From Invercargill to Auckland – 7th

My journey soon come full circle. Strange feeling. At noon I flew from Invercargill in the very south of the South Island to Auckland in the north, covering a distance of about 1200 km. However, at the moment I am sitting at the side of the window in the Xbase community room in centre Auckland. Writing on the travel blog on my notebook, a latte from Starbucks across the street, Cure in my headphones and I can see people walking along Queens street, wearing summer clothes. Strange. Knowing that Santa Claus literally is round the corner. Today, it’s on day one month since I arrived and spent my first night at Xbase. Seems to be so long ago. I really can’t bow to the inevitable fact that I’ll start my travel back to Sweden on Saturday. No, tomorrow morning I’ll the 360 Discovery ferry to the island of Tiritiri Matangi and stay there until Friday afternoon. It’s an open sanctuary, but you have to book accommodation well ahead, as the bunkhouse only contains 10 beds. I booked already in March to secure a place. It will be interesting to compare Tiritiri with Ulva island, but on the other hand I am not sure one should, as they had have (and still have) complete different opportunities for their conservation work. As I said one month ago, Xbase is a great place to stay at: the Airport bus stops just outside the door, the ferry to Tiritiri Matangi as well as cetacean/seabird boat tours is located 15 minutes walk away and the Railway station ten minutes. So folks, it’s time to get to bed. My adventures is not finished yet;-)

Santa Claus in summer time. Can't believe it's Xmas soon, not here at Xbase.

Ulva Island a second time – 6th

Last day on Stewart Island. Quite a sad feeling. I had a last wholesome breakfast at Jo and Andy in company with Colin. Then I enjoyed the Fuchsia walk, continued to Golden Bay and took Peter’s water taxi to Ulva island for a three hours visit. It had rained all night and it was only me and two German guys visiting Ulva in the morning. Wonderful! There was lots of Stewart Island Robins throughout all tracks and at West End Beach I found a pair with a newly fledge bird. I saw three South Island Saddlebacks and heard four singing birds. Two Riflemen, four Yellowheads and at least 20 Brown Creepers is worthy of mention among the usual bird species. Back on the main island I meet Leo, a Dutch birdwatcher, that made a day visit. I packed my things and took farewell to Andy and Jo. Walked a few hundred metres to South Sea Hotel (the southernmost hotel in the world?) and enjoyed a last latte. The ferry left Oban at 3:30pm. Leo and I did some seawatching from after-deck. We saw a few Stewart Island Shags, several White-capped Albatrosses, Sooty Shearwaters and Common Diving Petrels. At Tuatara Lodge I had full-head-shave, a shower and washed my muddy trousers and boats. After these refreshments I headed to A la Turk for a lamb kebab. Delicious! I spent rest of the evening reading and listening to the Cure. Tomorrow I’ll fly to Auckland via Christchurch. I begin to realize that my long journey has an end, but I try to avoid thinking of it. I look forward to three days stay on Tiritiri Matangi!

View from Sydney Cove on Ulva Island.

Newly fledged Stewart Island Robin at West End Beach.

A curious Kaka.

A Black-backed (Kelp) Gull at Ulva Island.

View from the ferry towards the northeastern part of Stewart Island.

Rakiura Track on Stewart Island – 5th

For this day I had planned to walk a part of the Rakiura track, which is consider to be one of the great walks in NZ. The whole track is about 36 km and one’s suggested to do one or two overnights in the huts along the track. However, I thought that it may be possible to do the track in one day, but I think it would be wise to start with the first third to Maori beach, then make a final decision. I packed my rucksack with food and rain clothes only and left the house at 9am. Cloudy and a westerly breeze. I excluded the Horseshoe Point track and headed directly towards Lee Bay. On the beach at Lee Bay a huge Sea Lion had parked himself. I reached Maori Beach quarter to 12. Had a small lunch and finally decided to do the whole Rakiura track. By the way, Rakiura is the Maori name for Stewart Island and means “Land of the Glowing Skies. While this is a reference to the blushes of Te Rakitamau it also describes the island’s spectacular sunsets and its night-time displays of Aurora Australis, the Southern Lights.

The track between Port William and North Arm Hut were just wonderful. Through native old forest all way, valleys with small streams, suspension bridges, a few lookout points, even though one never reached below the bushline. I reached North Arm at 3:40pm and had a 20 minutes rest in the hut with coffee and food. Unfortunately, it started to drizzle when I hit the track. The track between North Arm and Sawdust Bay were just a muddy disaster as some clever one had pulled away the wooden walkway, instead of doing it step by step when replacing it with a gravel walkway. I arrived to Jo and Andy’s house at 7pm, with quite muddy and wet trekking boats, but happy to had have completed the whole track, though there was no other option then to proceed. The regular bird species were seen in good numbers during the walk. I got to bed early and fell in sleep at once.

Dead Man Beach in early morning.

The huge Sea lion at Lee Bay.

View along the coast from Peters Point.

The suspension bridge at Maori Beach.

The lovely dense native forest between Port William and North Arm.

A temporary suspension bridge between Port William and North Arm, due to construction work of a collapsed part of the track.

A nice stream along the track.

View towards Prices Inlet.

The North Arm hut.

Part of the North Arm seen from the hut.

View at Butterfield Beach nine o'clock in the evening!

An orgy of albatrosses – 4th

Andy served breakfast at 9am. Delicious and wholesome as usual. I got ready for a pelagic trip and walked down to the harbour, with a stop for a latte to go. The old wooden boat Rawhiti left the harbour at 10:30am. The skipper John Leask arranges different excursions and this one were in fact dedicated to traditional fishing with hand lines. While the other participants fishing Blue Cod I enjoyed all the seabirds around the boat. It was indeed an orgy of White-capped Albatrosses, which were the most numerous species throughout the boat tour. Following species were recorded: Blue Penguin (10), White-capped Albatross (c. 150), Wandering Albatross (1), Salvin’s Albatross (1), Buller’s Albatross (1), Giant Petrel (2), Cape Petrel (10), Common Diving Petrel (3), Sooty Shearwater (c. 100), Brown Skua (2), Australian Gannet (2), Red-billed Gull (100), Black-backed Gull (20), White-fronted Tern (10) and four species of shags. A completely great day at sea and John took care of everything and served coffee, cooked blue cod and fried paua on toast. We arrived to the harbour at 4pm. I was very excited, but kind of exhausted too. Almost 500 photos of albatrosses and other seabirds! I took a power nap for an hour then walked the Horseshoe Point track for about three hours. Great views and the usual bird species were seen in the lovely forest.

The old wooden boat "Rawhiti".

On our way out to the open sea.

Kevin from Christchurch looking for albatrosses.

Part of Stewart Island and Paterson Inlet.

White-capped Albatrosses. No, the photo is not arranged.

White-capped Albatross!

This island were named The Haystack by Cook.

White-capped Albatross "hanging" in the wind.

A beautiful White-capped Albatross.

White-capped Albatross.

Buller's Albatross, did a quick stop only.

Salvin's Albatross.

White-capped Albatross.

What an awesome good-looking bird!

White-capped Albatrosses, Red-billed Gulls and a single Black-backed Gull.

Ulva island – 3rd

I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at Jo and Andy. I then headed to Golden Bay via the Fuchsia and Raroa tracks with good margin for birding. I saw the usual birds such as Kaka, Tui, Red-crowned Parakeet, Bellbird and a few Tom tits. I reached Golden Bay just before 9am and people were already boarding the regular watertaxi. I and the Canadian birder, Dave Tannahill, had to wait ten minutes for the next ride to Ulva island. Ulva island is an open sanctuary. The majority of the island (around 260 ha) is part of Rakiura National Park.

I and Dave birded through the islands track all day long (7 hours). We had a good time together and lot of great sightings of all bird species as we birded along very slowly. We recorded at least ten South Island Saddlebacks, of which to were immatures and five were non-ringed birds. Brown creeper were quite common, which goes for Tui, Kaka and Bellbird too. We only saw three Yellowheads and we had to wait long until we noted the first one, which were  close-up one on the ground! Only a few Grey Warblers were seen and heard. Tomtits were seen now and then. In all I think we saw about 20 Stewart Island Robin, all of them were colour-ringed. A very nice bird species and they are totally unafraid and just show up or disappear without a sound. Like the Siberian Jay in Scandinavia. Dave and I just had lovely day on Ulva island.

Back in Oban I had a Fish n´chips at the harbour and then picked up my scope and headed to Ackers Point, which I think is a good spot for seawatching. And Yes, I had two hours of good seawatching at the lookout point. At least 40 White-capped Albatrosses passed by and I was able to photograph several of them! About 600 Sooty Shearwaters, of which 200 were seen in one dense flock. A single Cape Petrel and Giant Petrel were also recorded as well as a total of 30 Blue Penguins. I ended the day birding at 9pm and arranged with a fisherman to join him on a boat trip tomorrow, which I highly look forward too.

View from the landing-stage at Golden Bay while waiting for the watertaxi to Ulva island.

A lovely Stewart Island Robin along the track.

One of the beautiful South Island Saddlebacks. Usually on the ground in shady areas.

A curious Kaka along the track.

The beach at Sydney Cove on Ulva island.

A Stewart Island Weka on the beach.

Boulder Beach on Ulva island.

Dave Tannahill from Canada. He has been travel for three months in Chile, Peru, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and finally in NZ, before he fly home on Monday.

View from the lookout at Ackers Point.

A couple of White-fronted Terns.

White-capped Albatross seen from shore! Several were seen almost in the harbour of the Halfmoon Bay!

White-capped Albatross seen from Ackers Point.

Stewart Island Brown Kiwi – 2nd

I was picked up by Stewart Island Experience at Tuatara lodge for transfer to the ferry terminal in Bluff. The small catamaran ferry left Bluff at 9:30am. The crossing to Halfmoon Bay (Oban) on Stewart Island took about one hour and were quite nice, as the sea was not too rough. Of course I stood on after-deck and scanning the sea for seabirds, of which I record: White-capped Albatross (7), Sooty Shearwater (18), Common Diving Petrel (26), Brown Skua (1), Blue Penguin (6), White-fronted Tern (20), Spotted Shag (3) and Stewart Island Shag (6). Unfortunately, no Pterodroma-petrels were seen.

Landed in the small fishing village Halfmoon Bay. Picked up my baggage and walked some 200 metres to my prebooked accommodation at Jo and Andy B&B. Andy were awaiting me and its sort of homestay accommodation were very cosy with a genuine personal style, which appeal to me. Andy did help me to arrange a nocturnal Kiwi tour with Philip Smith in the evening and booking a watertaxi to Ulva island for the next day. When everything was done I headed to the DoC office across the street to get some information. I bought a few maps and then walked a few tracks for about three hours. I saw hundreds of Tuis (not kidding), Bellbirds, about 30 nice Kaka, Tomtit (30), Rifleman (5), Fantail (5), Yellow-crowned Parakeet (2 pairs), NZ Pigeon (50) and lot of Silvereyes. Lovely forests and good number of birds!

Quarter to nine in the evening I boarded the boat Wildfire for a nocturnal Kiwi tour to a remote beach named Ocean Beach. We were about 10 persons full of expectations. On our way to the site we saw some 20 Blue Penguins, one Giant Petrel, Spotted and Stewart Island Shags. Well at the landing-stage Philip had a little lecture about the Stewart Island Brown Kiwi and some instructions by the guide Greg. We then enter the track through the forest to the beach, which took about 20 minutes. Well at the beach we heard a male Kiwi calling in the forest! It was dark when we started to walk along the Ocean beach, where the Kiwis come to feed at night. The only torchlight used was handled by Greg. Finally, at the end of the beach we saw one Kiwi, but as we came closer it suddenly run away to the forest. Slightly disappointed, we walked the beach over three more times without a slightest glimpse of a Kiwi. We decided to do a very last walk 11:30pm. And almost at the end of the beach there were a Kiwi feeding! We got closer slowly and could watch this strange creature within four metres! As the Kiwis are sensible and afraid of noises we had to wait for the happy celebration. What an experience! Knowing it’s very difficult to get a chance to see a Kiwi in the wild! I got to bed at 1:30am.

Halfmoon Bay where the village Oban is located.

A little part of the beautiful forest that surround Oban and most of the island.

Kaka. A lovely, but very noise parrot. Like Kea, curious and not afraid of humans.

One of about ten Kaka on the Fuchsia track.

View towards Ackers Point from Wohlers monument.

In good light condition the NZ Pigeon is a real beauty!

A male of the South Island Tomtit.

The skipper Philip Smith giving some brief instructions before leaving the harbour.

A quite huge male of Stewart Island Brown Kiwi. No flashes were used when photographing the Kiwi. The only light source was Greg's torchlight.

Another nice photo of the male Kiwi. Note the thick legs on both photos.