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Bird Sites and Sounds in New Zealand, Christchurch (2024)

Name: Bird Sites and Sounds in New Zealand
Address: Christchurch, 8041, NZ
Telephone: +64211119885
Rating: 5

03/02/2024

Skylarks are almost certainly the best songster amongst the bird species introduced to New Zealand. Their song is a cascade of notes usually given in flight, with the bird often being difficult to see as it flutters around at height. Apparently about 10% of their song is mimicry and you can sometimes hear good copies of the calls and songs of other birds coming down from on high.

I made a recording of their song last spring that has recently been used as a Sound Escape by BBC Countryfile: https://ms.player.fm/series/the-plodcast-1181287/sound-escape-153-bathe-in-stunning-spring-skylark-song-all-the-way-from-new-zealand

Skylark photo by Timothy Collins. Wikimedia Commons This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

06/01/2024

Mapara Reserve, Waikato
Random NZ birding site #2
The Mapara Reserve in rural Waikato between Te Kuiti and Taumaranui is one of the best places in New Zealand to see Kokako. Long-term pest control has maintained and boosted the population of this skilled songster. A loop track runs atop a ridge for a significant part of its length and also along quite a steep spur. Tawa trees along the spur are a favourite of Kokako when they are singing, especially in the early morning and late evening. The openness of tawa foliage also makes the birds easier to spot. A few years ago I was treated to close views of a singing bird which also gave a slow wingbeat display. Unfortunately it was before I was recording bird song.
The quality of the track varies according to the amount of work DoC is doing in the area – the pest control tends to be pulsed. The track along the spur is best walked uphill as it can be slippery underfoot, but unfortunately the track junction off the main track can be easily missed. Another section of the track can be overgrown with brambles.
Other special birds in the reserve include North Island Robin, Whitehead, and the latter’s nest parasite the Long-tailed Cuckoo.
Photo of Kokako is by Matt Binns, licenced under creative commons 69029168@N00/1962834042" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/69029168@N00/1962834042 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kokako.jpg

23/12/2023

Tauranga Harbour

Random NZ birding site #1

A huge harbour about 40 km long, it tends to hide the thousands of wading birds that make it home well. Wader roosts are often difficult to access, with many on Matakana Island or sandbanks well offshore. Sightings of waders can be obtained of distant birds on mudflats from many roads leading to the western edge of the harbour from Athenree and Bowentown in the north to Tauranga city in the south. A couple of high tide roosts in the middle section are accessible. Une just north of the end of Matahui Road can hold thousands of Bar-tailed Godwits with smaller numbers of Knots and oystercatchers, but spring tides cover it and the birds then roost elsewhere. The Tinopai roost is just south of the Cooney Reserve, on a sandbank offshore. A telescope is needed to identify the large numbers of waders often present, species similar to those at Matahui.

Mangroves are near the southern edge of their range here. Generally stunted in stature, they fringe the harbour, including the two roosts featured above. Banded Rails hide amongst them and can be seen with patience and a good degree of luck Other marshland denizens include Fernbird, Bittern and Spotless Crake. In small numbers these inhabit some of the swampier bays and inlets such as at Athenree, Katikati, Matua and Waikareao Bay.

Address

Christchurch
8041

Telephone

+64211119885

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