NEW ZEALAND TOUR REPORT

Transcription

1 NEW ZEALAND 22 OCTOBER 14 NOVEMBER 2010 TOUR REPORT LEADER: NIGEL REDMAN New Zealand is one of most popular destinations in the world, thanks to a combination of factors: a host of endemics, terrific seabirds, fabulous scenery, good accommodations and food, empty roads and, for non-birders at least, it is the spiritual home of The Lord of the Rings. The long drives between locations all seemed worthwhile as we tracked down some of the rarest and most endangered birds on the planet, whilst taking in some of the finest landscapes that one could wish for. A total of 148 species included all four endemic families (kiwis, New Zealand wrens, wattlebirds and the family newly created for the Stitchbird), no fewer than 69 regional endemics and an impressive 29 species of tubenoses (including eight species of albatrosses, seven shearwaters, three pterodromas, three Procellaria petrels and two storm petrels). There were many highlights on the tour: all the endemic landbirds bar one (Kakapo is off-limits to tourists); some amazing pelagics; all five species of kiwi (everyone saw at least 4 species), superlative encounters with Yellow-eyed and Fiordland Crested Penguins, great views of two New Zealand Storm Petrels, two sightings of Blue Duck, several New Zealand Falcons, two pure Black Stilts, exceedingly close encounters with fearless Keas, and incomparable views of a pair of Rock Wrens. Other good species included Chatham Island Albatross, Antarctic Fulmar, King Shag, Australasian Bittern, Brown Teal, New Zealand Dotterel, Wrybill, Antarctic and Fairy Terns, Long-tailed Cuckoo, the bizarre Kokako and both forms of Saddleback. One of the notable features of New Zealand s endemic birds is their tameness and most species were seen extraordinarily well. On the mammal front, we saw four species of dolphin, including the diminutive Hector s Dolphin. Our intrepid band of travellers assembled at Auckland airport after long flights from a variety of locations, but within a few minutes we were sampling the delights of wetland birds at the nearby Mangere lagoons. The birds came thick and fast. Almost our first bird, apart from a number of familiar European passerines, was a stunning Black-fronted Plover at close range; this turned out to be the only encounter with this species on the trip. Wildfowl included Australasian Shovelers, a few Grey Ducks (suspiciously cavorting with many somewhat variable Mallards), the strongly dimorphic 1 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

2 Paradise Shelduck (with well-grown families of all-male youngsters) and elegant Black Swans with their unexpectedly pale cygnets. On the mudflats, we found White-faced Herons, Royal Spoonbills, large flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits, and a single distant Wrybill. To our delight, the Wrybill flew closer to us and landed at point-blank range beside the road, giving the photographers superb opportunities of a key bird within an hour of landing in New Zealand! We quickly realised that it only had one leg, but it seemed to be coping pretty well. Our next port of call was an Australasian Gannet colony at Muriwai, off the west coast. Here we were treated to superb views of scores of this much-loved seabird at their densely packed nests on the rocks below us, while dozens of squabbling Whitefronted Terns also vied for our attention. It was hard to drag ourselves away from this idyllic spot, but we had much more on the agenda for our first action-packed day. At Waipu, we found our first New Zealand Dotterels and at least one pair of Fairy Terns. The latter, an endemic race of an Australian species, is seriously threatened in New Zealand and is only known from a handful of sites. After a field lunch, the first of many, we continued northwards to the Bay of Islands with various stops to take in key species. A small lake near Hikurangi revealed our first New Zealand Dabchicks which were keeping a safe distance from a large group of noisy children swimming in the lake, and a small creek near the appropriately named Teal Bay held a group of endangered Brown Teals lurking in the shadows and trying not to be seen; this rare species is a nocturnal feeder. Near Russell we saw our first Fernbirds a family party and while waiting for the Opua Ferry two Reef Egrets flew up the channel. They were the only ones of the trip, and we would have missed them had we caught the previous ferry which we had missed by a whisker. Eventually we arrived at Kerikeri where we checked in to our motel. After a superb dinner at a nearby restaurant overlooking the mangroves we headed up to the Purerua Peninsula. We picked up our guides, Detlef and Carol, who were going to find us our first kiwis, and by the time we reached the designated parking spot, it was fully dark. It had already been a long day (or two days if you include the long flight) but we forced our eyes open and set off with great anticipation. It was a bright moonlit night, which was pleasant for us, but apparently not so good for kiwis. Detlef and Carol, originally from Britain, were enthusiastic and optimistic guides and we dutifully followed them closely and obeyed their instructions. Moreporks were calling incessantly from all directions, and it was not long before we heard our first Brown Kiwi. We soon learned how to distinguish between the calls of males and females, but the birds remained fairly distant. The closest were inside inaccessible woodland or scrub. We tramped around for ages without success, and even our guides began to look worried. Finally, a bird was spotted by Detlef. It was fairly close, but heading for cover fast, and only a few people got on to it. Needless to say it didn t reappear, and we continued with just a little more hope. A second bird followed quite quickly, but this didn t hang around for long either, although by now almost everyone had managed a tickable view. Finally, on our way back, a third bird appeared on the track in front of us. This time we all saw it well, following it as it pottered around in the open grassland. This was what we had come to see, and we watched in awe as we pondered the sheer improbability of this most unusual bird. We had been in the country barely 15 hours, and the first kiwi was in the bag! It was a gentle start the following morning as the early risers secured the likes of Silvereye, Grey Warbler and New Zealand Fantail in the motel garden. After breakfast we headed back south, but this time taking a more direct route rather than following the scenic coastal road. A detour along the Ormiston Road produced both Australasian Little Grebe and New Zealand Dabchick on the same pond, as well as our first New Zealand Pipits and a host of exotic introductions. Eventually we reached Sandspit where we devoured another field lunch while getting close-up views of some obliging Tuis and our first Shining Cuckoo. In the mangroves a single Banded Rail ventured out onto the mud and was a welcome bonus. From Sandspit a 45-minute water-taxi journey took us across to Tiritiri Matangi. This small island in the Hauraki Gulf is a New Zealand success story. After near-total habitat destruction and invasion by predators, the island was been re-forested with native trees and the mammals eradicated. Finally, after many years of careful planning native birds have been 2 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

3 reintroduced and have flourished. Now the island is simply alive with Bellbirds, Tuis, Whiteheads, Red-crowned Parakeets and many other endemics, and crucially it provides a safe haven for several species that are now extinct on the mainland. Our arrival was greeted with the delightful sound of native birdsong, and within minutes we were watching endemic birds in a situation that echoed the days before introduced mammals wreaked such havoc on the native birds. Everything was refreshingly tame and the photographers were kept busy. Within the darker forest, North Island Saddlebacks put on a great show, although Stitchbirds were a little more elusive to start with. After checking into the bunkhouse, our accommodation for the night, we met Greg or, more accurately, Greg found us. Greg is a Takahe, one of 10 on the island and one of the last of a species that was long feared extinct until its spectacular rediscovery in a remote valley of Fiordland. Unfortunately Greg prefers human company to Takahe company, and the novelty of his habit of ankle-biting soon wore off. Nevertheless, it was rather special to get so close to such an enigmatic species, and before long we had found Greg s daughter, Ella, who behaved in a much more appropriate manner and kept her distance from her many admirers. Back in the forest we found one of our main targets: a pair of Kokakos foraging quietly in the low canopy. This large endemic wattlebird has very weak powers of flight and is doing badly back on the mainland, but here it is flourishing. It was a privilege to see this threatened species here, as well as the Stitchbirds and Saddlebacks, both of which are extinct on the mainland. After a fine dinner, eaten in true bird observatory-style, it was time for another kiwi adventure. Little Spotted Kiwis, another species extinct on the mainland, are doing well here, but they are still kiwis and require effort to see them. We soon heard a couple, but too distant to get close to. As we wandered around the island by torchlight we encountered Blue Penguins waddling up to their burrows, and discovered that penguin leaf-rustling can be remarkably similar to kiwi leaf-rustling. Overhead we heard Common Diving-petrels flying over the island to their nesting colony, while a few lucky people found a prehistoric Tuatara at the side of the trail (this is a lizard that has remained unchanged for millions of years). But we persevered and eventually one of the student researchers on the island came rushing up to tell us of a kiwi she had just found. We approached as quietly as we could, but it had already moved off. Crucially, it was still in the area, so we waited and eventually it showed itself to most of the group. Once it had disappeared, we moved on in the hope of finding another. More close encounters with penguins followed, and various kiwis called intermittently. It was getting close to midnight before we struck lucky again; Chris found a bird foraging in the leaflitter close to the path, not far from where our first bird was seen, and after some tactical positioning at a suitable vantage point, we were all able finally to get the views we had hoped for. We returned triumphantly to our Spartan beds at the bunkhouse: two nights in New Zealand and two species of kiwi seen by all. The following morning was a more relaxed affair. Most of our targets were safely in the bag, so it was mainly a question of better views and time to soak in the atmosphere of a very special island. We spent a pleasant morning strolling through the forest and along the open headlands. Brown Quails were very approachable on the grassy glades, New Zealand Pigeons sat out in the open in some bare trees and on a small pond a family party of Brown Teals provided better views than the shy birds lurking in the shadows on the mainland. We were not so lucky with Spotless Crake that showed only its red legs as it ran swiftly for cover. Back in the forest, another pair of Kokakos was very welcome, as were better and closer views of several gorgeous Stitchbirds; the latter nest in the large nest boxes provided specially for them, and a number of nectar feeding-stations provide additional sustenance. The only new species for the group were several rather tame North Island Robins. After lunch, a water-taxi across a slightly choppier sea took us safely back to the mainland. With a couple of hours of daylight still remaining, we headed over to Omaha Beach where we had much better views of two pairs of New Zealand Dotterels. 3 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

4 The day of our first pelagic dawned bright and sunny as we made our way to Ti Point to board our spacious catamaran for the all-day trip into the Hauraki Gulf. There was only a light swell on the water, and before long we began to see our first Buller s Shearwaters. These were quickly followed by many smaller Fluttering Shearwaters, and then dozens of Fairy Prions. Numbers began to increase and we started to make occasional chumming stops. Flesh-footed Shearwaters became our constant companions at the back of the boat, and a few were in view almost throughout the trip, while Common Diving Petrels flew past regularly. The delightful White-faced Storm-Petrel soon put in an appearance, and before long flocks of these gorgeous dainty birds were dipping onto the surface of the sea all around us. Other visitors to our boat included a huge Northern Giant Petrel and a curious Black Petrel, another local speciality and the first of about 20 that we saw that day. A few Cook s Petrels started to appear, and then a White-capped Albatross took our breath away as it came to see what all the fuss was about. Could it get any better? Well, yes it could. Ahead of us was a seething mass of birds the unmistakable sign of a work-up. This feeding frenzy of several thousand tubenoses was in response to the shoals of small fish or krill that had been brought to the surface by the underwater currents, and this particular flock comprised a mix of Buller s Shearwaters and Fairy Prions, with a good number of Fluttering Shearwaters for good measure. While we were admiring this breathtaking spectacle, Chris suddenly called out New Zealand Storm-Petrel! There was immediate panic as we all scrambled to get on to it. Sure enough, a tiny black-and-white stormie flitted across the water at the stern of boat. To everyone s relief it soon turned round and came back to give us all great views. It was easy to make out the streaking on the underparts and there was a collective sigh of relief. This was the big one, and it was in the bag well before lunch! A second bird appeared shortly after, but soon it was time to move on again. We found our second work-up, this time with a large proportion of Fairy Prions, and sailed out past Little Barrier Island and on to Mokohinau. The seas had become a little choppier as we reached the outer gulf, but in the shelter of Mokohinau it was a flat calm, and a perfect place to eat our lunch. Leaving the tranquil island behind we visited Maori Rocks, some 30 nautical miles from our starting point at Ti Point, and while we admired a small gannet colony the first of several Little Shearwaters appeared. Nearby, our third and final work-up comprised almost exclusively Buller s Shearwaters, but it was time to start heading back. The return journey was much quieter. The seas were calmer than in the morning and despite returning along a similar route only a couple of kilometres to the west, we found no more work-ups. In fact, the only bird of note in the afternoon was a lone Short-tailed Shearwater that showed its subtle features well, allowing almost direct comparison with a few Sooty Shearwaters. It had been an almost perfect pelagic, setting an impossibly high standard for our subsequent marine adventures. We had to make an early start the following morning, in order to get through Auckland before the morning rush-hour. We only just made it, stopping at a roadside café for breakfast once safely on the southern side of the city. It should be mentioned that this was only heavy traffic that we encountered throughout our three weeks in New Zealand. Our first birding stop was the Whangamarino wetlands. Here we plodded around the misty pools and marshes, finding only commoner waterbirds and introduced species, until we reached a vantage point over a large wetland; here we counted no fewer than 10 Australasian Bitterns, a number considered so significantly impressive by Chris that he posted the record on the local birders forum. Our next port of call was Miranda, on the Firth of Thames. This is perhaps the premier wader site in New Zealand and famous for its large flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits. The local visitor centre was an imposing tribute to the great work being done here. In addition to a well-stocked shop, the educational facilities were particularly striking and children from near and far come here to be tutored in the now-legendary long-distance migratory feats of these celebrity godwits. After parting with some cash, we headed to the coast. The tide was well in and the godwits were amassed in a tight roosting flock, together with smaller numbers of Red Knots. There were few other species on the mud other than a flock of Black-billed Gulls, our first for the trip and unusual for being at the coast; in New Zealand, Black-billed are invariably found inland (except at 4 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

5 Miranda) while Red-billed is the coastal species. A quick scan of the area revealed that the regular non-breeding flock of Wrybills was roosting on dryer ground, at the edge of the sand dunes. We counted 75 Wrybills and amongst them two Red-necked Stints, two Curlew Sandpipers and a welcome Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. We scrutinised the flock hard, as New Zealand s second-ever Semipalmated Plover had been in residence with the Wrybills for at least three weeks, but despite a long careful search we failed to find it. It must have been hiding behind a small dune or some vegetation, as we later heard that it was still present. Leaving the coast behind we drove inland to the centre of North Island, stopping briefly at Lake Karapiro to look at our first New Zealand Scaups. We arrived at Pureora Forest in the late afternoon, where we made two short stops. This superb, if patchy, area of native forest was disappointingly quiet at a tall canopy tower, although a few noisy Kakas passed through, largely unseen. So we moved on to another area. We screeched to a halt as the unmistakable call of a Long-tailed Cuckoo pierced the silence. It was quickly found, but flew before the scope could be trained on it. It continued to give acceptable flight views on several occasions, but was incredibly hard to locate when it settled, choosing the densest parts of the trees. At the same site we found our first Tomtit and also a pair of Yellow-crowned Parakeet, both of which were more obliging. From our base in Whakapapa, we made a complete circuit of Tongariro National Park, which encompasses the impressive snow-capped peaks of three extinct volcanoes. At our first stop, close to Whakapapa we saw or heard several Tomtits and many Grey Warblers, and then the thin, highpitched call of a Rifleman caught our attention. Brief views were obtained of one bird, but it moved on quickly, and so did we. The next couple of hours were spent exploring a scenic river valley for Blue Duck. We made several stops to scan the perfect fast-flowing river with its many large boulders before we finally found success, but eventually a pair of this enigmatic threatened species sat out on a rock for us to watch at our leisure - one of half a dozen pairs that inhabit this particular valley. Blue Ducks have been badly hit by predators, but active conservation work is maintaining the population in a few areas, even if it is an uphill struggle. Our next port of call was the Dry Lake at Rotokura a curious name for a lake that was rather full of water. There was nothing new here, so we moved on to the Desert. This area of low rainfall on the east side of the park was more reminiscent of a much dryer country than New Zealand; a brief view of a Banded Dotterel in flight was the only bird of note. We explored yet more forest where we found more Yellow-crowned Parakeets, Whiteheads and New Zealand Robins, but no further signs of Rifleman. For a change of scene, some reedbeds at the south end of Lake Taupo provided some variety for the day, with some more New Zealand Dabchicks and an obliging Fernbird. We returned to the forest before breakfast for a final chance to nail the North Island race of Rifleman, but the woods were cold and dark, and there was little of note other than a Blue Duck that flew upstream below us as we crossed the river. It was time to leave North Island, so we drove down to Wellington to catch the ferry to Picton. The three-hour crossing of the Cook Strait was quite windy, but birding from the huge ship was easy. A good variety of seabirds kept us entertained, including many Fluttering Shearwaters and smaller numbers of Sooties and Fairy Prions. We saw three species of albatrosses including a superb Northern Royal and good numbers of Salvin s and White-capped; a few Westland Petrels was a new species for the trip. The following morning found us boarding a smart catamaran in Picton for a leisurely cruise in Queen Charlotte Sound. Our target birds were shags, and in particular King Shag, one of the rarest in the world. At first it was only Spotted Shags, surely the best-looker of the entire family and also a new species for the trip. We were able to admire a fine group of adults at close range as we passed by a roosting rock. A pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins performed well in front of us, and as we headed out towards the sea the numbers of Fluttering Shearwaters increased. A group of large black-and-white 5 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

6 shags on a rock ahead of us looked more interesting, and as we got closer we were able to confirm their identification as King Shags. This rare species only numbers a few hundred in the world, and they all breed on a few islets in this restricted area. We counted 21 of these stunning birds at the roost rock or in the water below. We continued triumphantly to Motuara Island at the head of the sound, where we made a short landing. This small forested island has been rid of its predators, and native birds have been reintroduced. Here we found some very tame South Island Robins but we only heard the South Island Saddlebacks. We were returning along the sound towards Picton when a dark rounded dorsal fin appeared briefly in front of the boat. It was the telltale sign of a Hector s Dolphin. We stopped the boat and enjoyed good views of a pod of this smallest New Zealand cetacean. A little further on, a second small pod appeared in the sound; like the first ones, they were fairly shy and disappeared quickly, but it was a fitting end to our cruise. After lunch in Picton, we continued southwards around the coast, and through some of New Zealand s best-known wine country. The coastal scenery was dramatic, but we only made one short stop, at Lake Grassmere. The large numbers of ducks shimmering in the distance were mainly Grey Teals, but there were only a handful of waders on the saltpans. Eventually we reached Kaikoura and checked into our motel at the edge of town. The bustling little settlement of Kaikoura has achieved fame in recent years for its accessible seabirds and cetaceans, and soon after arriving we boarded a small boat and headed out for the deep waters offshore. We were not to be disappointed. Within minutes of setting off we had dozens of Hutton s Shearwaters all around us, and the numbers quickly built up into hundreds. Cape Petrels became our constant companions as we skilfully negotiated the heavy swell. Soon, the larger tubenoses began to appear; Northern Giant Petrels and Salvin s Albatrosses were the most frequent visitors to the boat, and when we started chumming we were able to watch them squabbling over the fish scraps at point-blank range. A few White-capped Albatrosses were picked out amongst the Salvin s, and then the larger species arrived. The presence of a few Gibson s Albatrosses made a big difference to the pecking order, with the smaller species keeping a respectable distance. The giant petrels frequently challenged this authority, with only occasional success and with much aggression between themselves. Gibson s is the local form of Wandering Albatross and is now considered a full species, but a bird with considerably more white on its long wings turned out to be an adult Wandering, and our fourth albatross species of the day. Several Westland and White-chinned Petrels visited the boat and allowed us to compare their features, and a single Grey-faced Petrel was a welcome find. Other species included a few Sooty Shearwaters and another Short-tailed only the second for the tour. Quite apart from the constant activity around the boat, there were Hutton s Shearwaters in every direction, as far as the eye could see. It was easy to see why Kaikoura pelagics have achieved such fame in the last few years. It was a breathtaking spectacle and surely one of the best birding experiences in the world. To cap it all, a pod of Dusky Dolphins appeared at the bows of our boat on the way back, giving us good views of this local speciality. The following morning we repeated the experience. We boarded our boat once again for another three-hour offshore adventure. Despite promises of calmer conditions, the swell beyond the bay was certainly as heavy as the day before if not slightly worse. The birds were all still present and within minutes of setting off we were once again enjoying Hutton s Shearwaters and Cape Petrels around the boat. Right on cue, the giant petrels and albatrosses appeared and the cameras were kept busy as we all tried to take award-winning shots of this awesome spectacle. In terms of numbers and species diversity, the second trip was fairly similar to the previous day. Once again, a Grey-faced Petrel put in a welcome appearance, giving slightly better views than before, and another (or the same?) Shorttailed Shearwater was seen. The big prize came on our way back when Chris spotted an Antarctic Fulmar at the back of the boat. This unmistakable and scarce species (in New Zealand waters) was a real bonus, and fortunately it approached closely to investigate us before heading back out to sea. It was a fitting end to our Kaikoura pelagics and, back on dry land, we celebrated with a fine breakfast at the Albatross Encounter visitor centre. We continued southwards towards Christchurch, stopping 6 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

7 briefly at St Anne s Lagoon to find Cape Barren Goose. After another fine field lunch, this time at the Ashley River Mouth, we headed inland to Bealey. The green coastal pastures quickly turned into a browner more rugged landscape as we headed into the hills. We found our first Black-fronted Terns on a wide stony river in an area where the commonest roadside birds seemed to be Yellowhammers! Eventually we reached Bealey, where we checked into our well-appointed hotel the views from the rooms were breathtaking. We later headed out to the Hawdon Valley where we explored some very fine mature native forest. It wasn t long before we heard a Rifleman, and after several good sightings almost everyone had had a tickable view of this smallest of New Zealand s endemics. Our first Brown Creeper a daft name for a bird that is closely related to Whitehead and Yellowhead also performed well for everyone. As we returned back to the hotel, we screeched to a halt as a New Zealand Falcon lifted off the side of road with a small bird in its talons. We scoured the area but without success. The bird must have gone down in thick scrub to devour its prize, and clearly did not wish to be disturbed. Back at the hotel, pre-dinner drinks on the terrace were enriched by a pair of New Zealand Falcons hawking over the forest behind the hotel, but a pair of Keas raiding a banana skin from a bin outside the dining room stole the show. This was the first of a number of memorable encounters with this charismatic species. The following morning we went back to the Hawdon Valley where Rifleman and Brown Creeper again performed well for us. Yellow-crowned Parakeets and South Island Robins were also seen here. Moving on, we had lunch on Arthur s Pass where a group of particularly bold Keas specialised in raiding any unguarded food, and even biting unsuspecting diners! Needless to say, these extraordinary birds were popular with photographers, and even the long-suffering waitresses seemed to be resigned to their antics. The birds are probably good for business, though the café wisely stated that they will not replace food stolen by Keas! The weather was glorious as we continued over the pass and the views were suitably spectacular. Eventually we descended to the coastal town of Greymouth, which looked surprisingly dapper in the sunlight. We then headed north up the coast to the little town of Punakaiki, whose main attraction is the well-visited Pancake Rocks. The series of curious coastal rock formations looked especially stunning in the bright sun, and the coastal views were truly breathtaking. We spent a relaxed couple of hours at this scenic spot, watching a colony of White-fronted Terns squabbling at their nests, and a succession of Spotted Shags flying north up the coast, presumably to roost. On our return a pair of Wekas walked around our feet on the path, our first encounter with these fearless flightless rallids. After dinner we drove up to Paparoa National Park to search for our third kiwi species, Great Spotted Kiwi. We had some early success with superb views of a Morepork on a low branch over the track, but the kiwis proved more elusive. After a long search with only possums to show for it, we heard a brief call of a female to our right. Soon after, Chris flushed a bird off the side of the path. His views were brief, and the bird quickly moved off, but we all heard the rustling. Despite much waiting and searching there was no further sign of it and eventually we gave up. We knew this would be the hardest species to get, but the disappointment was palpable. After 10 days of fine weather, we were due some rain. Luckily it was a driving day, with little to look for on the way. We stopped briefly at Hokitika sewage works, and had lunch at Whataroa. A White Egret spotted from the bus was a lucky find, but our visit to Okarito Lagoon was cut short by the rain. We pushed on to Franz Josef where we visited the world-famous glacier. The ice has retreated a lot in past decades and the end of the glacier was a long way from the viewpoint no doubt it looks better in fine weather. There were few birds on view, but a couple of Keas flew over and a tame Tomtit showed well. We had to have an early supper in order to go for our fourth kiwi, and we set off with a certain amount of optimism, despite the incessant rain. Our kiwi guide, Ian, licked us into shape with a military-style pre-trip briefing while it was still daylight, followed by instructions on how to walk down the track. We practiced getting into position should a kiwi walk across a favoured narrow gap, 7 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

8 and by the time it got dark we were ready. The rain even stopped, and a few stars appeared. Unfortunately, no one had told the kiwi that we were waiting at the narrow gap, and he moved off in the opposite direction when he awoke. Worse still, the constant dripping of raindrops in the vegetation made it almost impossible to detect any kiwi rustling. We heard the intermittent calls of three individuals, but two of them were quite distant Ian had warned us that these birds have large territories. We waited and waited, moved along a bit and waited some more. The rain started again lightly and then, after more than 3 hours, Ian spotted a bird in the undergrowth. He couldn t have seen much of it, but we tried to follow it. Ian knew exactly which individual it was, and this was a shy bird. After a while, it appeared at the edge of the path again. Two of the group saw a glimpse of a shape, but that was all. It didn t reappear, and eventually we gave up as the rain became a little heavier. We were walking back along the track, resigned to failure, when suddenly a kiwi appeared on the track ahead of us. Most people got onto it before it crept back in. But it came out again after a few minutes, and this time we all saw it. It was five minutes before midnight, and after four hours, we had finally seen Okarito Kiwi, the rarest of the five species with only a few hundred birds remaining. The bird we saw was a male, and the original bird that we had tried to see. Ian knew this bird well, and he hung back in the light rain hoping for more. To everyone s surprise, it appeared a third time on the track, probing into the earth in search of food, and pottering about without appearing to notice the dozen spectators. Then, without warning, he stood upright, threw his head back and began his long tremulous call with his bill rapidly vibrating as he did so. The call was repeated many times at regular intervals. In all, he gave some 15 calls, each time throwing his head back and vibrating his long bill. It was an awesome and moving sight that left us all speechless. What a privilege to witness this extraordinary bird calling plaintively for his deceased mate (Ian had found the female dead two weeks before). We had tried harder for this species than any of the others, and the rain had not helped us. But persistence had paid off, and we had been rewarded with one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. The long walk back in the rain, which seemed heavier now, went surprisingly quickly, but it was 1.00am before we got back to vehicles. We allowed ourselves a late start the following morning, as our journey to Haast was a relatively short one. We made a brief stop at Fox Glacier, and at Bruce Bay where we found a few Hector s Dolphins in the coastal waters. At Lake Paringa we saw our first Great Crested Grebes and at Lake Moeraki a Fernbird performed well for us. We stopped at the scenic Knights Point where a few whitecapped Albatrosses were seen fairly close inshore, and after a picnic lunch at Ship Point we arrived at our motel in Haast in the early afternoon. Later we returned to Knights Point where we visited a remote beach in search of the rare Fiordland Crested Penguin. The walk to the beach through mossy native forest yielded a black morph New Zealand Fantail which proved to be the only one of the trip. On the beach, a penguin was spotted in the surf as soon as we arrived, so we settled into position at the edge of the beach and waited. Before long the penguin came ashore and began to waddle up the beach. Soon, a second bird appeared, and a third. Two more joined them and before long there were five birds at point-blank range in front of us. It was a superb opportunity for the photographers. On the other side of the beach a few more penguins were coming ashore and in the end we recorded 12 individuals during our two-hour vigil. There were few other species of note, but at one point all the gulls and terns lifted from an offshore stack a sure sign of a raptor and indeed a New Zealand Falcon was seen briefly by Dawn. The journey inland to Omarama was scenic (as most journeys in South Island were) and we made a number of short photographic stops on the way. We had a longer stop at Haast Pass where a walk in the superb native forest produced our first Yellowheads. A group of four of these gorgeous birds performed well for us, though they kept quite high in the canopy. This endemic has suffered the ravages of predation from introduced mammals and its distribution is decidedly patchy now, but some populations have stabilised thanks to active predator control measures. The supporting cast 8 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

9 included a couple of Rifleman and several Brown Creepers. After lunch in Tarras, we headed over the rather barren Lindis Pass before dropping down to the much drier central area of South Island. A short detour to the Ahuriri River gave us good views (at last) of Banded Dotterels and several superb Blackfronted Terns. The latter, a New Zealand endemic confined to the inland river systems, is now recognised to be a marsh tern, and indeed looked much like a Whiskered Tern in its habits and jizz. After dropping off our luggage at the motel in Omarama, we headed north to Twizel and on to Lake Pukaki. We made several stops at the Tasman River at the north end of the lake, in the shadow of Mount Cook. It was a superb cloudless day, and the views of the lake and the surrounding mountains were breathtaking, disturbed only by the occasional helicopter flight taking tourists to see the mountains. On the braided river, we found more Banded Dotterels and Black-fronted Terns, and also a few Wrybills, here in their breeding habitat. There were also plenty of South Island Pied Oystercatchers but we were searching for stilts; a brief view of a hybrid was all we could manage. We continued on towards Mount Cook where we enjoyed a very pleasant walk in the rocky and scrubby habitat at the base of the mountains in perfect weather conditions. There were few birds to be seen, and it was rather sobering to learn that Rock Wrens used to be common inhabitants of the huge boulders until only a few years ago, before the Stoats established dominance. We returned to the Tasman River making a few stops at suitable places. Finally, a scan of the vast network of channels revealed the bird we had been searching for a superb adult Black Stilt. Although fairly distant we were able to watch it for a long time through scopes, and could easily make out the differences from some nearby Pied Stilts and a couple of hybrids. We continued on back to Twizel where we made a detour to visit Lake Poaka. There was little new here, but eventually we found a closer Black Stilt, this time a juvenile. Again, it stayed around for us to observe it at length. This very special species is highly threatened, and is one of the rarest birds in the world. Its tiny population is under threat for several reasons, but natural hybridization with Pied Stilts makes the future look bleak. After a short detour to Lake Benmore, we continued southwards to Fiordland. We stopped briefly at Lake Dunstan before heading into Cromwell and Queenstown. The size and affluence of Queenstown took us by surprise and was in marked contrast to other towns we had seen on South Island. Its cosy location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by mountains was perhaps more reminiscent of Switzerland. We didn t stop, but made another detour along the lakeshore to Glenorchy, where we had lunch in the garden of a trendy little café. Here a flock of Black-billed Gulls had learnt that there were good pickings to be had from customers leftovers, and they kept our photographers busy. The metalled road soon ran out after Glenorchy, but we continued on excellent graded roads into Mt Aspiring National Park. Soon we were into native forest once again, and a short walk produced a variety of endemic species. Another flock of Yellowheads was most welcome, and we learnt that the birds here had been intensively studied and were well protected with good predator control. Several birds bore coloured rings and were clearly part of a long-term study. A little further on we encountered two pairs of Rifleman which performed better than any that we had seen before. One male was seen carrying a feather, presumably to line a nest, and the female popped up right in front of us. These were to be the last ones we saw on the trip. On our way back out of the forest a Long-tailed Cuckoo flew across right in front of the bus, but only those in the front were able to get onto it. We retraced out steps back to Queenstown and continued southwards to Te Anau. There were no further birding stops, but the main feature of the journey was the high count of Australasian Harriers. We had seen 30 on the previous day s journey, but today s count was a massive 66. There may only be two resident raptors in New Zealand, but one of them at least is widespread and common. After a fortnight in New Zealand we were well used to good scenery, but Fiordland exceeded all expectations. We drove north up the Eglinton Valley, stopping briefly at Knobs Flat. The road began to climb upwards and we made a few short stops to scan the river for Blue Ducks. Keas were our 9 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

10 companions at several stops and we enjoyed the sight of one bird that clung onto the roof of a car as it sped away at high speed eventually the bird was forced to let go, and it was launched unceremoniously into the air with the driver unaware of what he had done. The Keas were even bolder at the Homer Tunnel, but we had other fish to fry. This is one of the most accessible sites for the Rock Wren, one of New Zealand s most special endemics, and we set off with high expectations. There was no early success and after a while we began splitting up a bit to get better coverage of the boulder-strewn slopes. It was Jono who got lucky and found a pair. We all raced over and enjoyed a truly memorable experience as the birds bobbed on the boulders all around us for ages. Once found, they seemed unafraid of their admirers and put on a spectacular show. When a crowd of noisy tourists turned up it was time to move on. After the Homer Tunnel, the road descended through a series of hairpin bends until we eventually reached the head of Milford Sound a veritable mecca for tourists. There were many buses in the car park and several large cruise ships at their berths. We managed to get on one of the smaller vessels and set off for a two-hour cruise to the mouth of the sound and back. The high cliffs on either side were breathtaking and mostly forested, even on the steepest slopes, and several dramatic waterfalls cascaded down into the sound. Our tour guide fed us plenty of interesting facts over the ship s loudspeakers, and the trip had a strong natural history focus. We stopped at regular intervals to admire basking fur seals, roosting cormorants and swimming penguins Fiordland Crested again. A few seabirds were flying around at the mouth of the sound, where it was noticeably windier, but it was time to return to the calm of the fiord, this time along the north side. After a glorious cruise in cloudless conditions, we boarded our vehicles for the return trip to Te Anau. We made several stops along the way, but nothing new was seen. We continued south from Te Anau via the coast road. The landscape became noticeably bleaker and less populated, and some of the smaller towns seemed quite deserted. We made a stop for an hour at the Rakatu Wetlands. This extensive area of flooded marshland has been painstakingly recreated over the past few years, and the results were obvious. Although it was quite windy while we were there, which kept some birds hidden, there were plenty of ducks on the water. Sadly, we failed to entice a crake out of the reeds, but an obliging Fernbird sat out in a bush, allowing us to scope it at length. As we reached the south coast, we stopped at Wakapatu Beach. Here, a large number of White-fronted Terns adorned the offshore rocks, but the only new birds were some rather piebald Feral Geese on a small rocky island. We carried on to Invercargill where we headed straight for the airport to board our Islanders for the short flight to Stewart Island. It was a little bumpy at first, but as soon as we were over the water, the flight was perfectly smooth probably a far cry from the notorious ferry crossing of the Foveaux Strait below us. We could pick out the odd albatross from the plane, but it was all over in 20 minutes as we made our descent to the lonely airstrip to the west of Half Moon Bay. Vehicles were waiting to take us and our luggage the short distance to our hotel in the quaintlynamed settlement of Oban. Stewart Island is only inhabited by some 400 people, and most of them live in and around Oban. It was free time to relax or explore the surrounding area for the rest of the afternoon; there were gulls and oystercatchers on the beach, and a selection of commoner endemics in the patches of forest, but the biggest attraction was the Kakas in the garden of the house next to the hotel. There was a particular tree in the garden that the Kakas appeared to favour, but it soon became clear that it was snacks that they were after. Every afternoon, the owner of the house comes out to her veranda to feed the Kakas, and we enjoyed watching this unexpected entertainment. They were certainly our best views of this species and there seemed to be a regular procession of noisy Kakas to and from the garden. After an early dinner, it was time for our final kiwi adventure. We boarded our boat at the quay, full of anticipation. Philip has been running trips for the Stewart Island Kiwi for many years, and has a remarkable success rate. The beach-loving kiwis of Ocean Beach have become world-famous and have been memorably filmed in several wildlife documentaries. Philip s operation was slick. Although it had begun to rain as we neared the landing stage, our guides were optimistic. In fact, the rain quickly stopped, and we headed off on the trail through the forest to 10 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

11 Ocean Beach, on the other side of the peninsula. Our first kiwi was quickly spotted it was barely dark, but this hungry female couldn t wait to feed on the millions of jumping sandhoppers on the beach. We made a close approach and watched in awe as this awesome bird took her fill of the tiny crustaceans, totally oblivious to the large gaggle of admiring spectators. Eventually she moved off back to the forest, but another bird repeated the performance further along the beach. This had been our easiest kiwi by far, and after little more than an hour we were on our way back. The first few people in line on the forest trail had brief views of a male and a juvenile on the way back, but nothing could beat the two females on the beach. The rain started again on the boat journey back, but we didn t care our final kiwi was in the bag. Some sheltered in the cabin while others enjoyed spotlighting Fairy Prions flying in the rain over the boat as we headed back to Half Moon Bay. The following morning was a big day. It was our final pelagic, and potentially one of the most important. Our intrepid group had proved themselves to be hardy sailors (not a single case of seasickness on the entire trip), and so the rather still conditions were a bit of a disappointment. Nevertheless, we set off with high hopes. Once out at sea we headed south, following the coast, though keeping a respectable distance offshore. We found a few Fiordland Crested Penguins in the coastal waters, but our first port of call was Wreck Reef. Cape Petrels and Sooty Shearwaters were our constant companions, but before long we started to see good numbers of White-capped and Salvin s Albatrosses. Our first big break was a magnificent adult Southern Royal Albatross that came right in to the boat; it was to be the only one on the trip. This was followed by a couple of menacing Subantarctic Skuas looking for an easy meal, and another new bird for the trip. We continued southwest along the coast to Port Pegasus and Broad Bay. At the former we admired a number of New Zealand Sea Lions that were hauled up on the beaches, though we saw a couple in the water too. In Broad Bay we came in close to scan the rocks for terns, and eventually we were successful; six redbilled birds amongst the White-fronted were indeed Antarctic Terns. This species is a scarce visitor to New Zealand and the southern coast of Stewart Island is probably the best place to find them. Flushed with success we headed back out to sea for more seabirds. Our destination was South Trap, a treacherous rocky outcrop in the middle of the ocean and our most southerly point on the whole trip. There was a significant upwelling around the rocks and the sea was considerably choppier, but there were birds in profusion, so we stopped the engines and started chumming. At first it was all the usual suspects, but soon a cry of Mottled Petrel! could be heard, and we all admired a fleeting view of this regional speciality. Several more were seen soon after, as well as a single Cook s Petrel, but none of them hung around for long. A number of Fairy Prions flew past and we scrutinised each one for the less common Broad-billed Prion. Unfortunately, we couldn t nail a positive ID on this species, though one or two strong candidates were seen. The viewing conditions were difficult as our catamaran was continually bobbing around on the sea, so we decided to start heading back as we were still several hours away from Half Moon Bay. There were two notable stops on the way back. The first was for a magnificent adult Buller s Albatross that came in close to the boat. It was to be the only one of the trip, and a most welcome addition to the list. As we left the open sea and came closer to the coast, it became noticeably calmer, but the birds were also less frequent, apart from the ubiquitous Sooty Shearwaters. There was now a relaxed feeling amongst the group. We had seen just about everything that we had expected, so when Dawn called a Chatham Island Albatross, it took us all by surprise. But, there it was - a superb adult Chatham Island Albatross, and so close. This distinctive form breeds only on The Pyramid in the Chatham Islands and is a rare visitor to inshore New Zealand waters. It settled on the water close to the boat and started squabbling with a couple of White-capped and Salvin s Albatrosses, providing the photographers with a rather special opportunity to photograph all three species in a single frame. It was an amazing finale to a superb pelagic, and the Chatham Island Albatross was later voted third place in the Bird of the Trip contest. 11 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010

12 On our final morning on Stewart Island we boarded a water taxi to Ulva Island in Half Moon Bay. This small forested island has long been rid of its introduced mammalian predators, and its native birds have been protected since an enlightened postmaster called Charles Traill lived there in the late 19 th century. Unfortunately it was rather cloudy with some light drizzle at times, but this did not affect our enjoyment of the mature forest and its good network of trails. Here the South Island Robins were especially tame, and we managed good views of a number of other endemics such as Kaka, Red-crowned Parakeet and Brown Creeper. A pair of Yellowheads was welcome (only the third sighting of the trip), but the key bird was South Island Saddleback. Several pairs performed brilliantly, and it was interesting to see a juvenile bird, so very different from the juvenile of the North Island form and once considered to be a separate species. But even more memorable perhaps were the Wekas. We encountered a pair with two very young chicks right beside the path, all of which were totally unconcerned at our presence. On one point, Jono was memorably lying prostrate on the ground with the male bird s bill just inches away from his long lens! We left them in peace and continued on our way. After three hours on the island, it was time to catch our water taxi back to Oban where there was just time for an early lunch and even a bit of shopping for some. In the early afternoon, our Islanders returned to collect us from the airstrip and a short time later we were back in Invercargill. We loaded up the vehicles and, due to the rain, drove non-stop to Dunedin. Our final motel was at the far end of the Otago Peninsula, ideally positioned for the final day s birding. We allowed ourselves a leisurely start the following morning, and after a splendid communal breakfast cooked by the leaders, we ventured out to Taiaroa Head. The cliffs were teeming with birds: Spotted Shags occupied many breeding ledges, some of them quite close to the viewing point, and there was a colony of Royal Spoonbills in some rather precarious-looking bushes in a steep gully. Out at sea, Sooty Shearwaters patrolled the waters, but the only albatross was a single White-capped. Later we headed back along the peninsula to visit downtown Dunedin. Here we visited the renowned Otago Museum, spending an illuminating hour or two in the natural history section. The museum is famed for its exhibits of extinct birds and we marvelled at the magnificent skeletons and reconstructions of moas and other extraordinary species that have long vanished (or not so long in some cases) from New Zealand. It was a sobering lesson for all of us. Suitably refreshed, we returned to Taiaroa Head for lunch and another look at the cliffs. A single Northern Royal Albatross at sea provided a taster of the afternoon s entertainment, and after a short siesta we boarded a small former fishing boat for a cruise around the Head. It wasn t long before we were admiring densely-packed breeding colonies of Stewart Island Shags on the steep rocky slopes, but above them, on the grassy cliff-tops, we finally got to grips with the Northern Royal Albatrosses. This is the only mainland breeding colony of this rather special bird, and it has rightly become something of a tourist attraction here. The cruise on the Monarch is run specially to show people the albatrosses, and they did not disappoint. We watched around 20 of these magnificent birds as they sat around on the tussocks, with several pairs interacting with each other, and other individuals flying in and out from feeding expeditions to the open ocean. There were also Sooty Shearwaters to be seen as we sailed a short distance out to sea, with a handful of Hutton s for good measure. But this was not a real pelagic, and soon we were heading back to the calmer waters of the harbour. We then boarded a bus to take us on a guided tour of the peninsula. There was little new to be seen (it was our last day after all!) until we eventually reached the supremely scenic Papanui Beach. From the cliff-top, we picked our way carefully down to the beach where a couple of huge New Zealand Sea Lions were sound asleep on the sandy expanse. We gave them a wide berth, and continued along the dunes. It was not long before we saw the target of this expedition: a magnificent Yellow-eyed Penguin was waddling up the beach not far in front of us! This may well be the world s rarest penguin, and this beach is one of the few accessible places to see it. We climbed up to a small hide overlooking a gully where one bird was incubating its egg in a short burrow right next to the hide. A carefully positioned camera provided even closer views of it on a monitor inside the hide. On the far side of the gully, various 12 Birdquest: New Zealand 2010