Page 26 - Dainfern Precinct Living 6 2021

BIRDING

Otago Peninsula (RS)

A BIRDING TRIP TO

NEW ZEALAND

PART 1

BY RON SEARLE, PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADAM RILEY OF ROCKJUMPER BIRD TOURS AND RON SEARLE

eparated from the rest of there. This narrative of our trip has provisions and a couple of splendid
the world tens of millions been updated with current statistics, fleeces for the inevitable cold (even
of years ago, the flora and although I would recommend though it was technically summer),
avi-fauna of New Zealand that anyone planning a trip to NZ saw us arriving late afternoon at
S(NZ) have evolved in total and using this as a guide, should Dunedin.
isolation, giving rise to a number of research the current locations of the
endemic families of birds, from the bird species before setting out. We immediately set off for the
now extinct Moas to the flightless Department of Conservation (DOC)
Kiwis, NZ Wattlebirds and NZ Wrens. A six-hour delay, causing us to miss offices for information regarding
NZ also has much to offer by way our connecting flight to Christchurch the whereabouts of the rare Mohua
of spectacular scenery: the volcanic in NZ, unfortunately resulted in an (Yellowhead) and then went on
wonders of the North Island and unplanned overnight stay in Sydney. to explore the Otago Peninsula in
the fiords, glaciers, mountains and A midday departure and three- the twilight. A quick visit to Taiaroa
towering beech forests of the South hour flight over awe-inspiring views Heads produced a few nesting
Island – NZ has it all! of bare, snow-clad mountains of Southern Royal Albatrosses and a
NZ’s South Island in the east and colony of Spotted Shags. Then an
With its excellent infrastructure beautiful green geometric pastures evening buggy trip to a Yellow-eyed
and mosaic of National Parks and well populated with sheep and cattle Penguin colony provided additional
protected areas, NZ is a favourite immediately below, meant that we views of a Little Penguin as well as
destination for birdwatchers and had lost a full day of our NZ trip upon both species of Oystercatcher and a
those with an appreciation of the our arrival in Christchurch in the number of NZ Fur Seals comprised
splendours of the great outdoors. late afternoon. A short evening walk of bulls, very busily establishing
The islands are home to over within the environs of our overnight their territories, and previous-season
50 endemic bird species, many hotel revealed a surprising number pups.
of which are hovering right on the of old but very expensive, by South
brink of extinction by virtue of a African standards, wooden homes. After early morning birding at
combination of habitat destruction Papanui and Hooper’s Inlets near
and the introduction of carnivorous Early the following morning, we Portobella, we moved on to Nugget
predators (mustelids, rats and feral arrived at the Ford dealership to Point for a brief visit to the lighthouse
cats). NZ also boasts some of the take delivery of our campervan, and a spell of pelagic birding –
finest pelagic (sea bird) bird-watching our home-to-be for the following largely thousands of ‘muttonbirds’,
opportunities in the world. 24 days. After a lengthy ‘crash Sooty Shearwaters. We then met
course’ on how to operate the up with our guide, Kath, for a walk
A while back, my wife Maureen and I, innumerable features of the vehicle, in the Catlins Forest in search of the
accompanied by my son, Des and his we finally headed south to Dunedin. elusive Yellowhead, but alas, our
wife Kirsty, undertook a birding trip A short stop at ‘The Shed’ for efforts were in vain. As a consolation
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