North Island Kokako (New Zealand Trip Part 1)

February 27th–March 1st, 2020: A wonderland of endemics from a predator-free island to an incredible shorebird preserve

After about a month hiatus, I’m excited to get back to the weekly blog! My wife and I were in New Zealand for 3 weeks and, after sorting through tons of photos and getting used to the post-trip self-isolation (thanks, COVID), I’m excited to share some highlights. True to form, I’ll highlight only one bird in each of the 4 parts of this trip report. But don’t expect me not to talk about all the other wonders of New Zealand! You can also expect my NZ posts to be considerably longer than usual.

If you have any questions or if you’d like more info for a future New Zealand trip. Let me know in the comments! =)

Day 1, February 27th: Shakespear Regional Park

After arriving at 5:30AM, grabbing our rental car (and constant companion for 3 weeks), and settling into that left-side-of-the-road business. We headed around an hour north to Shakespear Regional Park.

Looking north from Shakespear Regional Park north of Auckland
Looking north from Shakespear Regional Park

I know what you’re thinking. And yes, it’s spelled without an “E” at the end. Shakespear Regional Park is around an hour north of Auckland and seemed like a nice place to take a load off and relax, hike, and/or swim. As it turned out, we did all three…and birded of course.

Shakespear is really a stunning park, located out on a peninsula north of Auckland. It has a lot of trails, camping, and beach. Bird-wise it was great because of a mix of grassland (very dry in the current drought), coastal, and woodland habitats.

We were pretty exhausted after the flight, so we took our time getting our bearings in the car. I saw my first new birds of the trip as we drove slowly through parts of the park. Our first stop was at the northern coast, where we dug into some breakfast.

A distant feeding frenzy off the coast
A distant feeding frenzy off the coast

No sooner had we stopped, then I looked out over the water to see thousands of shearwater, terns, gulls, and cormorants! I cracked out the scope (which I was so glad to have brought) and started to soak it all in: I was on an island in the middle of the ocean, staring at pelagic birds from a random parking lot. Life was good. =)

A tiny snapshot of the thousands of Fluttering Shearwater at Shakespear Regional Park
A tiny snapshot of the thousands of Fluttering Shearwater at Shakespear Regional Park

The shearwater were all Fluttering Shearwater. But there were a mix of other species with or near to them. The Silver (Red-billed) Gull were the next most common. They’re the most numerous gull you’ll see down there, hanging out on rooftops in town, and eating garbage. Sadly, despite their apparent abundance, they are highly endangered because of their reduced breeding areas.

An adult Silver Gull hoping for some food scraps
An adult Silver Gull hoping for some food scraps
A first-year Silver Gull screaming for some food scraps

Kelp Gulls (the locals call them Black-backed), White-fronted Tern, Great Cormorant, and Pied Cormorant were all part of the feeding frenzy. Perhaps most exciting (though I’ve seen them often before), was a Parasitic Jaeger that streaked through the fray harassing some of the terns.

Thousands of shearwater, fluttering

After soaking up the amazing sight of so many birds feeding just offshore, I had to remind myself to go eat something… Okay, I promise I will right after I have a look at these Australian Magpie over here…

We drove a little further into the park, first crossing paths with an Australasian Swamphen (an abundant, purplish-blue, marsh chicken) and pausing to have a look at the some of the open grassland.

Australasian Swamphen were everywhere
Australasian Swamphen were everywhere
Australasian Swamphen
Australasian Swamphen

The fields were pretty full of the swamphens (despite looking sere in the drought), but also held several Masked Lapwing and a few Rock Pigeons for good measure.

Masked Lapwing, Rock Pigeon, and Australasian Swamphen littered the fields
Masked Lapwing, Rock Pigeon, and Australasian Swamphen filled the fields

Moving on, we came to camping area: open lawns with some isolated copses of native trees as you approach the beach.

Lawn and beachfront on the south side of Shakespear Regional Park
Lawn and beachfront on the south side of Shakespear Regional Park

Here were many of the introduced species I’d see lots of on the trip: Common Myna (North Island only), European Starling (also only North Island really), House Sparrow, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, European Goldfinch, a Spotted Dove calling in the distance.

A scruffy Song Thrush in the open
A scruffy Song Thrush in the open

I didn’t turn up many shorebirds here. But a Variable Oystercatcher gave me a great view and some Welcome Swallows turned up to give me just that!

The first Variable Oystercatcher of the trip
The first Variable Oystercatcher of the trip

After realizing we’d get scorched in the increasing heat, we headed for some hiking trails in the wooded area of the park. This was the first time we came across a fenced and gated enclosure, where we had to scrape off our boots and step onto a grate that sprayed them to keep out invasive bugs, seeds, etc.

Entering the shaded Waterfall Gully trail at Shakespear Regional Park
Entering the shaded Waterfall Gully trail at Shakespear Regional Park

And wow did things ever pick up once we left the 27-degree sunshine and hit the shade. Unfamiliar, native birdsong was everywhere and pouring into my ears for the first time. Is there any experience like that? It’s dizzying when you’re not sure what it all is, but thrilling because of the auditory puzzles and mysteries to be solved.

In the next 20 minutes, I saw several more endemics. The elegant and portly New Zealand Pigeon:

A New Zealand Pigeon in the shade
A New Zealand Pigeon in the shade
A New Zealand Pigeon in the sun
A New Zealand Pigeon in the sun

A chatty, spunky, and incessant New Zealand Fantail:

A male New Zealand Fantail
New Zealand Fantail, male

Some wacky and extravagantly vocal Tui:

Tui
Tui

And several skulky, loquacious Whitehead way back in the brush:

Whitehead
Whitehead

Other colourful surprises were Sacred Kingfisher, Eastern Rosella, and Silvereye.

Looking way up at an Eastern Rosella
Looking way up at an Eastern Rosella
A quizzical Silvereye
A quizzical Silvereye

The real treat was on the way back though. My wife spotted a medium-sized brown and black bird on the ground. A North Island Saddleback! They’re doing better now and reestablishing footing on the NZ mainland, but I wasn’t expecting to see one today!

North Island Saddleback
North Island Saddleback

And we didn’t just get good looks! It also performed it’s characteristic “laugh” (probably my favourite bird sound of the trip), posed briefly, and hopped around so close I could barely focus on the thing. I’d been told that birding was comparatively “easy” in NZ, but this was nuts!

An active, but curious North Island Saddleback

Thinking I’d better have a quick look into a reedy-looking area before we left, I peered across a very small marsh. It was the only habitat like it that we found in the park. Despite there being only a tiny visible area of stagnant water and some mud, there were a couple of Paradise Shelduck, a White-faced Heron, and two Brown Teal! The latter is a very uncommon endemic, easily identified at distance by its white eyering. Wow. This was great stuff (eBird list).

I thought I’d better give this lonely wet spot another couple of minutes to see if anything else was around. And I swear the thought was barely formed when a Spotless Crake walked right out into the open. A rail in the open?? This must be New Zealand!

Brown Teal (foreground), Spotless Crake (middle), and female Paradise Shelduck (background)
Brown Teal (foreground), Spotless Crake (middle), and female Paradise Shelduck (background)

It was a lot of excitement for one morning. After some lunch and a quick dip to cool off, we drove back to Auckland for an early check-in downtown and a good night’s rest.

What a birder sees (Kelp Gull)
What a birder sees (Kelp Gull)
What everyone else sees (Auckland skyline)
What everyone else sees (Auckland skyline)

Day 2, February 28th: Tiritiri Matangi

If you ever find yourself in New Zealand, you simply must go to Tiritiri Matangi. But only after you thoroughly clean your boots and check your gear for insects, lizards, mice, etc. It’s possible to stay overnight on Tiritiri (for the kiwi), but I already was too late to book when I tried 4 months ahead of time.

We took the ferry early in the morning from downtown Auckland. It was a beautifully calm morning. As usual, I seemed to be about the only person actually looking for wildlife. (I don’t mean to be negative, I’m just a little puzzled at how many people seem either to not care or, more often, seem to expect that someone else will point it out. I mean, you won’t see anything if you don’t look…) Anyway, that changed when I started pointing out penguins. There were loads of them in the water that morning: all Little (Blue) Penguin. I counted 40 of them, plus a few other new seabirds (Australasian Gannet, Flesh-footed Shearwater, and Little Pied Cormorant) by the time we arrived at Tiritiri.

Little Penguins in the calm water between Auckland and Tiritiri Matangi
Little Penguins in the calm water between Auckland and Tiritiri Matangi
White-fronted Terns greet us on the rocks
White-fronted Terns greet us on the rocks

Tiritiri was truly something else. It was incredibly hot, yes. And many of the trails were exposed. But there was dense old-growth forest too, towering cliffs, open grasslands, beaches, and always the ocean lapping at the craggy, ostentatious outcroppings along the shoreline.

Arriving at Tiritiri Matangi
Arriving at Tiritiri Matangi
Looking back toward the mainland before starting on the Wattle Track

Bird-wise it was out of this world. The second we stepped into the forest, it was cacophony.

Some birdsong from Tiritiri Matangi (this is actually after it quieted down a little)

Sure, it was mostly New Zealand Bellbirds (I counted 91 on the island, conservatively). But Tui, North Island Saddleback, and Whitehead were happily singing away all over the island.

One of a few Bellbird feeders
One of a few Bellbird feeders
New Zealand Bellbird
New Zealand Bellbird
Just one of many New Zealand Bellbird singing
Just one of many New Zealand Bellbird singing

I was most excited about a few birds, for which Tiritiri would be my best and possibly only chance: Stitchbird, North Island Robin, New Zealand Fernbird, South Island Takahe, and North Island Kokako.

One of many picturesque trails on Tiritiri
One of many picturesque trails on Tiritiri

We saw all of them in the first hour! It was crazy! The Stitchbird are a somewhat understated, mostly black-and-white passerine with a splash of a bright yellow bib on the males.

A male Stitchbird
A male Stitchbird
A male Stitchbird perched like a White-breasted Nuthatch
A male Stitchbird perched like a White-breasted Nuthatch
Stitchbird nest box
Stitchbird nest box

The North Island Robin is an unassuming bird. And one that’s amazingly confiding if you’re patient.

North Island Robin
North Island Robin
North Island Robin
Another North Island Robin
North Island Robin
One more North Island Robin

The two New Zealand Fernbirds I “saw” were nothing more than a flash of brown with a stripy face in the bracken. They were incredibly skulky, despite my patience. But I was still thrilled to see them!

The South Island Takahe were where they were supposed to be, in two spots on the island. They even had young with them, which was a special treat.

South Island Takahe
South Island Takahe

I should take a moment to note that when one sees “wild” birds in New Zealand, the term often has to be used a little differently. It’s not like they’re clipping their wings or forcing them to stay. But, when you’re relocated and you’re flightless, that’s that. When there are lots of feeders out for you, it’s probably pretty hard to leave too.

South Island Takahe
South Island Takahe

But conservationists are quick to note that the feeders encourage them to stay in a place where either fences (as at Zealandia and Orokonui sanctuaries) or water (as at Tiritiri Matangi and Ulva islands) keep predators away. Stoats (Ermine), rats, possums, and feral cats love to eat the birds and their eggs. Such precautions seem sensible to me, and we got used to seeing mammals traps all over the place. They’re really working hard to protect their native wildlife.

South Island Takahe
South Island Takahe

Anyway, I spent some time appreciating that these Takahe were, at some point, moved from the Murchison Mountains near Te Anau at the south part of the South Island. This was where they were found after being thought to be extinct. From that population, they’ve established several protected areas for these beautiful, fat, dinosaur chickens.

The only other bird on today’s wish list was the North Island Kokako. We were walking through dense forest when I thought I might have heard one and my wife pointed way up: “What’s that!?” I might have swore I was so excited…I don’t remember. But there it was…

North Island Kokako
North Island Kokako

It was singing away; sounding like the syllables “Ko-ka-ko” run through one of Daft Punk’s voice modulators before the drop. What a sound! And there was it’s mate. I couldn’t believe it. The sound was oddly tough to locate initially. I had thought it was further away and couldn’t believe it when my wife pointed just above us. They even let me take a short video:

A pair of North Island Kokako, and a partial song

The Kokako, also called “Blue-wattled Crow” (though it’s not a corvid), were common only 100 years ago. But the usual culprits (habitat destruction and introduced predators) made quick work of them starting in the mid-1900s. Such quick work that the South Island Kokako is extinct. Kokakos are a particularly easy target because of their long 50-day egg incubation period. But with renewed efforts in habitat protection and pest trapping, the North Island species is rebounding in some of the North Island’s old-growth forests. They’re still easiest to see on Tiritiri.

North Island Kokako singing its name
North Island Kokako singing its name

Needless to say, I was pretty excited, happy to have already at least had glimpses of all of the birds I’d hoped to see today (except the tiny Rifleman and Tomtit), and looking forward to hiking the rest of the island.

I added our path is in light green overlaid on a handy relief map they had at the lighthouse: we started going east from the wharf up to the lighthouse; then west along the north shore, until cutting inland to head further west; then back east along the south coast toward the wharf
I added our path in light green overlaid on a handy relief map they had at the information building: we started going east from the wharf up to the lighthouse; then west along the north shore, until cutting inland to head further west; then back east along the south coast toward the wharf

One of the things that Tiritiri seems to instill in everyone is an appreciation for nature. There was a lot more than just birds and I know I barely scratched the surface.

Rauparaha’s Copper: a common endemic butterfly
A Chorus Cicada: they were everywhere (you can heard them in the videos)
A Chorus Cicada: they were everywhere (you can hear them in the videos)
Banded Kokopu: the only freshwater fish (that isn't an eel) that can be found on Tiritiri
Banded Kokopu: the only freshwater fish (that isn’t an eel) that can be found on Tiritiri
And, of course, a Weta (in its house): essentially a humongous, flightless cricket, endemic to New Zealand; there are around 70 species of them
And, of course, a Weta (in its house): essentially a humongous, flightless cricket, endemic to New Zealand; there are around 70 species of them

We had stunning views of all sides of Tiritiri as we pretty much exhausted the entire trail system before our late afternoon ferry back to Auckland.

By the time we boarded the boat, we’d seen loads of other birds. The plethora of Red-crowned Parakeets and a quick flyover by a Long-tailed Koel (an endemic species of cuckoo) were two of the other highlights on a long eBird list.

A Tui at one of several water feeders
A Tui at one of several water feeders
Red-crowned Parakeet
Red-crowned Parakeet

Time for another beautiful ferry ride at the end of an amazing day!

Tiritiri Matangi retreats in the distance
Tiritiri Matangi retreats in the distance

Day 3, February 29th: Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, etc.

I was excited to link up with an exceptionally skilled birder from BC: Russell Cannings. He was a good friend of some of my good friends for many years before moving to New Zealand. Sadly, he’d departed BC back before I was really even a birder, so I’d never met the guy. Time to fix that!

Entering Pukorokoro
Entering Pukorokoro

We met up at the Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, located on the southwest side of the Firth of Thames. (Try common up with a more British name than that!) Even as I approached the preserve, I could see thousands of Bar-tailed Godwit in small pools on the roadside, occasionally taking to the air in huge numbers. Funny to think how exciting it is to see just one of these birds in Vancouver, when there were probably 10000 of them here.

Looking out across a small section of flats at Pukorokoro
Looking out across a small section of flats at Pukorokoro

Russ met me with a smile and an obvious local’s knowledge and experience. We didn’t have to walk far to get to the first of a few hides. Scopes set up, I set to IDing the birds I could see. But not as fast as Russ was pointing them out. He knew all the local birds (and birders) like the back of his hand and spent most of his time trying to find some rarer ones (as any good shorebirder does).

Can you name all 3 species in this photo?
Can you name all 3 species in this photo?

We managed this with Lesser Sand-Plover, an uncommon migrant widespread across Asia. We were scouring the mudflats for this guy (who’d been kicking around for a little while) and both came to it in our scopes at the same time. The Lesser Sand-Plover is just a little grayer, with a less upright posture than the common Double-banded Plover, but it was easy enough to pick out. Still, I’m not sure I would have turned it up without Russ’s reminder on the field marks. Thanks, Russ!

Bar-tailed Godwit, Pied Stilt, South Island Oystercatcher, and Red Knot roost on the flats
Bar-tailed Godwit, Pied Stilt, South Island Oystercatcher, and Red Knot roost on the flats

But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Even the abundant Double-banded Plover were new for me! They are, after all, one of the native New Zealand birds shared only with Australia (where I’ve never visited).

It's always interesting to see the depths of water, or distance from water, shorebirds choose to roost on
It’s always interesting to see the depths of water, or distance from water, different shorebird species choose to roost on

There was an amazing, colourful carpet of birds all across the flats, many of them new to me. There were tons of South Island Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, 3 Far Eastern Curlew, and a good 2500 of the incredibly strange Wrybill. The latter is a small shorebird with a bill that curves to the right, and only to the right. There has not been a single documented case where a bill curves to the left. This is unlike crossbills, where the top mandible (or maxillary rostrum if you’re fancy) can cross to the right or the left in different birds. A very cool example of external asymmetry, quite uncommon in the natural world.

Wrybill (hard to see the curved bills in this photo)
Wrybill (hard to see the curved bills in this photo)
3 Far Eastern Curlew...a little further east than usual
3 Far Eastern Curlew…a little further east than usual

There were lots of other great birds that I’ve managed to have seen somewhere else before. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Pacific Golden-Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, and Caspian Tern.

Mostly Red Knot and Wrybill, with two Pacific Golden-Plover at the back, and one Double-banded Plover in the top right
Mostly Red Knot and Wrybill, with two Pacific Golden-Plover at the back, and one Double-banded Plover in the top right

On top of that were a few more native New Zealanders that were new to me. There were Royal Spoonbill, Black-billed Gull (now one of the most endangered gulls in the world), Black Swan, and Gray Gerygone (eBird list 1, list 2). The last is a ubiquitous warbler that you hear everywhere in NZ.

Roosting Royal Spoonbill and White-faced Heron
Roosting Royal Spoonbill and White-faced Heron

Pukorokoro definitely lived up to the hype! It’s hard to find a better all-round shorebirding spot in New Zealand. I was very glad to have had some time there with Russ.

Shorebirds take flight at Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre

There was still lots in our day after the shorebird centre, but not much birding. We headed up to Cathedral Cove for a short hike and some views.

A beautiful Crimson Bottlebrush

I did encounter a few more new New Zealand birds that have been introduced to the island. There were lots of Common Chaffinch and some California Quail with adorable fledglings, among others (eBird list).

This California Quail family walked right under me and my phone camera
This California Quail family walked right under me and my phone camera

After Cathedral Cove we headed down the coast to stay overnight in Tauranga. On the drive, I managed to spot some other introduced birds: Eurasian Skylark, Wild Turkey, and Ring-necked Pheasant.

Looking east from high on the trail just south of Cathedral Cove
Looking east from high on the trail just south of Cathedral Cove

Day 4, March 1: Rotorua and Te Puia

After a quick scope of the bay from the hotel (eBird list) and the call of an African Collared-Dove (you probably figured out they’re not native), we headed for Rotorua. Today was our first day to learn about and experience some of Maori culture and do some short walks around geothermal hotspots.

As we got to Rotorua, we stopped at Sulphur Point to quickly scope Lake Rotorua. This is one of the best spots in the area for freshwater birds.

Looking out from Sulphur Point
Looking out from Sulphur Point
Lots of geothermal activity
Lots of geothermal activity

And I wasn’t disappointed. The lake was loaded with birds, including a few exciting new endemics!

Looking out across Lake Rotorua
Looking out across Lake Rotorua

New Zealand Scaup were the most numerous.

New Zealand Scaup and a Little Black Cormorant (top)
New Zealand Scaup and a Little Black Cormorant (top)

But there were also Gray Teal, Little Black Cormorant, and some elegant New Zealand Grebe with young (eBird list).

New Zealand Grebe adult (adult) and young (right)
New Zealand Grebe adult (right) and young (left)
Gray Teal (center), plus Pied Cormorant, Silver Gull, Black Swan, and White-faced Heron
Gray Teal (center), Pied Cormorant, Silver Gull, Black Swan, and White-faced Heron
Black Swan
Black Swan
An itchy Little Pied Cormorant with dozens of mixed cormorant, gull, and duck species behind
An itchy Little Pied Cormorant with dozens of mixed cormorant, gull, and duck species behind

After Sulphur Point we headed down to Te Puia to see a Maori cultural performance and tour the museum. Both were excellent! The performance was particularly captivating and, even to an outsider, the performers’ skills were evident. They performed a welcome (video below), ballads, numerous varied songs and dances, and of course the famous Haka (you might know it as the aggressive-looking dance the New Zealand All Blacks perform before games).

Maori welcome performance

The museum also houses part of an arts apprenticeship program, so we were able to see Maori creating traditional works of art right there and learn about how skills unique to their tradecraft.

Maori carving/woodworking space
Maori carving/woodworking space

Te Puia also has several geysers, bubbling mud, and boiling pools that were fascinating on their own.

Some geysers geysering
Some geysers geysering
A short video of the active geysers at Te Puia

But they became more compelling when we learned how the Maori, who had settled the area hundreds of years ago, used them to cook in different ways.

Maori had to be careful which boiling pools they used for cooking since some of them had dangerous chemicals. This one was safe.

After Te Puia, we enjoyed a nice afternoon walk in a California Redwood forest (not really any birds in the non-native trees). Then we headed to Taupo to try to work off the rest of the jet lag before tomorrow’s hike.

Part of the Totara walk at Whakarewarewa
Part of the redwoods walk at Whakarewarewa

Check out Part 2 of my New Zealand Trip!

This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. melissa hafting

    What an amazing trip you and Laura had! I cant wait to hear part 2. I really want to go to NZ and even more so now after reading your blog post. I really enjoyed the video clips too makes me want to do more video but i never have a steady hand! Going on this trip was def worth 14 days of quarantine! The scenery is so gorgeous and the birds fantastic. the amount of shorebirds reminds me of thailand. i really want to see a wrybill. i laughed out loud at what non -birders see when we see a kelp gull LOL! i really want to see wild penguins one day and the little ones are so darn cute. great post!

    1. Jim Palmer

      Thanks so much, Mel! You’d really love it there and I do hope you get a chance to visit sometime! =)
      The Little Penguins really are adorable. I’ve got some video from them later in the trip…
      It was really nice to see SO MANY shorebirds, especially larger species, in one place.
      I’ll make sure to include more video (and audio) in my other parts. Time to get back to part 2…

  2. Tyler

    Jim, thank you for sharing this post and the time you put into creating it. I feel like I was traveling along the route with you. The photos, maps, and the lively prose were all immersive—travel magazines should step up their game. In addition to the birds, I liked seeing fish, insects, flowers, geysers, and native cultural spaces, all part of the ecosystems there. Thanks again for giving me a taste of a place I’ve never been. Keep up the great work!

    1. Jim Palmer

      Wow, Tyler. That is high praise. I really appreciate that! And thanks for reading. I’m glad you enjoyed it so much and shall endeavour to live up to this in future parts! =)

  3. Laura

    Yeah, I’m pretty sure you did swear when you saw that Kokako. 🙂

    1. Jim Palmer

      …which wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t pointed it out.

  4. Aki

    Wow, now I see how much I missed on my trip to NZ…wish I had a pocket Jim Palmer with me.
    Love your blog!

    1. Jim Palmer

      HA! Thanks, Aki! I’m sure you saw lots of stuff we missed too. Laura has been great at teaching me more about architecture, planning, and design. I’m coming along, but have a ways to go. Fortunately, Mickey’s book has helped me make up some ground… =)

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