The great Kiwi Hunt

Trip Start Jul 31, 2007
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Trip End Aug 30, 2007


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Thursday, August 23, 2007

Helicopter dropped us off at half-moon bay Oban, the main community on Stewart Island. Met by Jan from DOC who gave us a chat about Ulva Island which has a range of endangered native birds and the prospects of going looking for Brown Kiwi (50-50). She took us to the cattage we had rented for the night. Pat was captivated by it. It was like a big Wendy House and she was particularly excited by the electric blankets!

Had a rough crossing to Ulva Island, but the walk was great and had tea and bikkies on the beach being watched by a hungry Weka which is another of NZ's flightless birds. This is a kind of rail.

Had a call that the Kiwi trip was on that evening. They had enough people and the weather was improving. It had been rain and gales. Set off at 5.30 pm in a fishing boat to a part of the Island that the guide, Philip Smith knows really well. Didn't look good. Tramped about in the dark for 3 hours before we at last got a glimpse in torchlight of a big female. They are quite a size. I was frankly happy with that having at least seen it, but Philip was determined to get a better view. We walked to another beach and waited in a group,(there were seven of us) while he searched the shore line. Looking round we saw a Kiwi had been following us down the path and gave great views. We followed it back and saw another in the undergrowth. Got back tired but happy and I cooked venison for dinner in our little cottage complete with pot bellied stove
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