Page 25 - The Villager July 2021

Birding

Southern Royal Albatross (RS) Yellow-eyed Penguin pair (POST CARD ISSuED BY CONSERVATION DEPT)

provided a Little Penguin as well as rubbing a piece of polystyrene foam holding our camper water-tank in place
both species of Oystercatcher and a against a glass bottle creating a high- required a short stop at a filling station
number of NZ Fur Seals comprised of pitched squeaky sound to entice before moving on through Invercargill
bulls, very busily establishing their the bird out into the open for easy and nearby (22km) Greenhills Bush
territories, and previous-season pups. observation, failed dismally. where I enjoyed my second lifer of the
After early morning birding at Papanui Resigned to a few distant low flights day, a small party of Pipipis (Brown
and Hooper’s Inlets near Portobella, we and one or two equally distant views Creepers). It was here that we were
moved on to Nugget Point for a brief of perched Fernbirds, I finally could joined as planned by Des and Kirsty who
visit to the lighthouse and a spell of not endure the atrocious weather any had departed from South Africa a few
pelagic birding – largely thousands of longer and made for the comforts of days after us. The four of us checked into
‘muttonbirds’, Sooty Shearwaters. We the camper. Passing over an area of the spotlessly clean Lorneville Holiday
then met up with our guide, Kath, for bracken and mindful of the origin of Park after a very cold but enjoyable day.
a walk in the Catlins Forest in search of the name of the Fernbird, I once again We travelled on in rainy and freezing
the elusive yellowhead, but alas, our resorted to the magic bottle and ‘glory wind conditions the next day to the
efforts were in vain. As a consolation be’ up popped a Fernbird too close for coastal town of Bluff where we parked
prize, we did encounter a number of focussing my binoculars. It’s a stunning our camper van and boarded the
forest species, namely the South Island little bird, that displays a white chin and ferry for the crossing of the Foveaux
Tomtit, NZ Bellbird and Grey Gerygone. rufous cap, with black-streaking down Channel between South and Stewart
The forest, although warm, was almost the mantle and back, culminating in a Islands. The temperature was below
º
totally devoid of birds except for the strange and wispy tail. 10 C, apparently not unusual during
vociferous Bellbirds. Before checking into The next stop was Maclean’s Falls November in these latitudes.
our overnight motor camp, Papatowai, requiring a 40-minute return walk The foul weather, however,
we were shown a NZ Sea Lion and a nest through the rain forest to a spot where prevented any meaningful pelagic
of the Variable Oystercatcher containing the river plunges 22m into a steep birding. The drenched glass windows
three eggs, on the nearby beach. ravine – very impressive! A loose bracket on the speeding ferry made it almost
The target bird the following
morning was the NZ Fernbird, resident
of the grasses that grow in the salt
marshes such as at the Tautuku Estuary.
It had rained throughout the previous
night, a cold front having moved in
across the island accompanied by gale-
force winds, so my lonely board walk
(Maureen having cleverly remained
cocooned in the camper) in wind and
rain was sheer torture and even the
tried and tested local technique of Little Penguin (AR) Brown Creeper (AR)

The Villager • Issue 7 2021 • 23