One of our favorite places that we have been to, New Zealand was our next stop after Australia. Also known as “the land of birds” (because there are only two native land mammals, and the rest are birds) I couldn’t wait to get there because of the high proportion of endemics.
We started our trip in Christchurch, and while walking through the botanic gardens we found that the entire area is frequented by flocks of Black-billed Gulls, an endemic which is endandgered.
Black-fronted Terns are another endandgered endemic, and again easy to see when driving through centrel Canterbury.
In Dunedin we went to the famous Taiaroa Head Royal Albatross colony, and although we didn’t go on the tour, we still saw some albatrosses and the huge colony of Silver Gulls, which pooped and threw up on anything that dared to walk below.
One of the few albatrosses we saw fly over the hill.
Also near Dunedin we went to Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a “mainland island” where there are no invasive mammals. The New Zealand Robins there are very obvious, and are quite inquisitive.
Tuis are very common across the country, and are easily identified by their bronzy-blue color and characteristic dual white tufts.
This is a Pipipi, one of only three in its family and another endemic. We only saw them once, again in Orokonui.
New Zealand Bellbirds are also common, and are small honeyeaters that enjoy the nectar from flowers anywhere.
Orokonui’s star bird is the South Island takahē, a type of rail. It was once thought extinct but was famously rediscovered on an expedition to the Murchison Mountains in 1948. There are numerous populations on islands off of the North Island now, but few still live on the South Island, so it was nice to see one there.
Stewart Island, New Zealand’s “third island” was high on my list, and we went on a birding trip to try to see the famous Southern Brown Kiwi. The trip began with some birding on a boat, and we spotted this Yellow-eyed Penguin, the rarest in the world.
The trip did pay off, and we got excellent views of a young kiwi feeding on the beach.
Kiwi are very sensitive to white light, so our guides had red light flashlights so we could still get a good view and get some pictures without bothering the kiwi.
Kiwi only generally come to the beach on Stewart Island, not anywhere else. They are foraging for the sandhoppers (a type of insect) that feed on the washed-up seaweed.
During our stay on Stewart Island we also took a trip to Ulva Island, a pest-free sanctuary. This Weka followed us down the trail for a while, and then turned into the forest.
On the beach there were other Wekas, this one with a chick that had been hiding in a pile of branches.
Flocks of Red-crowned Parakeets are a common sight on the island, and some let us get close.
Little Pied Cormorants are also common along the coast and inland lakes.
The town of Oban on Stewart Island is mobbed by flocks of Kakas, large parrots that destroy any wood they find, including the tables of restaurants.
The town of Te Anau on the mainland was one of our favorite spots, and we saw a family of Great Crested Grebes on the lake.
We took a day trip to Milford Sound in Fiordland, and on the way got to meet the famous “cheeky” Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot and endemic to the South Island.
We also got to see the Kea in action, as it twisted off the antenna of somebody else’s car.
Tomtits are one of the less common passerines, although you’re still likely to encounter them at some point.
On our way up the west coast we visited Fox Glacier, at the end of a hike to a viewpoint.
I had been hoping to take a pelagic birding trip from the town of Kaikoura for a long time, and we did. This Westland Petrel was one of the first species we saw.
Northern Giant-petrels, the “vultures of the sea” generally hogged the chum that we were using to attract birds.
Kaikoura is famous for the albatrosses, and this Salvin’s Albatross was one of four species we saw that day.
We loved the tiny Cape Petrels, who would dart in to snatch a bite of fish and then retreat before the giant-petrels saw them.
The number one bird for Kaikoura was the Wandering Albatross, the largest flying bird in the world, with a record wingspan of 12 feet. We were lucky enough to see a completely grown adult, as indicated by the almost pure white plumage.
The wandering was the only bird that could really take food away from the giant-petrels, and when the rest of the chum was thrown out it dominated the other birds.
Due to the small size of the boat, we were only feet away from this huge bird.
On the way back we stopped at a seal colony with several babies, like this one.
We also came across this lone Hector’s Dolphin, the smallest and rarest marine dolphin in the world.
After we had finished on the South Island we went to Auckland and took a trip to Tiritiri Matangi island, another pest-free sanctuary. This baby Whitehead is begging for food, not an uncommon sight.
This Variable Oystercatcher apparently has at least one chick, as you can see the balls of fuzz poking out from underneath.
North Island Saddlebacks were also abundant on the island, and quickly became normal.
We also saw several Stitchbirds, especially around the nectar feeders. Stitchbirds are in their own family, and are endemic to the North Island.
New Zealand Pigeons are very common in the forests, although rarer in the cities, where you are not likely to see them.
Tuis are also common on the North Island, and this one had just finished taking a bath when I got this photo.
Tiritiri Matangi is also famous for its population of South Island Takahes, and we saw an adult and a chick.
