Hi everyone, after Bali, my family and I took a midnight flight to New Zealand. Did you know that New Zealand is often referred to as the "Land of Birds"? This is weird because there are more birds seen in Chicago than in all of New Zealand. But what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality: New Zealand has many rare birds because it is so far removed from the rest of the world. The Kiwi is a very special bird to New Zealanders. It's a flightless nocturnal bird and VERY rare. There are 5 different types and they are only found in some places in the country. New Zealand is made up of two islands, the North Island and the South Island. We flew into Auckland, in the North Island. My family and I explored both the North and South Islands in, believe it or not, a motorhome.
Auckland was more sightseeing than birding: We ate some of our dinners at Ponsonby Central, a small outdoor mall with different kinds of restaurants. We toured the Auckland Museum which was actually fun. They had stuffed birds on display, among them, the kiwi! But the highlight was the Volcano Simulation Room. There are many volcanoes in New Zealand, and the Volcano Room was a place where we sat down on a couch in a small room made to look like a living room in someone's home. There was a TV in front us "reporting" about a volcano getting ready to explode near Auckland and how everyone was evacuating. Then the room shook and the lights flickered and we saw what Auckland would look like after a volcanic eruption. It was pretty cool.
In Auckland, I did manage to pick up a few good species such as a SHINING CUCKOO. I saw this bird on Mt. Eden. While we were in Auckland we also took a day trip to Waiheke Island, which was possibly the most fun day in this New Zealand part of the trip. There, I saw a few birds such as VARIABLE OYSTERCATCHER, PIED STILT and AUSTRALIAN GANNET. Also spotted: SILVEREYES (picture below), a common species found in New Zealand. These birds usually come in flocks. Life bird!
Auckland was more sightseeing than birding: We ate some of our dinners at Ponsonby Central, a small outdoor mall with different kinds of restaurants. We toured the Auckland Museum which was actually fun. They had stuffed birds on display, among them, the kiwi! But the highlight was the Volcano Simulation Room. There are many volcanoes in New Zealand, and the Volcano Room was a place where we sat down on a couch in a small room made to look like a living room in someone's home. There was a TV in front us "reporting" about a volcano getting ready to explode near Auckland and how everyone was evacuating. Then the room shook and the lights flickered and we saw what Auckland would look like after a volcanic eruption. It was pretty cool.
In Auckland, I did manage to pick up a few good species such as a SHINING CUCKOO. I saw this bird on Mt. Eden. While we were in Auckland we also took a day trip to Waiheke Island, which was possibly the most fun day in this New Zealand part of the trip. There, I saw a few birds such as VARIABLE OYSTERCATCHER, PIED STILT and AUSTRALIAN GANNET. Also spotted: SILVEREYES (picture below), a common species found in New Zealand. These birds usually come in flocks. Life bird!
Another time we rode bikes down Tamaki Drive. During the ride I spotted this SOUTHERN BLACK BACKED GULL.
And this WHITE FACED HERON, a common species here.
We stopped in Mission Bay for lunch. Just before we were about to leave a REEF HERON flew to the beach! This was the best bird I saw in all of Auckland! I also got some funny shots of it. In this photo, he had just came out of the water and his wet feathers made it look like he had a beard.
The bird shaking off.
Finally, I got a shot of him looking normal.
We continued our ride and after a quick lunch, we stopped at another beach where I saw these SOUTH ISLAND OYSTERCATCHERS. (They should really change the name since they're found on the North Island too!)
After six days in Auckland, it was time to start the 2 week motorhome portion of the trip. First stop was the Hot Water Beach in Coromandel. It's called this because there is an underground river of hot water that flows up from the center of the earth. If you dig under the sand a little bit and you're in the right spot, the sand and water can be hot enough to burn you.
On our drive here, I saw my life bird SPUR WINGED PLOVER in a field on the side of the road! Unlike most plovers, this bird prefers agricultural fields over being near water. We soon arrived at our campsite, and I was so excited to just huddle up around the campfire and be in nature, but the campsite wasn't really what I thought. Apparently there is a strict "no fire" rule here. There was also a kitchen; yes, this is "camping" in New Zealand. This is a photo of our campsite and our motorhome.
On our drive here, I saw my life bird SPUR WINGED PLOVER in a field on the side of the road! Unlike most plovers, this bird prefers agricultural fields over being near water. We soon arrived at our campsite, and I was so excited to just huddle up around the campfire and be in nature, but the campsite wasn't really what I thought. Apparently there is a strict "no fire" rule here. There was also a kitchen; yes, this is "camping" in New Zealand. This is a photo of our campsite and our motorhome.
On my one and only morning there I decided to bird and saw a few species. RED BILLED GULLS were super common at the site since it was on a beach. This bird was a lifer for me in Auckland. This annoying juvenile would not stop calling near our site.
This is an adult gull, it's much more colorful; the females and juveniles are almost always duller. This goes for pretty much all species.
There were many SONG THRUSHES at this campsite.
The life bird I saw at the campsite was this GREY WARBLER, 1 of 2 warblers found in New Zealand.
Then I had spotted a bird on a small hill in the field. A quail! Then when I got closer, I saw that there were many more quail on the other side of the hill! This was an exciting sighting for me since I have only seen this bird in once before in Utah. Here is a photo of one of many CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
After a night there, we went to The Hobbit movie set. The Hobbit and the Lord Of The Rings movies are one of my favorites. We were able to see the Shire where the main characters Bilbo and Frodo live. It took two years to build this movie set for 15 minutes of a movie.
We drove to the next campsite. I had more hope that this one would be better. But alas...
We drove to the next campsite. I had more hope that this one would be better. But alas...
At least I got my life bird NEW ZEALAND FANTAIL the next morning. Then later that day, you guessed it, more driving. I think we all found out that we're not really motorhome people. Driving is especially bad here, since the roads are really twisty and I get really motion sick in the uncomfortable back seat. But, we did stop to look at some birds on the way, and I got some more lifers! One was this shag. Does anyone know what this is? Sorry, the photo is a bit blurry.
During our drive we stopped at a harbor and spotted these BLACK SWANS.
And this NEW ZEALAND SCAUP.
I got very close to a coot and its chicks!
We broke up the drive with a nice hike. We walked a mountainous trail to a roaring waterfall. On the hike, I got lucky and saw NEW ZEALAND KINGFISHER and WHITEHEAD! I had whiteheads just above me, and I snapped this photo.
On our way back we were all hot, so my dad, my sister and I went swimming in the river. My mom hates cold water so she was too chicken to go in.
The last place we went to in the North Island was the city of Wellington. After a day of sightseeing, my dad and I left after dinner to go to the Zealandia Sanctuary, ten minutes outside of Wellington. Zealandia is a very large reserve that protects the Little Spotted Kiwi, along with many other rare species. The Little Spotted Kiwi is the second rarest kiwi. Zealandia is a 225 hectare reserve, with a fence that keeps the kiwi's predators out. Since this bird is flightless and not particularly fast, it's easy prey. When they first made this reserve, they brought in 41 Little Spotted Kiwi, and now the population has gone up to 140! These birds are not captive and roam wildly in this large reserve.
Just before we had arrived at the sanctuary, I saw 2 NEW ZEALAND PIGEON perched on a wire near the car. Lifer! We arrived at the Visitors Center and met our guides, Allison and Gill. Allison and Gill split up and Allison guided us. Allison, the group and Gill both looked for kiwis, as well as other birds and wildlife, such as this female CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
The last place we went to in the North Island was the city of Wellington. After a day of sightseeing, my dad and I left after dinner to go to the Zealandia Sanctuary, ten minutes outside of Wellington. Zealandia is a very large reserve that protects the Little Spotted Kiwi, along with many other rare species. The Little Spotted Kiwi is the second rarest kiwi. Zealandia is a 225 hectare reserve, with a fence that keeps the kiwi's predators out. Since this bird is flightless and not particularly fast, it's easy prey. When they first made this reserve, they brought in 41 Little Spotted Kiwi, and now the population has gone up to 140! These birds are not captive and roam wildly in this large reserve.
Just before we had arrived at the sanctuary, I saw 2 NEW ZEALAND PIGEON perched on a wire near the car. Lifer! We arrived at the Visitors Center and met our guides, Allison and Gill. Allison and Gill split up and Allison guided us. Allison, the group and Gill both looked for kiwis, as well as other birds and wildlife, such as this female CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
Allison also pointed out this lizard.
As it started to get dark, Allison got a message from Gill through a walkie talkie. Gill had found a kiwi! Gill she shone an infrared light on the bird. I was able to get a video of this rare LITTLE SPOTTED KIWI. This is the most important video I have ever taken. This Little Spotted Kiwi is the best lifer I have gotten and my first endangered species!
In fact, I saw 2 more endangered species that day: a BROWN TEAL, and a bird with a super funny name, a KAKA, which is a type of parrot. Allison pointed out a huge eel to us in the river and also two more kiwis! Stay tuned because the next day we departed for the South Island and will look for the critically endangered Black Stilt, the rarest wader in the world!
Bird List for North Island Life List 436 (25 life birds in the North Island)
House Sparrow X
Tui X life bird!
Eurasian Blackbird X
Shining Cuckoo 1 life bird!
Silvereye X life bird!
Little Spotted Kiwi 3 life bird!
Kaka 3 life bird!
Brown Teal 2 life bird!
Mallard 1 life bird!
Paradise Shelduck X life bird!
Spur Winged Plover X life bird!
Pied Stilt 3 life bird!
Variable Oystercatcher X life bird!
South Island Oystercatcher 8 life bird!
Red Billed Gull X life bird!
Southern Black Backed Gull
Australian Gannet X
Welcome Swallow 2 life bird!
Grey Warbler 2 life bird!
New Zealand Fantail X life bird!
Common Chaffinch X
White Faced Heron 2 life bird!
Reef Heron 1 life bird!
Pied Shag X life bird!
Song Thrush 7
Whitehead 2 life bird!
Spotted Dove X
Californi Quail 15
Dunnock X
Common Myna X
Eurasian Coot X
Black Swan 4 life bird!
New Zealand Scaup 12 life bird!
Pukeko X life bird!
New Zealand Kingfisher 1 life bird
Australian Magpie X life bird!
X = unspecified number
Bird List for North Island Life List 436 (25 life birds in the North Island)
House Sparrow X
Tui X life bird!
Eurasian Blackbird X
Shining Cuckoo 1 life bird!
Silvereye X life bird!
Little Spotted Kiwi 3 life bird!
Kaka 3 life bird!
Brown Teal 2 life bird!
Mallard 1 life bird!
Paradise Shelduck X life bird!
Spur Winged Plover X life bird!
Pied Stilt 3 life bird!
Variable Oystercatcher X life bird!
South Island Oystercatcher 8 life bird!
Red Billed Gull X life bird!
Southern Black Backed Gull
Australian Gannet X
Welcome Swallow 2 life bird!
Grey Warbler 2 life bird!
New Zealand Fantail X life bird!
Common Chaffinch X
White Faced Heron 2 life bird!
Reef Heron 1 life bird!
Pied Shag X life bird!
Song Thrush 7
Whitehead 2 life bird!
Spotted Dove X
Californi Quail 15
Dunnock X
Common Myna X
Eurasian Coot X
Black Swan 4 life bird!
New Zealand Scaup 12 life bird!
Pukeko X life bird!
New Zealand Kingfisher 1 life bird
Australian Magpie X life bird!
X = unspecified number
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