The takahē was once thought to be extinct, but in 1948 it was rediscovered by Dr. Geoffrey Orbell, [who incidentally I remember meeting as a child, when he was the next-door-neighbour of my grandparents]. He found it high in the tussock grasslands of the remote Murchison Mountains, Fiordland. Currently there are just over 300 left in the world - approx. half in the wild. photo Southern Light
The takahē was once thought to be extinct, but in 1948 it was rediscovered by Dr. Geoffrey Orbell, [who incidentally I remember meeting as a child, when he was the next-door-neighbour of my grandparents]. He found it high in the tussock grasslands of the remote Murchison Mountains, Fiordland. Currently there are just over 300 left in the world – approx. half in the wild. photo Southern LightToday a very timely report was released by Parliamentary Commissioner for the environment. Dr Jan Wright. It follows on from a very succinct series of non political reports including the use of 1080 poison to help our birds:
In a new report, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says New Zealand’s native birds are in a desperate situation.
“Despite the efforts of many, most of our native birds are in trouble.” said the Commissioner, Dr Jan Wright.
“A third are in danger of becoming extinct. This includes the kea – the only alpine parrot in the world. Another is the wrybill – the only bird in the world with a beak that curves to the side. And another is the whio – a duck that paddles through rough water like a white water kayaker.”
Wrybill in the Makarora braided riverbed, Mt Aspiring National Park. photo Southern Light
The Commissioner’s report is based on a vision of restoring abundant, diverse, and resilient birdlife on the New Zealand mainland.
Dr Wright says the Government’s aim of eradicating possums, rats, and stoats by 2050 is good because it focuses attention on the most pressing cause of the decline of native birds – predators. But she says a plan of action is urgently needed.
“We need sustained control of predators over more large areas, so that bigger populations of birds can thrive. Small isolated bird populations can become inbred. We must not let our birds drift to the shallow end of the gene pool”, said Dr Wright.
The Commissioner also stresses the need for action on feral cats.
“These bird killers now almost certainly number in the millions in the countryside and along forest margins.”
The last chapter of the report contains seven recommendations to the Government. They include high priority research on controlling predators, increased protection of important bird habitats, and investigating new sources of funding.
“Ninety-three of our bird species are found in no other country”, said Dr Wright. “We must look after them. Our birds need help not only in national parks, but on farms, along rivers and coasts, and in cities. This is a battle for all New Zealanders.”
Chain fitting in the Cardrona Valley today, for going over the Crown Range Road to Queenstown
Chain fitting in the Cardrona Valley today, for going over the Crown Range Road to Queenstown
A selection of photos of the early season snow around Wanaka- most of them are in the Cardrona Valley. Click on any image to begin a manual slide show…
Chain fitting in the Cardrona Valley today, for going over the Crown Range Road to Queenstown
Central Otago tor and rainbow ~ It’s all about the journey after all!
Immersion in solitude, awareness of self, quietness of the spirit, and sometimes the odd challenge – all these and more are there in our mountain landscapes, just waiting to be seen, and better yet felt.
Sometimes we’re so goal driven and yet whatever it was sometimes gets replaced: to get past stinging rain in the face, a tired body or something new and unimagined.
Here is a little slide show of my favourites scenes over the last several months. Each has a story, and the best journeys are the ones we can relive and savour as needed, or when the whim takes us.
Enjoy… just click on any thumbnail to get the show going. With exception of the featured image, a tor and rainbow in Central Otago [taken yesterday], all were captured in the West Matukituki Valley, Mt Aspiring National Park…
above: Diverse weather with a rainbow on Mt Glengyle in Mt Aspiring National Park ~ photo Donald Lousley, Southern Light
above: "The Boss" of three kea resident near Aspiring Hut in the West Matukituki valley, Mt Aspiring National Park Mar 2017 ~ photo southern light
above: “The Boss” of three kea resident near Aspiring Hut in the West Matukituki valley, Mt Aspiring National Park Mar 2017 ~ photo southern light
A few weeks ago I was involved in the capture and subsequent banding of a young kea. Probably a male, but that is not a certainty with any youngster.
At the time while recording the banding with a camera, I was struck on how he took being held in his stride, and when relaxed started looking about the hut we were in, sizing it up with what seemed like a daunting intelligence.
The plastic band was coloured green and printed on this bling was the character “E” in white. So on the books he became “white E on green”. Since then he’s become quite my friend so I’ve named him Edwin. Time and again ‘tho he’s tried as one of a party of three, to enter the hut once more, perhaps feigning friendship to do so!
He showed his true colours for my camera on a rainy Sat. recently when three experienced trampers called by on their way out of the valley…
Edwin somewhat precociously approaches a tramper, and at this point he’s like a kid in a candy store challenged by many choices that engage his curiosityThe game continues as the tramper moves off the deckIt’s game on – he knows all about hands (that held him gently and firmly), but these ones are different, and he’s not afraid to do a “beak” test on the consistency and textureSince the owner of the hand is well aware Edwin could draw blood, to Edwin’s satisfaction a wet boot and assisting lace is offeredAs the trampers depart, perhaps fearful of their boot’s being eaten, Edwin decides to followBut Edwin returned! I think he knew his value as a “bad hair day” model! Either way he is an endearing character
So that’s an insight into Edwin’s personality, but what of the squadron of like minded kea he is a player in?
As it turns out the other two birds ignore him until his (superior) intelligence manifesting as curiosity finds him poking his nose into anything new.
Suddenly the others sit up and take notice and if the subject of his attention is deemed worthy, a much older kea brushes Edwin aside and takes ownership of the situation. Edwin is smart enough to back off from the aged and experienced beak of the bird I now call “the boss”. Anyway he (Edwin) has a greater purpose, and is soon off to the next phenomena demanding his attention.
My favourite kea photo ~ why? I like the smug and comfortable look of confidence and happiness. Yes, kea can both recognise emotions and exhibit them ~ all photos by Southern Light
My favourite kea photo ~ why? I like the smug and comfortable look of confidence and happiness. Yes, kea can both recognise emotions and exhibit them ~ all photos by Southern Light
New Zealand’s alpine parrot cuts right across the aloofness of a landscape and weather that takes no prisoners, greeting us with life and curiosity that never fails to get us smiling; a feathered and garrulous court jester of our mountains.
The birds decline in numbers to under 5000 has been due to an historic century-long bounty, 120,000 having been paid out on by successive governments wanting to help the farming economy, and in more later years by them eating lead headed nails on high country shearing sheds and hut roofs, and being predated on by ever increasing numbers of stoats and other vermin.
Soon they’ll be extinct unless we keep up with widespread large-scale pest control, backed by a commitment to evolving and sound science, flavoured by innovation.
This post is a brief look at some of the current methodologies, and serendipitously while preparing it a friend in the US, Don Watson [check out his recent post on Owl Baiting by unscrupulous bird photographers], a supporter of this site, just sent this message on FaceBook:
Watched a very interesting documentary about kea’s and Caledonian crows. It was called “Beak and Brain, genius birds from down under”. Very interesting, the research going on and the problems that stoats and predators are bringing to the kea. The 1 hr. Video was on Netflix. Showed the predator trapping and a kea cave that was photographed with a stoat killing the female and her 2 chicks. Stuff that you deal with every day at Mt. Aspiring, but really interesting to see some of what you do there.
A link to the movie appears below. Meanwhile here are a few photos taken very recently in Mt Aspiring National Park, of highly skilled conservationists doing their job…
This is one way to catch a NZ kea – something bright and interesting alongside a net wielded by a skilled personIn the net! The previous “bait” was changed to something that would be less of a hassle in the net with the bird, in this case a tube of toothpaste as it’d be hard for the bird to fly off with it should the netting failHeld firmly in gentle hands our new friend amazes me as he calmly looks about with a distinct air of intelligence! At this point being a juvenile [yellow areas about the beak/eyes] gender is not known.Measurements are taken carefully for the futureBands being attached to both legs to aid future identification. They can live for up to 30 years. Check out those claws!Non plussed post release and in no hurry to depart, the new “bling” is examined and pecked atThe next stage in saving the kea is to catch females and attach radio collars. Then track them to their nests and install video cameras and/or surround the nest with traps. The kea on the ground is sadly no longer alive, but lives on to attract others for banding
Beak & Brain: Genius Birds From Down Under | Netflix
Whoever came up with the term “bird brain” never met these feathered thinkers, who use their claws and beaks to solve puzzles, make tools and more.
