This is our second field trip to a fascinating highcountry area called ‘the Zoo’.

Isolation Mountain becons as we appraoch “the Zoo”.

The limestone bluffs of this area are particularly suited to the Brachyglottis monroi whose distribution is Marlborough and North Canterbury coastal to subalpine. We were fortunate that it was in full flower during our visit.

Above: Brachyglottis monroi

We took a short hike into up the Kekerengu River, Kaikoura and were rewarded by water falls, ferns and bird song. ‘Natures garden.’

A fern that we have identified as Blechnum fluviatile grows happily on it’s rock island.

An unidentified moss also growing on a rock by the stream. Any suggestions are most welcome!

We wind our way toward the forest reserve with Mount Isolation in the background.

The forest in this area was open and dominated by New Zealand Beech trees an easy track led us into it’s interior.

The fern that we have identified as Blechnum discolor grew to an impressive size as show here.

Some of the trees we encountered on our walk where immense like this enormous moss clad specimen below.

Will identifies the beautiful native tree Totara by it’s rough strip like bark. A Totara is shown above and below.

The native tree below is a Rimu identifable by it’s watermark underbark.

Below: We encountered a Matai tree. The close up photo shows the characteristic ‘hammer mark’ bark which is also present in the Miro but is less embossed.

We were suprized by this fungi growing on the side of a beech tree. If you can identify this please send a comment on the link below so we can all share it.

This strange find in the leaf litter is an Aseroe rubra or Stink Horn. They smell quite unplesant for the purpose of attacting flys for spreading it’s spores which are in the brown stuff. It was roughly the size of golf ball in circumference.

Below: A Coprinus lagopus. A beautiful almost see through fungi.

Our bird caller soon attracted a pair of lively Toutouwai or New Zealand Robins (Petroica australis). They are very inquisitive birds and have been known to hop onto a hiker’s boot to pull at the boot laces. Mainly insect eaters Robins can dispatch worms and wetas up to a third their body weight.

We observed a pair of Korimakos or Bellbirds (Anthornis welanura) busy feeding insects to their  teenage chick. The chick also appeared to be taking honey dew from the side of the beech tree it was perched on,

Honey dew. Sweet nectar droplets are created by the tiny scale insect (Ultracoelostoma assimile) which lives deep in the bark of South Island beech trees. This insect plays an important role in the forest ecology especially for birds such as the endangered kaka.

The Bellbird chick awaiting it’s next feed.

We had the privilege of overnighting in a musterer’s hut near the Zoo. Tomtits and Bellbirds from the bush nearby came to investigate us while we had our dinner. It turned cold and poured with rain that night but we were as snug as musterers with our little fire place.

And you can’t beat a billy cuppa in the bush!!

Thank you for sharing with us our little trip. If you would like a guided tour to look at New Zealand’s natural wonders please click this link to contact us.

http://www.driftwoodecotours.com/information.php

The picture above shows Mt. Tapuaenuku which is the highest mountain outside the Southern Alps in New Zealand. It is 2885 metres and can be seen from many sites in Marlborough. Captain James Cook named it Mt. Odin but later nicknamed it the “watcher” as his ship seemed to be visible from it at many points along the coastline. The late Sir Edmond Hillary was turned back by this mountain in one of his earlier attempts.

We went for a day trip to a wild and natural area inland from the Kaikoura Coast called “the Zoo”. We had heard of the good birding and botany opportunities that exsisted there. With the kind permission of the local landowners, we where able to take our 4WD vehical over the well maintained farm tracks to access the Zoo.

We sighted Black Shag and White Faced Heron at a farm watering hole before we reached the farm house. A Fantail and wood pigeon(kereru) at the homestead was seen and we heard numerous Bellbird ,Pheasant and a Kingfisher. Quail and their bumble bee sized young ran at the side of the road.

Yellow bait stations for the eradication of Oppossum were at regular intervals and we have been told these have resulted in much improved bird numbers. The marsupial Oppossum were introduced to New Zealand for their skins but have become an ecological nightmare, eating native forest and destroying nests.

As we entered the interior of the high county farm we were rewarded by literally breath taking views. It was very hard not to be distracted and lose our position on the excellent handdrawn map we had been supplied to take us to our destination. We decided that the journey was the destination.

The amazing views continued and after a 30 minute drive we arrived at the Zoo pleased that we had not taken a wrong turning on any of the many tracks we had passed. It was noon so we stopped at the Zoo DOC hut for lunch. The hut was in good order and left very tidy by previous occupants.

Rather than walking the DOC track up the hill, we decided to explore the Zoo swamp to the West.

Along the edge of the swamp we found a small stand of beautiful trees. Their trunks were contorted like old olives with very stringy bark. The leaf we could not identify, we enjoyed their shade and photographed them for some time.

We were told that they are a rare native species called  Olearia hectorii. Note how the bark looks like a mass of lizards!

Exhausted from fending off Fierce Spainards (Aciphylla ferox) we decided to walk a short way into the bush sticking to formed tracks.

There we found by a waterfall a Haka or New Zealand Violet (Viola cunninghamii) which clearly loves the moist environment.

After a period of quietly waiting and listerning we were honoured with the visitation of two yellowcrowned parakeet. The first I had seen. One watched me with curiousity for about a minute. Unfortunately our photos do not do them justice. We also had the priviledge of hearing and briefly sighting the shy Rifleman.

After a rest at the hut it was time for the return trip which was possibly the highlight.

Manuka were in full flower at the time and gave a beautiful display and spicey fragrance.

Epilobium pycnostachium we found growing in the scree about 40 metres above the truck.

A wildflower called New Zealand Bluebell ( Wahlenbergia albomarginata) growing on the roadside.

We saw Tomtits and New Zealand Robins on our return trip. What an awesome day. When you return from a place like this you know that your problems are small in scale compared to the great symphony nature.

Tour enquiries http://www.driftwoodecotours.com/inquiries.php

This posting is going to be a virtual walk in a beech forest showing the vast array of fungi, lichens, mosses, toadstools and other objects of beauty. Many of these photos have been supplied by a very good friend of mine and they have allowed us access to this beautiful and peaceful enviroment.

Many of these shots were taken in a light misty drizzle (rain) so it added a extra dimension to the overall effect.

Because many of these fungi are so small it is very hard to do them justice so enjoy what you can see and leave the rest to your imagination!!!!

This must be the world of elves and hobbits.

I hope you have enjoyed this amazing world down by our bootlaces where parts of Lord of the Rings was filmed.

This simple rat trap has dramatically improved bird life in this area and we were lucky to see some red crowned parakeets in the trees above.

This is manuka bark shedding off the trunk providing an awsome sight and creating an ecosystem for more forest life.

If you or any of your friends would like to take a tour with Will please click http://www.driftwoodecotours.com/inquiries.php

We went for a walk in the native bush reserve behind Orr Hill near French Pass along a historic bullock trail once used by early farming settlers.  My wifes grandfather Harrold Leov regually drove cattle from his farm at Te Towaka to the Rai Valley some 70km away. These tracks are now mostly used by pig hunters.

This bush is mixed podocarp with fine stands of beech trees on the ridges and dense areas of supplejack and a vine that locals call ‘gigi’ in the wetter gullys. Rimu, lancewood, five finger, rangiora are the trees that are easily identified in this area.

Here we have some flowering nikau a favourite source of food for kereru or wood pigeon.

Fantails or piwakawaka are New Zealand’s most friendly native bird in the bush. Very busy and acrobatic, they are the ultimate test for bird photography. This one tormented us all the way down the gully.

Ghostly yet beautiful – a white moth we found sitting peacfully on a fern leaf. It did not move. We have since found out it maybe a cabbage tree moth.

This comparitively open area has always been a fascination to me as it is part of a mineral belt that runs through this area. The high mineral content of the soil has resulted in a unique flora here that has adapted to the soil type, trees are usually stunted. The rocky out crops as pictured above have finally lured us to tramp up the hill for a closer inspection.

We believe that the rock below is serpintine, a  common mineral  found in this area.

.

At the end of the day looking North West toward Mt Shewell in the Pelorus Sound. A fascinating day in the bush and beyond