Hi there
Rein Hofman posted this picture on aviceda - ABID as an adult Black-
chinned Honeyeater. It looks unlike either sub-species I've seen.
Yellow base to the bill, no blck chin? I'm not saying it isn't, it
just looks really odd to me. Any thoughts:
http://www.aviceda.org/abid/newimages.php?action=latestimages&p=4&pagesize=1
Kind regards
Rob Morris Brisbane, Australia > Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:43:28
-0800> From: > To: >
Subject: [Birding-Aus] New Zealand South Island trip report> > > > >
> Spent 15 days travelling around the south island - 11 of> them
aboard the Orion, an expedition/cruise ship in early December 2008.
Spent> no time inland, but saw most of coast from Nelson to
Fiordland as well as> Stewart Island and the sub-Antarctic Snares
Islands (albeit briefly).> > > > Good birdwatching is sparse on the
east coast of the South> Island, pretty much the entire coast has
been cleared at some point and even> the large areas of sub-tropical
rainforest such as Able Tasman NP and> Marlborough Sounds are
secondary re-growth. Step into forests in the south> island and
things are very quiet - due mainly to predators (Stoats, Ferrets,>
Weasles and Rats). There are however a few dedicated conservation
areas where NZ> has removed predators and native species have been
highly successful> re-colonising them> > > > Able Tasman NP - Lots>
of Variable Oystercatchers around as well as Reef Heron (Eastern
Reef Egret in> Australia) with a nest in a cliff cave on one of the
small islands. Caspian and> White-fronted Terns, Gulls - Black-
backed (Kelp) and Red-billed (Silver),> Spotted, Pied, Little Pied,
Black and Great Shags. Didn't venture into the forest> there, but
there wasn't much calling that I could hear from the coast. Kererū>
or New Zealand Pigeon were> common though.> > > > Marlborough
Sounds -> Ships Cove and Motuara Island - Motuara Island is a real
conservation> success story - the NZ dept. of conservation have
completely removed all> predators (including rats) and the island
functions as a nursery for Brown Kiwi> young.> > > > The island
itself is small (approx. 60ha) and consequently> the island is
saturated with endangered birds. South Island Robin and> Saddleback
(both all but extinct on the mainland) approach within inches as do
Fantail> and Bellbird. There is a small pond about 100m or so u
p the only track on the> island which birds will come to bathe at.
The Kiwi conservation areas are not> accessible, so you won't see
them here (Stewart Island is the place for that).> > > > Ships Cove
is adjacent to Motorua Island on the 'mainland' and> the difference
is palpable - no Robins, Saddlebacks or even Fantails. However>
South Island Weka will come and say hi, they're very tame. Coastal
birds incl.> Paradise Shellduck, Variable Oystercatcher White-fonted
Terns also.> > > > Kaikoura -> pelagic birding is the main
attraction here (see other reports). Albatross can> sometimes be
seen from the coast and coastal birds such as Herons, White-faced>
and Reef, Oystercatchers, Terns and Gulls around the Peninsula.> >
> > Banks Peninsula -> saw a small part of the peninsula around
Akoroua briefly. Almost completely> cleared of native vegetation,
gorse is rampant and introduced predators are> highly abundant.
Despite this there are some good bird attractions here. A> White-
flippered Penguin colony in Flea Bay is managed by a private
landholder> who does all her own predator control (over a massive
area!) and nest boxes.> Tours of the colony are available and there
is also a Pied Shag colony right> nest to the Penguins. Variable
Oystercatcher, Paradise Shelduck and Canada> Goose also benefit from
the lack of predators around the penguin colony and all> had eggs or
young when I was there. There are also a few small gullies where>
remnant vegetation and some good bird life persists along the Banks
Peninsula> Track which you must book to walk.> > > > Dunedin ->
Apparently some good shorebird spots around (although we didn't get
to them),> but again a heavily modified coastline in general. The
only mainland Albatross> colony (Southern Royals) and Yellow-eyes
Penguin colonies are big tourist> draw-cards and well worth a visit
- not cheap, but your money is going to a> very good cause. There is
also a large Spotted Shag colony near the heads. > > > > Dunedin to
Snares> - Heading south from Dunedin the seabirds start
ed to appear far more regularly.> Until now Cape Petrel, a White-
capped Albatross or two and the occasional Giant> Petrel were all
we'd seen (apart from Royal Albatross at the Dunedin colony)> were
all we'd seen off the back of the Orion. From Dunedin to Snares we
saw> Salvin's, White-capped, Royal, Wandering, Bullers, Black-browed
and Grey-headed> Albatross. Also Cape Petrels incessantly following
the ship and Northern Gaint> Petrels, smaller petrels and
shearwaters became more and more common.> > > > The Snares - Then>
next stop for the boat was the Snares Islands some 200km off the
southern tip> of the south island of NZ. The Snares are amazing
granite structures climbing> to approx. 400m straight out of the
southern ocean. Landing on the island is> prohibited, however we had
an afternoon in the Zodiac's around the shoreline. Observed>
thousands of (Snares) Crested Penguins coming in and out of the
water and> climbing massive, steep rock faced to their burrows
(presumably), all the while> dodging cantankerous NZ fur seals and
the occasional Sea-lion. Brown Skua were> also abundant around the
coast and a pair of Antarctic Terns appeared to be> breeding nearby
(they were flying back and forth with fish). Few Buller's> Albatross
to be seen, although the Snares is home to one of the largest>
breeding colonies in the world. Common Diving Petrels were also
around, and> late in the day thousands of Sooty Shearwaters
approached the islands (~3> million nest there).> > > > Had a brief
glimpse of a Snares Island Robin (one of the> endemic land birds on
the islands). The Snares (along with other NZ> sub-Antarctic's e.g.
Auckland, Campbell Islands) are free of introduced predators>
(unlike Macquarie), so land birds have a chance there.> > > >
Snares to Fiordland> - from the Snares we headed north through what
the captain described as> respectable swell (up to 8m) to the
Fiordland coast. The shelf is very close to> the shoreline in SW NZ
and seabirds can be seen regularly right on the coast> (literally
within meters of
it!) Albatross make for a spectacular sight against> the backdrop of
the enormous Fiords (incorrectly referred to as sounds). Wandering,>
White-capped and Salvin's Albatross along with Shearwaters, Prions
and Northern> Giant Petrels were all seen against the spectacular
coastline which> occasionally peered through the low cloud.> > > >
Fiordland, Millford,> Dusky and Doubtfull sounds - (Fiordland)
Crested Penguins can be seen in> the Fiords, although they're by no
means common as well as shags (Spotted> mostly), Gulls and Terns
(mostly White-fronted). A Variable Oystercatcher with a> chick was
also seen on a small island in Dusky Sound. There are numerous>
islands in Fiordland and predators have been eradicated from some of
them> allowing a number of endangered birds to return, but they're
difficult to get> to in general in this part of the world.> > > >
There is some spectacular scenery in the Fiords and some> really
nice rainforest, but unless you're on one of the predator-free
islands the> birdlife is sparse.> > > > From Fiordland we headed to
Stewart Island - NZs third> largest island - (accessible by a short
ferry ride from Bluff on the South> Island).> > > > Stewart Island>
itself is famous as the best spot in NZ to see Brown Kiwi (or Kiwi
of any kind> for that matter). The island is currently Mustellid-
free (i.e. no stoats,> ferrets or Weasels) and there are serious
plans to have a crack at getting rid> of rats as well. We didn't get
to look for Kiwi unfortunately, however there> are operators who run
tours specifically to see Kiwi. Even without seeing Kiwi,> Stewart
Island is a fantastic birdwatching experience and a fascinating>
conservation story.> > > > Ulva Island is a small satellite island,
easily accessable> from Oban Village on Stewart Island and is an
absolute must for any birdwatcher> in southern NZ. In half a day
there we saw Kaka, Tui, Bellbird, Saddleback, Red> and Yellow-
crowned Parakeet, Stewart Island Robin, Rifleman at an active nest,
Kererū,> Brown Creeper, Fantail, Bellbird, Vari
able Oystercatchers with chicks, Stewart> Island Weka with chicks,
White-fronted Tern, Little Penguin and Black-backed> Gull. We didn't
see Yellowhead but they're also around on Ulva. Water Taxis are>
easy to get pretty much any time and there are also guided tours
which are very> worthwhile. Take a guided tour in the morning then
go for a wander by yourself> is the best thing to do - the guides we
had were excellent. Most of them are> actively involved in
conservation work rat trapping, researching breeding or> re-
introducing birds such as Rifleman to the island. > > > >
Highlights of Ulva island were Stewart Island Robin feeding>
dependent young on the ground 4 feet away and Weka Family coming
straight up to> us and allowing us to take pictures of them about
10cm away. Seeing Rifleman> (NZ's smallest bird) up close was also
fantastic. They are one of the more> furtive NZ passerines,
generally high up in the forest canopy. We happened> across an
active nest this time (one of the benefits of getting a guide) and>
were able to sit quietly and wait for the birds to come in and out
of the nest> hollow. > > > > Although most of the threatened
endemic avifauna is on Ulva,> the township of Oban on Stewart Island
is a great place to see Kaka and Tui> (better then Ulva actually)
and Stewart Island Shag can also be seen around the> harbour and
coastline along with Terns, Gulls and Variable Oystercatchers
(breeding> actively 50m from the main pier). > > > > A few of the
images from the trip can be found at > > http://glenne.zenfolio.com/f802662832
> > PS if you're a photographer, don't bother taking anything> more
than a 200mm into a forest - http://glenne.zenfolio.com/p266908505/h6c36978#h12087e21
shows why. > > > > > Stay connected to the people that matter most
with a smarter inbox. Take a look http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/smarterinbox
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