2014 - Can I see 1000 species? (1 Viewer)

[chris butterworth]

It's more likely to have been a Brown Skua ( the NZ default species ) than South Polar.

 

[Jon Turner]

think that might be quite a good record

I'm happy to be corrected Larry. It was chasing Terns offshore (as they do!) And I spoke with Mike Langman about which is the most likely. He just happened to be two pitches away on the same campsite. It was a big skua, and with the features I described to Mike, he thought SPS most likely. It was pale- bodied, but bigger than Pom and much bigger than Arctic.

Thanks Chris, sadly we're off to North Island tomorrow, and I went blithely past your Stilt spots without knowing - hey ho!

 

[Andy Hurley]

Don't have any notes for the Stilt but I had NZ Dotterel on one of the beaches of Coromandel pensinsula (sorry I don't remember which one but it was on the North coast).

Opoutere Beach had NZ Dotterel, 6 breeding pairs, I think, back in 2007

 

[chowchilla]

I think the one in NZ is now Sacred, the ones in Fiji are still lumped under Collared / Mangrove.

Correct, and they winter in Aus.

 

[Jon Turner]

Bit quiet yesterday after leaving Kaikoura, we headed for Blenheim, nice site full of Mallards and a Redpoll. The site owner put us on to a German restaurant, which had 22 different beers on tap. On investigation, several were 8 or even 9% - afraid I chickened out and stuck to the Speight's. Food was great!
So, yesterday we had a short hop to Picton, where I saw a trip up the sound advertised. Wildlife and landing on a predator free island. Seemed preferable to more hours in the van, so the others went off on another boat and I went along Queen Charlotte sound. First new bird for my NZ list was Caspian Tern, but can't add to the total coz we saw one in Spain. A big feeding frenzy attracted a few Fluttering Sherwaters, and a pale phase Arctic Skua too. Long way from home! We watched a largish pod of Bottlenose Dolphins for some time then headed seaward again. One island had LOTS of Tui's, then we foiund Motuara island and went ashore. NZ Robins aplenty, and part-way up to the top of the island was a small puddle with more Bellbirds than you could shake a stick at. Also a Yellow-crowned Parakeet and an adult Saddleback came in for a drink. The Robins were tame, one landed on my rucksack! Just proves that the great work they are doing to eradicate predators is paying dividends, the birdsong was amazing! On the way back we also saw King Shag, and a few close up (under the boat!) Hector's Dolphins. Plus a Little Blue Penguin.
273) Arctic Skua
274) King Shag
275) Yellow-crowned Parakeet
276) Saddleback

 

[Jon Turner]

Vague plan for the next few days: Northwards to Hastings, then on to papamoa beach via Lake Taupo and Rotarua. After that, towards Auckland via Miranda beach (and possibly hot water beach too if I can persuade the troops!) Then somehow get onto Tiritiri Matanga before we fly out on 8th March.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

reckon we saw South Island Saddleback coming to that same little puddle Jon. Nice one for seeing the King Shags too :t:

 

[Jon Turner]

reckon we saw South Island Saddleback coming to that same little puddle Jon. Nice one for seeing the King Shags too :t:

Great little trip with very enthusiastic skipper (Paul) and young guide (Kate) good commentary very enthusiastic about the conservation projects in the sound.

On the ferry today I saw a few Albatrosses, some of which seemed to have white panels on the upper primaries and odd smaller white areas on inner upper wing. Otherwise all black wing and saddle white upper tail with dark terminal band. Couldn't get any detail on the head. They'll have to go down as Albatross sp I think! Unless anyone can help, only 2 poor in flight pics but unable to add here.

 

[Jon Turner]

reckon we saw South Island Saddleback coming to that same little puddle Jon. Nice one for seeing the King Shags too :t:

I remember reading your blog at the time - must look it up again to see if I can find anything else..

So if I see Saddleback at Tiritiri, can I count that too as North island?!

 

[Jon Turner]

We've moved on to Hastings today, lunch was at the Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre, where we saw what will probably be the only Kiwi of the trip. Bit special coz they've got a white one there! Also saw a couple of the extraordinary-looking Takahes. Flying wild were plenty of Kakas, Tuis and NZ Pigeons. In cages were Kokako, Red-crowned Parakeet, and Stitchbird. As we left, I could swear I saw three Takahes in a field a couple of K's north.....
Anyway, only addition today was:
277 ) Common Myna which seem plentiful. First saw them as we tried to get to the little lake at Te Hauke - lake Poukawa, but couldn't get close at all -looked natural and surrounded by reeds. Of course a bit further there was a great pull in overlooking another marshy bit.....

 

[Larry Sweetland]

So if I see Saddleback at Tiritiri, can I count that too as North island?!

the ones that were put on Motuara are SIS and the ones put on Tiritiri are NIS. They're split by some, eg IOC. As far as I'm aware there's no such thing as a non-translocated population of either form left anywhere.

 

[Jon Turner]

Thanks Larry, currently enjoying coffee in lovely downtown Napier - Art Deco capital of the world!! Next stop Taupo

 

[Frogfish]

the ones that were put on Motuara are SIS and the ones put on Tiritiri are NIS. They're split by some, eg IOC. As far as I'm aware there's no such thing as a non-translocated population of either form left anywhere.

Do you know whether those in Zealandia are NIS or SIS Larry ? Having been to Tiritiri and Zealandia I may have an unbeknownst to me tick

Jon - do you not plan to go to the nature/bird reserve of Zealandia in Wellington ? The birds are enticed to stay in the reserve by way of feeders and habitat. It's a wonderful place for birders.

 

[Jon Turner]

Jon - do you not plan to go to the nature/bird reserve of Zealandia in Wellington ? The birds are enticed to stay in the reserve by way of feeders and habitat. It's a wonderful place for birders.

Sadly missed this gem - ferry arrived at 230 and by the time we had looked at the botanic gardens (only saw native species there) and found campsite and booked in it was all too late.
On the road this morning somewhere between Hastings and Napier I'm sure I saw a few Autralasian Shoveler, but need better views to confirm. Nowhere to stop as usual. We stopped en route for lunch by a waterfall about 20 miles short of Taupo, and in the car park a rather confiding NZ Pipit. We arrived in Taupo to find advanced preparations for an Ironman Triathlon - for those of you unfamiliar with this event, it's a 2.5 mile swim ( in the lake here) about 112 miles on the bike and a FULL marathon. Now I did a small triathlon many moons ago and I think I'm still recovering. Good luck to them, I'll have a beer.
Walked along the lake shore and found some Mallards, NZ Scaup, and Black Swans along with two pairs of:

278) New Zealand Dabchick, and a fine fella let me use his jetty to get a few pics.

Tomorrow it's hot springs and stuff before heading to Rotorua.

Spose I should start asking about Melbourne, where I intend to go to Werribee, but any other good spots? No panic we don't leave NZ till the 8th March.

 

[Jon Turner]

279) Australian Shoveler - wetlands behind Mataka beach. Also heard Fernbird there I think, but it didn't come out to play.

 

[Jon Turner]

Moved up to Miranda this morning and arrived as recommended (and perhaps by chance!) at high tide. The tides are particularly high at the moment too. As we drove past I could see a big flock of small roosting waders near the road. I got a two-hour pass out while the others drove off to see something else. Lots and lots of Pied Stilts, I think these are the same as our European species aren't they? If so I may have to delete them as I think I saw some in Spain in January. Quickly into identifying everything in sight: Pied Oystercatchers - several hundreds, again aren't these the same as the European species? Bar-tailed Godwits by the thousand, many moulting into sum plum. A few Black-tailed in amongst. Good numbers of Banded Dotterel, then in the flock of small waders, which were mainly WRYBILL, a dew Pacific Golden Plover, one or two Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 3 Red-necked Stints, 2 hybrid Black Stilts, and careful searching revealed the Marsh Sandpiper. Good numbers of Knot. As I turned back towards the car park, the last hide, looking at the end of the spit, had several Caspian Terns, and Pied Shags. Then the tide started to go out and waders immediately arrived on the mud right in front of us. Hundreds of Wrybill! Also picked out a couple of New Zealand Dotterel, at last. And just to make me feel at home, a few Skylarks!
279) Black-tailed Godwit
280) Pacific Golden Plover
281) RED-NECKED STINT -better put new birds in caps in future...
282) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
283) Red Knot
284) Marsh Sandpiper
285) NEW ZEALAND DOTTEREL
Moving on up the coast we stopped for lunch at the delightfully named Tapapakanga beach and saw a few introduced:
286) EASTERN ROSELLA

 

[davercox]

Lots and lots of Pied Stilts, I think these are the same as our European species aren't they? If so I may have to delete them as I think I saw some in Spain in January.

I believe not: these are "White-headed" Stilts H. leucocephalus according to IOC.

Quickly into identifying everything in sight: Pied Oystercatchers - several hundreds, again aren't these the same as the European species?

Again I believe not. I stand to be corrected but I believe these would have been 'South Island' Oyks H. finschi (common in the North Island too).

 

[davercox]

Then again, 'Shorebirds' (Hayman, Marchant & Prater) treats Himantopus leucocephalus as a ssp of H.himantopus so, as usual, you pays yer money and takes yer choice.

And again, it treats Haematopus finschi as a ssp of H.longirostris but says 'often treated as a separate species or as a race of Eurasian Oystercatcher'. Doh.

 

[chris butterworth]

Split them as 'White-headed Stilt' and 'SIPO' ( South Island Pied Oyk' ) John. The Oystercatcher, at least, warrants elevation as H. finschi.. BTW, did the Oystercatchers look very like Eurasian or was there more black on the underparts ending in a somewhat ragged line between the black and white? I only ask because Variable are sometimes found on beaches

 

[Nutcracker]

Then again, 'Shorebirds' (Hayman, Marchant & Prater) treats Himantopus leucocephalus as a ssp of H.himantopus so, as usual, you pays yer money and takes yer choice.

And again, it treats Haematopus finschi as a ssp of H.longirostris but says 'often treated as a separate species or as a race of Eurasian Oystercatcher'. Doh.

But that's how it was 28 years ago . . . bird taxonomy has come a very long way since then. IOC is up to date.