OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can itbe? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun[in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGINlate 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
Tawharanui
The ultimate Auckland Tour experience!
Tawharanui's nocturnal wildlife includes the North Island brown kiwi, morepork (NZ owl), weta and much more which you can discover on our guided night walk.
Best opportunities to see KIWI in the wild near Auckland.
After sunset the bush environment changes. Tawharanui is home to the NZ Brown Kiwi, few NZ’ers have seen this bird in the wild, Morepork (NZ owl) and Weta.
Much of our insect life, fish life and some bird life are nocturnal, this is an opportunity to experience what goes on in the dark!
You will be guided through the native forest by your guide in search of our nocturnal wildlife.
This tour is the same as the day tour, with a shorter nature walk in the daylight. We then enjoy a delicious picnic dinner while enjoying the views of the beach and ocean and the setting sun.
Note: Kiwi are very elusive, however we get to see them on approx. 70% of our tours.
Depart Auckland 1.30pm (times vary with seasons check at time of booking). Return Auckland 10.30pm (times vary with seasons check at time of booking). Maximum guests 7. Includes Delicious picnic dinner Costs $265.00 Tour includes: transport, guided walks, picnic dinner and refreshments.
Tuesday 24thof October 2017and time to leave for yet another adventure. I was booked on the 28th of October. But as I have planned to have a (MAYBE) beer on the 27th I cancelled. Ibooked Habitat Tours for the 24th and 27th and I told them that I can pay double and go on my own. So I have been hoping that they won't get any bookings since back in April. But we will be 7 people going, I save money, but I would have preferred to pay extra and to go alone.
I'm surprised with the weather, one month ago it was OK during day time, maybe a wee bit nippy during the late afternoon/ evening. Now, a month later and it is colder even though we're approaching summer. And looking for theKiwi and we will not be back until midnight tonight. So I might need a jacket/ wind breaker.
I checked internet and I found a shop, Beggs Big & Tall Menswear and I took a taxi there. I found what I needed, I also bought a pair of sweatpants that I can pull over my shorts and shoes without having to go through the trouble to “change” clothes if it gets too cold.
I walked back to my hotel and I had tea and smoked salmon while waiting for the pick up at 13:50 and I'm looking forward to our Kiwi bird trip.And I will hopefully have more luck than I have had on Fiji and Tonga. I went down to the reception at 13:45 and the car was already here waiting. We took off to pick up 6 more passengers at two different places.
Habitat Tours comes to pick me up
Can't say that I was happy to spend one hour in the car waiting for the other passengers, driving around looking for other passengers before we could finally take off towards the Tawharanui Regional Park on the Tawharanui Peninsula.
We expect it to take one and a half to two hours to get there. We will make 2 stops on the way, first stop at the Parry Kauri Park to look at an old tree. Second stop at Matakan, a small town/ village where we will have tea.
Tawharanui Peninsula
is a finger of land projecting into the Hauraki Gulf from the east coast of the much larger North Auckland Peninsula of New Zealand. It separates Omaha Bay to the north from Kawau Bay and Kawau Island to the south. The nearest sizable town is Warkworth.
Tawharanui Regional Park covers 588 hectares of the peninsula's land and Tawharanui Marine Reserve covers the northern coastal sea. Both are administered by Auckland Council which also owns the regional park.
Geologically the peninsula consists of Waitemata Sandstone on top of folded and uplifted greywacke.
Regional park
The park combines a "mainland island" sanctuary for the conservation of native plants and animals with farmland and public recreation areas. The park is mostly grazed pasture with manuka scattered throughout and patches of coastal forest. The most significant area of coastal forest is in the central eastern part of the park where kauri and rimu dominate the ridges, with puriri, taraire, tawa and, less often, rewarewa and nikau in the valleys. Elsewhere there are totara, kahikatea, pohutukawa, cabbage trees, karaka and New Zealand flax.[3]
The mainland island was created by the construction of a 2.5 km pest-proof fence across the peninsula in 2004. This was followed by an aerial drop of poison later in 2004 which eliminated black rats, brown rats, feral cats, possums, weasels, stoats and ferrets. Introduced pests remaining in the sanctuary are mice, rabbits and hedgehogs. The Tawharanui Open Sanctuary Society Inc. (TOSSI) assists Auckland Council with the sanctuary by fundraising and volunteer work.
Sixteen species of native land birds and 15 species of native coastal birds have been recorded in the park. Wetland birds include the Australasian bittern, spotless crake and fernbird. Coastal birds include the New Zealand dotterel, blue reef heron and variable oystercatcher.
Marine Reserve
Tāwharanui Marine Reserve was established in 2011. The marine reserve replaces the Tawharanui Marine Park, which was established in 1981 as New Zealand's first Marine Protected Area. It covers approximately 395 hectares, from Mean High Water Mark out to half a nautical mile into the sea, along three kilometres of the coastline. Regulations administered by the Ministry of Fisheries prohibit the taking of any marine life. The diverse coastline contains a range of subtidal habitats, including reefs with overhangs, tunnels and caves. Schools of red moki, blue maomao, spotty, red mullet and koheru are common. North Island brown kiwi was reintroduced into the area. Cetaceans such as bottlenose dolphin and orca or other species also visit the waters nearby.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We left Auckland behind and we were making good speed on the highway and the spirit was high. We drove through a beautiful landscape and we were soon driving through the Johnstones Hill Tunnels. We were 8 people in the car and I was happy to sit up front with the driver. The only thing I missed was a bottle or two of MAX
gottisar.
I will go have a look at the Parry Kauri Park, according to our Guide there is no restaurant, but I souvenir shop so I might find something there. We were soon coming to a sign saying Parry Kauri Park and we turned right leaving the highway.
Leaving Auckland behind
Approaching Johnstones Hill Tunnels
Johnstones Hill Tunnels
We stopped at the Parry Kauri Park and I went to look for a MAX
first thing coming out of the car. I had no luck and I went out to look at the Kauri tree. A huge tree and 800 years old. I had a look and I took the opportunity to have a look for some birds while in the area. I spotted the Common Blackbird and the Welcome Swallow.
Agathis australis, commonly known by its Māori name kauri, is a coniferous tree of Araucariaceae in the genus Agathis, found north of 38°S in the northern districts of New Zealand's North Island.
It is the largest (by volume) but not tallest species of tree in New Zealand, standing up to 50 m tall in the emergent layer above the forest's main canopy. The tree has smooth bark and small narrow leaves. Other common names to distinguish A. australis from other members of the genus are southern kauri and New Zealand kauri.
Kauri forests are among the most ancient in the world. The antecedents of the kauri appeared during the Jurassic period (between 190 and 135 million years ago). Although the kauri is among the most ancient trees in the world, it has developed a unique niche in the forest. With its novel soil interaction and regeneration pattern it can compete with the more recently evolved and faster growing angiosperms. Because it is such a conspicuous species, forest containing kauri is generally known as kauri forest, although kauri need not be the most abundant tree. In the warmer northern climate, kauri forests have a higher species richness than those found further south.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sign for Tawharanui Regional Park, we're on the right way
We stop at Matakana river front and I see a White-faced Heron
We left Parry Kauri Park and we continued towards North. We reached Matakana and we went down to the Matakana River to have a look for birds. I spotted a White-faced Heron even before we had got out of the car. And it was very hard to see sitting in a bush/ tree at a picnic table. Iwent out and I sneaked towards the White-faced heron. Yes, Porky the human balloon in stealth mode and flabby managed to get all the way to the White-faced Heron without scaring the bird.
Amazing, the bird, a juvenile, didn't mind me and my camera. And there was another White-faced Heron just below the bush down in the river. I managed to get a few very good pictures of the White-faced Heron before I discovered the very beautiful Australian Pied Cormorant, going under the name Pied Cormorant here on New Zealand.
A gorgeous bird with blue eyes and yellow between the bill and the eyes. And a beautiful back plumage. We spotted a couple of Mallard Ducks sleeping on the mudflat and there was a Kingfisher sitting in a tree. I went to the bridge and there were a group of Red-billed Gulls eating some dead fishes they had thrown on the mudflat.
Also known as the pied cormorant or pied shag. Older sources may refer to it as the “Yellow-faced cormorant”
Australian Pied Cormorant
Also known as the pied cormorant or pied shag. Older sources may refer to it as the “Yellow-faced cormorant”
Red-billed Gull once also known as the mackerel gull
Red-billed Gull once also known as the mackerel gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus
Red-billed Gull once also known as the mackerel gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus
Red-billed Gull once also known as the mackerel gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus
We stayed at Matakana river front longer than the planned 20 minutes. We need to be at the Tawharanui Regional Park so we can take a bird watching walk while we have day light. Then a picnic dinner and a walk in the dark looking for Kiwi birds.
We spot a New Zealand Pigeon, a huge pigeon in the tree above our car. We were finally in the car and we could continue to Tawharanui Regional Park our final destination. The stop at the Matakana River had been very good. A beautiful place and many good bird pictures.
New Zealand Pigeon
Matakana River
Matakana River
Mallard Ducks
We are on the right way to Tawharanui Regional Park
Driving on Tawharanui Peninsula towards the Tawharanui Regional Park
Driving on Tawharanui Peninsula towards the Tawharanui Regional Park
Driving on Tawharanui Peninsula towards the Tawharanui Regional Park
Driving on Tawharanui Peninsula towards the Tawharanui Regional Park
Reaching Tawharanui Regional Park
We left Matakana behind and we were driving through a beautiful landscape on the Tawharanui Peninsula towards the Tawharanui Regional Park. We had to drive through a gate when we reached the Tawharanui Regional Park. There is a wall, maybe 1 meter high cutting off the peninsula and we had to enter via a gate. The birds on New Zealand, many of them by now extinct don't have any enemies. The only predator they know of is the bird of prey. So they look up but they are not afraid of any mammals as there is no mammals on New Zealand. At least not until the Maui arrived here 800 years ago bringing dogs and the Europeans arrived 200 years ago bringing rats, cats etc.
These animals ate all the birds as they were just standing there not afraid as they didn't had any enemies, pretty much like the whales. Anyway, now New Zealand are full of the birds enemies and they have to block the peninsulas and the birds can live there as they have done for thousands of year without having to be attacked by “intoduced” predators.
Male and female Paradise Shelduck - Tadorna variegata
Female Paradise Shelduck - Tadorna variegata
The first new bird we saw was the Paradise Shelduck. We stopped at a pond to have a look at some shore birds before we continued to the end of the road where we parked the car. We continued out on the peninsula by foot. We walked past the beach before we came in to something that looked like a forest. But it looked more like bushes than tree.
I was soon to hear a very strange bird sound, yes, bird watching in new exotic countries and you will run in to new and strange birds. The bird is called Tui and below you can click on the player to hear the sound. We can imagine me hearing this sound from a tree for the first time.
I tried to walk ahead of our group as they were a wee bit loud. They catch up with me when I was taking pictures of the Tui and the bird flew away. I tried a new idea, I let them go ahead of me and I could hear them all over the park. But now I managed to get bird pictures. I caught up with them at the border to some special forest. We had to clean our shoes with some spray and we also had to brush the shoes. I decided to skip this and I started to walk back.
I spotted the South Island takahē, looking like theAustralasian Swamphenand at a quick glance it looks like the swamphen. But the South Island takahē is bigger, kind of green and blue instead of blue and black and the bill is much much bigger.
The bird have an interesting history: It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort the bird was rediscovered by Geoffrey Orbell near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains, South Island, on 20 November 1948. The specific scientific name commemorates the Austrian geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter. There are only a very few birds remaining on New Zealand.
The South Island Takahē disappeared in under the bushes before I got any good pictures.
South Island Takahē
North Island Robin
A failed picture of the New Zealand fantail
A failed picture of the New Zealand fantail
A failed picture of the New Zealand fantail
Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Tui - Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
South Island Takahē
South Island Takahē
South Island Takahē
South Island Takahē
I continue on the walk path and I'm soon running in to a bird hiding in the bushes. Turns out to be a North Island Robin, but the rest of the group were catching up with me, loud noise and the bird got scared and disappeared. I was not happy and I asked them if they could please be quiet while we're walking in the park. I told them that I could hear them all over the park.
I dashed off walking back towards the parking lot. I spot a beautiful New Zealand fantail but the bird is jumping around never sitting still even for a second so I never get any good pictures. But I was lucky to see two more South Island Takahē so I could get a picture.
On the way back to the car and the picnic dinner I also see a Chaffinch and a Brown Quail, no pictures. There were also a couple of Eastern rosellas and a California Quail. I had a lot of bad pictures that went to the garbage bin from the walk. But I was very happy with the day. But now it was getting too dark for any bird watching and it is time for the picnic dinner.
Sun is setting over Anchor Bay
Time for the picnic
Sun is setting
Sun is setting
Dark enough to go look for the Brown Kiwi
It was pitch dark by the time we were ready with the picnic dinner. Our Guide handed out flashlights with red lights and we took off towards the same path we had walked before. We could hear the first Kiwi already at the car park.
We left the car park behind and we followed the track to the shoe cleaning place where we cleaned our shoes. We continued in to the special forest and we could hear more Kiwis. But we only saw a Cricket, the only animal we saw during the night walk.
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
At least we see a Cricket
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
Looking for the Brown Kiwi
We left the Tawharanui Regional Park and we expect to be back in Auckland around midnight. So it will not be much sleep as my Guide from Wrybill will pick me up at 7 thirty tomorrow morning. There were not much traffic but here on New Zealand (Pretty smart) they do the road work during the night so we passed quite a few road works on the way back to Auckland.
Our first stop was to drop the passengers we had picked up last and then we drove to my hotel. I will meet the Guide again next Friday so I said “see you again” and I went up to my room to have a quick look at my pictures before trying to get some sleep.
It had been a very good day and I was happy that I had have the time to buy my new jacket before we left for Tawharanui Regional Park as it got a wee bit nippy during the afternoon/ evening. But I never found any use for my new sweat pants.
Anyway, I will bring my new clothes in my backpack when we go to Tiritiri Matangi Island. ClickHEREto find out what kind of birds we will see tomorrow.