New Zealand holiday February 2019 - Part 3

Post any news of rare sightings from outside the area or any holiday information you may wish to pass on.
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Leonard Poxon
Little Egret
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New Zealand holiday February 2019 - Part 3

Post by Leonard Poxon »

Monday 18th. Feb. - continuing southwards we arrived at our first stop in the South Island at Akaroa (the centre of a very large extinct volcano), there was no port here so we were tendered off the ship to the pier at Akaroa. 2 Hectors Dolphins and a Spotted Shag* were seen off the ship at 9 am. In the harbour were a pair of Pied Comorant, a Little Black Shag, Black-backed Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, White-fronted Terns and some Mallard. We then went on a coach trip to Christchurch first travelling north, then west over the crater's rim and then along the north bank of Lake Forsyth and the east bank of Lake Ellesmere. On the journey I saw White-faced Heron, lots of Black Swans, Canada Geese and Mallard. At Christchurch after visiting the city centre and witnessing the the buildings damaged in the 2011 earthquake including the cathedral we went for a walk around the botanic gardens. Here on the River Avon I noted Canada Geese and Mallards. Elsewhere in the park I saw Blackbird, House Sparrow, Myna, Grey Duck, a pair of Paradise Shelduck, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and 6+ Song Thrushes. On the way back to the ship I spotted some Pied Stilt, Variable Oystercatcher and Spur Winged Plover.
Back at the ship before we set off I saw 2 more Hectors Dolphins. On the way out of the bay I spotted a South Polar Skua harassing a White-fronted Tern.
Day 7 (in NZ) - Species total increased to 61 bird species (including 21 endemics marked*); 5 Odonata and 8 Lepidoptera species

Tuesday 19th. Feb. - travelling further south we arrived at Dunedin at sunrise and berthed a Port Chalmers some 7 miles north east of Dunedin at 7:45. We had a coach trip from the wharf into town, passing several bays and pools on the way on which I saw Mallard, Paradise Shelduck, 3 Spur-winged Plover and several Royal Spoonbill. We finished our coach trip with a visit to the botanical gardens. Here I saw Mallard, Paradise Shelduck, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Song Thrush, Greenfinch and New Zealand Pigeon. Back at the wharf I saw a large dark Bumblebee. Also seen were Red-billed Gulls, Black-backed Gulls and a few Black-billed Gulls* and a Black Shag (Great Cormorant). When we passed out of the bay we saw Little Black Shag, Black Shag and Little Pied Shag and a single Blue Penguin before we passed the Otago Peninsula, on the tip of which (Taioraoa head) is the only mainland breeding colony of the Northern Royal Albatross in the world.
Day 8 (in NZ) - Species total increased to 65 bird species (including 22 endemics marked*); 5 Odonata and 8 Lepidoptera species
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