Page 28 - Waterfall Issue 5 2021

Waterfall Birding

A BIrdInG trIP

tO neW ZeAlAnd Part 1

By Ron Searle, Photographs by Adam Riley of Rockjumper Bird Tours and Ron Searle
Otago Peninsula (RS)
New Zealand, ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.

s eparated from the rest of the A while back, my wife Maureen and I, Early the following morning, we

arrived at the Ford dealership to take
world tens of millions of years ago, accompanied by my son, Des and his
the flora and avi-fauna of NZ have
to-be for the following 24 days. After
evolved in total isolation, giving wife Kirsty, undertook a birding trip delivery of our campervan, our home-
there. This narrative of our trip has been
rise to a number of endemic families of updated with current statistics, although I a lengthy ‘crash course’ on how to
birds, from the now extinct Moas to the would recommend that anyone planning operate the innumerable features of
flightless Kiwis, NZ Wattlebirds and NZ a trip to NZ and using this as a guide, the vehicle, we finally headed south
Wrens. NZ also has much to offer by way should research the current locations to Dunedin. A short stop at ‘The Shed’
of spectacular scenery – the volcanic of the bird species before setting out. for provisions and a couple of splendid
wonders of the North Island, the fiords, fleeces for the inevitable cold (even
glaciers, mountains and towering beech A six-hour delay unfortunately though it was technically summer),
forests of the South Island – NZ has it all! resulted in an unplanned overnight saw us arriving late afternoon at
stay in Sydney, having missed our Dunedin. We immediately set off
With its excellent infrastructure and connecting flight to Christchurch in for the Department of Conservation
mosaic of National Parks and protected NZ. A mid-day departure and 3-hour (DOC) offices for information regarding
areas, NZ is a favourite destination flight including awe-inspiring views the whereabouts of the rare Mohua
for birdwatchers and those with an of bare, snow-clad mountains of (Yellowhead) and then went on to
appreciation of the splendours of the NZ’s South Island in the east and explore the Otago Peninsula in the
great outdoors. The islands are home beautiful green geometric pastures twilight. A quick visit to Taiaroa Heads
to over 50 endemic bird species, well populated with sheep and cattle produced a few nesting Southern
many of which are hovering right on immediately below, meant that we Royal Albatrosses and colony of
the brink of extinction by virtue of a had lost a full day of our NZ trip, upon Spotted Shags. An evening buggy
combination of habitat destruction our arrival in the late afternoon in trip to a Yellow-eyed Penguin colony
and the introduction of carnivorous Christchurch. A short evening walk also provided a Little Penguin as well
predators (mustelids, rats and feral within the environs of our overnight as both species of Oystercatcher and
cats). NZ also boasts some of the hotel revealed a surprising number a number of NZ Fur Seals comprised
finest pelagic (sea bird) bird-watching of old but very expensive, by South of bulls, very busily establishing their
opportunities in the world. African standards, wooden homes. territories, and previous-season pups.

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26 Waterfall Issue 5 2021