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New Zealand 2009
November 4th to 21st, 2009
Talon Tours Presents
"New Zealand 18 Day Birding Tour "
with Manu Tours
Itinerary
DAY 1. AUCKLAND - KERIKERI
After pick up from the airport or your accommodation we travel north of Auckland along the East Coast with it’s many picturesque harbours and beaches. Along with an introduction to some of the more common birds of New Zealand, like the Red-billed Gull, White-fronted Tern, Pied Shag, Welcome Swallow, and the musically inclined Tui, we’ll be on the lookout for Banded Rail among the mangroves and Reef Heron on the harbour fringes. Further north we will try for the Fairy Tern, of which approximately only 30 birds, of the New Zealand sub species, remain. On a nearby pond we’ll look for the endemic New Zealand Dabchick and native Australasian Little Grebe. We spend the night in the township of Kerikeri and after dinner we have an opportunity to look for the North Island Brown Kiwi. Kerikeri is home to New Zealand’s oldest timber (1822) and stone buildings (1836).
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Wandering (Snowy) Albatross © Ken Wilson |
DAY 2. KERIKERI – WHANGAPARAOA PENNINSULAR
Returning south we will travel to the Whangaparaoa Peninsula where we will board our charter vessel for lunch and an afternoon in the Hauraki Gulf. While cruising we will be on constant lookout for Bottle-nosed and Common Dolphins or even a whale, as well as an excellent selection of seabirds including Fluttering, Bullers and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Cooks Petrel, Black Petrel, Arctic Skua and White-faced Storm Petrel. We may be lucky enough to find the recently rediscovered New Zealand Storm Petrel that has been seen in these waters. On our return to dry land we will drive to our accommodation, Whangaparaoa Lodge.
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DAY 3. TIRITIRI MATANGI ISLAND
A short boat ride takes us out to Tiritiri Matangi Island. The island is a special place to all of New Zealand and we know it will be special for you too. It is an open bird sanctuary that has been cleared of predators and replanted with over 260,000 native trees. Several rare endemic birds have since been reintroduced and are thriving in their new home. The wattled Saddleback will be seen here, along with the amazing Takahe, (thought to be extinct for over 45 years.) Hopefully the endangered Brown Teal will be there along with the Kokako “Blue Wattled Crow”. Other birds we hope to encounter are; North Island Robin, Fantail, Whitehead and the very rare Stitchbird. Little Blue Penguins nest all over the island and at the right time of year we can get to see their chicks. We spend the night on the Island, in a former farmhouse with several 6-bed bunkrooms, giving us the opportunity to find a Little Spotted Kiwi in the evening and awaken to the Islands renowned dawn chorus.
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DAY 4. TIRITIRI MATANGI ISLAND – MIRANDA
In the morning we leave the Island and return to the mainland from where we will drive to the Miranda Shore Bird Centre. At Miranda there are 8500 hectares of rich mudflats that attract many thousand arctic nesting shorebirds over the Arctic winter. The two main species are Bar-tailed Godwit and Lesser Knot, with Sharptailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Marsh and Terek Sandpiper also possible. Also attracted to this area are some of our own internal migrants. These include South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Banded and New Zealand Dotterel, Pied Stilt and Wrybill. The Wrybill is a unique New Zealand plover, being the only bird in the world with a bill curved to the right. Other species we are likely to encounter are Black Swan, Spurwinged Plover, Grey Teal, and Black Shag. We may also visit a nearby wetland, if time allows, on the lookout for the cryptic Australasian Bittern. We will stay in clean comfortable bunkrooms at the Miranda Shorebird Centre.
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DAY 5. MIRANDA – ROTORUA
This morning we will set off down the coast and visit an estuary that has produced several rare vagrants in the past. Turning inland we travel over back roads to Rotorua, picking up some forest species and hopefully the New Zealand Pipit. We stay at a comfortable motel on the shores of Lake Rotorua, where the New Zealand Scaup is common. This evening we will go to a Maori Marae (meeting house). Here we will be treated to an evening of Maori cultural entertainment followed by a hangi, a feast centered on food cooked in the traditional earth oven.
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DAY 6. ROTORUA - TURANGI
Today we have an early start as we head for Pureora Forest where Tui, Bellbird and Grey Warbler make the native bush come alive. At the top of our list will be New Zealand’s second species of endemic wattlebird, the Kokako. These endangered birds are known for their haunting organ-like song. We will also look for other forest species including our lowland parrot the Kaka, New Zealand Falcon and the Shining and Long Tailed Cuckoos. Toward the end of the day we head on south to the town of Turangi, near the shores of Lake Taupo, where we will stay in comfortable accommodations with their own thermal mineral pools. This is also a good opportunity to do some laundry and look for the Morepork in the evening.
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DAY 7. TURANGI
Today we venture through the North Islands central volcanic plateau to Tongariro National Park. Three impressive volcanic peaks, whose bushclad mountain streams are home to the Blue Duck, dominate the landscape here. This rare and rather elusive duck we hope to make our prize for the day. If time allows we will take a walk in the forest looking for the two cuckoos and the Tomtit. Later in the day we will visit a wetland where we hope to find New Zealand Dabchick and if we are fortunate the shy Spotless Crake, Australasian Bittern and the Fernbird, a charismatic bird that acts more like a mouse. On returning to our accommodation we have the opportunity to experience the areas renowned thermal activity by taking a short walk through a nearby small thermal area with boiling hot springs and bubbling mudpools.
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Takahe © Ken Wilson |
DAY 8. TURANGI – PICTON
Leaving the central volcanic plateau this morning, we get a final view of the spectacular volcanic peaks as we drive through desert like landscape. Further south we travel through mostly developed farmland with a stop, to stretch our legs, at the Manawatu estuary. Along with other shore birds the estuary also has a good population of Royal Spoonbills. Carrying on south we reach the picturesque Kapiti coast before arriving in Wellington. From Wellington we will take the ferry across Cook Straight to Picton. The ferry is an ideal platform for viewing pelagic species such as Fairy Prion and Fluttering Shearwater. Blue Penguins often frequent the calmer waters in the Malborough Sounds. The ferry docks in Picton, a pretty little port at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, where we spend the night in accommodations overlooking the sounds.
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DAY 9. PICTON – KAIKOURA
Today we take a cruise through Malborough Sounds Maritime Park, along it’s convoluted waterways with many bays, islands and coves. The highlight of our cruise will be the King Shag. Around 500 of this species survive and all are found around the outer reaches of the Malborough Sounds. Our best chance to view the shags will be on one of the rocky pinnacles where they breed. Before returning to Picton we will stop at Motuara Island, which is home to the South Island Saddleback a rare sub species, restricted to off shore islands. The island also has dense populations of Bellbirds and the exceptionally friendly New Zealand Robin. A walk to the top of the island is rewarded with spectacular views of the sounds. While cruising we also have the chance of seeing dolphins, of which several species frequent the sounds. From Picton we travel south and will stop to search one of the braided riverbeds for the Black-fronted Dotterel. Further on we reach the rugged Kaikoura coastline where we will stop to view the once near extinct New Zealand Fur Seal. We spend the night in the seaside town of Kaikoura, made famous for it’s whale watching.
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DAY 10. KAIKOURA – ARTHURS PASS
Kaikoura has arguably one of the world’s most exciting arenas for pelagic birds. This morning our boat will take us offshore to view many likely species including the Northern Giant Petrel, Southern Giant Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, Cape Petrel, Great-winged Petrel, Black-browed Albatross, Bullers Albatross, Shy Albatross, Arctic Skua and Huttons Shearwater (which breeds in the nearby ranges, between 1200-1800m above sea level). We also have a small chance of viewing some of the marine mammals attracted to these rich feeding grounds. Dusky Dolphins sometimes gather in there hundreds and can put on a spectacular aerial display.
After our cruise we travel southwest into the Southern Alps and will break the trip with a stop at a small lake where we have seen a good assortment of waterfowl including the Cape Barren Goose. As we near our accommodation we are rewarded with spectacular mountain scenery and a good chance of finding the New Zealand Falcon. In the evening we will look for the Great Spotted Kiwi, the largest of the family.
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DAY 11. ARTHUR’S PASS
Today we have time to explore this wonderful landscape. We plan to walk up one of the wide river valleys and bird in the forested river flats. These forests have a good assortment of forest birds including New Zealand’s smallest bird, the Rifleman, New Zealand Robin, Bellbird, Brown Creeper, Tomtit, Yellow-crowned Parakeet and the rare Yellowhead. Also nesting in the valley is the very rare Orange-fronted Parakeet with an estimated population of only 150 birds. New Zealand Falcon and the cheeky Kea are sometimes seen here as well. Our access to the valley involves a river crossing so will be dependent on the water flow at the time. In the event of high flows there are other near by areas we can visit.
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DAY 12. ARTHUR’S PASS – TWIZEL
As we leave the Arthur’s Pass region we may have time for another look for the Falcon and a stop at one of the small lakes to find a Great-crested Grebe. Further south we enter the South Island’s high country, an area of tussock grass, braided rivers and turquoise glacial lakes set to a magnificent backdrop of the snow-capped Southern Alps. We will spend the rest of the afternoon looking for the Black Stilt, one of the world’s rarest waders with a population of approximately 100 wild birds. We’ll inform you of the efforts to rescue them from the brink of extinction. Depending on how times goes we may also have a chance to look for Baillon’s Crake and Chuckor.
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DAY 13. TWIZEL – TE ANAU
On our way out, if need be, we will be on the lookout again for the Black Stilt. Our journey today takes us through the barren Lindis Pass then alongside New Zealand's newest man-made lake to the historic town of Cromwell. From here we enter the Kawarau gorge, once mined for its rich alluvial gold deposits but now producing some of New Zealand's best wine. It is here that you have the chance to view the crazy bungy-jumper bird! Further south we pass through a reserve set aside to protect the once abundant Red Tussock that has suffered from farmer burn offs. The end of the day finds us on the shores of Lake Te Anau where we spend the night in a comfortable motel with spectacular views. We spend two nights here and this is a good chance to catch up on laundry.
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DAY 14. FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK
Today we travel to Fiordland National Park, a world of mountains and forests, fiords and lakes. This remote national park is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and is a world heritage site. We travel over one of the world’s most spectacular roads, past towering peaks, waterfalls and native forest to Milford Sound. Along the way we will stop to bird in primeval forests for Rifleman and Yellow-crowned Parakeet. Higher up we will have a chance to find Kea (the world’s only true alpine parrot), the tiny Rock Wren and Blue Duck. Once over the top of the pass we descend rapidly down to Milford. Rudyard Kipling described Milford Sound as the ‘Eight Wonder of the World’. For a unique experience we take a cruise on the fiord where we have unsurpassed views of many spectacular waterfalls, the Pembroke Glacier, the sheer cliffs that drop into the fiord and the majestic Mitre Peak. We may also see the New Zealand Fur Seals, Bottlenose Dolphins and Fiordland Crested Penguins. The penguins come to this area to breed between July and early December each year. We return to our motel for the night and will have an evening walk in search of a Morepork.
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DAY 15. TE ANAU – STEWART ISLAND.
Our drive today takes us down through high tussock country, home to huge sheep stations. We will detour along the way to take a last look at the area’s Beech forests and consolidate on our forest birds. Falcon is always a possibility through this area. We then drive to Invercargill and on to its airport. A short flight takes us to Stewart Island, an ornithologists delight. It is here that we have our best chance to view the Kiwi, a bizarre and elusive creature. The evening sees us embark on a ‘Kiwi Safari’ where we will rely on our guides detailed local knowledge to help us find the Tokoeka Kiwi which are known to frequent remote beaches where they feed on tiny crustaceans. Tonight we will stay in a motel in Halfmoon Bay.
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DAY 16. STEWART ISLAND.
Today we board a boat for a trip out into the cold waters surrounding Stewart Island. These rich southern waters attract Albatross, Mollymawk, Petrel and Shearwater in large numbers. Our charter vessel takes us in search of these birds and others such as the Southern Skua, Broad-billed Prion, Fairy Prion, Diving Petrel and Sooty Shearwater (which sometimes gather in rafts of thousands of birds). Later in the day, after a box lunch on board, we visit Ulva Island, a bird sanctuary since 1922 and now a birders paradise. Some of the birds, especially the Stewart Island Weka, come so close you don’t even need a telephoto lens for close up shots. A target species here will be the Brown Creeper, along with Red and Yellow-crowned Parakeet and Yellowhead. The Yellowhead population has suffered severe declines over the last few seasons, due to predation from Stoats and rats, and as well as attempts to reduce predation some birds have been moved to predator free islands to ensure the species survival. We can also look forward to seeing Spotted Shag. We spend another night at our motel.
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DAY 17. STEWART ISLAND – DUNEDIN
Most of the morning will be spent driving to Dunedin. Once in Dunedin we will drive out along the Otago Peninsula and board an excursion boat for a trip to Taiaroa Heads, the only mainland home of the Northern Royal Albatross. With luck we will see this giant of all seabirds soaring on the ocean winds. The Heads provide suitable nesting habitat for nine seabirds in total, including the Stewart Island Shag. Also planned is a visit to a nesting colony of the shy Yellow-eyed Penguin, the world’s oldest and rarest penguin. The night is spent in a charming Motel in Dunedin City.
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DAY 18. DUNEDIN– CHRISTCHURCH
Our first stop today will be at Moeraki to view some extraordinary spherical boulders rather like giant marbles. On our drive north we cross several wide, glacial feed rivers – quite a sight in flood. Along the way we will stop to look for Cirl Bunting then at a small lake we have a good chance of finding an Australasian Bittern. Our tour will end in Christchurch where we will drop you at the airport for your onward flight or at your arranged accommodation.
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