Tasman Every Day

The tui (Prosthemadera novaseelandiae) on this flax bush at Kina Beach shows off the classic tui colouring. Its dark feathers can glisten with blue-green iridescence in sunlight, while others on its back appear a more chocolate brown. In low light or shadow, tui appear to be almost black. The bright white puff under the throat and the sprinkling of fine, lacy feathers on the neck looked to early settlers like clerical garb, gaining the tui the nickname of “parson bird”. The tui’s song is loud and melodic, with regular creaks and wheezes thrown in. Tui prefer to feed on nectar, although they will settle for insects if there’s not enough nectar to go around. It’s not uncommon to see one tui chasing another away from a good food source. They don’t like sharing.

Little owls (Athene noctua) were introduced to New Zealand in the early 1900s to sites in Canterbury and Otago. The idea was that the little owls (aka German owls) would control other introduced birds (sparrows, finches) that were becoming pests for farmers and orchardists. Little owls like it here and are now found throughout the eastern South Island. However, because they prefer eating insects over eating birds, the pest control concept didn’t really fly. In spite of the fact that little owls can be found outside during the day, little owls are so well-camouflaged and move so silently that they are difficult to see; this one in Motueka was only spotted because it moved.

The orange pore fungus (Favolaschia calocera) is a recent arrival in New Zealand, known here for about 30 years. Because it’s a tropical fungus, its spread in New Zealand may be limited to the North Island and the more tropical-esque parts of the South Island. This particular fungus has taken up residence on the trunk of a wisteria in the Woodstock/Dovedale area.

These plantings near Kaiteriteri are part of an ecological restoration project being run by Kaitiaki o Ngahere. The plastic sleeves project the young plants as they become established. The view is out over Tasman Bay, with Nelson/Marlborough in the distance.

This photo was taken at the end of Tait Street in Ruby Bay, looking up the coast. This placid sea is the same one that swamped Ruby Bay and caused coastal erosion with the massive swell and storm surge from ex-Cyclones Fehi and Gita. Left of centre, an excavator repairs the seawall.

This open air coffee caravan at the start of the Wainui Falls track is a great way to end a walk up to the falls.

This little penguin/kororā isn’t shy, it’s sleeping. In New Zealand, we often call them “little blue penguins” for the colours of their dorsal feathers, although some can be more grey than blue. Little blues come ashore to sleep at night; this one was photographed at Totaranui Beach towards the end of the day.

The little blue is the most common penguin around New Zealand coasts, and it’s also found in southern Australia. The name “little blue penguin” is commonly used in New Zealand. Australians tend to call them fairy penguins.

The little penguin is the smallest penguin species. They weigh about a kilogram and grow to around a foot tall. Little blues are declining in New Zealand, but do well in predator-free environments. Good places to see little blues in the South Island are around Dunedin, Timaru and Oamaru.

If ever you’re in the South Island bush and you feel like you’re being watched, it’s likely one of these quiet but friendly little guys. South Island robins (Petroica australis) feed on invertebrates and like to have a dig around disturbed earth. So when you’re walking in the bush, they like to follow along and see what your footsteps have turned up. This photo is of a male who came to see what we were turning up along the track to Fenella Hut in the Cobb Valley. Females have a smaller, less distinct chest patch than males. South Island robins stay in their territories year-round and can live as long as 14 years. They often cache their food, so may return quickly to a track to see if your boots continue to turn up interesting things.

These guys signal that summer is in full swing. This chorus cicada was photographed on the Wainui Falls Track near Tata Beach on a hot, sticky day in January. The Maori name is “kihikihi-wawā”, with “wawā” meaning to make a loud roaring noise. Yup, that’s them.