Bristol to Kagu ? (5 Viewers)

[chowchilla]

Monarch (?)

Hi folks,

The butterfly is deffo a Danaus sp the same genus to which the Monarch belongs, and checking pics of the Monarch found in Aus (same species?) I'd say Monarch D. plexippus is a good call.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Duff ID

Thanks again everyone

As we bimbled back towards Gulf Harbour we popped into Pakiri (another Fairy Tern site) for lunch and ran into 3 birders. We chatted to them, and one of these birders exhibited the following features:

Known distribution : within striking distance of Tiritiri Matangi since the15th.
Behavioural characteristics : about to embark on the Aukland to Japan cruise.
Vocalisations : stongly indicative of the form scotica.

well I must say, I was pretty sure I had BF's AStephenson in the bag at this point, and risked a tentative pop at the ID with the question "Is your name Andrew by any chance ?" The birder on view then said "No... (drat, another embarassing miss call by yours truly, shooting from the hip before grilling the "probable" fully enough)....... But if you mean Andrew Stephenson, then we do know him." (some relief that at least I was observing a related form, and wasn't too wide of the mark with my ID blunder.) Just goes to show. Assume nothing, and don't tick anything just on range, behaviour and vocalisations. I never did find out these guys names, but hopefully they went on to see the terns at Waipu. Nice to meet you guys :t:

Last night we stayed at Tawharanui Regional Park. The lagoon area there was really good for Buff-banded Rail, with at least 6 different birds being seen. Again no luck with Spotless Crake, but the 3 birders we met yesterday had seen one very recently at Tiritiri, so raised hopes there...

 

[david kelly]

Vocalisations : stongly indicative of the form scotica.

Mr Stephenson's vocalisations would not be indicative of the form scotica or even doricus, which would be expected given his known home range of Torry. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess but his vocalisations indicate a long-staying vagrant of the form "anglicum".

David

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Vocalisations : stongly indicative of the form scotica.

Mr Stephenson's vocalisations would not be indicative of the form scotica or even doricus, which would be expected given his known home range of Torry. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess but his vocalisations indicate a long-staying vagrant of the form "anglicum".

David

I didn't know Mr Stephenson lived in Torry ?

 

[david kelly]

I didn't know Mr Stephenson lived in Torry ?

Nope, it's all a figment of my fevered imagination. And terrible memory for surnames.

Cheers

David Murphy

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Tiritiri Matangi

Classic.

We spent a couple of days in the Gulf Harbour area before our Tiritiri Matangi trip, and this included searching for Spotless crake at Shakespear Regional Park on 2 evenings. The Brown Teal was again present, the male Australasian Shoveler in pretty smart plumage, and a few Red-crowned Parakeets, presumably from Tiritiri, were seen. We also flushed a crake sp at the northeastern edge of the duck pond !!

We had a lovely time on Tiritiri Matangi, and stayed for 2 nights in the bunkhouse, which costs $NZ20 per night. All of the diurnal specialities can be seen on a day trip, but it's easy enough to have not connected with Kokako and/or Spotless Crake before the boat goes back at 3.30pm. Staying one night should virtually guarantee these birds, and give you a very good chance of Little Spotted Kiwi, but two nights is a better bet in case of bad weather, and allows plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful birds at leisure without the daytime crowds.

Most of the goodies on the island are introduced, and if you prefer your scarcer birds to not be dripping in brightly-coloured plastic bling, then it's probably not the island for you, nor is New Zealand come to that! What has been done here though is quite wonderful, I think, and I found myself being deeply moved by the experience of being with the Takahe, as they really appeared to me like something that looked like they ought to have been extinct for a very long time, thus providing a kind of "Jurassic Park" type experience.

The only non-intro highlight was Spotless Crake at last B We didn't see one until after the day trippers left on the first day. A bird appeared briefly at the small pond on the left of the track as you walk up from the wharf, after a 2 hour wait. We saw Spotless Crake at this site on all 3 days, including 2 together on 2 visits.

Stitchbird was at one point extinct except for on Little Barrier Island, which you can see from Tiritiri Matangi. The relict population still thrives, and it is possible I believe to organise a trip to see them there, although Little Barrier is not readily publically accessible. Tiritiri Matangi has apparently not been an island for that long, so I guess Stitchbird, and all of the introductions could feasibly have occurred here at some point, and thus be reintroductions. This species is doing well here, and is pretty much unmissable on a day trip. Nectar feeders are supplied on the island because the bush has not regenerated sufficiently to provide year round for these birds.

North Island Saddleback was at one point extinct except for on the Hen and Chickens, which is also in the Hauraki Gulf. I think they are no longer there (could be wrong here) meaning they only exist as introductions. This species is doing very well on Tiritiri, and the majority are unbanded these days. We found them in all kinds of habitats here.

Takahe was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote part of Fiordland in the 1940s. This population still exists but the area is not readily publically accessible. It may be possible, even for non-NZ residents, to obtain voluntary work with DoC where these birds are, and even assist in helping this amazing species survive. There are currently 10 Takahe on Tiritiri Matangi, only some of which were born here (check the bling to ID individuals). If Takahe were ever here in the past, they would have been of the extinct northern race. I guess this makes them the dodgiest bird to count here, a bit like Capercaillie in Scotland or Large Blue at Collard Hill. So Tickahe or Plastakahe ? Your choice. Either way they are totally amazing birds, and they make the Purple Swamphens that accompany them on the lawns appear like graceful ballerinas.

Little Spotted Kiwi is the easiest speciality to miss here. We saw one at 10.30pm on the first night, out in the open on the western edge of the cleared area on coronary hill. We failed to find any on the 2nd night, but some were seen, including 3 by a lovely Dutch couple for whom this was the 5th kiwi species. (They really deserved their Great Spots after spending a week at the Bullock Creek Rd site before connecting!) We heard a fair few LSK calling, including one in the middle of the night very close to the bunkhouse. This species has it's oldest population on Kapiti Island, where according to my field guide, they are thought to have been introduced in the 1920s.

Kokako still has a few mainland populations but is easier to see here. There was a family of 3 that we saw very well a few times on the wattle track, between the lowest water trough and the intersection with the road. Nicky also saw one on the Kawerau track. We didn't see any until after the boat left on the first day. There are currently 18 on Tiritiri Matangi.

Other introductions include Red-crowned Parakeet (common), Whitehead (common), Fernbird (1 by Spotless Crake pool), Rifleman (1 Kawerau track, most recent introduction), Brown Teal (2 pairs), and North Island Robin (several).

1324 North Island Saddleback
1325 TAKAHE
1326 STITCHBIRD
1327 Kokako
1328 SPOTLESS CRAKE
1329 LITTLE SPOTTED KIWI

So that's all the birds I was hoping to see on North Island, but still Great Spotted Kiwi to find on South Island, and maybe a couple more seabirds if we're lucky. We have also just discovered that volunteers are often needed to help look after the translocated Kakapo population on Codfish Island, which is otherwise inaccessible.

Nicky's photos: 1: Kokako; 2: Stitchbird; 3: Spotless Crake; 4: Who's the Daddy?; 5: Takahe

 

[chowchilla]

Did you say you saw LSK on Coronary Hill? Is it really that steep?!:eek!:

Another great post as always! I particularly like the pics of the Swamphen on steroids...

 

[Chlidonias]

We have also just discovered that volunteers are often needed to help look after the translocated Kakapo population on Codfish Island, which is otherwise inaccessible.

the volunteer stints are for two weeks and they are hard work (carrying heavy packs over the island). DoC is keen to stress that there is no guarantee of actually seeing a kakapo whilst on Codfish. If you go to
http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/volunteers/
you can register for the current available positions, including nest-minding (which involves being up all night next to a burrow to make sure the eggs or chicks are in good shape while the parent bird is off feeding -- in other words, you're pretty much sure of seeing a kakapo!).
The volunteers applying for positions on Codfish used to be on a sort of waiting list but they recently changed it so everybody just keeps applying on the site above for positions as they come up -- which is good for everyone in general but rather frustrating for people (LIKE ME!!!) who had been on the list for the last few years and are now right back in the same place as everyone else, grrrrr. And I can't do it this year anyway because of work. Double grrrrr.

Go register now Larry!!

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Thanks Chowie. The hill's not that steep, but it doesn't have much competition on Tiritiri, which is pretty small.

Thanks Chlidonias. I think we've worked out that we haven't time left for Codfish, even if they'd have us (though we did apply.) Hopefully you'll get your go at it one day.

We're going to try to hit South Island again in about a week, and should have time for a Kaikoura trip and a go for Great Spotted Kiwi at the north end of the Heaphy track. Any gen from that section of the track (to Gouland Downs) would be very useful. Also any gen on anything odd that might be around, eg if there are any scarcer penguins about on SI etc.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

another Aus Bittern site

Came across Lower Kaituna Wetlands wildlife reserve (a wildfowl hunting reserve in the Bay of Plenty area) by accident a couple of days ago while desperately looking for somewhere free to park up for the night.

Between Tauranga and Whakatane, take Pah road towards coast just west of the roadside Giant Kiwifruit. Park on sharp left hand bend shortly after road becomes unsealed. The walking loops pass through what looks like excellent bittern habitat, and we weren't surprised when we flushed an Australasian Bittern. We were surprised however when it landed again about 15m away giving me my best ever view of any Botaurus species. Mindblowing. Unfortunately it took off again just before Nicky could get the camera sorted.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

photos

A few more photos :

1. NI Saddleback, Tiritiri Matangi
2. Red-crowned Parakeet, Tiritiri Matangi
3. Morepork, near Tongariro
4. A sign on a North Island beach made by children to alert people to nesting birds.

No big bird news, but of interest to cetacean fans (Chowchilla!), there is a very tame and playful dolphin near Napier at Mahia Beach who comes to play with you if you go in the water. No need to go on a paying "swim with dolphins" tour. We also saw a couple of Killer Whales from the beach, in pretty close, just south of Napier.

Crossing Cook Straight again on Saturday.

 

[chowchilla]

A few more photos :

1. NI Saddleback, Tiritiri Matangi
2. Red-crowned Parakeet, Tiritiri Matangi
3. Morepork, near Tongariro
4. A sign on a North Island beach made by children to alert people to nesting birds.

No big bird news, but of interest to cetacean fans (Chowchilla!), there is a very tame and playful dolphin near Napier at Mahia Beach who comes to play with you if you go in the water. No need to go on a paying "swim with dolphins" tour. We also saw a couple of Killer Whales from the beach, in pretty close, just south of Napier.

Crossing Cook Straight again on Saturday.

Sounds amazing! Nothing like that up here, unless you want to go swimming with crocs and box jellyfish... :eek!:

What kind of camera have you got Nicky? You've either got an impressive zoom or you're getting incredibly close to some of those birds.:t:

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Cook Strait

Chowie - Nicky's camera's a Canon SX 10 IS, she thinks it's the newer version of yours?

Before returning to South Island we stayed at Kaitoke Regional Park near Wellington, where a couple of New Zealand Falcons performed regularly at the edge of the campsite near "Rivendell". A fairly good bird for North Island, and an unexpected blinder for the Bubble bed list!

Seawatching from the Cook Strait ferry was more exciting than our earlier crossing, with some different birds about, most notably several Grey-faced Petrels and Common Diving Petrels, a Black-browed Albatross and a couple of large (getting on for 100 strong) flocks of prions. Only one bird was close enough to id tentatively as Fairy Prion. Also seen were Westland and Cape Petrels, Fluttering, Hutton's, Buller's and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, White-capped Albatross, Australasian Gannet, Little Penguin etc. We also had good views of a King Shag surprisingly close to Picton in Queen Charlotte Sound, about half way between the Tory Channel and Picton.

 

[chowchilla]

Chowie - Nicky's camera's a Canon SX 10 IS, she thinks it's the newer version of yours?

Before returning to South Island we stayed at Kaitoke Regional Park near Wellington, where a couple of New Zealand Falcons performed regularly at the edge of the campsite near "Rivendell". A fairly good bird for North Island, and an unexpected blinder for the Bubble bed list!

Seawatching from the Cook Strait ferry was more exciting than our earlier crossing, with some different birds about, most notably several Grey-faced Petrels and Common Diving Petrels, a Black-browed Albatross and a couple of large (getting on for 100 strong) flocks of prions. Only one bird was close enough to id tentatively as Fairy Prion. Also seen were Westland and Cape Petrels, Fluttering, Hutton's, Buller's and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, White-capped Albatross, Australasian Gannet, Little Penguin etc. We also had good views of a King Shag surprisingly close to Picton in Queen Charlotte Sound, about half way between the Tory Channel and Picton.

Ah right; it sounds like that's the case but with more megapixels methinks.

So what else do you need in SI apart from that Kiwi?

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Kaikoura II

Well lets see...

We finally met up with Chlidonias who has been feeding us with great gen since we arrived in NZ, and teamed up for a Kaikoura trip. Turns out we very narrowly missed each other in Cairns, as he was there when we met Chowchilla for that great day out on the Atherton Tablelands.

Before heading off we picked up a couple of the recently released Brown Teal at Travis Wetlands in Christchurch, but there was no sign of the vagrant Glossy Ibis that has returned to this site again this winter.

The sea was pretty calm at Kaikoura, and we could perhaps have done with a little more wind for our 9am trip. Birders note that the price has risen by a shocking 40% since our January trip!! To start with it was looking a bit lame, but eventually we came across a small fishing boat with a large gathering of seabirds around it, the composition of which was rather different than in mid January.

We had the great experience of having 8 albatross species around the boat at the same time. Most (20+) were wandering albatross, of which all appeared to be Gibson's A except for a very white Snowy A that stuck out like a sore thumb, and a couple of birds that looked like Antipodean A, but really who knows? The other spp were Northern Royal A (1+), Southern Royal A (1+), Black-browed A (4+), White-capped A (5+), and Southern Buller's A (3+). Salvin's A was the commonest species in Jan, but there were none yesterday, and also no Campbell I A which we saw on the last trip. That's 10 spp in 2 trips, so the albatross encounter certainly lives up to its name!

There were a lot more Cape Petrels this time, which was the commonest species, but fewer Westland Petrel (c5) and White-chinned Petrel (1+). The Hutton's Shearwaters had nearly all gone (we saw 1), but we did see Buller's S (2+), Sooty S (1) and Short-tailed S (1). There were also a few Northern Giant Petrels, and some Black-fronted Terns as well as the White-fronts.

So a great 2nd trip, all the better for the company of Chlidonias. Half way back to Christchurch we stopped at a coastal spot and picked up a few Arctic Skuas to round off the day.

Luckily for us, Chlidonias had also been to Fiji, our next destination (current political unrest permitting!) recently, so could give us some hints, and even more amazingly, is planning a similar trip through Indonesia to our planned route home, which he'll do before us far more sensibly in the dry season! So anyone with any recent gen on Lesser Sundas/Sulawesi, get in touch with him.

1330 Antipodean Albatross
1331 Snowy Albatross

Here's some of Nicky's pics
1. Southern Buller's Albatross
2. A nice view
3. One of the suspected Antipodeans (the largest bird) any comments?
4. Westland Petrel
5. Gibson's Albatross

 

[chowchilla]

Those pics really give you a good impression of the density of the seabird gatherings, plus just how close you were able to get to them. Fantastic stuff and nice to know that such great views are possible on these trips!

I love the Westland Petrel pic btw.:t:

 

[Vectis Birder]

Wow. If I get as good an amount of birds on my Wollongong pelagic in May I'll be pleased.
Nice pics, Larry :t:

 

[chowchilla]

Wow. If I get as good an amount of birds on my Wollongong pelagic in May I'll be pleased.
Nice pics, Larry :t:

There are dozens of species of petrels, shearwaters, albatrosses and the like down in these parts. On a good trip I think you'll rack up a fair number of lifers.

Not so many 'tubenoses' from Cairns, but a reef trip will get you a good selection of terns and quite likely frigatebirds and boobies amongst other things.

 

[Vectis Birder]

There are dozens of species of petrels, shearwaters, albatrosses and the like down in these parts. On a good trip I think you'll rack up a fair number of lifers.

Not so many 'tubenoses' from Cairns, but a reef trip will get you a good selection of terns and quite likely frigatebirds and boobies amongst other things.

I'm hoping to do a trip to the reef while I'm in that neck of the woods. It'd be rude not to!

 

[chowchilla]

I'm hoping to do a trip to the reef while I'm in that neck of the woods. It'd be rude not to!

Hi VB,

Yep a reef trip is a must. I forgot to mention that in my PM.

I just took a peek at your website. Great photos! You can tell me what I'm doing wrong when you see how awful my pics are...