Georges Olioso, le Mail, 26230 Grignan (France) georges.olioso(AT)wanadoo.fr

Wrybill	New Zealand Dotterel	Variable Oystercatcher	Pied Stilt

More photos by Georges Olioso taken in New Zealand

This trip was organized by Destination Nature.

Transports

Flights : Paris Roissy –London Heathrow and London – Roissy by BMI
London – Los Angeles – Auckland and return by Air New Zealand (also the flight Queenstown – Auckland).
We rented a Toyota minibus in North Island and a Ford Transit in South Island. Roads are good. Diesel is cheap (for Frenchmen !), about 0,57 €/l (1,10 in France !).

Accomodations

We sleep in confortable motels or lodge, but at Milford Sound, Bluff ou Queenstown.

Weather

Only 3 hours of rain, arriving at Kaikoura 21/11 !!! Strong wind the 22/11 but very good sea the 23/11. In the Milford Sound , the sky was blue, blue !

Temperatures between 6° and 8°C in the morning, between 20° and 25° in the afternoon...

Itinerary

Kelp Gull	Red-billed Gull	Flesh-footed Shearwater	Fairy Tern

North Island

15/11/2005. The plane lands at 5 a.m. We take the booked car at Europcars and drive to Orewa. In front of the car rent office, species are European (Great Cormorant, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Starling, Song Thrush with 5 pulli at nest, House Sparrow...) or Asian (Common Myna, Spotted Dove) but we see also our first NZ birds, Welcome Swallow and Silvereye (a common species). En route, somme Australasian Harriers and Spur-winged Plovers.

Near the Orewa Motor Lodge, our first Tui and 2 Australasian Gannets very near the beach ! In the afternoon we drive to Waipu Cove for Fairy Tern and NZ Dotterel. We see only 1 tern (the local subspecies is very rare with only ± 30 wild birds) and some plovers. The more common bird here is Variable Oystercatcher. Pairs are displaying. We see also our first Wrybill, a very curious bird with the bill tip curved to the right !

16/11/2005. Today, we go to Sandspit and Tiritiri Matangi island. This island is predator free ! Birds are numerous, with some rare species like Takahe, Stitchbird (< 2000 birds), Saddleback (± 650 wild birds), Kokako (< 1500 wild birds), Brown Teal. A night walk : a Morepork and many Blue Penguins.

17/11/2005. We leave Tiritiri at 7 a.m. and we take a small boat to a day in the Hauraki Gulf. First bird is a Northern Giant-Petrel, then, we see very numerous Fluttering Shearwaters tens of Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Common Diving-Petrels and some Black Petrels. But th bette is a good and long view of 2 (3 ?) New Zealand Storm-Petrel, a recently rediscovered species !

18/11/2005. We Leave Orewa and drive to Muriwai Beach. The landscape and the gannets colony are astonishing ! Then, we drive to Miranda lagoon. Hundreds of Bar-tailed Godwits and Knots ... Also some very tame Wrybills, tens of Pied Stilts, 8 Sharp-tailed and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers...

Afternoon at Rotorua ; on the lake, hundreds of Black Swans, numerous Red-billed Gulls ans also 4 NZ Dabchicks.

19/11/2005. Today, a long drive... Stop at a small lake near Whakamaru. Grey Teals, Grey Ducks, NZ Scaups and ...Mallards !!

Night at the Mountain Heights hotel, near the small town of National Park. We see 1 NZ Pipit.

20/11/2005. Second long drive. Earling morning, I search birds along the road... Fernbird is common with NZ Pipit. Then we go to search Blue Duck along the streams. We found a pair, just in front the Blue Duck Cottage (!!!) on the  Maunganui Ateno River. Night at Palmerstorn North.

21/11/2005. Last morning on North Island. Drive to Wellington. We take the ferry to: South Island. On the wharf, 1 Reef Heron and our first Spotted Shag. Very few birds during the crossing, only an hundred of Fairy Prions and just 1 Westland Petrel.

South Island:

We land at Stenton and then we drive to Kaikoura.

22/11/2005. Bad weather today... It is not possible to take a boat...

23/11/2005. Very good weather !! We take a « tourists » whale-seeing-boat... Not vey good... Only 1 Sperm Whale and some Dolphins. In the afternoon, we take a small boat to search albatrosses... Very good ! Numerous Salvin’s Albatross, 1 Antipodean, 1 Gibson, some Southern Royal, 1 White-head and 1 Black-browed Albatross !!!  Cape Pigeons and Westland Petrels are abundant. We see also Buller’s, Short-tailed Shearwaters and 1 White-shinned Petrel. Northern Giant Petrels are numerous.

A very nice day !

24/11/2005. To day, drive to the Mount Cook area. En route, on the bank of lake Pukaki, but far, we see 2 Black Stilts, one of the world rarest birds (<40 wild birds !), with some Pied Stilts. Short stop near the Heritage Hotel, a NZ Falcon catch a prey and disappears... The, we drive to Omarama ; from the Akurini bridge we see a splendid Black Stilt ! Night in the Omarama To 10.

25/11/2005. We leave the island center to Otago peninsula. En route, first watch of an adult Royale Spoonbill. From the tourist center of Taiaroa Head we see 4 Northern Royal Albatross incubating and 2 flying. Astonishing !...Good watch also of Yellow-eyed Penguins in a Penguin Reserve. Night in Portobello.

26/11/2005. Last step in South Island. No new birds, but numerous NZ Fur Seals and 1 Sea Lion at Nugget Point. Night in a very old hotel in Bluff.

27/11/2005. Early morning, crossing to Stewart Island, then to Ulva Island, a small one but with very beautiful forests and numerous birds. On the beach, our first Weka, 2 adults + 1 chick. We seen another in the forest. Good watches of very tame NZ Robin. Another good birds are NZ Pigeon, Kaka, Yellow-crowned and Red-crowned Parakeets, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Brown Creeper  and Saddleback. At night we go to search Southern Brown Kiwi...

28/11/2005. We found the Kiwi at 1 a.m. !! In the afternoon, far watche of a Fiordland Penguin.

29/11/2005. Back to South Island. On a gravel islet of the Aporimo River, we see a Black-fronted Dotterel with 3 Banded Dotterels.

Then stop in a forest in the Fiordland N.P. before the Homer Tunnel, on the road to Milford Sound. No Yellowhead, but some Rifflemans, a common endemic. Near the tunnel, just after the car park, a pair of Rock Wren (or South Island Wren). The nest is not far and the birds carry food...On a car, 2 Keas ! Night at the Milford Sound Lodge.

30/11/2005. In the morning, short cruise in the Milford Sound. We see some Fiordland Penguins. Night at Te Anau.

01/12/2005 . Drive to Queenstown then to Glenorchy and lake Sylvan. Here we see 2 Yellowheads, just 200 m after the footbridge. Back to Queenstown. A pair of NZ Falcon is very aggressive !

Short walk on the shore of the lake, in Queenstown, just a pair of  Great Crested Grebe (a rare species here) with 1 young. Night in Queenstown.

02/12/2005. Near the lake, some birds... Black-billed Gull, Paradise Shelduck, Grey Duck, NZ Scaup, Coot, Mallard, Little Pied Cormorant, Kelp Gull...

Late morning and afternoon at the Haast Pass, near Makarora. Another Yellowheads and a pair of NZ Falcon. Night in Queenstown.

03/11/2005. Last day in New Zealand... We start to Auckland at 10 a. m., then to Los Angeles at 11 p.m.

Books and internet sites used

Two books only

• The hand guide to the birds of New Zealand (Robertson & Heather).
• Field guide to New Zealand Seabirds. (Parkinson).

Plus

• www.wrybill-tours.com
• www.osnz.org.nz

Species list

New Zealand Robin	New Zealand Bellbird	Stitchbird	Tomtit

Names and order are in « the ‘official’ New Zealand Birders checklist » from B. Stephenson & S. Saville for Wrybill tours.

Endemics are underlined.

Native species

1. Apteryx australis Southern Brown Kiwi. Only on Stewart Island, 28/11. One male and one female.
2. Podiceps cristatus Great Crested Grebe. Uncommon. Only 24/11 lake Benmore, near Onamara (1 ind.) and 30/11 and 01/12 Queenstown (pair with 1 chick)
3. Poliocephalus rufopectus New Zealand Grebe. 19/11, 4 Rotorua, near the Golf court. 20/11, 6 lake Kario.
4. Diomedea (exulans) antipodensis Antipodean (Wandering) Albatross. One, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
5. Diomedea (exulans) gibsoni Gibson’s (Wandering) Albatross. Some, 23/11 off Kaikoura. Recent split.
6. Diomedea (epomophora) sanfordi Northern Royal Albatross. Taiaroa Head, 25/11, 4 incubating and 2 flying.
7. Diomedea epomophora Southern Royal Albatross. Some, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
8. Thalassarche melanophris Black-browed Albatross. One, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
9. Thalassarche (cauta) steadi White-capped Albatross. One, 23/11 off Kaikoura,
10. Thalassarche (cauta) salvini Salvin’s Albatross. The commonest albatross. Tens, 23/11 off Kaikoura. Two, 27 and 29/11 during the crossing Bluff and Oban.
11. Puffinus carneipes Flesh-footed Shearwater. Common, 17/11, Hauraki Gulf. Only 3, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
12. Puffinus bulleri Buller’s Shearwater. Only 4, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
13. Puffinus griseus Sooty Shearwater. Taiaroa Head, 25/11 ; Nugget Point, 26/11 and between Bluff and Oban 26 and 27/11.
14. Puffinus tenuirostris Short-tailed Shearwater. One, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
15. Puffinus gavia Fluttering Shearwater. 16/11, 4 Hauraki Gulf. At least 2000 the next day.
16. Puffinus huttoni Hutton’s Shearwater. At least 2000 fishing, 22/11 just in front the Kaikoura beach. Abundant at sea the next day.
17. Puffinus assimilis Little Shearwater. A dozen, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf.
18. Pelecanoides urinatrix Common diving-petrel. A ten, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf. Numerous 27 and 29/11 between Bluff and Oban.
19. Procellaria parkinsoni Black Petrel. A dozen, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf.
20. Procellaria westlandica Westland Petrel. One, 21/11, Cook Strait. Numerous 23/11 off Kaikoura.
21. Procellaria aequinoctialis White-chinned Petrel. One, 23/11 off Kaikoura.
22. Daption capense australe Cape Petrel (Cape Pigeon). Abundant, 23/11 off Kaikoura. Seen in small number, 25/11 Taiaroa Head, 26/11 Nugget Point and 29/11 between Oban and Bluff.
23. Macronectes halli Northern Giant-Petrel. One, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf. At least 10, 23/11 off Kaikoura. Two, 29/11 between Oban and Bluff. Also, 22/11 from Kaikoura beach and South Bay and 27/11 near Oban.
24. Pachyptila turtur Fairy Prion. Two, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf and > 100, 21/11 between Wellington and Stenton.
25. Pterodroma cooki Cook’s Petrel. Fifty or so, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf.
26. Oceanites maorianus New Zealand Storm Petrel. At least 2 (perhaps 3 or 4), 17/11 Hauraki Gulf.
27. Pelagodroma marina White-faced Storm-Petrel. At least 10, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf.
28. Megadyptes antipodes Yellow-eyed Penguin. A dozen in a reserve near Taiaroa Head 25/11. One incubating, 26/11, near Nugget Point.
29. Eudyptula minor Little (Blue) Penguin. Common Tiritiri Matangi. Birds incubating near Taiaroa Head. At sea in Hauraki Gulf, off Oban and between Oban and Bluff.
30. Eudyptes pachyrhynchus Fiordland crested Penguin. Two, 28/11 off Oban. A ten, 30/11, Milford Sound at sea and on the shore.
31. Morus serrator Australasian Gannet. Orewa and Waipu Cove, 15/11. Numerous, 17/11 Hauraki Gulf (colony). Another spectacular colony, 18/11 Muriwai Beach.
32. Phalacrocorax carbo novaehollandiae Great Cormorant. In small number everywhere on the coast.
33. Phalacrocorax varius Pied Cormorant. Widespread on the coast. Also at the Rotorua lake.
34. Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Black Cormorant. Only Rotorua lake, 18 and 19/11.
35. Phalacrocorax melanoleucos Little pied Cormorant. The commonest Cormorant.
36. Leucocarbo (Phalacrocorax) chalconotus Stewart Island Shag. Common on Stewart oasts. Also near Taiaroa Head (colony).
37. Stictocarbo (Phalacrocorax) punctatus Spotted Shag. One, 21/11 Wellington harbour. Common along the South Island aznd Stewart Island coasts.
38. Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron. Widespread, seen everywhere.
39. Egretta sacra Eastern Reef Heron. Only one, 21/11 Wellington harbour.
40. Platalea regia Royal Spoonbill. One, 25/11, Kakanui. Small colony 26/11 Nugget Point. The 26/11, 6 Catlins River, one, Papatoua and 2 just before Bluff.
41. Tadorna variegata Paradise Shelduck. Widespread and common, tame.
42. Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos Blue Duck. A pair, 20/11 Maunganui Ateno River.
43. Anas superciliosa Pacific grey Duck. Widespread but not common, pure birds are very uncommon. 20/11, Maunganui Ateno River, a female with 10 chicks ; 24/11, Omarana camp site, 2 females with 8 chicks each ; also in Queenstown.
44. Anas gracilis Grey Teal. Not widespread. About 10, 19/11 lake Whakamaru. Five 20/11, lake Kario. Only, 24/11 lake Benmore. One hundred, 25/11 Kakanui and 1, 30/11 Milford Sound.
45. Anas chlorotis Brown Teal. Only a pair 16 and 17/11 Tiritiri Matangi island. A rare bird.
46. Anas rhynchotis Australasian Shoveler. Only a few.... I have already saw this species ... in Camargue ! Three (1 male), 19/11 lake near Whakamaru. Three, 20/11, lake Kario. Pair, 24/11 lake Pukaki. Pair, 29/11 Aporimo river.
47. Aythya novaeseelandiae New Zealand Scaup. Widespread. One hundred, 25/11 lake Benmore. Also Rotorua, Te Anau or Queenstown.
48. Circus approximans Swamp (Australasian) Harrier. Only 2 breeding raptors in New Zealand. This species is common.
49. Falco novaeseelandiae New Zealand Falcon. Uncommon endemic. One with a prey, 24/11 near Mount Cook. Very aggressive pair, 01/12 between Glenorchy and lake Sylvan. One, 02/12 above Queenstown and the same day, pair at Haast Pass.
50. Gallirallus australis Weka. Three pairs with chicks, Ulva island, off Oban. One between Oban and Acker’s ;
51. Gallirallus philippensis Buff-banded Rail. Only one, Orewa 18/11.
52. Porzana tabuensis Spotless Crake. One16 and 17/11 Tiritiri Matangi island.
53. Porphyrio (porphyrio) melanotus Pukeko. Widespread andcommon.
54. Porphyrio mantelli = P. hochstetteri Takahe. A little more than 200 live wild birds ! Seen only on Tiritiri Matangi.
55. Fulica atra Common Coot. Uncommon. Four (onr building nest), 19/11 near Whakamaru. Some, 20/11 lake Kario and 1 immature 02 and 03/12 Queenstown.
56. Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit. Twenty or so, 15/11 Waipu Cove ; > 200, 18/11 à Miranda.
57. Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone. Two, 15/11 Waipu Cove.
58. Calidris canutus Red Knot. > 500, 18/11 Miranda.
59. Calidris melanotos Pectoral Sandpiper. Two, 18/11 Miranda, with the next species.
60. Calidris acuminata Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Height, 18/11 Miranda.
61. Haematopus finschi South Island (Pied) Oystercatcher. Widespread and common in South Island. Nest (2 eggs) Stewart Island, le 27/11. One hundred, 18/11 Miranda.
62. Haematopus unicolor Variable Oystercatcher. Widespread, but not very common.
63. Himantopus himantopus Pied Stilt. Perhaps a good species Himantopus leucocephalus. Widespread and common. > 200, Miranda, 18/11.
64. Himantopus novaezelandiae Black Stilt. A very rare bird ! We saw at least 2 adults, 24/11, on lake Pukaki shores. An adult, 24 and 25/11, Akurini river, near Omarana.
65. Pluvialis fulva Pacific Golden Plover. Three, 18/11 Miranda.
66. Charadrius obscurus New Zealand Plover (Dotterel). A ten or so, 15/11 Waipu Cove ; then 1, 18/11 Miranda.
67. Charadrius bicinctus Banded Dotterel. The 22/11, 6 on the Kaikoura beach then 2 pairs with chicks, South Bay. Fifteen or so, 24/11, lake Pukaki and 3, 29/11 Aporimo river.
68. Charadrius (=Elseyornis) melanops Black-fronted Dotterel. Only one, 29/11, Aporimo river.
69. Anarhynchus frontalis Wrybill. One male,15/11, Waipu Cove then a ten or so, very tame, 18/11 Miranda.
70. Vanellus miles Masked Lapwing. Widespread and common. Nest, 22/11, Kaikoura.
71. Stercorarius parasiticus Arctic Skua. Two, 17/11 off Tiritiri Matangi and one, 21/11 Kaikoura.
72. Larus dominicanus Kelp Gull. Widespread. Common on the coast.
73. Larus scopulinus (= L. novaehollandiae) Red-billed Gull. Abundant on the coast. Not in the interior but Rotorua.
74. Larus bulleri Black-billed Gull. Common in the interior of South Island. Very tame in Queenstown.
75. Sterna caspia Caspian Tern. Three, 15/11 Waipu Cove ; some,18/11, Miranda and 1, 23/11 south of Kaikoura.
76. Sterna striata  White-fronted Tern. The commonest Tern in New Zealand. Seen everywhere on the coasts.
77. Sterna nereis davisae  Fairy Tern. The NZ sub-species is very rare (thirty or so wild live birds). One, 15/11 Waipu Cove.
78. Sterna albostriata = Chlidonias albostriatus Black-fronted Tern. Widespread on the large river of South Island. > 20, 24/11, lake Benmore.
79. Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae New Zealand Pigeon. Widespread but not very common.
80. Nestor meridionalis New Zealand Kaka. Some, in flight, 19/11 Pureroa. Common near Oban. A very tame bird in Ulva island.
81. Nestor notabilis Kea. Mountain species. Only in Fiordland. Two, Homer Tunnel, 29 and 30/11 ; one Milford Sound Lodge, 30/11 ; one the same day Cascade Creek and Haast Pass 02/12.
82. Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae Red-crowned Parakeet. Only Tiritiri Matangi and Ulva islnds where is common.
83. Cyanoramphus auriceps Yellow-crowned Parakeet. One, 20/11 near Tongarino then 2, 27/11, Ulva island.
84. Chrysococcyx lucidus Shining Bronze-Cuckoo. One, 22/11 near Kaikoura beach.
85. Eudynamys taitensis Long-tailed Cuckoo (Koel). One, 27/11, Ulva island.
86. Ninox novaeseelandiae Morepok. One seen and one heared, Tiritiri Matangi island, 16/11 and another heared the next day.
87. Todiramphus sanctus = Halcyon sancta Sacred Kingfisher. Widespread.
88. Acanthisitta chloris Rifleman. Common in Fiordland forests.
89. Xenicus gilviventris Rock Wren = South Island Wren. Only near the entrance of Homer Tunnel, on the Milford Sound road. Tame.
90. Hirundo neoxena Welcome Swallow. Widespread but not common. Not seen Stewart Island.
91. Anthus novaeseelandiae New Zealand Pipit. One, 19/11 and 3 next day, National Park ; 24/11, lake Pukaki and 29/11 Homer Tunnel.
92. Megalurus punctata New Zealand Fernbird. Common near National Park.
93. Mohoua albicilla Whitehead. Only on Tiritiri Matangi where is common.
94. Mohoua ochrocephala Yellowhead. Rare. Two, 01/12 lake Sylvan forest, then 2, 02/12, Hasst Pass.
95. Mohoua novaeseelandiae New Zealand Brown Creeper. Common on Ulva island and in Fiordland forests. Also seen near Bluff.
96. Gerygone igata Grey Gerygone. Widespread. One of the commonest endemics.
97. Rhipidura fuliginosa Grey Fantail. Widespread and common. We saw some dark birds.
98. Petroica macrocephala Tomtit. Only in the native forests. Abundant on Ulva island.
99. Petroica australis New Zealand Robin. Like our Robin ! Very tame. Common in native forests.
100. Zosterops lateralis Silvereye. Widespread and common everywhere.
101. Notiomystis cincta Stitchbird. Very rare, seen only on Tiritiri Matangi island.
102. Anthornis melanura New Zealand Bellbird. Common endemic, seen in numerous places.
103. Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae Tui. Abundant endemic !
104. Callaeas wilsoni North Island Kokako. Only seen on Tiritiri Matangi island.
105. Philesturnus (=Creadion) carunculatus Saddleback. Only seen on Tiritiri Matangi and Ulva islands.

Exotic species

106. Cygnus atratus Black Swan. From Australia. Widespread. Abundant at Rotorua.
107. Anser anser Greylag Goose. From Europe, the birds seen were not like European wild birds !
108. Branta canadensis Bernache du Canada. From America. Pair with 3 chicks, 24/11, lake Benmore. A group > 50 birds, lake Wakatipu.
109. Anas platyrhynchos Mallard. Widespread. Female with 11 chicks, 18/11, Orewa. Another one wit 4 chicks, same day, Rotorua.
110. Coturnix australis (= ypsilophora) Brown Quail. From Australia. Common on Tiritiri Matangi.
111. Gallus gallus Feral Chicken = Red Junglefowl. From Asia. Seen between Orewa and Sandspit, 16 and 17/11 and near Miranda le 18/11. All far farm.
112. Phasianus colchicus Ring-necked Pheasant. From ? One male, 17/11, Sandspit and 20/11, National Park.
113. Pavo cristatus Indian Peafowl. From Asia. Male and female, 18/11 near Wakaroa.
114. Meleagris gallopavo Wild Turkey. From North America. One male and 4 females, 18/11 near Miranda.
115. Callipepla californica California Quail. From North America. Two, 19/11 on the Rotorua golf court ; one, 23/11 Kaikoura forest and 2 same day Waiau river, south Kaikoura.
116. Columba livia Rock Pigeon. From Europe. In towns, but breds also on small rocky islets like at Nugget Point !!
117. Streptopelia roseogrisea Barbary Dove. From Africa. Only seen Orewa (2 birds, 1 in song).
118. Streptopelia chinensis Spotted Dove. From China. One, 15/11 near Auckland airport.
119. Platycercus eximius Eastern Rosella. From Australia. One, 15/11, Waipu Cove. Another, same day, near Orewa.
120. Alauda arvensis Sky Lark. From Europe. Common in pastures.
121. Prunella modularis Dunnock. Fron Europe. Widespread and common.
122. Turdus merula Blackbird. From Europe. Widespread and common ; abundant in towns.
123. Turdus philomelos Song Thrush. From Europe. Like the Blackbird. Nest with 5 old chicks, 15/11 near Auckland airport.
124. Emberiza citrinella Yellowhammer. From Europe. Everywhere in small number.
125. Emberiza cirlus Cirl Bunting. From Europe. Rare. Male, 25/11, Kakanui.
126. Fringilla coelebs Chaffinch. From Europe. Abundant.
127. Carduelis chloris European Greenfinch. From Europe. Widespread.
128. Carduelis carduelis European Goldfinch. From Europe. Widespread.
129. Carduelis flammea Common Redpoll. From Europe. Abundant in South Island (zlso in towns !).
130. Passer domesticus House Sparrow. From Europe. We saw a few birds with white cheecks, Asian birds ?
131. Sturnus vulgaris Common Starling. From Europe. Widespread but in mountain.
132. Acridoteres tristis Common Myna. From Asia. Abundant in towns in the north half of North Island. Not present more south.
133. Gymnorhina tibicen Australian Magpie. Fron Australia. Widespread in pastures.