10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Conservation was in the news again in the last few weeks here in New Zealand, and unfortunately not in a good way. As most people know cats, both feral and domestic, have a pretty big impact on wild birds and other wildlife, and the effect of mammals is particularly profound in New Zealand.

New Zealand 162

New Zealand Possums SPCA Hedgehogs 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2012

The lake was filled with families of Dusky Moorhens and Purple Swamphens (or Pukeko as we call them in New Zealand), all tending small groups of black chicks. Magpie-larks are neither magpies nor larks but are the largest of the monarch-flycatchers, and the most terrestrial of the family.

New Zealand 189

New Zealand Ducks Australia Japan 189

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

So, inspired by a similar article on road birding in Thailand, I present road birding in New Zealand. As with any kind of road birding, birding as a car passenger in New Zealand generally restricts the kind of birds you’re going to see. Feral Turkey are also quite common.

New Zealand 211

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 211

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2012

In the event I’m in a life or death struggle with an Oregon Junco or a particularly feral Dunnock I’d rather my birding companion was at least nominally on my side. Australian Magpies are found across Australia, southern New Guinea and have been introduced to New Zealand (along with just about everything else).

New Zealand 194

New Zealand Kangaroos Birds Australia 194

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2014

2013 was a strange year for me, staring in the UK, ending in Borneo and spending large tracks of the year not really seeing many birds in New Zealand. For the moment I’ll stick with the split babbler families although I may relump the laughingthrushes, ground and tree babblers per Molye et al (2012). Indigo Flycatcher.

2014 150

2014 New Zealand Singapore Rhinoceros 150