Page 24 - Dainfern Precinct Living 7 2021
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BIRDING
after our thoroughly South Island Robin and South Island
enjoyable three-hour Saddleback as well as one or two
pelagic cruise, we nesting Little Penguins.
departed from Kaikoura
for a short drive north It was time for us to board, together
to Picton on Queen with our campervan, the Interislander
Charlotte Sound. ferry for a crossing of the Cook Strait
to Wellington on the North Island,
The following day thereby ending what had been truly
the weather had an experience of a lifetime to the
dawned overcast and most scenic of islands, meeting some
drizzling but without of the friendliest and most hospitable
wind, permitting us of people.
Gibson’s Wandering Albatross (RS) to join the Dolphin
of Ocean Wings and leader Gary was Watch birdwatching cruise in Look out for our final leg (Part 3) of
conducted from Kaikoura in perfect Queen Charlotte Sound all the way our NZ Birding Trip in the next edition.
weather, a fabulous sunny, windless north to White Rocks, home of the
day. We recorded 19 species of endangered and extremely
sea-bird, including one Southern rare King Shag. The journey
Royal, four Gibson’s Wandering up the Sound produced
Albatrosses, as well as five Salvins large numbers of Fluttering
and two or three White-capped (Shy) Shearwaters, Spotted and
Mollymawks. Numerous Dusky and Pied Shags, as well as a pod
a single Common Dolphin came in of Dusky Dolphins, before we
very close to our boat and the use reached White Rocks where
of chum thrown out by Gary into the small numbers of stationary-
sea to entice other sea birds closer standing King Shags provided
for a feed, succeeded in drawing excellent views. On the return
large numbers of Snares (race of trip, we stopped briefly on the
Cape) Petrel alongside our boat, predator-free Motuara Island for
providing exceptional photographic a very productive walk, which
opportunities. In the afternoon, yielded close-up sightings of Salvin’s Mollymawk (RS)
Pancake Rocks (RS)
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DPL
