New Zealand and World Wide
Category: Uncategorized
Seen on a trip to Blumine Island in the Marlborough Sounds, where these rare parakeets have been introduced and are breeding well. It is quite hard to see the faint orange above the bill unless these birds are at close quarters. Otherwise they are similar to the Yellow-Crowned Parakeet.
The Kaikoura pelagics always pick up a good range of Albatross and Shearwater species. This is the Gibson’s Wandering Albatross, the one most commonly found in NZ waters. There is a lot of confusion over the “Wandering” Albatross species. The Antipodean Albatross is very rare in NZ waters, as is the much paler Snowy Albatross – all of which are generically referred to as “Wandering”.
The North Island Kokako is pretty rare and only found in a few dense bush areas where populations have been preserved. There are several pairs at Boundary Stream reserve near Napier. (The South Island Kokako is almost certainly extinct). You need to be in the area first thing in the morning to hear their beautiful haunting call wafting through the forest.
This was only the second record for Emperor Penguins on the NZ mainland (the other the bottom of the South Island). This bird was clearly a long way off course, disoriented, and a little sick. Overheating in the waters of the Kapiti coast (compared to its usual haunt in the Antarctic) it was eating sand, following the practice of eating snow in the Antarctic to cool down. It wasn’t helping. The bird turned up clearly distressed on Peka peka beach. A day later it was taken to Wellington zoo animal hospital, and ultimately released back in to subantarctic waters with a GPS tracker that ceased working soon after release, so we don’t know what happened to “happy feet”. There is still a sign on Peka peka beach commemorating this unusual appearance.
These crakes are relatively common in marshy areas in NZ, but are really hard to see. Tiritiri Matangi island is a good spot to look for them. I found a pair at Pukepuke Lagoon north of Foxton in the Manawatu. They respond well to taped calls.
Ulva Island, a short water-taxi ride from Oban on Stewart Island, has some good populations of the rare native endemics. There aren’t too many other places to see South Island Saddlebacks (Motuara Island in Marlborough Sounds is another good spot). Some of these birds are heavily banded.
Antarctic Fulmars range up to Kaikoura in the winter, but would not normally be seen round Wellington. This one ended up in bird rescue in Wanganui. It made a good recovery and was released by Peter Frost from our boat on the way to Mana Island. It sat on the water for a short while before flying off.
With a reputation for damaging tourist cars, Kea’s are quite common along the Arthur’s Pass road between Christchurch and the west coast.
These birds aren’t found much in the lower North Island. They aren’t too shy of people, but they are hard to spot as they skulk around in wetland areas deep in the reeds. There are a pair or two at Waikanae on the south side of the estuary.
One of the rarest Shags in the world, with numbers around the 800 mark. Only seen around Queen Charlotte Sound, and not on the normal Picton Interislander ferry route.
NZ Birding 