Page 26 - The Villager August 2021

Birding

a birding trip

to nEW ZEaland(nZ) Part 2

Fiordland NP (RS)

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

he first-leg of our three-leg birdwatching trip to New our destination, we took an enjoyable late afternoon walk along
Zealand commenced at Christchurch on the South the Kepplers track through indigenous forest flourishing on
TIsland, followed by a journey down the East Coast to the shores of Lake Te Anau. The weather had been changeable,
Bluff for a ferry-crossing of the Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island drizzling on and off with intermittent bursts of very welcome
for three days. Once re-united with our campervan, my son sunshine but, alas, the walk did not produce any new birds.
Des and his wife Kirsty, my wife Maureen, and I set off on the Our next destination was a visit to the very popular Milford
second leg of our trip, which started at Invercargill, where we Sound in Fiordland, an area of dramatic grandeur and primeval
first stopped to shop for some necessary provisions. beauty on the south west coast of South Island. Target bird
Making our way north to Te Anau, my first lifer (a new bird for species in this area included the miniscule Rifleman, which we
me) was a large flock of Black-billed Gulls, which were feeding located easily enough (three pairs) thanks to the acute hearing
on worms and insects unearthed in a newly ploughed field. of Des and Kirsty who easily detected the high-pitched calls of
After checking into the Fiordland Mountain View Motor Park at this endemic during an hour’s walk on a nature trail in the Gunn
Lake environs. Next on our hit-list was the rare NZ Rock Wren at
Homer Tunnel. The scenery on our approach to the tunnel was
absolutely mind-blowing with wonderful and ancient, moss-
covered beech forest in the valleys and lower slopes of massive
snow-clad, jagged mountain peaks reaching up into the bluest
of blue skies, providing an unforgettable spectacle.
The tunnel approach was not, however, without incident.
The traffic authorities had induced a number of avalanches to
make the area safe for travel, requiring that tons of snow, ice and
other debris had to be cleared from the road before traffic was
permitted to proceed. Taking advantage of this essential stop,
our party immediately alighted and set off on a 20-minute walk
into an area of tussock grass and giant boulders, ideal habitat
Black-billed Gull (RS)

24 • Issue 8 2021 • The Villager