Bird Watching and Eco Tours Blog from Marlborough New Zealand

Win a 4 hour eco tour near Blenheim the Wine capital of New Zealand.

September 6th, 2011

Driftwood Eco- tours welcomes all international visitors to New Zealand for the RWC 2011.

Tourism New Zealand is holding a facebook contest called ‘Capture the Flag’ over the RWC period which go live next Wednesday the 13th 2011.

Driftwood Eco- tours is offering 4 kayak tours as prizes.

(The prizes are redeemable on presentation of voucher. Offer is valid until end of April 2012. Extension of this expiry date maybe negotiable. These vouchers are not cash redeemable.)

If you don’t win one of the the vouchers we have a special offer of 4 people for the price of 3 valid till April 2012.

Our special 4 for 3 offer includes going in the draw for a box of Makana Butter Toffee Crunch drawn in time for Christmas 2011.

Traditional toffee made with wicked amounts of premium New Zealand butter, laced with macadamia chips, coated with milk chocolate on both sides and dusted with macadamia fines. Served in serious slabs. 250g.

https://secure.makana.co.nz/default.aspx

Posted in Driftwood Kayaking Tours, Marlborough, Some Links | No Comments »

Feeding time on Opawa river Marlborough, New Zealand

July 29th, 2011

Pukeko chasing glossy ibis

: Pukeko chasing glossy ibis

: White heron showing plumage

Tags: birding, birds, breeding plumage, Love Marlborough, nature, New Zealand, photography, river
Posted in Driftwood Kayaking Tours, Driftwood Lagoon Tours, Sightings of birds | No Comments »

Gulp! It’s Archie the White Heron.

July 11th, 2011

Like a predator out of CIS ‘Archie’ the White Heron looked like butter would not melt in his mouth as he perched regally at the top of a gum tree near our home this morning. Rose on the way to work calls me to say “ get your camera down here quick”. Little did I know that the visiting White Heron was about to show his true colours. Below him in the branches were silver eyes hopping around, oblivious that they were about to be targets for Archie’s breakfast.
I will never look at a White Heron quite the same again but I guess that is the sovereignty of nature at work.

Tags: kotuku, preditor birds, white heron
Posted in Driftwood Kayaking Tours, Driftwood Lagoon Tours, Environment and conservation, Sightings of birds | No Comments »

Tree planting, environment awards and wetland observations

June 7th, 2011

What a fabulous year 2011 is turning out to be. Just returning from a family wedding in Florence, we have rediscovered the magic that is living in this part of the world (New Zealand) and Marlborough in particular.

After a fabulous time with family and making new friends it is back to the work I love. There are native seedlings to be planted in our wetland and existing plantings to be checked and released of weeds. We plant one native (endemic) tree for every tour we take with Driftwood Eco Tours. However thanks to the Council Environmental fund and all the help of enthusiastic people such as Nicky Eade and Paul Millen we have been able to exceed this.

The eradication of exotic crack willows is now evident and the slow work on willow seedlings will be on going.

Just prior to our travel we had the honor of attending the Marlborough Community Environment Awards as nominees. Our congratulations to all the winners and nominees whom we enjoyed meeting over a lovely meal at Dryland’s superb restaurant.

We have had enquiries from all around the world about kayaking tours as well as hiking and 4×4 tours for 2011 and 2012. We look forward to sharing our slice of paradise with these future friends. Until then we will keep the coffee hot.

Here is a picture gallery of our home and wetland.