BIRDQUEST2004

We left Rotorua easily and headed back west to Waitamo.  There are sections of caves that you can visit here.  Sue and I chose the Glowworm Cave and Aranui Cave.  Zoe went to all three Gloworm, Aranui and Ruakuri Caves.

I really thought this would be a money grab but was I wrong, yes the price is a bit steep but the tours are awesome and like nothing we’ve seen before.

The glowworm caves are dark and photos isn’t allowed.  In the other cave I did my best but the images are fairly grainy due to high ISO.

Cave Wetas – only wildlife in the caves

Sue and I had a bit of time to kill while we waited for Zoe’s final cave  tour to end and we went to a nearby Kiwi House.

Pacific Black Duck (Grey Duck)

Blue Duck

Cape Barren Goose

Sacred Kingfisher

Spur-winged Plover

Banded Rail

New Zealand Shoveler

Grey Teal

Weka

Brown Kiwi at 1.6 million ISO, yup near total darkness and I still got an image

On the way to pick up Zoe I found a few more new birds for the trip.

Song Thrush

A Wild Sacred Kingfisher

Another great day had by all….

Ciao for now

We left Wellington knowing we’d be back there some day.  I could easily see, Sue and I, going there for a winter break.  Friendly people, scenery and climate.

There were more dairy/cattle farms in the north but the variety of pasture birds seemed to be the same as on the South Island.

Pied Stilt

We did see more Redpolls and Finches near Taupo

A smoking up close look at a Yellowhammer, the second of this trip.

Young Black-billed Gull

Crazy panorama..

European Import’s

Eurasian Coot

Black Swan

Dabchick Grebe

Love is in the air

Black-billed Gull

Spur-winged Plover

This photo doesn’t really show just how much water is going through this gorge at Huka Falls.

Next stop was the Orakei Korako Geothermal Park & Cave, another spot that’s worth the price of admission.  An enjoyable afternoon.

A small boat takes you to the Thermal Park

The Cave

Fantail

Welcome Swallow

Sue planned to go to the Te Puia, the Maori cultural center and geothermal wonder and I looked around the area for spots to bird.

I happened on a Waste dump with thousands of gulls and after donning a hard hat and safety jacket they let me wander about taking images of Kelp Gulls.

1st cycle

Adult

1st Cycle

3rd Cycle

Adult

1st

1st

2nd

1st

1st

2nd

We thought it would be a great to call it a day, early and enjoy dinner in Rotorua.

We chose an Italian restaurant…with interesting wall décor.  first Italian restaurant I’ve ever been in that bread wasn’t included with your meal.  You had to pay for it.

A great day had by all

Ciao for now