![](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/bird.jpg\")
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The connection between bird (North Island Robin) and birder (Lorni)<\/p>\n
After driving through sheep county all morning Lorni and I made it to Mount Doom to pick up Melli only a few hours after her bioinformatics conference had ended. Back in the car, Melli at the wheel again, we drove past Palmerston North down towards New Zealand’s capitol. In my mind I tried to make a heroic poem about the city of Palmerston North and its founders, involving phrases like „oh, je salt of the earth,… sheep farmer, thine eye shinest bright, ..“. My exploits were dropped soon though, because a. I don’t even know the place, and b. it was not really funny.<\/p>\n
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Finding a place to stay proved difficult, as the bloody rugby match between Wellington and Auckland was on in the city and all hostels and backpackers were booked out. I can’t remember who won, but I still know who lost, namely us having to pitch up tents in the stormy night at a strange caravan park. Strange in the sense that the caravans were almost all to run down to be driven somewhere and many seemed to have agreed to this retirement and planted flowers in front of them. And a strange melody wavered through the storm..<\/p>\n
![\"tent\"](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/IMG_2209.jpg\")
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On a dark Wellington byway, cool wind in my hair Welcome to the caravan motor home Porirua The next day in Wellington wasn’t as windy as everyone always says; we took the train into town and tried to think of what to do. Coffee. There is also a great museum in Wellington, showing art, culture and natural history. To this we did not go, but went birding at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary instead. In the sanctuaries own words: „Karori Sanctuary is a safe haven for endangered native birds and other wildlife, located minutes from downtown Wellington. A unique predator proof fence surrounds the Sanctuary, protecting the wildlife and ensuring the forest regenerates to its former glory. This world-first conservation attraction is an inspiring place to visit and learn about New Zealand’s unique wildlife. Discover New Zealand as it was\u0097today.“<\/em> There are lot’s of birds around, Kakas, Wekas, Tuis, Robins and so on, and also a few Tuataras in the sun.<\/p>\n View of the old Karori water reserve from the observation platform within the park.<\/p>\n The pest proof fence is very interesting, it looks a bit like the one we used to have running through Berlin. And it goes up and down steep mountain sides. One really has to admire the efforts that go into these places in New Zealand. Watching the birds one can only think that the money is well spent (apart from thinking, why? rats ok, but cats, stoats and hedgehogs? why!!!). The Kakas (Nestor meridionalis<\/em>) were fun to observe, doing strange gymnastics in the canopy and crapping fruit all over the place, especially on the bench I’m sitting on. Kakas are medium sized parrots that feed on grubs, nectar, fruits and such. They are endangered because of habitat loss and because they are being outcompeted for nectar by invasive wasps and possums.<\/p>\n Getting back in time we spent our supper with the other inmates of the caravan park we had ended up at the night before. They were happily watching either the rugby match and vanishing beer reserves or in another case steaming erotic programs to get into the mood. Good hard working people anyway, salt of the earth, but I don’t want to come off as a snob here, it is bad enough to actually be one from time to time. At least they could afford caravans and didn’t have to rough it in a small tent. The next day we escaped through all the Hut towns, Lower Hut, Middle Hut and Upper Hut, towards a nature reserve that had served as a backdrop for the Lord of the Rings movie’s Rivendell, but that is another story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The connection between bird (North Island Robin) and birder (Lorni) After driving through sheep county all morning Lorni and I made it to Mount Doom to pick up Melli only a few hours after her bioinformatics conference had ended. Back … Weiterlesen
\nWarm smell of sausage rolls, rising up through the air
\nUp ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
\nMy head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
\nI had to stop for the night
\n…
\nThere where voices down the laundry room, and I thought I heard them say<\/em><\/p>\n
\nSuch a lovely place, Such a lovely face
\nPlenty of room at the motor home Porirua
\nAny time of year, you can find us here<\/em><\/p>\n\n![](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBloge\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/pano\/wellington.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"kaka\"](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/DSC04889.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Zealand Kaka, an endemic parrot species that does not agree to possums<\/div>\nThe tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus<\/em>) is said to have changed very little in the last 200 million years, I wager it has also moved very little during this time. This is of course an illusion, as tuataras are night active and only sit in the sun to thermoregulate a bit. They only start to reproduce at age 10, and then the female only lays an egg every four years. Seriously, what is wrong with these New Zealand endemics, sometimes one gets the impression that they actually want to fade out of existence. But the Department of Conservation wont let that happen, which is mighty good of them too. In 2005, after rescue attempts on islands the first Tuataras were released back on the mainland, here in the Karori sanctuary, and so far haven’t moved<\/strike> and so far seem to be doing well.<\/div>\n\n![](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/DSC04880.jpg\")
<\/div>\nIf you pretend to press resume you can pretend to watch a video documentary on the day of a tuatara.<\/div>\n.<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRobins were there as well, the Karori Sanctuary has this to say about Robins: „.. is one of our friendliest forest birds. It is smaller than a starling, larger than a sparrow and stands upright on long thin legs.“ <\/em>If you rushel some leaves the daft little bird will come hopping up to your feet to see if you have something nice for it. One can readily see why this is not a good move if the leaf rushler were a stoat. In our case the Robins only got a bright camera flash, to which they seemed to be used, it makes them feel like the little stars of conservation that they are.<\/div>\n![\"robin\"](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/DSC04922.jpg\")
<\/div>\nNorth Island Robin (Petroica australis longipes)<\/em><\/div>\nOn the way back at the reservoir I made Melli take the following picture. If you get it you obviously know airports in Europe and are a man of the world (or woman), so to speak, and are eligible to win a small gouda cheese or some stropwaffels.<\/div>\n![\"mind\"](\"http:\/\/www.hingston.eu\/nzBlog\/Pictures\/februar%2007\/DSC04931.jpg\")
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