Page 23 - Dainfern Precinct Living 7 2021
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BIRDING
Kiwis. We heard two or three very
close-by calls from the forest, but
the fact that the area is part of the
Paparoa limestone syncline with
numerous sinkholes, pot-holes and
other submergences, made it unwise
to venture off the track in the dark
to search for the birds. I therefore
decided to accept the call as a
perfectly legitimate justification for
marking off the species on my life list
as a ‘heard only’ record. Numerous
calls of the Morepork broke the
silence particularly on our return to
the main road and one flashed across
in front of our campervan, providing
just the briefest of views. Possums
were very common with a number
of youngsters seen clinging onto the
backs of their mothers.
Fox Glacier (RS)
agenda was a drive to Haast Village the Arnold River in search of Great Moving on further north to Westport,
on the West Coast via Makarora and Spotted Kiwis was unsuccessful. then east and south to Reefton before
the Aspiring National Park. Fabulous crossing the mountains via Lewis
indigenous forest was encountered The following day was another fine Pass, we travelled through beautiful
virtually all the way via Haast Pass day weather-wise, with an early bike
to the village, yielding my only lifer ride for Des and Kirsty to
of the day, a perched and very Punakaiki while Maureen
elusive NZ Falcon. A Morepork (owl) and I visited the Bullock
called all night at our motor park in Creek Road as a recce for
the village. yet another Kiwi-spotting
excursion that evening.
The next day saw us travelling up the
West Coast in the best weather of We re-united with Des and
the trip thus far, with a short detour Kirsty at noon and spent
to take in views of the impressive Fox the afternoon visiting the
Glacier. We then had lunch at Lake geologically interesting
Mahinapua. Although sunny, it was wonder of Pancake Rocks.
very cold, unseasonal snow having That evening, we drove to
fallen overnight on the mountains Razorback Ridge to watch
providing a continuous postcard- for the Westland Petrels
spectacle for our journey north to that congregate in small
Greymouth and then Moana for our numbers offshore before
overnight stop at the Lake Brunner flying in to their breeding
Motor Park. A late evening walk along burrows in the Paparoa
forests that Kea (RS)
overlook the sea. countryside of snow-covered
mountains, clear mountain streams
After dinner, we and native forests all the way to the
departed as planned Pass. Thereafter we encountered
for Bullock Creek farmland virtually all the way to the
Road on a quest for East Coast in glorious weather,
the Great-spotted incorrectly forecast by the weather
Kiwi. Parking at the fundis to have been raining and
farm gate entrance, windy.
which is the start
of the Inland Park Rafts of thousands of Fluttering
Track, we walked Shearwaters out at sea were spotted
into a promising- during our drive along the coast to
looking area intently our Kaikoura overnight destination.
listening for the Our early morning pelagic
Dusky and Common Dolphins (RS) tell-tale call of the birdwatching trip under the auspices
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DPL
