New Zealand - South Island - information/advice sought

[David Rees <>]

Julie

If you can stomach being on a small boat then a 'pelagic' out from Kaikoura is a must, truely world class, and the beauty is that trip is it is only 10 mins out rather than the 2 hours from a port on the NSW Coast.  Road access is improving all the time post the big earthquake. See my vid at https://vimeo.com/147215815 . Watch your fingers with those Giant petrels!!   The Christchurch suburb of Sumner has NZ Spotted Shag, White fronted Tern etc.  The City Bot garden will bring you up to date with the European avian contingent.  

Marlborough Sound area has unique birds and has good boat operators out of Picton. Eg the very rare King Shag  https://vimeo.com/147689572   and shearwaters close up https://vimeo.com/147676733   Visits to Islands in the sound provide one of the few opportunities to see the South Island Saddleback (which looks just like the NI Saddlback! which is doing well in Zeelandia), also NZ Robin, different to the NI Robin in Zeelandia/ Kapiti.  The northwest of the SI is the stronghold for Weka on the mainland islands, esp. around the town of Westport  https://vimeo.com/147205896  They will nick things from open cars/bags if you are not careful.

Zealandia is very good, highly recommend also doing the night walk, good chance to see Little Spotted kiwi almost stumble over your feet  https://vimeo.com/112905730 plus a few other things, like giant Wetas!   I like the trip out to Kapiti island, from the town of Paraparamu an hour north of Wellington, many of the same birds as in Zeelandia but in a wild island setting.  Book that one in advance a few days if going in the week, longer in advance on weekends,  highly weather dependent though, esp. given the nature of the place and the boat landing - directly onto a pebble beach. Night stay possible out there for Little spotted Kiwis but very expensive.

The only place that I know of where there is a organized Kiwi walk on mainland SI is in the small town of Okarito on the west coast - for the rarest of Kiwis - the Rowi.  I have done this, many hours at night in very cold conditions, but finally a good view, photography not allowed - as those noisy, 'Can/nikon'  things scare kiwis (they are super sensitive to noise and flashes) and their use has, it seems, resulted in a general ban. 

Passes over the mountains can be good for Kea - depends on the weather though, which can be unspeakable.   Kaka can be found in SI Beach forests, but are easy to see in Zeelandia or on Kapiti, the centre of NI is best for truly wild birds.   On the SI, the wonderful Tui is not present around Christchurch.  They are present in the far north, far south and west coast though.  Expect to have to work for birds like the Whio, Rock wren (yet to see) and Kakarikis (the surviving mainland ones) . 

Dunedin area is good. on-land albatross etc at Taiaroa Head plus various indigenous cormorants, Town of Omaru for Penguins. West coast has Fiordland Crested Penguins, these can also be seen on Milford Sound from a boat if weather is good. Twizel area for Black Stilt  

If you are driving, NZ is much bigger than you think, it is slow to get anywhere esp. on the west coast and over the mountains. It is easy to underestimate journey times when planning itineraries, it is not flat country Australia

A trip to Stewart island is bit of an undertaking for a casual trip, what to you expect to target down there?  Southern Brown Kiwi for one.  

A general warning, birding is 'hard', esp in native forest, which is very dense with tall trees and has poor sight lines, also looking for waders on braided rivers.  I do love the NZ forests though, truly stunning. Mind the wasps in the Beach forests late summer and the nasty Sandflies on the West coast (take/use repellent if going there).

In my book, best value accommodation are self-catering cabins combined with a regular car hire.  Campervans can be surprisingly poor value, esp. when you factor in rental costs, extra fuel costs of driving a few extra tonnes of metal about and the high site fees charged at serviced campsites.

David

 

On Tue, Dec 12, 2017 at 7:56 PM, Julie Clark <> wrote:

Hi All,

I will be going on a 'family trip' to New Zealand in March for approximately 2 weeks. While birding will have to be mostly 'incidental' I am hoping to slot in around 3 targeted birding spots.

I am think of flying in to Wellington so I can visit Zealandia, but after that we will be on the south island and probably the southern part ... Christchurch and south ...

I have been doing some research on eBird and various websites but would really love input/advice from any of you who have spent time over there. I was interested in Stewart Island so would particularly like information/comments either positive or negative regarding Stewart and Ulva islands.

Any other locations that could be slotted in to a family trip would be great, along with information about Zealandia (Wellington) or other  'must see/visit' bird  spots.

Thanks in advance  for the valuable help that I always receive from COG members.

Cheers

Julie

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Julie Clark