Newest Neighbours

Yesterday, while at the Butcher, I bought a suet bird feeder. Growing up the Yukon, mom would hang one outside the living room window each winter and we would marvel at the different birds that would come to feed there. While it doesn't get quite as cold here in the winters, there are lots of birds here that are up for a feed. And since we moved closer to the Port Hills we have seen far more natives like the Bellbird. So I decided to hang out a wee feeder and see who would come calling.

So far our most popular guest has been the Silver Eye. A wee green bird who was first noticed in New Zealand in the mid 19th-century. It is largely assumed that a storm diverted a flock of them from Australia and they ended up here (http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/tauhou.html). The Maori names seems to support this, as Tauhou means "stranger". So they were obviously a new creature for them as well. I have enjoyed watching them flit about outside the dinning room window, chasing each other and fluttering their wings along their backs, in what I am assuming is a territorial manner.

[A plump wee Silver-Eye waiting for his turn at the feeder]

My newest guest, just showed up this morning. A green finch, another greenish-yellowy bird, whose presence seems to calm the Silver-Eyes somewhat allowing them to spend more time eating and less fluttering about.

It is a lovely distraction to have and one that allows me to break from my work at the computer for as long or as short as I need. The cat too, seems to enjoy this new found pastime of bird watching.

Kayaking Stewart Island

After spending the evening wandering the village of Oban in gale force winds, we snuggled into our beds and wished for calm winds the next day. We were lucky enough to get our wish, so we headed over the hill to Watercress Bay and found someone with boats.

[Watercress Bay in the sunshine]

[Kayaks for rent]

[Getting all geared up]

Once we were all set up with boats and paddles and maps and stuff, we pushed out into the calm waters of Paterson Inlet. We paddled up the inlet to a spot where our kayak outfitter had suggested we might find some penguins. After a good half hour paddle we were rewarded not only with some Little Blue penguins looking for lunch, but a rare Yellow-Eye.

[Yellow-Eyed penguin]

We watched him paddle around, checking under water every so often to find a fish and then dive. We paddled on along the bushy coast towards a slew of little beaches tucked away from the waves and pulled out on one of them. With our lunch in hand, we settled on some rocks and enjoyed the lovely weather.

[Lunch on the rocks]

After lunch, we pushed back out to a somewhat choppier sea. Within a few minutes though we had found our rhythm and decided to head on over to Ulva Island, a nearby, predator free island which promises some unique bird viewing opportunities.

[The Weka Welcoming Committee]

Upon our arrival we were met by the Weka Welcoming committee. These forward and very cheeky little birds surprised Stephen by stealing a cracker from his hand. The momma bird then proceeded to bash it on the ground with her bill to break it into bite-sized pieces for her wee (or not so wee) chick. As we are not great believers in feeding wildlife from our hands (though it seems a little late here), Stephen removed what was left of the cracker from the birds and placed it in a location he thought safe from roving Wekas - out on the back of the kayak, which was still in the water. This proved not to be the case.

For, just as Stephen left, the momma bird walked straight out into the sea, jumped onto the boat and promptly found the remainders of her prize. She and her chick then ran to the other end of the beach to do away with their winnings in a less bothersome location. We all laughed.

The rest of the islands bird residents proved far less cheeky. We wandered along a bit of the trails and found kereru, or New Zealand wood pigeon, and Stewart Island robins, as well as, a few more Wekas. The restoration of Ulva Island to a predator-free island began in the late 90's and took some seven years, with thorough trapping of rats, stoats, and weasels. Unfortunately, when we were leaving there was rumour that some 20 or so rats had been seen on the island. So, more trapping will have to be done once again. However, in our short time there, it was amazing to just listen to the difference. The bird song variety and sheer amount was like nothing I've heard elsewhere in New Zealand.

We then paddled back across the inlet and left our kayaks for the road. While Stephen and Ben spent the afternoon hitting golf balls at the second most Southerly golf course in the world, I wandered through town, window shopped and went through the exhibit at the DOC office. In the evening, Stephen and I went for a wander to the point and watched some Little Blue penguins scramble ashore and up very steep cliffs. We decided we could only handle watching one as the stress involved in watching a small, water-built bird climb a near vertical slippery slope in the dark is not easy on the heart. So we wandered back to the hostel and climbed into bed for one last night on Stewart Island.

[Sunset over Oban]

The next morning, we packed our things and got on the ferry back to Bluff. The wind had remained calm-ish and the trip back was much easier to take than the one there. We were even treated to watching flocks of Titi, or Muttonbirds, or Sooty Shearwaters as we passed through the small islands where Maori still go to collect the chicks in the summer.

Stewart Island

After our outing to Castle Rock and Cave Stream, we were eager to get further away and see some of the country we hadn't yet visited. So, after some planning, a little shopping, and a wee bit of packing we hopped in the car and drove South. We were heading to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island where we would jump onto a ferry and finish off on Stewart Island - otherwise known as, Te Punga o Te Waka a Maui (the anchor stone of Maui's Canoe), which links to the creation story of New Zealand, or more commonly as, Rakiura (the great and deep blushing of Te Rakitamau) for a Maori chieftain who is now seen as the sunrise and sunsets and aurora australis (southern lights). It is a place well-known for being one of the last vestiges of New Zealand native bush and birds, a great place to catch a glimpse of the infamous kiwi. The photos here are an assortment from our trip there and all the splendorous things we saw there. Hope you enjoy!

[Waiting for the ferry in Bluff]

[Bluff is one of the largest ports in New Zealand]

[Halfmoon Bay, Oban - Oban is the only town on Stewart Island]

[Oban]

[Oban waterfront]

[Chess on the beach]

[Territorial Oyster Catchers]

[Golden Bay - where our shuttle left from to take us up to Freshwater Hut]

[Driving through Paterson Inlet and up the river]

[Going up the Freshwater River]

[A load of trampers waiting to board the shuttle heading back to Oban]

[The Freshwater River - reminded me of a jungle river with dense forest to the waters edge]

[Leaving Freshwater Hut]

[Native New Zealand bush]

[Our favorite DOC bridges and hiking up Rocky Mountain]

[Our first kiwi!]

[The top of Rocky Mountain]

[Native forest with ferns galore, rata trees and lots more]

[Much of Stewart Island is made of muck]

[But the hiking is still fantastic]

[A friendly little Stewart Island robin]

[Happy people are more fun]

[Almost there]

[Finally arrived - escaping the sand flies with some inside time]

[Masons Bay]

[Exploring the beach]

[Little Blue penguin]

[Sand dunes]

[Walking back through the Chocolate Swamp - all the little white things are spider nests]

[Trail types]

[Yet another friendly visitor]

[Our ride returned and we were taken back to Oban]

[Through big waves and heavy wind]

We tucked into a hostel that night and hoped for good weather the next day so we could go kayaking.

Learning to deal with the heat

This is not what I am doing. Although I have started taking a light cotton shirt around with me to mop up my face and neck, and I'm not the only one doing it. Otherwise, I always bring water and make sure to step into air conditioned malls and shops every once in a while.

My experience in Singapore has been wonderful. Despite my family leaving for Canada part way through I've felt so welcome here. I mean, I'm staying with Aunt Lay See's mom right now and she's great. It's like she wants me to taste absolutely every food here. I am so stuffed full of delicious chinese cooking I can hardly move (the heat doesn't help either).

Some of my other highlights have been visiting the Jurong Bird Park and seeing so many different birds from around the world (and being hot).

I visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens and got a personalized tour from Steve, a local man who didn't seem to have anything to do so he took me around the park. Including a very important visit to a medicinal tree when he found out I had arthritis.

I also got very, very hot here.

Oh, and I saw a very cute little bird in a ginger blossom.


I had a lot of fun visiting the different cultural districts in town;

Little India - where I went through the ritual of buying a sari




The Arab Quarter - where I ate Egyptian food and shopped in Japanese boutique stores

And Chinatown - where I wandered through the Heritage Centre and visited the Bhuddist Temple






And I was extremely lucky to join Lay See's mom on a trip to her Bhuddist Temple on Sri Sakya day to celebrate. Everyone was very welcoming and again, stuffed me so full of vegetarian noodles and rice and yummy lotus cakes I almost had to roll away.