June 19, 2011 - Orokonui Ecosanctuary
This is a male Tomtit. The female is brown and less colorful than the male. They are found in the forests of both the North and South Islands. South Island birds have a golden/yellow wash on the breast, like this one. North Island Tomtits are all white underneath. These are small birds, about the size of our Black-capped Chickadee
The Bellbird is aptly named because of its loud, clear, bell-like call. They are common and found over most of New Zealand. This is a male; the female looks very similar but she has a white stripe extending from her bill down over her cheek. Because of its fondness for nectar, the Bellbird is an important pollinator of the native forests. It is also found in orchards and suburban gardens.
This little bird with the long tail is called a Fantail. It’s very energetic, hopping and flying around almost constantly. It fans its tail and droops its wings to startle insects so it can snatch them up. They are friendly little birds and don’t mind coming close to humans. The truth is, they are probably just interested in the insects we stir up as we move along. Fantails are very prolific, producing three or four broods in a season. Incubation takes about 14 days. Then the male feeds them while the female builds the next nest.
This is a flower that I saw at Orokonui. I don’t know what it is but I thought it was pretty.
(After I posted this picture I was told by a friend in New Zealand that it is Himalayan Honeysuckle. Unfortunately, it is considered a noxious plant in many parts of New Zealand. Earl)
The Fernbird is a “skulker”. It is found in low, dense vegetation but especially likes sedge or flax swamps. It moves quietly through the reeds and only occasionally emerges into the open. I could hear this one calling but I had to wait quietly for some time before it popped out on this branch. The tail of the Fernbird looks kind of raggedy because the feather barbs don’t join together like they do on most birds.
The Silvereye probably arrived in New Zealand via a storm that blew it there from Tasmania. One source gives a date of 1832, while another says in the 1850s. In either case, it’s not that long ago. The Silvereye apparently likes New Zealand; I’m pretty sure someone told me it is the most numerous bird species on the islands. They are found almost anywhere there are trees. Part of the Silvereye’s success may be due to the variety of food that it eats; in addition to insects, it also likes fruit and nectar. It comes to feeders and eats almost anything available.
We visited Orokonui during our stay in Portobella. The hills around Portobella were lush and green. We were there in April, which is fall in the Southern Hemisphere, so we also got to see some fall colors mixed in. If you look closely near the top of the hill you will see lots of little white dots. Those are some of the many sheep that were grazing in the pastures.
I have several galleries on my web site showing all my photos from our New Zealand trip. Here’s a link to those galleries. http://www.earlorfphotos.com/NewZealandTrip-April2011
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