New Zealand in February (1 Viewer)

[Jon Turner]

Hi Jon,

Please start a thread for your NZ trip I'd love to know how you get on - just keep it to yourself if you see any Wrybills! If you want any info just let me know - I did stacks of research on accommodation, itinerary etc and would be happy to recommend the books I found most useful (as well as those I didn't!)

As for sea sickness I'm still furious with myself for not taking some pills before the Kaikoura trip - I had plenty with me but just assumed I'd be alright.

David

Thanks David, It's a long way off yet, and we are waiting to see if the schedule we hope to achieve can be delivered. Details maybe tomorrow, so we'll see. All sorts of things happen next year, so this trip will kick it off ... nicely ...
The list of books you took would be good - I tried Blackwells in Oxford the other day but their ornithology department was pathetic. I usually get books from Subbuteo or nhbs so plenty of time for research on here and when the books arrive.

 

[davidg]

Thanks David, It's a long way off yet, and we are waiting to see if the schedule we hope to achieve can be delivered. Details maybe tomorrow, so we'll see. All sorts of things happen next year, so this trip will kick it off ... nicely ...
The list of books you took would be good - I tried Blackwells in Oxford the other day but their ornithology department was pathetic. I usually get books from Subbuteo or nhbs so plenty of time for research on here and when the books arrive.

Hi Jon,

'A Field Guide to the Birds of NZ' by Heather and Robertson is the standard bird ID guide, I think, and well worth getting hold of. As I went up to Rarotonga I also bought the Collins Guide to Birds of NZ, Hawaii, Central and West Pacific by Ber Van Perlo but unless you are also going further afield I wouldn't recommend it. Brian Parkinson's 'Field Guide to NZ Seabirds' is another that I wouldn't have bothered with in retrospect.

I'm rubbish at bird calls, even in this country, so bought 'NZ Bird Calls' by Moon, Moon, Kendrick & Baird. It's a single CD of 60 calls which I listened to repeatedly before my trip - it didn't help much but that's more down to me than the CD, I fear!

'Where to Watch Birds in NZ' by Kathy Ombler is an essential purchase despite one or two flaws - no mention of Fiordland? Funnily enough I've just sold my copy on Amazon.

I think the various general NZ guides are all much the same but I did have a soft spot for the way the Lonely Planet 'Discover New Zealand' was written. Sample quote: "Looking at One Tree Hill, your first thought will probably be 'Where's the bloody tree?'" Made me laugh, anyway.

If you're doing a driving tour 'Explore NZ' by John Cobb is a very good giving a series of guided drives many of which happily coincided with the route that I'd already worked out.

I'd also suggest you download the NZ Frenzy guides available for US$10 each here: http://www.nzfrenzy.com/
The name is a bit off putting but they're actually fairly standard travel guides which concentrate on areas not found in other travel guides.

Finally it's well worth visiting/joining the forums at Birding NZ: http://www.birdingnz.net/

Hope this helps.

David

 

[Maroon Jay]

Whichever book you buy, buy it before you go. They cost twice as much in NZ.

 

[Jon Turner]

David and MJ: Brilliant - I saw a copy of B van Perlo's book, and wasn't really taken by it. BUT, we may just come home via Hawaii, so it might sneak in!
The others I'll buy one at a time and try to learn before I go. Loadsa time yet. I'll be asking questions along the way, and will try really hard to see Wrybill!!! (I like odd bird names like that!)

 

[RafaelMatias]

Hi,
I might just add a few to those David already mentioned. The "Complete guide to Antarctic Wildlife" by Shirihai was extremely helpful to me, especially regarding detailed ID of seabirds and in particular albatrosses (my opinion might be a bit biased, as seabirds are probably my favourite birds...). It contains also a wealth of info on sea mammals. However it doesn't include all of the land birds of NZ (only those from sub-Antarctic islands) and it includes fauna from other regions, such as Patagonia and South Indian Ocean, besides being a bit heavy, but I would recommend it anyways.
As for bird calls I just downloaded all I could from xenocanto and from elsewhere. I guess the most important to learn are Fernbird, Grey Warbler, all the Mohoua, the Cyanorhamphus parakeets (kakariki) and the kiwis (and perhaps the robins); all other species are either not very vocal, or knowing their calls won't help much.
I found the book by Kathy Ombler a bit frustrating, lacking enough detail (like good maps/croquis) and displaying too much generalistic info (more ideal for a casual birder in my opinion); some important sites are also not mentioned at all. Searching the internet for trip reports was clearly more helpful.
Heather & Robertson is a nice book, but be aware some info is a bit outdated, such as kiwi taxonomy. I didn't find the illustrations outstanding, but then bird ID is not that difficult in NZ
Cheers

 

[Jon Turner]

Rafael, thanks, I see you are based in Falmouth? I might be down there soon, we could perhaps meet? It depends on whether my ancient father can travel, he'd like to see his house and I've been promising him all year, but illness or weather have defeated us so far!

 

[RafaelMatias]

Hi Jon, just sent you a PM.
I might just add, regarding specific sites for harder species, that ebird was another great help.
Cheers

 

[Chlidonias]

van Perlo's book is crap. The only book you need really is Heather & Robertson. I never really understand the complaint that its taxonomy is out of date because all the changes are just due to splits and they are done by island. There is little confusion there. The only bird actually missing (apart for some recent new vagrants) is the NZ storm petrel. You can get a current NZ list here http://www.wrybill-tours.com/nzfaq.htm and just use that in combination with the field guide if you need to. Easy. (I don't agree with all the splits, but that's birding for you).

The Kathy Ombler book is alright, nothing exceptional but obviously I'm not its target because I'm already here.

I'm not sure why you would need the Complete Guide To Antarctic Wildlife at all?

 

[Chlidonias]

you might also be interested in the Photographic Guide To Reptiles And Amphibians In New Zealand by Tony Jewell and Rod Morris which is a small book containing every species.

There is a similar photographic guide to mammals but you won't see many mammals anyway.

 

[Jon Turner]

I thought all the mammals were sheep?

 

[RafaelMatias]

van Perlo's book is crap. The only book you need really is Heather & Robertson. I never really understand the complaint that its taxonomy is out of date because all the changes are just due to splits and they are done by island. There is little confusion there. The only bird actually missing (apart for some recent new vagrants) is the NZ storm petrel. You can get a current NZ list here http://www.wrybill-tours.com/nzfaq.htm and just use that in combination with the field guide if you need to. Easy. (I don't agree with all the splits, but that's birding for you).

The Kathy Ombler book is alright, nothing exceptional but obviously I'm not its target because I'm already here.

I'm not sure why you would need the Complete Guide To Antarctic Wildlife at all?

For me, the Antarctic Wildlife guide was a pleasant complement to Heather & Robertson, but as I mentioned, my opinion is biased (I worked with seabirds, albatrosses and penguins, on the Falklands for some years). Their coverage of the different albatross plumages is very good, probably not equalled on any other fieldguide. The equivalent information in H & R is clearly more basic. Marine mammals are the other main reason if you aren't only interested in birds (as is my case), and want to try and find those endemic sealions or dolphins. It's also very nice reading. But that's just my opinion.
Re the Kathy Ombler site guide, I was expecting a lot more for such an amazing area as NZ. I guess that niche is still waiting to be fulfilled. I'm sorry I don't have any of those books here with me, but I can recall one sentence in that book that made me freeze; I can't recall the exact phrasing, but when describing a seawatching site she suggests that binoculars would be useful because the birds would be far. This sums a bit what I think of the book: it's ok, but it could have been a lot better easily, and is maybe not ideal for keen birdwatchers.
The text in H & R is excellent, but a field guide with beautiful illustrations (say, in the style of Lars Jonsson) would be well deserved for NZ. I guess there's a niche there as well to be explored.