Albatrosses so close you can count the droplets of water on their feathers, the deafening calls of New Zealand Bellbirds ringing through the forest at dawn, a confiding New Zealand Robin standing guard on a forest path or a Kiwi snuffling and probing through forest litter or feeding among the driftwood on a sandy beach at night.  These are all images that come to life on the remote Pacific islands of New Zealand. 

New Zealand stretches almost 1000 miles north to south, and is bordered by the Tasman Sea on the west and the Southern Pacific Ocean on the east.  Isolation of this long, narrow country, comprised of three main islands and a multitude of smaller islands, has resulted in a unique avifauna.  There are five endemic families and more than 15% of all the birds are endemic, many of them globally threatened.  We will spend our time visiting remarkable sanctuaries, breathtaking scenic parks, and old-growth forests in search of land birds, and sailing the coastal waters looking for some of the incredible concentrations of seabirds and sea mammals to be found around New Zealand. 

The combination of land and sea birding along with the superb organisation and knowledge offered by our local ‘Kiwi’ leader, along with Dan’s experience of birding in New Zealand, assures us of a diverse and captivating birdwatching adventure.

Day 1:  Upon arrival in Auckland we’ll embark on a four-hour journey north to Trounson. This drive, through the rolling scenery of North Island, will be interspersed with several birding stops. One of our first will be a forested area near to central Auckland where we’ll get an introduction to some of New Zealand’s forest species, such as the North Island subspecies of Tomtit, New Zealand Pigeon, Grey Fantail, and Grey Gerygone (Grey Warbler).

We’ll then head to a spot on the rugged west coast at Muriwai – one of New Zealand’s three mainland Australasian Gannet colonies. There will be superb views and and great photographic opportunities here and we’ll also look for other common coastal species such as Pied Cormorant, Red-billed Gull, and White-fronted Tern. Back on the east coast we’ll pause in an area renowned as the stronghold of Laughing Kookaburra which has been introduced from Australia, and check several wetland areas to look for New Zealand Scaup, New Zealand Grebe, Grey Teal, Australasian Shoveler, Pacific Black Duck, Paradise Shelduck, and other waterbirds. We’ll also spend time looking for Buff-Banded Rail in likely mangrove habitat. Continuing northwards we reach Trounson where we check into our accommodation and rest before our post-dinner walk to see Northern Brown Kiwi.  Night in Trounson.

Day 2:  After staying out late the previous night, we'll have a later start today. We'll head east, bypassing Whangarei and travelling down to the Waipu Estuary. This area is one of the best sites to see the critically endangered Fairy Tern and there should be a nice selection of waders present. We should have time to look at several other estuaries further south and we’ll also look for New Zealand Pipit and Australasian Little Grebe on the way before reaching Warkworth where we'll spend the night.

Day 3: New Zealand has long been known as the seabird capital of the world and today we get our first taste of the sheer diversity and abundance of seabirds present around its coasts. We'll spend the day out on the water in the beautiful Hauraki Gulf.

Leaving from Sandspit we head out towards Little Barrier Island and chum at several locations nearby. The main focus of the day will be to locate the seabirds which are more easily seen in the northern part of New Zealand, such as the New Zealand Storm-petrel, which was only rediscovered in January 2003 by Brent Stephenson and a colleague, as well as Black and Cook’s Petrel, Buller’s, Flesh-footed, Fluttering and Little Shearwaters, Fairy Prion, and White-faced Storm Petrel. Depending on weather conditions we may head out to Maori Rocks where there is an Australasian Gannet Colony, and during late summer Grey Ternlets can be found here. We'll not just be on the look out for birds though as this area is also excellent marine mammal habitat, with both Common and Bottlenose Dolphins, and Bryde’s Whales, with even Killer Whales being seen on occasions. As the Hauraki Gulf is relatively enclosed, even in poor weather we should be able to get out and explore at least some of the area. Night in Warkworth.

Day 4:  Today will be spent at one of New Zealand’s most amazing sanctuaries. Tiritiri Matangi Island is truly a gem in New Zealand’s conservation crown. A short ferry ride out to the island should give us a chance to see Fluttering Shearwater, White-fronted Tern, and possibly Arctic Skua. Upon arrival we'll be met and given information about the island by Department of Conservation staff.  Once farmed, the island is now an open sanctuary and has been extensively replanted, with some areas of original forest remaining. We'll focus on seeing all the endemics on the island, with North Island Saddleback, Kokako, Stitchbird, Takahe, Brown Teal, and Red-crowned Parakeet being present. Other more common forest birds such as Whitehead, Tui, Bellbird, Grey Fantail, Grey Gerygone, and the North Island subspecies of New Zealand Robin will be seen, and we'll also wait for Spotless Crake to appear at one of the small ponds.

Photographic opportunities abound on Tiritiri Matangi and you are sure to find that the day vanishes in a melee of new birds and superb close encounters. However the day is not over at dusk as spending the night on Tiritiri Matangi gives us a superb opportunity to encounter some of New Zealand's most secretive species. After dinner we'll head out to look for Morepork and hopefully Little Spotted Kiwi. The endangered Tuatara, an endemic lizard related to the dinosaurs, is also present on the island and we'll spend time looking for these as well as seabirds such as Little Penguin, Grey-faced Petrel and Common Diving-Petrel as they come back into their breeding burrows at night.  Night on Tiritiri Matangi.

Day 5:  Getting up early will allow us to hear the dawn chorus, and potentially pick up any species that we have missed the previous day. We'll depart Tiritiri Matangi mid-morning and head south to one of New Zealand’s premier wader sites, the world-renowned Miranda, in the Firth of Thames. The Firth of Thames is listed under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international significance. We'll check into our accommodation near to the Miranda Shorebird Centre where we can get information on the latest sightings before heading out to see what’s around for ourselves.

We are likely to see Wrybill, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, Red-necked Stint, Ruddy Turnstone, New Zealand Plover, Banded Dotterel, Variable and South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Black-billed Gull, and Caspian Tern. During the summer months there are usually a few of the less common waders present such as Sharp-tailed, Pectoral, Marsh, or Terek Sandpipers, and we'll be on the look out for these and other vagrants. Wader-watching in this area is largely dependent on the tides, so we'll be working around the high tide, and may visit other nearby areas if time permits.  Night on Tiritiri Matangi.

Day 6: After checking through the waders again at Miranda we'll head across the Coromandel Peninsula to Whitianga on the eastern side of the peninsula. The afternoon will be spent out on a pelagic, specifically to look for Pycroft's Petrel which breeds mainly on the Mercury Islands. This species is restricted to only a few islands around North Island and until recently very few people had ever seen this bird at sea. We expect to see Common Diving-petrel, Buller’s, Flesh-footed, and Little Shearwaters, Fairy Prions, Grey-faced, Cook’s and Black petrel, and White-faced Storm-petrel, with several species of albatross also a possibility. The location of Whitianga on the north-east coast means that the list of potential species is huge so who knows what we may turn up.  We aim to be back in port in the late evening so that we have the opportunity to see Pycroft’s Petrels rafting up before heading into their breeding colonies in the evening. Night in Whitianga.

Day 7:  Today we'll head back across the Coromandel Peninsula making several quick stops to look at forest birds and the impressive Kauri trees along the way. Time permitting we'll also make a stop en route at a swamp to look for Australasian Bittern and other waterfowl. However, our main focus for the day is the Pureora forest to the west of Lake Taupo. This extensive area of forest is one of the best places in the North Island to see the local subspecies of New Zealand Kaka, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Long-tailed Koel, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, and Rifleman, and we'll also encounter more common forest species. We will also be on the look out for New Zealand Falcon which occurs in this area. An observation tower built up in the forest canopy is an especially good place to look for all of the above, and New Zealand Pipit may be seen on the roads in the area. We head to Taupo in the early evening where we spend the night.

Day 8:  This morning we head east to Boundary Stream Mainland Island between Taupo and Napier. This Department of Conservation administered reserve is an intensively managed site where introduced mammals are controlled and fauna and flora have been able to flourish. Brent has worked for the Department of Conservation at this reserve and so knows all the best spots. New Zealand Robin and Kokako have been reintroduced, as have Northern Brown Kiwi, and we should at least have a chance of seeing the former two, as well as New Zealand Pigeon, Long-tailed Koel, Whitehead, Tomtit, Tui, Bellbird, and Rifleman. New Zealand Falcon and New Zealand Fernbird are also in the area so we'll spend time trying to locate these both.

We'll then head back to Taupo and southwards along the eastern shores of Lake Taupo, looking for Little Black Cormorant if we haven’t already seen it, and make a stop at the lake to look for New Zealand Grebe, Common Coot, and New Zealand Scaup. Near our stop for the night at Turangi at the southern end of Lake Taupo, we may see Australasian Bittern.

Day 9:  The focus for the day is searching for our most extraordinary waterbird, the Blue Duck. Inhabiting swift-flowing mountain streams, these birds have declined markedly, and there are really only a handful of locations they can be seen easily.  The three central North Island volcanoes of Mt Ruapehu, Ngaruhoe, and Tongariro should make for a spectacular backdrop during our time here. Night in Feilding.

Day 10:  Depending on tide times we'll call into the Manawatu Estuary, one of the best sites in New Zealand for wader-watching. For some reason waders at this location are extremely confiding, and generally roost on a small spit at high tide allowing close approach. Some of the species will be familiar, such as Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstoneand Red Knot but others will be less so from local species such as Variable Oystercatcher and Wrybill to wintering migrants such as Pacific Golden Plover, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Red-necked Stint.

We then travel south along the scenic Kapiti Coast towards Wellington, making several stops on the way to see Black-fronted Dotterel and possibly Brown Teal and other waterfowl. The inter-island ferry leaves from Wellington and takes us across to the South Island via the Cook Strait. The relatively stable platform of the ferry is an excellent place to look for seabirds, with approximately half of the three-hour trip spent in open water in the Cook Strait. Spotted Shag, Fairy Prion, Fluttering Shearwater, and White-fronted Tern, should be seen, and depending on weather conditions and prevailing winds, a variety of seabirds are possible.  These could include 'Gibson's' and 'Antipodean'  Wandering Albatrosses, 'Campbell' Black-browed, 'White-capped' Shy, and Salvin’s Albatrosses, Northern Giant-petrel, Westland Petrel, and Sooty Shearwater. Common Diving-petrel and Little Penguin are often seen near the entrance to the Marlborough Sounds, and the latter often in the calmer enclosed waters of the Sounds. Other less common seabirds are often seen within this stretch of water as well. The ferry docks in Picton, and we have a very short drive to the shores of the Marlborough Sounds, where we spend the night.

Day 11:  Today we head out onto the Marlborough Sounds, further exploring Queen Charlotte Sound. In particular we are looking for King Shags, a rare endemic with a population of only about 500 breeding pairs, all of which breed on White Rocks at the seaward end of this Sound. We'll also be looking for two endemic dolphin species, the endangered Hector’s Dolphin, and the more common Dusky Dolphin, while New Zealand Fur Seals are also present. We'll make a stop at Motuara Island, a small island sanctuary which has the South Island subspecies of both Saddleback and New Zealand Robin.  Returning to Picton for lunch we'll journey southwards towards Kaikoura. Rivers in the area are breeding grounds for Black-fronted Tern, and we'll try and locate what is almost certainly one of the most beautiful terns. Night in Kaikoura.

Day 12:   Today will be spent on one of the best pelagic trips you are ever likely to encounter anywhere in the world. Due to the depth of the Kaikoura canyon just offshore, we are able to be in water 4,000m deep within about half an hour. This allows us to really get amongst the seabirds, and although the species list varies throughout the year, in any season one can expect to have at least 3 species of albatross around the boat, normally as close as 6 to 10 feet away, including Northern and Southern Royal Albatrosses. On top of this we should have Cape Petrel , Northern Giant-Petrel, and the endemic Hutton’s Shearwater and Westland Petrel, the former which breeds in the spectacular mountains behind Kaikoura and the latter in the westcoast temperate rainforest. There is always the potential for other species like Grey-faced or White-chinned Petrels, Sooty, Short-tailed, Flesh-footed or Buller’s Shearwaters, all culminating in a truly memorable morning. The area is also renowned for Sperm Whales and we may see these along the way. The afternoon can be spent at your leisure, with time for relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Night in Kaikoura.

Day 13:  Leaving Kaikoura, we travel across the Southern Alps and through the Lewis Pass to the West Coast, making several stops along the way and passing through some exceptionally scenic alpine areas. During the day we should catch up with some of the South Islands’ forest species, such as New Zealand Brown Creeper. Once on the West Coast we will travel to Westport, where we'll see Weka, a remarkably fearless flightless rail, and then further south to visit the stunning rock formations of Punakaiki or Pancake Rocks.  We'll stay in accommodation at Punakaiki, and we may be able to see Westland Petrels as they come ashore and fly inland to their breeding grounds at dusk. After dinner we'll head to one of the only easily accessible areas to see or hear Great Spotted Kiwi.  Night in Punakaiki.

Day 14: After a somewhat later start, depending on how late we were out last night, we'll head south along the very beautiful West Coast. Our days events will be dictated by our previous successes and there will opportunities to look for some of the South Island endemics, or perhaps even check the alpine areas for Kea.  Nearing our destination town of Franz Josef we can head into the glacial valley to admire views of the Franz Josef glacier, or go to the coast to see Great Egret and Royal Spoonbill in coastal lagoons. Our accommodation is on the outskirts of Franz Josef township, and after dinner we'll venture out to look for Okarito Brown Kiwi, the rarest of the four brown kiwis with only an estimated 100-150 birds remaining.

Day 15:  Having been out the previous night, we'll have a late start today before moving on towards the township of Haast, stopping at one or two places on the way. During October-November, Fiordland Crested Penguins will still be breeding at sites along this coast. From Haast we head inland through some spectacular mountain scenery, with our focus being a visit to Haast Pass. This site is home to a number of forest species, including the endangered Yellowhead, and we'll do our best to find these stunning birds. The site is also good for the South Island subspecies of New Zealand Kaka, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Rifleman, the South Island subspecies of Tomtit and Long-tailed Koel. We'll stay as long as we can in this area, making the most of our time in this amazing forest before driving through to the beautiful lake-side town of Wanaka, just over an hour away, where we spend the night.

Day 16:  We visit a very different environment today.  The arid MacKenzie basin through the Lindis Pass is good for New Zealand Falcon, as well as being the stronghold of the world's rarest shorebird, the Black Stilt. With a population of around 100 wild birds, they are a species which has a considerable conservation effort invested in them. The lakes in this area are also good habitat for Great Crested Grebe, Common Coot, and other waterfowl and we'll also visit a location for the ever difficult Baillon’s Crake. If the weather is clear, we should have views of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Cook (Aorangi). Night in Wanaka.

Day 17:  Today will be largely a travel day but we will be passing through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery, visiting the famous Milford Sound in the afternoon. Our main target today will involve a stop in spectacular alpine scenery where we'll search for Rock Wren, one of the world’s most primitive birds and related to the more common Rifleman. Night in Te Anau.

Day 18:  Our main aim for the day is to catch the mid-afternoon ferry from Bluff to Stewart Island. Therefore, depending on weather and what we still need to see, we will plan our morning accordingly. We can try again for Rock Wren if necessary, look for Blue Duck in some of the beautiful mountain streams, or focus on other forest birds before travelling to Invercargill.  Depending on the sea and weather conditions, the one-hour ferry crossing can be quite good for seabirds and besides second chances at some we have already seen, we may also find  Mottled Petrel and Broad-billed Prion, We'll also see Stewart Island Shag, either as we leave Bluff or on arriving at Stewart Island.  After checking into our hotel, we'll go out to look for the South island subspecies of New Zealand Kaka, New Zealand Pigeon, and Tui around the township of Oban. After dinner we'll be met by a local guide who will take us out in search of Southern Brown Kiwi, an unforgettable experience. Night on Stewart Island.

Day 19:  Today we have a half-day pelagic in the morning and a trip to the famous Ulva Island in the afternoon. As the pelagic is highly weather dependent, the distance travelled and areas visited will depend on the day. However, we hope to get to some good areas for seabirding, despite the fact that this part of the country is very prone to stormy conditions and rough seas. However, with such a close proximity to the Southern Ocean and large seabird colonies being on many of the surrounding islands, we will be able to find an excellent array of seabirds, including good numbers of Fiordland Crested Penguin and perhaps a Fairy Prion.  Almost any of the vagrant Southern Ocean seabirds are possible, and we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for storm-petrels, and albatross and petrel species. In the early afternoon we land on the spectacular Ulva Island, situated in Paterson Inlet. Ulva Island was established as an open sanctuary in 2004, and since 1997 has been declared rat free. Several species of bird have been reintroduced to the island and it gives an excellent impression of what southern New Zealand must have been like before Polynesian and European arrival.  As such it is a great place to spend most of the afternoon walking, observing, and taking photos. Depending on our success with Southern Brown Kiwi the previous night, we have another opportunuity this evening after dark. Night in Oban.

Day 20:  Leaving the fantastic Stewart Island on the morning ferry, we then head northwards towards Oamaru, taking in the very scenic Catlins Coast. This coastal section is renowned for its views and rough weather-beaten coastline. During a stop at one of the beaches along the way we will search for the endemic Hooker’s Sealion which are often found on this section of coastline. We can also stop off at several other places on route to admire the scenery and look for forest birds. Our goal is to arrive at Oamaru in the late afternoon and to visit a beach where we can watch Yellow-eyed Penguins coming ashore. Night in Oamaru.

Day 21:   Our last day will be spent travelling back to Christchurch.  Along the way there will be stops at various braided rivers and wetlands before we reach our destination where the tour ends.

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Last updated February 2010.