Page 29 - The Villager August 2021

Birding

Pancake Rocks (RS) Salvin’s Mollymawk (RS)

Gibson’s Wandering Albatross (RS) Dusky and Common Dolphins (RS)
number of youngsters seen clinging onto the backs of their the afternoon, after our thoroughly enjoyable three-hour
mothers. pelagic cruise, we departed from Kaikoura for a short drive
Moving on further north to Westport, then east and south north to Picton on Queen Charlotte Sound.
to Reefton before crossing the mountains via Lewis Pass, we The following day the weather had dawned overcast and
travelled through beautiful countryside of snow-covered drizzling but without wind, permitting us to join the Dolphin
mountains, clear mountain streams and native forests all the Watch birdwatching cruise in Queen Charlotte Sound all
way to the Pass. Thereafter we encountered farmland virtually the way north to White Rocks, home of the endangered and
all the way to the East Coast in glorious weather, incorrectly extremely rare King Shag. The journey up the Sound produced
forecast by the weather fundis to have been raining and windy. large numbers of Fluttering Shearwaters, Spotted and Pied
Rafts of thousands of Fluttering Shearwaters out at sea were Shags, as well as a pod of Dusky Dolphins, before we reached
spotted during our drive along the coast to our Kaikoura White Rocks where small numbers of stationary-standing King
overnight destination. Shags provided excellent views.
Our early morning pelagic birdwatching trip under the On the return trip, we stopped briefly on the predator-free
auspices of Ocean Wings and leader Gary was conducted from Motuara Island for a very productive walk, which yielded
Kaikoura in perfect weather, a fabulous sunny, windless day. We close-up sightings of South Island Robin and South Island
recorded 19 species of sea-bird, including one Southern Royal, Saddleback as well as one or two nesting Little Penguins.
four Gibson’s Wandering Albatrosses, as well as five Salvins It was time for us to board, together with our camper van, the
and two or three White-capped (Shy) Mollymawks. Numerous Interislander ferry for a crossing of the Cook Strait to Wellington
Dusky and a single Common Dolphin came in very close to our on the North Island, thereby ending what had been truly an
boat and the use of chum thrown out by Gary into the sea to experience of a lifetime to the most scenic of islands, meeting
entice other sea birds closer for a feed, succeeded in drawing some of the friendliest and most hospitable of people.
large numbers of Snares (race of Cape) Petrel alongside our Look out for our final leg (Part 3) of our NZ Birding Trip in the
boat, providing exceptional photographic opportunities. In next edition.

The Villager • Issue 8 2021 • 27