Stewart Island 16Jun19

From KH

We couldn't go far today due to the rain, so only these 10 birds to show.

1. Paradise Shelduck 4
2. Mallard 3
3. Variable Oystercatcher 2
4. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 5
5. Kelp Gull 1
6. Buller's Albatross 5
7. Great Cormorant 1
8. New Zealand Kaka 1
9. European Starling 5
10. House Sparrow

Ladybird - not counted...

European Starling singing away before the rain came

Buller's Albatross showing underparts at Halfmoon Bay

Soon it was time to board the ferry. There weren't much along the strait except 5 Buller's Albatrosses, 1 Cape Petrel and 2 Swamp Harriers.

Buller's Albatross showing upperparts in Foveaux Strait

A Cape Petrel flew past

Ulva Island 15Jun19

From KH

The endemic NZ Kaka pecking away.

The noisy endemic Red-crowned Parakeet.

NZ Pigeon - another endemic.

Unlikely companions, the endemic Stewart Island Robin and South Island Saddleback, feeding together.

A super friendly Stewart Island Weka!

Tui - a common endemic.

Finally, a couple of White-capped and Buller's Albatrosses in comparison.

Bird list for a short 2-hour walk

1. New Zealand Pigeon 10
2. Weka 5
3. Variable Oystercatcher 4
4. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 5
5. Kelp Gull 1
6. Buller's Albatross 2
7. White-capped Albatross 2
8. Great Cormorant 1
9. Pied Cormorant 1
10. New Zealand Kaka 8
11. Red-crowned Parakeet 8
12. Tui 9
13. New Zealand Bellbird 10
14. New Zealand Fantail 1
15. South Island Saddleback 3
16. South Island Robin 5
17. Silvereye 10
18. Eurasian Blackbird 1

Boulder Beach on Ulva Island

Stewart Island 15Jun19 am

From KH

Foveaux Strait

Birds seen in the strait

1. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 10
2. Kelp Gull 5
3. White-fronted Tern 10
4. Buller's Albatross 8
5. White-capped Albatross 2
6. Stewart Island Shag 5
7. Swamp Harrier 1

Swamp Harrier over Foveaux Strait.

White-capped and Buller's Albatrosses are common in the strait.

Buller's Albatross

White-capped Albatross

Birds seen in Oban, Stewart Island

1. Paradise Shelduck 2
2. Variable Oystercatcher 3
3. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 10
4. Kelp Gull 2
5. Buller's Albatross 1
6. Spotted Shag 1
7. Stewart Island Shag 1
8. Sacred Kingfisher 1
9. Tui 5
10. New Zealand Bellbird 5
11. New Zealand Fantail 5
12. Silvereye 8
13. European Starling 10
14. Eurasian Blackbird 2
15. Dunnock 2
16. House Sparrow

Red-billed and Kelp Gulls are also common here.

Red-billed Gull

Kelp Gull with pied morph Stewart Island Shags

Stewart Island Shags come in two morphs - pied and bronze.

Bronze morph Steward Island Shag

Spotted Shag and Pied Cormorant seem less common here.

Spotted Shag

Pied Cormorant

Variable Oystercatchers also come with different morphs. Here's a pair of the black morph.

Paradise Shelducks - female with white head, male black.

A couple of endemics: Tui and NZ Bellbird.

And a couple of introduced species: European Starling and Eurasian Blackbird.

Bluff 14Jun19

From KH

A single White-capped Albatross (rightmost), Buller's Albatrosses, Silver Gulls and Kelp Gull following fishing boat for scraps.

Dunnock

Don't Bluff!