New Zealand - North Island - Endemic Update!

I have continued my journey along the East Coast of the North Island turning every stone at each stop for the chance of a new species to add to my trip total. 

I ventured inland to Rotorua in search of North Island Tomtit (South Island Yellow belly) which I found in an area of pines along Galaxy Road. Vehicular access is prevented by a barrier on one side of highway 5 and the chance of being flattened by a logging lorry at the other. Naturally I chose the barrier end and struck gold with two birds that were busy chasing each other at mid level in the pines.

Rotorua Central Gardens has added Yellowhammer and Goldfinch. Lake Rotoiti had my largest group of New Zealand Scaup but this species can be seen on most of the lakes. Access can be problematic as much of the surrounding areas are now private land or housing.

Lake Rotoehu boat ramp had a mixed flock in the trees including Silvereye and Grey Warbler. Several beaches hold Caspian Tern and White fronted Tern.

Miranda is the key area for shorebirds with a visit to the hides up to 2hrs before high tide. Wrybill are the smallest shorebird present with around 2000 birds present. 

Red Knot number over 300 with NZ endemic Pied and Variable Oystercatcher present the former in significant numbers. Variable are never totally black sometimes only a few feathers are white some birds looking similar to Pied with a mix of white and black feathers.

Bar Tailed Godwit juvenile birds will be present despite a few adults attempting to gee each other along to take the risk on migrating in showery weather. A Grey Tailed Tatler seemed totally lost in the sea of birds so it made friends with a Pacific Golden Plover. Turnstone was also present.

I have also been looking closely at the Red Billed and Black Billed Gulls and trying to unravel the id minefield when gulls do what they do best hybridise! I am not totally convinced I have added the latter species to the tally but maybe I will compile a separate post on my observations!

I have one full day on the North Island before I fly to Christchurch and take on the South Islands birds! The stay on Tiri has made light work of the species on this part of NZ. The scenery is amazing. 

The Hippie van has not fallen apart or gone overboard despite some tight turns, it offers a great nights sleep but after a day negotiating hill and dale behind its wheel I guess anyone would sleep!

New Zealand - North Island - A Road Trip Shore Enough!

My road trip has began in a funky Hippie Campervan named Bruce. The van is nearly as old as me but has had a new radio installed to entertain me along the way as I made my way East and then South down the North Isand. I have mixed up my travelling styles during my adventures but this is the way to travel around New Zealand or Australia for that matter. There are plenty of Caravan Parks with facilities to cater for all needs and there is also the basic camping option for the more remote places.

Having stocked u on supplies I headed to the Mangere Water Treatment Plant to catch up on waterfowl and shorebirds. Several species of duck was present with some name changes and plenty of Mallard. At present I am in cross reference mode as New Zealand and Australian species names differ in many instances when the scientific name is the same or a sub-species of the other. 

Whilst wading through the wildfowl on a treatment pond I noticed a family party of Dabchick the reddish brown neck caught my eye and I took photographs of the group. Later in the day I spoke to a ranger at Miranda who confirmed the species which is endemic to New Zealand adding that they are probably the most photographed grebes in the area.

Paradise Shelduck were also present on this pond and in greater numbers on the field behind it, Canada Goose making up the flock. The female Shelduck has a white head and the male a dark head.

The tide was coming in on the harbor which was pushing the shorebirds closer to the road. Bar tailed Godwit, Wrybill, Dotterel, Pied (White Headed) Stilt, Black Swan, Royal Spoonbill, White faced heron, Variable and Pied Oystercatcher making up species within range.

Having gone a bit cross eyed looking at distant shorebirds I moved south to Kawakawa Bay where the birds would be closer to shore with better opportunities to photograph them. The birds were indeed closer but they had to run the gauntlet of a crazy dog who was having great fun chasing the flocks along the beach!

Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus mies novaehollandiae) a sub species of Masked Lapwing (Vanellus mies) were more reluctant to move than the other birds.

My last stop was at Miranda where I had messed up the high tide having looked at the wrong Miranda on the tide tables. I’m not the first one that has done that! 

I called in at the research centre to be promptly dispatched to the hides a couple of km down the road to see the departing flocks of Wrybill, Pacific Golden Plover and Pied Stilt. The area beyond the shingle bar was covered in shorebirds! The tide tomorrow will be an hour later therefore there is an opportunity to visit other sites earlier in the day!

New Zealand - Tiritiri Matangi Island - Island Filled with Magic!

The journey to Tiritiri Matangi Scientific Island from Auckland via Gulf Harbour takes approximately an hour. There is the opportunity to see Shearwaters, Petrels, or Skua if the conditions and time of year are right.  The island is open Wednesday to Sunday to the general public with a 0900hrs departure and a return ferry at 1530hrs. The island hosts twelve endemic species which include the Little Spotted Kiwi. To see this species an overnight stay at the bunkhouse is a must. Food taken on to the island has to be sealed in a bag and footware has to be cleaned prior to entering the boat. All garbage is removed from the island by the individual bringing it on. No pets complete the restrictions which enables the island to be kept predator free.

I booked a Sunday to a Wednesday stay giving me three nights on the island. A team of Kiwi surveyors, volunteers and interns completed the residents. I saw my first Kiwi on the first night under red torchlight. I was surprised how large the smallest of the Kiwi family was. I heard a bird scratching just off the path. I sat on the path observing the snout emerge from the scrub then in a blink of a eye the ball of fluff hopped out into a small channel sniffing away as it moved away from me. I joined the Kiwi survey team who were posted to fixed points to record calling birds at night.

I also watched the Little Blue Penguins make landfall at Hobbs Beach after dusk. I could hear the penguin’s long before they made their way back to land. Walking the North area of the island during the day I heard penguins that were feeding offshore.

The boat ride gave good views of Fluttering Shearwater that joined the wake of the boat as it made its way to the island. I was introduced to Buller's Shearwater by John who had spied a couple of birds following a small fishing boat at the North end of the island. The “W” pattern on the upper-wing was the most obvious characteristic separating it from Fluttering Shearwater a dark patch on the under-wing was the next most noticeable feature. 

I picked up a dark phase Arctic Skua whilst on the crossing from Auckland. The bird flew reasonably close to the boat before disappearing. Australasian Gannet were regular around the coast.

I have summarized the other key species I saw on the island.

Brown Teal are present on the small pools and can be seen during the day despite their main feeding activity being at night.

Brown Quail were very confiding particularly if they were having a dust bath and were seen along the main tracks down from the lighthouse.

Spotless Crake were regularly seen most were juveniles indicating a successful breeding season.

The Takahe are all banded the first generation having been re-introduced to the safety of the island. Juvenile birds were present with all banded and given names by the recovery group.

White-fronted Tern was numerous in coastal areas the largest group of 68 was seen at the Wharf.

New Zealand Pigeon appeared in various locations across the island. Most sightings were on top of trees or bushes.

Red Crowned Parakeet I saw across the island in various habitats. Birds were approachable particularly when they were feeding.

Morepork were heard and generally seen from dusk. This species was covered during  to the Kiwi survey.

New Zealand Kingfisher was uncommon and seen around the lighthouse and the North part of the island.

North Island Robin was usually observed along the paths or as a part of a mixed flock of Thrushes and Sparrows. I had a bird hop over my feet along the main path back to the lighthouse.

Whitehead was numerous in small family groups across the island and were not difficult to locate.

Tui was uncommon but individuals were seen around the lighthouse and at Hobbs Beach.

Bellbird was numerous particularly around the sugar water feeders that were maintained by the staff and volunteers on the island.

Stitchbird was seen at the raised water troughs along the Wattle Track. I had my best views of this species in this area. 

North Island Saddleback was numerous across the island. Individuals were seen at low to mid level in trees and bushes sometimes scratching away at the understory to feed.

Male - Green Head

Rifleman became a bit of a challenge for me but once I had seen my first bird they were regularly picked up on call which I relate as similar to the Goldcrest. The bird is also as small. 

Female - Streaked Head

I joined the Riflebird banding team (Simon, Morag and Luca) one morning on a roving mist netting patrol where a male and female were processed and banded using silver and unique combination of colour rings. 

The last species I added to complete my island tally was Kokako where an adult and juvenile bounded onto the drinking trough.

I leave the Island tomorrow and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Thanks to everyone at Tiri Tiri for making me feel welcome and for the bird tips during my adventure on the island. 

For the next part of my North Island visit I will be hiring a campervan with a difference!

Australia - NSW - Sydney Botanical Gardens - Powerful Owl!

The last couple of days I have concentrated my efforts on finding the resident Powerful Owl which frequent the Sydney Botanical Gardens. The weather has not been too favourable in the mornings with tropical downpours of rain making the thirty minute walk from my hotel tricky! Both afternoons have brightened up with enough sunshine to dry out in.

I combined some intelligence gathering (speaking to staff at the gardens) with a basic tree by tree search looking for this large owl which is around sixty seven centimeters in size. My persistence did not pay off on the first day with no sign of the Owl.

This morning the search began whilst using any bit of cover I could find to not get caught in the heaviest of the showers. Two circuits of the gardens around the café were completed and morale was at a low when I heard the Miners alarm calling and flying in and out of the same tree that provided almost complete cover from the rain. 

I hot footed it some twenty metres hoping the Owl would be the cause of the commotion. To my delight the Owl looked down at me with its beady yellow eyes. It seemed to be intimating “Are you going to get this lot off me!” The Miners did retreat allowing spectacular views of the largest Australian Owl. The Owl had lunch in its talons in the form of a bat. 

This was a big Woo Hoo moment which was kept under wraps until I was a safe distance away! I have spent a lot of time spotlighting in Australia for my favourite families (Strigidae,Tytonidae) of birds with minimal success.

Tomorrow I am on my travels to New Zealand and I hope I leave the rain behind this time!

Australia - NSW - Sydney Environs Road Trip!

The first part of my New South Wales adventure was a road trip with my pal Lou. I stuck with Apollo hiring a two berth campervan which would give us the freedom to travel the reserves bordering Sydney and take in some of the spectacular scenery that the Blue Mountains, Morton National Park, Royal National Park and Barren Grounds would offer. The only fly in the ointment was the weather that closed in after our first day providing tropical rain storms for the majority of the adventure. 

Birding highlights were limited but there was a clear winner for me as we drove into the Fitzroy Falls car park and spied a male Superb Lyrebird with amazing tail plumes. The bird was having an early morning feed before the numerous tourists descended on the area.

To our amazement we saw a second bird that was so engrossed it let us get within a few metres to watch the birds legs scratch away the leaf litter to expose its morning feed. Both individuals retreated into the scrub on arrival of other vehicles.

(Striated Thornbill Morton National Park)

A quest that was not successful despite some good location specific recommendations was Rockwarbler. The weather was probably then main reason for this as one book describes birds not emerging until the sun hits the rocks. There was certainly no sunshine to be seen despite plenty of suitable habitat!

(Laughing Kookaburra Royal National Park)

The tour included my first rugby league game between the Sydney Tigers and Mandrah were right on the first whistle the heavens opened once more. We decided a trip to the cinema to see Hotel Mumbai would be a much drier option but we had to swim a small lake to get back to the truck at the end of the movie!

(Bassian Thrush Barren Grounds NP)

Despite the rain trip was a great success with many moments of comedy along the way. Lou has now flown back to Perth leaving me a couple of days to visit the opera house and the Botanical Gardens. 

My next stop will be four weeks covering New Zealand and the last instalment before returning to Perth.

Australia - ACT - Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve - Sanctuary With Variety!

During our time in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) we spent a day at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve which is a protected area on the edge of Namadgi National Park. The park is situated a short distance from the centre of Canberra and offers a range of hiking trails, bird life, mammals and reptiles.

The wildlife on show was diverse including a whole range of species of birds. The only likely addition to my trip list was Magpie Goose which has been the subject of a re-introduction program in ACT. The stronghold for this species is at Tidbinbilla but I wonder if these birds were part of the introduction program!

There were a series of pools at The Sanctuary which hosted Duck Billed Platypus on the deeper dammed areas. Some individuals were more playful than others but views were regular but somewhat brief at times.

The other pools held a male Musk, Pacific Black Duck, and Black Swan. The drier pools had Superb Fairy Wren and Thornbills.

Little Pied Cormorant were also present on two pools and did not seem too troubled by the folk that were traversing the boardwalks nearby.

The Eucalyptus Forest featured a group of Koala that were tucking into the leaves at low level away from the mid-day sun.

Elsewhere on the reserve Kangeroo was numerous along with lizards and a couple of what I believe to be Skinks. 

The reserve was well worth the visit but take a packed lunch as the Visitor Centre has a limited choice on offer for a snack lunch.

Australia - ACT - Australian Botanical Gardens - Hows a Bower That!

I spent the afternoon at the Australian Botanical Gardens with my pal Lou. The gardens lead up to the Telstra Tower which gives a panoramic view of Canberra. We did not go up the tower but wandered through the created rainforest and took in some of the regular species that inhabit the gardens. 

Once the temperature had dropped bird activity picked several Crimson Rosella moving into the ferns to feed on the spindles on the leaves.

A juvenile Eastern Spinebill was particularly habituated around the few people that were wandering around the gardens.

Grey Fantail seemed to be at every phishing point a pair were particularly bold in one of the quieter parts of the garden.

Brown Thornbill were present at low to mid level…

along with Noisy Miners who lived up to their name!

At the end of the day we spoke to a couple of volunteer guides who were very helpful with local birding tips. During the conversation I recorded a new species in the form of a Pied Currawong that as well as knocking over a chair in the café was clearing up any crumbs the custom had left behind at the end of the day. 

Lou saw and photographed bird of the afternoon a male Satin Bowerbird which promptly disappeared as before I got a view of what was a plumage tick for me. The journey back was not a quiet one due to the peacocking in the cab!