Karori
Within a few kilometers of dowtown Wellington, the Karori wildlife reserve is making a remarkable effort to reclaim some land formerly used for reservoirs. New Zealand's wildlife has been transformed by the introduction of species from elsewhere that have tended to crowd out the native species; at Karori, very clever efforts are being made to redress the balance.
Here's a Tui; they wear bow ties and sing a lot.
The key is a fence -- a very sophisticated fence that keeps mammals out. Cats and possums can't climb it. Stoats can't cross it. Mice can't burrow under it. So, the inside of the sanctuary is essentially free of small mammals -- just as New Zealand used to be. And that means lots of species that had been isolated on scattered, remote islands can no come back and flourish.
Quite a day of birding -- especially since all the birds are new to me, as is the field guide.
- Black shag
- Mallard
- Silvereye
- Paradise Shellduck
- Fantail
- Tui
- New Zealand Robin
- Stitchbird
- ?Chaffinch
- Blackbird
- Kaka
- Bellbird
- New Zealand Scaup
- Welcome Swallow
Last year, I mentioned the clever naturalist who named the Superb Blue Fairy-wren. I think the author of the Welcome Swallow deserves some credit, too.