Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Wild Bird Wednesday 628 - Kōkako

The North Island Kōkako (Callaeas wilsoni) is an endemic New Zealand Wattlebird, and almost certainly the only surviving species in the genus. The South Island Kōkako (Callaeas cinereus) has not been confirmed to be seen since 2007, and the prior to that had not been seen since 1967.  The South Island species is now classified as data deficient, rather than extinct - but it's probably gone.

The North Island Kōkako is doing a little better, but only with significant conservation effort.  This species was once common over much of North Island, but now they are restricted to a few predator free sanctuaries. 

Predation at nests – mainly by ship rats and possums, and occasionally stoats – is the primary cause of the North Island Kōkako's decline. Female Kōkako are particularly at risk of predation as they do all the incubation and brooding throughout a 50-day nesting period. Years of such selective predation resulted in populations that were predominantly male and as such had very low productivity rates. In one example of this type of predation, the population of North Island Kōkako's in Hunua Ranges was reduced to have just one breeding female in 1994.

An active program of translocation from individuals to predator free sanctuaries has resulted in a rise in bird numbers, and now there are about 2300 breeding pairs spread across a number of sites on North Island.  The island of Tiritiri Matangi - which is just over an hour by boat from central Auckland - is one of these sites, and I was fortunate to see at least two birds on a day visit there. 

The bird itself is more often seen than heard and it has wonderful, far carrying, voice that is described as 'a slow string of very loud rich mournful organ-like notes' - and I can vouch for the fact that it was loud.  They can be frustratingly hard to see in the tree tops,  but I was lucky enough to find (with help!) two birds lower in the canopy.

Kōkako weigh around 230g and are about 38 cm long. They have long legs and a long tail, and a short, strong bill. They are not strong flyers. The North Island Kōkako has distinctive blue wattles (fleshy pads hanging from each corner of the bill), while the South Island bird’s wattles were orange. 

I have to say, they are a pretty spectacular bird.











As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below.  Cheers  SM


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Monday, 5 August 2024

Mammal on Monday 9: Domestic or House Cat

The Domestic Cat (Felis catus) is probably one of the most familiar mammals in the world. As of 2021, there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world. About 1 in 4 adults in the UK is owned by a cat (!). 

Cats that are similar to our house cats have been around for a long time, with the genus Felis genetically diverging from other Felidae (ie all other 'cats') around 6 to 7 million years ago.  

For a long time the domestication of the cat was thought to have begun in ancient Egypt, where cats were venerated as Gods from around 3100 BC. (and as the joke goes: they still remember this!)  Recently, the earliest known evidence for the taming of an African wildcat was excavated close by a human Neolithic grave southern Cyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC.

Domestication has changed cats very little, with only minor changes in anatomy and behaviour.  This means they are still capable of surviving in the wild, and in many places feral cat populations pose a significant threat to native wildlife.  As always seems t0 be the case, this is a significant problem in Australia.

I keep two cats, but would not do so if I was not able to keep them contained.  My cats has an enclosed outdoor door area which we refer to as the 'pleasure palace', which keeps both the cats and the local wildlife safe.  

Cuban Cat

Cuban Cat

Cuban Cat - showing its nictitating membrane in its eye

Cuban Cat

Dutch Cat - living on a house boat!

My cats Hector and Freda - showing total disregard of any rule setting!

My first Australia cat - Mr. Hudson

Cats feature in many mythologies, one of my favourite being the idea that the Norse Goddess Freyja, the goddess of love, luck and (I think) things domestic, had a chariot that was pulled by two black cats.  This resulted in cats being common wedding presents, to bring the favour of Freyja on the newly married couple.  I can think of worse traditions!

Cheers - SM


Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Wild Bird Wednesday 627 - Wrybill

The Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis) - also know as the Ngutuparore in Māori - is an endemic New Zealand plover.

It is the only bird in the world that has a bill that is bent sideways in one direction - always to the right. This bill shape seems to be an adaptation to feeding under the edges of stones and pebbles, but it also helps the bird 'skim' food off the surface of smooth surfaces.

I saw lots of these birds near to the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, which is on the east coast of North Island in New Zealand, about an hour from Auckland.  On two occasions I spend a couple of hours  lying flat on the beach as the rising tide pushed a roosting flock of these birds towards me.  In the end the birds were probably less than 3m from me - and they still remained relaxed and seemingly unconcerned.

Although roosting, these birds were still active with preening, stretching and general feather maintenance.

There were at least 2000 birds in the largest of these roosting flocks - which represents about 30% of the worlds population of this species.  I was very cold on the first of these days, and I was not in the least bit concerned!

This species has an internal migration pattern in NZ.  In the summer they breed on the wide and stoney rivers of South Island, and in winter they feed in estuaries on North Island. 

I have to say that spending that time with these birds was a bit of life time highlight!


















There are lots of reasons to go to NZ - and the Wrybill is near the top of that list!

To join in with WBW, click in the link below.  SM

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Monday, 29 July 2024

Mammal On Monday 8 - Rabbit and Hare

Two very familiar mammals this week.  

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the European or Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) are both widespread and common, although the rabbit is the more abundant of the two.

The rabbit is well known as a fast breeding, hole dweller.  The hare is lives above ground, using a slight  depression in the ground known, as a form, for protection and cover.

Both Rabbits and Hares have been introduced to Australia and many other parts of the world.  In Australia the numbers of wild rabbits can reach plague proportions, and they do considerable damage to both native and commercial vegetation.   It would be better if they were not here!

These pictures come from animals in their native lands!

These rabbits are from Orkney in Scotland.




This hare ran past a bird hide at the Cley Nature Reserve in Norfolk.




Cheers - Stewart M

 

Thursday, 25 July 2024

Stewart Island.

A little over 45 years ago I found out that New Zeland's third island was called Stewart Island.  It seemed a good name to me, and much better than the geographically accurate, but rather prosaic, North and South Island that named the other major islands. 

Well, after 45 years I visited it.

And what a great place it is.  Stewart Islands sits about 35 km offshore from the southern tip of South Island.  It can be reached by air and sea, and I took the hours long ferry journey from Bluff.  Arriving in near darkness I was soon settled into my small room at the South Sea Hotel, Oban and not much later I had found the bar, bought a remarkably good roast dinner, a beer, and had joined a Pub Quiz team. It turned into a rather splendid, if unexpected, Sunday evening. 

Stewart Island - or Rakiura to give it its Māori name - is a roughly triangular island with a total land area of 1,746 km2, 80% of which is National Park owned by the government.  Oban is the only real centre of population on the island, and just over 400 people call it home.

As to be expected, I spend a few days exploring - although I never got very far from Oban.  Maybe next time.

Ferry Terminal and Oban CBD

Dogs in the back of a Ute.





Bullers Albatross from the shore

Fishing Boat and Companion

Ulva Island




Community Congratulations outside the supermarket - it was updated daily 


Little / Blue Penguin Tracks, Ulva Island


I can highly recommend a visit.

SM