Ship tours and owlets.

A putangitangi duckling

It is the tourist boat season so I am once more taking guided tours in Zealandia. I love showing off New Zealand's natural beauty and that of Zealandia in particular.
This weeks tour started with a rush as I had misread my email and had not realised I was down to be lead guide. I managed to get there with ten minutes to spare thank goodness.
Our first stop is usually at the lower dam and today we were rewarded with the sight of a pair of putangitangi or paradise shelducks and their flock of gorgeous black and white ducklings. They are New Zealand's only shelduck and are endemic. This family had been born outside the sanctuary but Mum and Dad brought their young brood to the gates and hung about until they were let in. Evidently they did this last year as well which I think is very clever of them. It would be smarter still if they made their nest on the inside to start with. They were quite happy to have their family photographed  and oohed and aahed over.

Dad and kids

Mum and ducklings

We headed into the valley and had a very happy two hours as I pointed out the various birds about as well as giving snippets of information on the trees and our hopes for the future. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. Maybe summer is finally on its way.

A pair of fantails or piwakawaka flitted about our heads as we made our way out. The group had a few minutes to shop and see the exhibition before I farewelled them and made sure we had not lost anyone. As all were present and accounted for I waved them off and the bus departed.

I had decided to make a day of it in the Sanctuary so had a quick lunch at the Rata Cafe before setting off to check my kaka nest boxes. First though, I had another  nest site to check. Next week is kaka week and for the first time we are taking guided tours to see almost fledged kaka nestlings. I am to be involved this weekend and thought it would make sense to track down my nest box before I had a group trailing along behind. My ability to read maps and know where things  in space are including myself tend to be a challenge so being prepared is a necessity. The new site was on the way to my normal nest boxes so I found it quite easily which was a relief.

My first nest box had chicks looking quite mature now. They are a bit scruffy as they lose down and gain flight feathers. Very soon they will be banded and we will no longer check on them as they could tumble out of the nest box when it is opened, due to overcrowding as they jostle for space.

Our oldest chicks are ready for banding

The next box has been taking over by interlopers - an owl or ruru. I approached carefully but Mrs Owl heard me and popped her head out to observe me. I slowly moved closer and she opted to fly to a nearby branch and sat there 'churring' to reassure her little chick born less than  week ago. I opened the box to see a little white fuzz ball with tiny eyes just starting to open. I took a photo but as I closed the door I heard a commotion. A tui and two kaka had spied the mother and were on to her in a second, screeching and chasing her away. Other birds seem to know that ruru are silent killers of the night and do not like them much. Given the chance they will get their own back and attack them. I backed off and watched. The little ruru made her way back cautiously, flying low to the ground. Getting closer to the nest box she started to 'chur,' making a quiet buzzing sound. Immediately a kaka screeched a reply. It perched above where the sound had come from but was unable to spot her. I decided to back off at this point hoping she would make it safely back to her chick.

Our tiny ruru chick

My next nest box had three growing kaka chicks in it. One was a lot smaller than the other two but it seemed healthy and strong.

Three chicks at different stages of growth

The runt of the litter is looking pretty healthy

The last nest box had eggs recently laid so I settled down to wait for the mother to appear. After ten minutes she flew in to the top of the box. I quickly checked the nest before she entered and found three newly hatched chicks and three eggs. All was well so I departed to allow Mum to get back to her babies.

The newest chicks on the block

On the way back I stopped to photo a tree fern displaying a lovely set of new fronds unfolding. Representative of the unfurling of new life, I am always taken aback by their artistic beauty.

Beautiful new koru unfurling

This weekend is going to be exciting as I mentioned before that we will be taking visitors up to see young kaka chicks which are at the not quite fledged stage. People will get to see them as part of Kaka Week. The North Island parrot was extinct in Wellington until they were brought back into the environment at Zealandia. The exercise has been hugely successful and now they are spreading into the suburbs. People curious to learn more about them will get their chance over the next week as various activities are run.

Kākā Week

A volunteer checks in with kākā at Zealandia

Photo By Janice McKenna

A volunteer checks in with kākā at Zealandia

Photo By Janice McKenna

A volunteer checks in with kākā at Zealandia

Photo By Janice McKenna

Join us for special activities as we celebrate these boisterous and charming natural ambassadors of the sanctuary. Meet our volunteer kākā monitors, find out how we support kākā in the valley,  and learn what you can do at home to help too.

Activities for all ages, 11am – 3 pm, Sundays, 17 & 24 November.

• barbecue
• bird monitoring with binoculars
• tracking with telemetry antennae
• make your own pest tracking tunnel
• a peek at kākā chicks in a nest box
• … plus lots more.

Themed talks and clue trails all week, 17 – 24 November.

 Meet Allison the kākā volunteer & Telling a kākā’s age from its bands