!!” as we went around a turn. Because of how quickly we were going, I had no chance to see what Dad had pointed at. Twenty minutes later, we had reached Westport and continued on to Cape Foulwind and the New Zealand Fur Seal colony there. Along the road Dad saw another of his “brown ducks,” but I got to see it too this time. It was a Weka, a flightless endemic of New Zealand. We saw two more on the drive out to the walk and several more while walking to the seal colony and later on to Pancake Rocks.
When we pulled up at the seal colony walk, the parking lot was overlooking a beach with two flocks of white birds on it. The first was a group Red-billed Gulls with a couple of Kelp Gulls, while the second consisted of around thirty White-fronted Terns.
White-fronted Tern Flock
We walked out to the seal colony; saw at least thirty seals, along with Kelp Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, and White-fronted Terns; and then drove on towards Franz Josef. We got gas in Greymouth, stopped to view the Pancake Rocks and saw three or four more Wekas, and then reached Hokitika. In Hokitika is the New Zealand Jade Factory and the National Kiwi Center. We decided to visit both, but see the Kiwis first. For any birder traveling in New Zealand, this stop is a must.
Within the Kiwi center, there are several little indoor exhibits, but the most important one and the one I was focused on is the Kiwi exhibit. This section is separated from the rest of the building, and for the most part plunged into darkness. The only lights are two small lights that show the Kiwis in the enclosure. They are very cool birds, and the woman there has brochures for the Okarito Kiwi Tour, which is a night walk in Okarito that has a “85% chance of seeing a Kiwi.”
We continued driving south to Franz Josef, a drive full of beautiful scenery and two new birds. At one point we passed a pond with Black Swans, Mallards, Purple Swamphens, and two bulky…things. At the next road we turned around and drove back to the pond, discovering that we had discovered another Australian introduction: Cape Barren Goose. The only other birds of the drive were several dozen Black-billed Gulls in a single flock. With the light failing, we drove onwards to Franz Josef and the Genfern Villas, with every new trip bird that day having been a life bird for me.
43. Gray Gerygone – 626
44. Yellowhammer – 627
45. Australasian Magpie – 628
46. Pacific Reef Heron – 629
47. Weka – 630
48. White-fronted Tern – 631
49. Cape Barren Goose – 632
50. Black-billed Gull – 633
While Mom and Sarah were finishing up getting ready, I went back out to the fog-shrouded Purple Swamphen field behind our cabin for the last time. Besides the fifty or so Purple Swamphens that are always there, the two Paradise Shelducks were very close to the path, allowing me to get rather good photographs of them. Fantails were flitting among the Eucalyptus trees as Common Blackbirds and Song Thrushes dodged about on the field. The prettiest bird in the field was a single male California Quail running among the Song Thrushes.
I went back into the cabin and helped pack the car. As Mom took her shower, I headed over to reception to drop the Okarito brochure off. In the hedge next to the building was a Gray Gerygone, which I watched for two minutes. Dad then pulled up in the car, with Mom and Sarah already sitting in it, just as Don entered the reception. We bid farewell to him and then headed out on our drive.
The first hour of the drive was pretty much the same as the drive from Nelson to Abel Tasman, through vineyards and sheep fields. After this hour, the vineyards slowly vanished, leaving just huge tracts of fields on each side of the road for another hour and a half. These fields each had large numbers of Purple Swamphens, a pair of Paradise Shelducks or two, and from two to ten Spur-winged Plovers. As soon as the vineyards went away, a Yellowhammer flew alongside the car for a second. A little while after that, we drove up through a small pine forest and over a small pass, and, on the other side, crisp black and white Australasian Magpies started appearing in the fields. The only other new bird during the drive to Westport was a single Pacific Reef Heron hunting up on one of the hillsides.
As we drove down the winding mountain road towards Westport, we stopped off at the Buller River Gorge swing bridge, a 110 meter swing bridge, the longest in New Zealand. We walked over the bridge among the ringing calls of Bellbirds, and I saw two Common Chaffinches in the rainforest canopy; these were my first two birds for the West Coast.
Continuing down the serpentine road, Dad yelled “Brown duck!!” as we went around a turn. Because of how quickly we were going, I had no chance to see what Dad had pointed at. Twenty minutes later, we had reached Westport and continued on to Cape Foulwind and the New Zealand Fur Seal colony there. Along the road Dad saw another of his “brown ducks,” but I got to see it too this time. It was a Weka, a flightless endemic of New Zealand. We saw two more on the drive out to the walk and several more while walking to the seal colony and later on to Pancake Rocks.
When we pulled up at the seal colony walk, the parking lot was overlooking a beach with two flocks of white birds on it. The first was a group Red-billed Gulls with a couple of Kelp Gulls, while the second consisted of around thirty White-fronted Terns.
White-fronted Tern Flock
We walked out to the seal colony; saw at least thirty seals, along with Kelp Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, and White-fronted Terns; and then drove on towards Franz Josef. We got gas in Greymouth, stopped to view the Pancake Rocks and saw three or four more Wekas, and then reached Hokitika. In Hokitika is the New Zealand Jade Factory and the National Kiwi Center. We decided to visit both, but see the Kiwis first. For any birder traveling in New Zealand, this stop is a must.
Within the Kiwi center, there are several little indoor exhibits, but the most important one and the one I was focused on is the Kiwi exhibit. This section is separated from the rest of the building, and for the most part plunged into darkness. The only lights are two small lights that show the Kiwis in the enclosure. They are very cool birds, and the woman there has brochures for the Okarito Kiwi Tour, which is a night walk in Okarito that has a “85% chance of seeing a Kiwi.”
We continued driving south to Franz Josef, a drive full of beautiful scenery and two new birds. At one point we passed a pond with Black Swans, Mallards, Purple Swamphens, and two bulky…things. At the next road we turned around and drove back to the pond, discovering that we had discovered another Australian introduction: Cape Barren Goose. The only other birds of the drive were several dozen Black-billed Gulls in a single flock. With the light failing, we drove onwards to Franz Josef and the Genfern Villas, with every new trip bird that day having been a life bird for me.
43. Gray Gerygone – 626
44. Yellowhammer – 627
45. Australasian Magpie – 628
46. Pacific Reef Heron – 629
47. Weka – 630
48. White-fronted Tern – 631
49. Cape Barren Goose – 632
50. Black-billed Gull – 633
Friday, August 28, 2009
Day 2: Abel Tasman National Park by Kayak
So, our second day in Abel Tasman National Park, our first full day, and our last day. This, due to the amazing birding from the day before, was not nearly as great a day, bird-wise, than yesterday. There were only six new species for the trip, though five of them were life birds.
The day started out with a quick breakfast, after which we headed over to the water taxi building to meet up with our kayaking guide, Leane (pronounced Lee Anne). She took us over to the kayak building to get suited up in wetsuits, polypro tops, and spray jackets. After all four of us were fully geared up, we headed back over to hop onto the water taxi. A quick note about the water taxi is that the boat is actually hauled to the building by a tractor, the passengers then get on the boat, and then the boat and passengers ad hauled back to the boat launch. We happened to be on Mike’s boat again, which was great fun.
Because the tide was out, the tractor dragged the boat over the beach to the water, passing by a few Variable and Pied Oystercatchers and several Kelp Gulls. This time Mike had some other passenegers too, who were getting out after we were, so he was not able to take us around the far side of Adell Island in search of penguins. Even so, he made up for it by having me identify the birds we saw to the rest of the passengers and Leane. We saw, just like the day before, the requisite hordes of Spotted Shags and smaller quantities of Pied Shags, though there was no Little Black Shag this time around. Another upside was that I still managed to spot two Little Penguins off the stern of the boat.
Australian Pied Shags on nests
Mike dropped us off, along with Leane and the kayaks, in Tonga Bay. After about fifteen minutes of talking and learning the ins and outs of these kayaks, we pushed off. Sarah and Dad were in one double kayak, and Mom and I were in the other; Leane had her own single kayak. As we were drifting along talking, I spotted an Australasian Gannet flying twenty meters or so away in the bay. We then paddled out to and around Tonga Island, which hosts a New Zealand Fur Seal colony. Also on the rocks were many more Spotted Shags, which look a lot cooler than the Double-crested Cormorants back in New York. Up in the trees covering the small island were eight or nine New Zealand Pigeons, their white chests making them stand out against the dark green of the rainforest. As we were about to leave the vicinity of Tonga, one of the seal pups decided to get down into the water and come have a look at the kayaks. This playful creature surfaced several times within a foot of each kayak, and, due to the clarity of the water, we were able to watch him or her swimming about beneath us. After five or so minutes, he or she left the kayaks to go join three or four other pups frolicking in the surf on Tonga’s rocky shore. We headed south.
After around two hours of kayaking, we reached Bark Bay, where we changed into our hiking clothes while Leane made lunch; ate lunch, which Leane said a traditional Maori blessing over; and headed off on the hike to Torrent Bay, while Leane kayaked back down to Marahau on her own. The walk was rather uneventful, with a few Silvereyes moving about in the trees, though I did get a good view of one Bellbird and a great view of a Tui only two or three meters away. The most eventful part of the hike was crossing over a wooden swing bridge spanning the wide Falls river. The bridge is probably around twenty-five meters long and hangs about twenty meters over the rushing river below, and crossing it was quite an experience. On the south side of the bridge, I got a good look at a Tomtit, the first for the trip. The rest of the hike had no new bird species, though there were some House Sparrows among the houses in Torrent Bay and we could hear Bellbirds from
Male Tomtit
Mike picked us up at Torrent Bay, having picked up the other people we had gone out with further north at Bark Bay. The ride back to Marahau involved lots of Spotted Shags, only two Pied Shags, and five Dusky Dolphins. When we got back to Marahau, we saw Leane again and thanked her for the great kayaking experience, and she gave me a map of where to find coastal birds in Abel Tasman National Park. We then bid her and Mike a fond farewell and headed back up to the Lodge, only forty meters or so from the water taxi building. Dad and I had decided earlier to return to the very active pond where I had seen the Mallards, Eurasian Coots, and Welcome Swallows yesterday, so we tossed down our packs, took out the cameras, binoculars, and a map, and popped into the car.
The drive back to the pond was about half an hour, and it was worth it. We pulled in on the far side of the pond since we saw it was the right pond once halfway past it. The first birds I saw were Mallards and a pair of Gray Ducks, but then I looked a little bit further and saw two magnificent Black Swans sitting on the shore. These elegant birds slid into the water as Dad and I tried to move closer, and we watched them for a few moments before turning the car around and driving to the other side of the pond. The pole in the middle of the pond held two Little Pied Shags and one Great Cormorant. On the other side of the pond there was even more bird life. Even as we pulled in on this side, I could see six or seven Eurasian Coots and around thirty New Zealand Scaup. Just beyond them was a pair of Australasian Shovelers. Dad and I then had to call it quits due to the lack of light, and we drove back to the Marahau lodge for the night.
37. Australasian Gannet – 621
38. Tomtit – 622
39. Black Swan – 623
40. Great Cormorant
41. New Zealand Scaup – 624
42. Australasian Shoveler – 625
The day started out with a quick breakfast, after which we headed over to the water taxi building to meet up with our kayaking guide, Leane (pronounced Lee Anne). She took us over to the kayak building to get suited up in wetsuits, polypro tops, and spray jackets. After all four of us were fully geared up, we headed back over to hop onto the water taxi. A quick note about the water taxi is that the boat is actually hauled to the building by a tractor, the passengers then get on the boat, and then the boat and passengers ad hauled back to the boat launch. We happened to be on Mike’s boat again, which was great fun.
Because the tide was out, the tractor dragged the boat over the beach to the water, passing by a few Variable and Pied Oystercatchers and several Kelp Gulls. This time Mike had some other passenegers too, who were getting out after we were, so he was not able to take us around the far side of Adell Island in search of penguins. Even so, he made up for it by having me identify the birds we saw to the rest of the passengers and Leane. We saw, just like the day before, the requisite hordes of Spotted Shags and smaller quantities of Pied Shags, though there was no Little Black Shag this time around. Another upside was that I still managed to spot two Little Penguins off the stern of the boat.
Australian Pied Shags on nests
Mike dropped us off, along with Leane and the kayaks, in Tonga Bay. After about fifteen minutes of talking and learning the ins and outs of these kayaks, we pushed off. Sarah and Dad were in one double kayak, and Mom and I were in the other; Leane had her own single kayak. As we were drifting along talking, I spotted an Australasian Gannet flying twenty meters or so away in the bay. We then paddled out to and around Tonga Island, which hosts a New Zealand Fur Seal colony. Also on the rocks were many more Spotted Shags, which look a lot cooler than the Double-crested Cormorants back in New York. Up in the trees covering the small island were eight or nine New Zealand Pigeons, their white chests making them stand out against the dark green of the rainforest. As we were about to leave the vicinity of Tonga, one of the seal pups decided to get down into the water and come have a look at the kayaks. This playful creature surfaced several times within a foot of each kayak, and, due to the clarity of the water, we were able to watch him or her swimming about beneath us. After five or so minutes, he or she left the kayaks to go join three or four other pups frolicking in the surf on Tonga’s rocky shore. We headed south.
After around two hours of kayaking, we reached Bark Bay, where we changed into our hiking clothes while Leane made lunch; ate lunch, which Leane said a traditional Maori blessing over; and headed off on the hike to Torrent Bay, while Leane kayaked back down to Marahau on her own. The walk was rather uneventful, with a few Silvereyes moving about in the trees, though I did get a good view of one Bellbird and a great view of a Tui only two or three meters away. The most eventful part of the hike was crossing over a wooden swing bridge spanning the wide Falls river. The bridge is probably around twenty-five meters long and hangs about twenty meters over the rushing river below, and crossing it was quite an experience. On the south side of the bridge, I got a good look at a Tomtit, the first for the trip. The rest of the hike had no new bird species, though there were some House Sparrows among the houses in Torrent Bay and we could hear Bellbirds from
Male Tomtit
Mike picked us up at Torrent Bay, having picked up the other people we had gone out with further north at Bark Bay. The ride back to Marahau involved lots of Spotted Shags, only two Pied Shags, and five Dusky Dolphins. When we got back to Marahau, we saw Leane again and thanked her for the great kayaking experience, and she gave me a map of where to find coastal birds in Abel Tasman National Park. We then bid her and Mike a fond farewell and headed back up to the Lodge, only forty meters or so from the water taxi building. Dad and I had decided earlier to return to the very active pond where I had seen the Mallards, Eurasian Coots, and Welcome Swallows yesterday, so we tossed down our packs, took out the cameras, binoculars, and a map, and popped into the car.
The drive back to the pond was about half an hour, and it was worth it. We pulled in on the far side of the pond since we saw it was the right pond once halfway past it. The first birds I saw were Mallards and a pair of Gray Ducks, but then I looked a little bit further and saw two magnificent Black Swans sitting on the shore. These elegant birds slid into the water as Dad and I tried to move closer, and we watched them for a few moments before turning the car around and driving to the other side of the pond. The pole in the middle of the pond held two Little Pied Shags and one Great Cormorant. On the other side of the pond there was even more bird life. Even as we pulled in on this side, I could see six or seven Eurasian Coots and around thirty New Zealand Scaup. Just beyond them was a pair of Australasian Shovelers. Dad and I then had to call it quits due to the lack of light, and we drove back to the Marahau lodge for the night.
37. Australasian Gannet – 621
38. Tomtit – 622
39. Black Swan – 623
40. Great Cormorant
41. New Zealand Scaup – 624
42. Australasian Shoveler – 625
Day 1: List
Trip Number. Species* – Life List Number
*According to The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand by Hugh Robertson and Barrie Heather
01. House Sparrow
02. Silvereye – 597
03. Common Blackbird
04. Song Thrush
05. Red-billed Gull – 598
06. Common Chaffinch
07. Common Starling
08. Paradise Shelduck – 599
09. Kelp Gull – 600
10. Purple Swamphen – 601
11. Rock Pigeon
12. Spur-winged Plover – 602
13. Common Pheasant
14. White-faced Heron – 603
15. Variable Oystercatcher – 604
16. New Zealand Pigeon – 605
17. Little Pied Shag – 606
18. Mallard
19. Eurasian Coot
20. Australasian Harrier – 607
21. Welcome Swallow – 608
22. Pied Oystercatcher – 609
23. White-headed Stilt – 610
24. European Goldfinch
25. Tui – 611
26. California Quail
27. Canada Goose
28. Fantail – 612
29. Spotted Shag – 623
30. Pied Shag – 614
31. Little Penguin – 615
32. Little Black Shag – 616
33. Bellbird – 617
34. Banded Rail – 618
35. Sacred Kingfisher – 619
36. Gray Duck – 620
*According to The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand by Hugh Robertson and Barrie Heather
01. House Sparrow
02. Silvereye – 597
03. Common Blackbird
04. Song Thrush
05. Red-billed Gull – 598
06. Common Chaffinch
07. Common Starling
08. Paradise Shelduck – 599
09. Kelp Gull – 600
10. Purple Swamphen – 601
11. Rock Pigeon
12. Spur-winged Plover – 602
13. Common Pheasant
14. White-faced Heron – 603
15. Variable Oystercatcher – 604
16. New Zealand Pigeon – 605
17. Little Pied Shag – 606
18. Mallard
19. Eurasian Coot
20. Australasian Harrier – 607
21. Welcome Swallow – 608
22. Pied Oystercatcher – 609
23. White-headed Stilt – 610
24. European Goldfinch
25. Tui – 611
26. California Quail
27. Canada Goose
28. Fantail – 612
29. Spotted Shag – 623
30. Pied Shag – 614
31. Little Penguin – 615
32. Little Black Shag – 616
33. Bellbird – 617
34. Banded Rail – 618
35. Sacred Kingfisher – 619
36. Gray Duck – 620
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Day 1 (Part II): Abel Tasman National Park
While Dad and Mom were going through registration and Sarah slept in the car, I tried to photograph two Silvereyes in a bush near the car. Didn’t work. Don, the incredibly nice man who runs the lodge, gave me a brochure of the Okarito “White Heron” tours. We put our stuff down in our little half-cabin and I went out the back sliding door to bird. Behind our little cabin was a little stream, which I jumped to get to a small path next to a fence; on the other side of the fence was a wet field, full of Purple Swamphens. In amongst the swamphens was a pair of Paradise Shelducks and a single Canada Goose. As I headed back over the creek, a Fantail flew in front of me and fanned its tail in an attempt to scare me off.
After lunch, we took a water taxi up to Anchorage Bay inside Abel Tasman National Park. The driver’s name was Mike, and, upon learning I was interested in birds, he told me there were some places he could take us (since there were only my family and he on the boat) to get good looks at birds. This boat ride resulted in great looks at hundreds of Spotted Shags; a dozen or so Pied Shags, including some nesting ones up in the trees; a Little Black Shag amongst several New Zealand Fur Seals on a small island; and three Little Penguins in the wake of the boat. We then disembarked at Anchorage beach and began our trek back to Marahau through the rainforests.
Spotted Shags
A few minutes into the hike, I pished a Bellbird into view, the only new trip bird for the entire hike out of the park. The hike itself, however, made up for the lack of new birds. The four of us spent four hours hiking through some of the most impressive forest terrain I have ever been in. The trek wound through two different sets of foliage. One set, on the land sticking away from the rivers, was fairly sparse with stunted, skinny trees and more coniferous growth. As soon as we moved in towards one of the small creeks, the undergrowth thickened and much large trees appeared, changing from arid, dry areas to lush regions of dense rainforest. The most impressive plants of the walk were the huge Fern Trees. These trees have long, straight trunks, and at the top grows a circle of enormous ferns.
Fern Tree
The bird life of the hike turned out to be a lot less interesting than the plant life, though I did get several good looks at Bellbirds, and their ringing calls followed us the entire way back to Marahau. The only other birds were a few flocks of Silvereyes and a couple of Variable Oystercatchers and a Kelp Gull or two down on the beaches the trail overlooked. So, with the sun setting and the clouds clearing a little, I was not hoping for any new birds as we left the National Park. Leaving Abel Tasman, however, requires one to walk a fairly long boardwalk across a tidal marsh.
As we walked across the boardwalk, Dad, Mom, and I all spotted a fat rail-like creature running for the reeds. The one good look I got of it convinced me that it was a Banded Rail. As we continued along the boardwalk, a Sacred Kingfisher sped by in front of us, only to land on the rail another six meters or so down the boardwalk. Since Sarah had blisters on her heels by this point, we were moving on past the kingfisher when I saw two ducks in the river to the left. Bringing my binoculars up revealed them to be a pair of Gray Ducks getting a meal in the fading light.
With the light essentially gone, we returned to Marahau Lodge and our nice warm room. The day had been amazing bird-wise, with thirty-six species for the day, twenty-four of which were life birds.
After lunch, we took a water taxi up to Anchorage Bay inside Abel Tasman National Park. The driver’s name was Mike, and, upon learning I was interested in birds, he told me there were some places he could take us (since there were only my family and he on the boat) to get good looks at birds. This boat ride resulted in great looks at hundreds of Spotted Shags; a dozen or so Pied Shags, including some nesting ones up in the trees; a Little Black Shag amongst several New Zealand Fur Seals on a small island; and three Little Penguins in the wake of the boat. We then disembarked at Anchorage beach and began our trek back to Marahau through the rainforests.
Spotted Shags
A few minutes into the hike, I pished a Bellbird into view, the only new trip bird for the entire hike out of the park. The hike itself, however, made up for the lack of new birds. The four of us spent four hours hiking through some of the most impressive forest terrain I have ever been in. The trek wound through two different sets of foliage. One set, on the land sticking away from the rivers, was fairly sparse with stunted, skinny trees and more coniferous growth. As soon as we moved in towards one of the small creeks, the undergrowth thickened and much large trees appeared, changing from arid, dry areas to lush regions of dense rainforest. The most impressive plants of the walk were the huge Fern Trees. These trees have long, straight trunks, and at the top grows a circle of enormous ferns.
Fern Tree
The bird life of the hike turned out to be a lot less interesting than the plant life, though I did get several good looks at Bellbirds, and their ringing calls followed us the entire way back to Marahau. The only other birds were a few flocks of Silvereyes and a couple of Variable Oystercatchers and a Kelp Gull or two down on the beaches the trail overlooked. So, with the sun setting and the clouds clearing a little, I was not hoping for any new birds as we left the National Park. Leaving Abel Tasman, however, requires one to walk a fairly long boardwalk across a tidal marsh.
As we walked across the boardwalk, Dad, Mom, and I all spotted a fat rail-like creature running for the reeds. The one good look I got of it convinced me that it was a Banded Rail. As we continued along the boardwalk, a Sacred Kingfisher sped by in front of us, only to land on the rail another six meters or so down the boardwalk. Since Sarah had blisters on her heels by this point, we were moving on past the kingfisher when I saw two ducks in the river to the left. Bringing my binoculars up revealed them to be a pair of Gray Ducks getting a meal in the fading light.
With the light essentially gone, we returned to Marahau Lodge and our nice warm room. The day had been amazing bird-wise, with thirty-six species for the day, twenty-four of which were life birds.
Day 1 (Part I): Arrival
Wow, what a day: twenty life birds between 9:30 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon, with four more after that. Starting the day with a life list of 596, I well surpassed 600; actually, I broke 600 birds before we were more than three minutes from the airport. It was, if not the best, certainly one of the best days of birding, life bird wise, I have ever had.
The plane from San Francisco touched down in Auckland at around 4:50 in the morning, local time. Of course, my pack was one of the last ones loaded off the plane, so my family and I had to wait in the luggage claim area for a good half hour, cutting down on the time we had before our plane to Nelson lifted off. On the ten-minute walk over to the domestic terminal, no bird stirred in the early morning darkness. When we reached the terminal, we bought breakfast and waited to board the Nelson plane. There was a twenty-minute delay due to a maintenance issue with the plane, but otherwise the ride south went off without a hitch. An hour later, we arrived to an overcast day in Nelson. Dad went to rent the car while Mom, Sarah, and I went to the “baggage claim,” which is really just an outside spot where they bring carts of luggage to for people to claim.
Right across the road from the terminal is a little grassy area with some trees growing there. As soon as I saw this spot, I dropped my bag next to Mom, grabbed my binoculars, and headed towards the grass. I instantly spotted a half-eaten apple lying on the ground, with two birds pecking at it. I didn’t even need my binoculars for these two, for I already knew this species very well: House Sparrow. A flash of movement in the tree looming above the apple caught my eye, however, and I raised my binoculars to find a Silvereye looking at me from among the dark branches. First life bird of the trip and number 597 in the world!
I returned to the terminal to check in with my family and then went back out to the grass. This time there were a few Common Blackbirds and Song Thrushes hopping about. Suddenly, a cry from above caused me to look up and find a Red-billed Gull, number 598 on my life list, peering down at me. I went to check the tarmac in vain for plovers, but along the way saw a few Common Chaffinches and found a Common Starling sitting on the tail of the plane on which I had flown to Nelson.
Red-billed Gull
By this time, Dad had rented the car, which turned out to be parked right across the street next to the patch of grass I had crisscrossed in search of birds only a few minutes before. We all tossed our bags in the car and Dad took the wheel and off we went. I was supposed to be navigating us out of the airport, but Sarah’s call of “black duck over there!” pulled my head up just in time to see a male Paradise Shelduck with two females: 599 on my life list. While I was still looking up, my eyes fell upon a lamppost with a Kelp Gull sitting on it, the six hundredth species of bird I had seen in the world! Before I could return to the maps, we drove by a bit of tussock with four or five Purple Swamphens on it.
Purple Swamphen
Once we turned onto route 60 and headed out of Nelson, I started seeing more and more birds. Right at the junction of routes 6 and 60, I picked up Rock Pigeons in a field west of the road. A few minutes later, two Spur-winged Plovers flashed across the road to join four others standing in a vineyard. Right after that I saw a Common Pheasant walking down an embankment left of the road, and a White-faced Heron flew across the road. I would see many more of these common birds sitting on poles, treetops, and marshy fields, though this was my 603rd bird for my life list. A little further down the road, we came back down to drive along the beach, and three black Variable Oystercatchers flushed from the rocks. Moments later a New Zealand Pigeon flashed across the road above the car.
After a few more minutes of driving with seeing only White-faced Herons, Common Blackbirds, and Song Thrushes, the embankments on both sides of the road fell away to reveal huge mudflats on the right and a large pond on the left. At the very start of the mudflats, I saw a Little Pied Shag, and then turned to look over at the pond. On the pond were Mallards and Eurasian Coots, and then right next to the road was sitting an Australasian Harrier. Above the pond, dozens of Welcome Swallows were flashing about chasing insects. Looking back to the other side of the road on the mudflats, I saw a ton of Pied Oystercatchers with a few White-headed Stilts mixed in. The rest of the drive to Kaiteriteri passed with no new species appearing.
At Kaiteriteri we got out to stretch our legs, and I immediately spotted a few European Goldfinches. On the beach were some more Variable Oystercatchers, but my focus was all on the dense foliage up the cliff on the other side of the stream. One of the black birds I was following with my binoculars stopped long enough for me to get an okay view of a Tui. Continuing on towards Marahau, where we were going to stay the next two nights, we passed a female California Quail on the side of the road. The rest of the drive had only a few Common Blackbirds in the way of avian life, so I was excited when we pulled in to the Marahau Lodge.
The plane from San Francisco touched down in Auckland at around 4:50 in the morning, local time. Of course, my pack was one of the last ones loaded off the plane, so my family and I had to wait in the luggage claim area for a good half hour, cutting down on the time we had before our plane to Nelson lifted off. On the ten-minute walk over to the domestic terminal, no bird stirred in the early morning darkness. When we reached the terminal, we bought breakfast and waited to board the Nelson plane. There was a twenty-minute delay due to a maintenance issue with the plane, but otherwise the ride south went off without a hitch. An hour later, we arrived to an overcast day in Nelson. Dad went to rent the car while Mom, Sarah, and I went to the “baggage claim,” which is really just an outside spot where they bring carts of luggage to for people to claim.
Right across the road from the terminal is a little grassy area with some trees growing there. As soon as I saw this spot, I dropped my bag next to Mom, grabbed my binoculars, and headed towards the grass. I instantly spotted a half-eaten apple lying on the ground, with two birds pecking at it. I didn’t even need my binoculars for these two, for I already knew this species very well: House Sparrow. A flash of movement in the tree looming above the apple caught my eye, however, and I raised my binoculars to find a Silvereye looking at me from among the dark branches. First life bird of the trip and number 597 in the world!
I returned to the terminal to check in with my family and then went back out to the grass. This time there were a few Common Blackbirds and Song Thrushes hopping about. Suddenly, a cry from above caused me to look up and find a Red-billed Gull, number 598 on my life list, peering down at me. I went to check the tarmac in vain for plovers, but along the way saw a few Common Chaffinches and found a Common Starling sitting on the tail of the plane on which I had flown to Nelson.
Red-billed Gull
By this time, Dad had rented the car, which turned out to be parked right across the street next to the patch of grass I had crisscrossed in search of birds only a few minutes before. We all tossed our bags in the car and Dad took the wheel and off we went. I was supposed to be navigating us out of the airport, but Sarah’s call of “black duck over there!” pulled my head up just in time to see a male Paradise Shelduck with two females: 599 on my life list. While I was still looking up, my eyes fell upon a lamppost with a Kelp Gull sitting on it, the six hundredth species of bird I had seen in the world! Before I could return to the maps, we drove by a bit of tussock with four or five Purple Swamphens on it.
Purple Swamphen
Once we turned onto route 60 and headed out of Nelson, I started seeing more and more birds. Right at the junction of routes 6 and 60, I picked up Rock Pigeons in a field west of the road. A few minutes later, two Spur-winged Plovers flashed across the road to join four others standing in a vineyard. Right after that I saw a Common Pheasant walking down an embankment left of the road, and a White-faced Heron flew across the road. I would see many more of these common birds sitting on poles, treetops, and marshy fields, though this was my 603rd bird for my life list. A little further down the road, we came back down to drive along the beach, and three black Variable Oystercatchers flushed from the rocks. Moments later a New Zealand Pigeon flashed across the road above the car.
After a few more minutes of driving with seeing only White-faced Herons, Common Blackbirds, and Song Thrushes, the embankments on both sides of the road fell away to reveal huge mudflats on the right and a large pond on the left. At the very start of the mudflats, I saw a Little Pied Shag, and then turned to look over at the pond. On the pond were Mallards and Eurasian Coots, and then right next to the road was sitting an Australasian Harrier. Above the pond, dozens of Welcome Swallows were flashing about chasing insects. Looking back to the other side of the road on the mudflats, I saw a ton of Pied Oystercatchers with a few White-headed Stilts mixed in. The rest of the drive to Kaiteriteri passed with no new species appearing.
At Kaiteriteri we got out to stretch our legs, and I immediately spotted a few European Goldfinches. On the beach were some more Variable Oystercatchers, but my focus was all on the dense foliage up the cliff on the other side of the stream. One of the black birds I was following with my binoculars stopped long enough for me to get an okay view of a Tui. Continuing on towards Marahau, where we were going to stay the next two nights, we passed a female California Quail on the side of the road. The rest of the drive had only a few Common Blackbirds in the way of avian life, so I was excited when we pulled in to the Marahau Lodge.
New Zealand Trip
Got back from New Zealand on Monday, and it was amazing. I wrote an entry for each day there and hope to be posting those, along with pictures, within a week or two.
Rainbow in Otago
Rainbow in Otago
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Ireland Pictures
Winter Wren; Troglodytes troglodytes
European Robin; Erithacus rubecula
European Herring Gull; Larus Argentatus
Western Jackdaw; Corvus monedula
European Stonecaht; Saxicola rubicola
Northern Wheatear; Oenanthe oenanthe
European Robin; Erithacus rubecula
European Herring Gull; Larus Argentatus
Western Jackdaw; Corvus monedula
European Stonecaht; Saxicola rubicola
Northern Wheatear; Oenanthe oenanthe
First Post
I'm a seventeen year old, bird-obsessed kid with a family that loves to travel. Right now, my world life list stands at 596, but that should be changing soon.
My latest trip was to western Ireland in March, which was my first trip to the British Isles, though my fourth to Europe (France/Monaco/Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic/Austria/Hungary). I managed to get a list of 54 species in six days while not spending most of my time birding (since I was there with my non-birding family). Some highlights of mine from the trip were: Northern Wheatear, with several good looks at a few males on the Dingle Peninsula; European Stonechat, which abounded in the yard of the cottage we were staying at; and Eurasian Wigeon, which I had searched for in vain in New York, Massachusetts, and California.
Tomorrow I'm off for ten days in New Zealand with target species of Yellow-eyed Penguin, Little Penguin, Royal Spoonbill, Paradise Shelduck, Northern Royal Albatross, Blue Duck, and Pacific Reef Heron
I hope to keep this updated during my trip but do not know how much internet access I will have.
My latest trip was to western Ireland in March, which was my first trip to the British Isles, though my fourth to Europe (France/Monaco/Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic/Austria/Hungary). I managed to get a list of 54 species in six days while not spending most of my time birding (since I was there with my non-birding family). Some highlights of mine from the trip were: Northern Wheatear, with several good looks at a few males on the Dingle Peninsula; European Stonechat, which abounded in the yard of the cottage we were staying at; and Eurasian Wigeon, which I had searched for in vain in New York, Massachusetts, and California.
Tomorrow I'm off for ten days in New Zealand with target species of Yellow-eyed Penguin, Little Penguin, Royal Spoonbill, Paradise Shelduck, Northern Royal Albatross, Blue Duck, and Pacific Reef Heron
I hope to keep this updated during my trip but do not know how much internet access I will have.
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