Tiritiri Matangi Island

I'm just off the boat from Tiri having enjoyed some time again staying on the Island. My purpose on  this visit was to photograph birds feeding, some on the nectar of spring flowers, which also expanded to birds preparing their nests in the case of a particularly engaging fernbird.

 I saw kokako each day and I think this is because some time ago on a previous visit to Tiri with a friend, she encouraged me to listen for the birds and this really is the key to then observing them. That's certainly  the case for this little elusive fernbird that I observed for several hours over two days as it collected feathers for a nest well hidden below the muehlenbeckia and bracken.

More  photos.... Tiri library October 2013

Awkwards

Orchids or 'awkwards' as I prefer to call them because they are so difficult to photograph. They are so small and tricky to show off their features effectively and there is always a breeze in the bush the moment I start to use the camera. Then of course you have to find them to begin with. Yesterday there were heaps around, Pterostylis agathicola in little groups.

Recovering from Man Flu, so I was unsure if a six hour trek in  bush terrain was a good idea but  soon was distracted by the beauty around and although without a map I trusted my companion with her GPS to make sure we were not going around in circles.

 The purpose of todays trek was to check out possible sites for more predator traps.

After crossing this stream several times we found the perfect spot for a picnic lunch  and Wow, the beautiful waterfall nearby. This is Hochstetter and Kaka habitat but we saw neither today.

We came out of the bush late afternoon and settled for an ice cream before heading to Brick bay where to my delight I spotted a bellbird feeding on watsonia flowers. It was a dark olive green with that unmistakable long beak that entered the flowers seeking nectar. This is my first sighting of a non captive bird on the mainland. Very likely from Tiritiri Matangi Island???

Seaforth

What an interesting property this is, owned by Cynthia and James, who were the perfect hosts today allowing us a free rein of their wonderful bush property above Hatfields beach.

 The site has been owned by the Mackenzie family for 83 years with the fast disappearing habitat dubbed gumland scrub. There are some very interesting orchids and I have never seen so many sundew plants before.

 Photos and more to follow..............

The Helican!

Six Pelican at Waipu - Saturday 14th September

A wonderful bird is the pelican

His bill will hold more than his belican,

He can take in his beak

Enough food for a week

But I'm damned if I see how the helican!

 

Dixon Lanier Merritt

 

Yesterday we began our walk with a tasty chocolate brownie from the local store which was to see us through until a picnic lunch at the end of the spit.

It was good to see six Pelicans in the distance on the far side of the river at Waipu. About a week ago five flew over Pakiri. 
These birds from Australia arrived in New Zealand under their own steam so they become Natives to add to our biodiversity.

Ice plant is everywhere and other invasive plants above the sarcocornia and marsh rush. Just a few patches  of coastal ribbonwood so not much cover for banded rail . I love this saltmarsh habitat.

We saw Harrier circling overhead and Paradise ducks too. Just three pairs of dotterel and one single. Some of the birds are banded. I photographed these to pass on the information.(A more recent visit has counted 11 pairs across the area). A Caspian tern did a flyby searching the river for fish. At the mouth of the estuary about 30 black backed gulls were feeding. A skylark sang to us from high in the sky.

Today had a cool sharp  South Westerly breeze which seemed to swing around to a North North Westerly at times. However the rain kept off until we were within running distance of the car, left at the car park at Waipu. Then time to dry off during the drive home to look forward to a warm by the fire.

Love is in the Air

This sequence of photographs of copulating Variable Oystercatchers was taken today about an hour and a half after high tide on a shell bank at Shoal bay

Hauraki Gulf Forum

I have just returned as a representative for the North Shore branch of  Forest and Bird from  the all day Hauraki Gulf Forum and the evening launch of the Sea Change Spatial plan. These events were  held at Auckland  Museum. .

This was an all day event outlining the way forward for planning and management of a range of activities including protecting the special environment of the Hauraki Gulf . The tool to do this is the Spatial plan which is to be called Sea Change and this was launched this evening by Nick Smith.

Spatial plans have been used overseas and their objective is to involve all stakeholders  in the  planning and management of important areas rather than leaving that entirely to market forces.


At the end of the Forum it was time for the  Jim Holdaway awards for leadership which went to

 Dr Rochelle Constantine for her advocacy for the Hauraki Gulf Brydes whale population.












Keith Woodley for encouraging awareness of the shorebirds of the Firth of Thames and the environment on which they depend.

 Chris Gaskin for his advocacy for seabirds and conservation and notably the recent research project  that confirmed the breeding place of the NZ storm petrel



 Photos and more to follow.....................

Tiri with the Auckland Museum

What a great idea to bring the experts from the Auckland  museum to Tiri and have them lead groups around the island for visitors interested in botany, ornithology, archaeology, entomology and marine (rocky shore) life.

I decided to join the marine and entomology groups and thoroughly enjoyed a different take on the Islands natural history.

 More to follow............

Just a walk in the Park

When a friend contacts you and asks you to go for a 'walk in the park' and also asks that you  carry three dozen eggs, you could believe that you are heading for a very  tasty alfresco omelette.

 The reality dawned seven hours later when we emerged from the challenging but beautiful bush having checked and re-baited 36 traps, re-tagged the trail with orange tape and checked out a few other trap lines while we were there.

 A worthwhile day in the hope that we will one day get on top of all the predators that keep our lovely bush areas free of bird song. A comparison with some of the Islands in the Gulf shows what can be done if stoats, weasels, hedgehogs and rats are removed.

Keeping  mainland bush, predator free is a real challenge if it doesn't have a predator proof fence encircling it.

Oh and guess who broke the 32nd egg?

Jeeps its hot here!

I'm enjoying the heatwave in the UK with most days around a very humid 34C  and catching up with Mum, its her 90th birthday this year and friends and family.

 Its great to meet up with my sister and family and good to see that everyone is well and enjoying the sunshine.

It is extremely hot and by the afternoon its quite an effort to get about with the high humidity but walks under the shade of some beautiful trees remind me of what England is all about.

The English countryside and perfectly groomed villages look beautiful at this time of the year.


 
 







I'm again staying at the Squirrel pub at Hurtmore in Surrey which is a great location. That's my little room in the 16C cottages.













 I have enjoyed some walks on my beloved Horsell Common, its the season for the heathers, Erica tetralix (cross leaved  heather) is in flower and Calluna vulgaris will be later in the year, giving a carpet of purple to this heathland.

Bog asphodel is also found on this piece of diminished habitat which is the home of some rare birds including the stonechat, Dartford Warbler and Nightjar. No sign of sundew yet but the heat may have shrivelled it up or I may be not quite looking in the right place. This is my old stomping ground and It feels good to be back.

It was on Horsell Common that the HG Wells landed his Martian machines for the War of the Worlds story. Wells lived in the local town for some years. More recently this splendid stainless steel replica to the martians has been added to the town. Many years ago I was on Horsell common at nightfall watching badgers and I saw a huge comet cross the sky and wondered if Wells story was coming true.










Winchester has always been a popular place for me with many memories. The Youth Hostel as it was then in the old mill was the first I ever went to so I jumped at a chance to go there for a walk around and the water meadows with the crystal clear chalk streams of the river Itchen are just so special and soon I was fish spotting as I had done many years ago. One trip by train allowed us to catch up with conversations safely and in comfort as those fast trains whizz along on continually welded track. No clackity clack here.

Thanks Steve for a great day out and  taking the time off before your trip to Menton in France,










I have also ventured  into the Surrey Hills on several visits for about 8 mile walks with a good friend and we have seen roe deer, many butterflies and an interesting number of plant species growing on the calcareous soils. This included Giant Hogweed (the sap is a nasty irritant)  and yes on that day we did have a shower or two of rain but it was short lived. The walks happily coincided with finding a little pub on route with great food and ale of course. The footpath network is extensive and the county of Surrey is the most wooded county in England. Its beautiful woodland of oak ,ash rowan and hawthorn with sweet chestnut and sycamore.  Thanks John and Debbie for feeding me and guiding  the great walks too.



 Back to the chalk downs at Newlands corner to see the many species of wildflowers and those butterflies attracted to them including the beautiful Brimstone, Red Admiral and a skipper. I watched a kestrel hunting at Newlands corner on several occasions. There are little patches of woodland and bramble and stinging nettles everywhere in the county of Surrey. These all add to the rich biodiversity found here

I wanted to re-visit Selbourne in Hampshire to visit Gilbert White, the early English Naturalists house again. I had never crossed the field to the 'Hangers' and the zig zag path up through the beech forest that had been made by White. On this occasion the weather was perfect and so the long grass was dry to cross.

 Problem was that some people were erecting  a marquee tent and although I was giving it a wide birth someone decided that I should be advised to keep even further away as the Health and Safety people were getting twitchy about me.

 I suggested that it was unlikely that it could kill or injure me at that distance but he wasn't very amused. I continued to cross the field I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to get to the 'Hangers'.

Afternoon T at Harrods was on the suggestion of another  friend who thought it would be fun to do and so it was. Here I am with my pot of Earl Grey and little fancy cakes.

 Just noticed that I have forgotten to use the tea strainer so I  wont be asked back.

 

Tree Signs Mount Tamahunga

A revisit to the top of Mount Tamahunga to geo-tag the location of some good specimen trees for interpretive signage.

Gone North

Enjoying being along this great coastline on a bird survey. I had heaps of spare warm clothes expecting it to be really cold but the day was fantastic and it was certainly warmer than the predicted 5C-12C.

 "One out of the box" as Gwen remarked and we all enjoyed our day with lots of interesting birds including NZ dotterel, pied stilt, including a hybrid (a smudgie). Also an  egret and a black shag colony with about 7 winter nests in the top of a huge Macrocarpa tree. I learned heaps from the experts and enjoyed photographing the dotterel and black shags.

 The egret was a long way off . Eliane had spotted it flying over us as we tried to count the nests in the black shag colony. Then it landed and joined  three spoonbill on the other side of the river.

Enjoyed the evening too  as it was time to dust of some vinyl 45's that I have not heard for a lifetime. So took advantage of the record player and a tasty Indian meal.

Tuff Crater F&B Planting

On Friday the plants were delivered to Tuff from the Kaipatiki project  by a few  hardy volunteers with a couple of trailers ready for the Forest and Bird North Shore branch planting today.

 It was a cold start at 8am but gradually more people arrived until we counted around 50 and then the  sun came out and many hands made light work of planting down from the ridge in fairly difficult terrain particularly amongst the previously  treated dying pampas grass clumps.

Hopefully these native plants will take over from that invasive plant and transform this side  of the crater.

It's a Sign

Well it's a big step in the right direction for the Council to have now erected a sign at the Charles Street access point to the Shoal Bay shell bank and spit. This sign shows the area as a Wildlife area and also points out that dogs should be on a leash.

Shoal Bay is DOC designated as a Site of Special Wildlife Interest (SSWI)

It has been an issue for me and the Forest and Bird Team when we see dogs running lose and chasing birds that are trying to feed on the foreshore at different states of the tide.

I have photographed each of the 17 access points to the foreshore of  the Shoal Bay estuary  and look forward to seeing more wildlife signs helping to  protect this excellent and important wildlife area.

Well done Auckland Council for getting on with this and thanks to all involved..