NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

MORE ABOUT THE TUI

ATTRACTIONS FOR CITY. RESIDENTS

(By R. H. D. Stidolph.)

Further reference to the appearance of the tui in Wellington suburbs . is contained in a letter from a Kilbirnie resident, who states that at least a dozen tuis have taken up their residence in one particular locality. At a certain residence a iui has been seen feeding on the berries of the taupata and the nectar of the acacia and tree lucerne for a period of five weeks. . On May 24 five of these birds . were seen together in this garden. Although the occupants of this prop- • erty had often looked for the tui in the city reserves, particularly where ■ winter-flowering trees were established, but without result, they.were rather amazed to find this bird moving about in an acacia tree, unconcernedly consuming ■ nectar immediately above flapping clothes hanging on a line, or perching on a tree while a suburban bus thundered by. One person was several times within seven feet of a tui. This correspondent goes on to state that the property in question is swarming with the ever-popular silvereye, while the fantail is sometimes seen. He adds that he also believes it has been visited by the bell-bird, though this could not with certainty be confirmed. ..... BELL-BIRD RETURNING. The report of a' visit from a bell-bird is not improbable. In certain parts of the South Island this bird actually has taken up its residence in gardens and plantations, while in one or two North Island localities it is not unusual to find it in isolated areas of bush of small extent, many miles removed from | extensive forests. In at least one I South Island locality it breeds in gar- \ dens and plantations. There is no doubt : whatever .that the bell-bird has in- '■■ creased considerably in numbers during \ recent years and has reappeared in i districts from which it had vanished many years previously. This is particularly pleasing, as at one time th« bell-bird was regarded as one of the rarest of New Zealand birds, although in the early days it was excessively abundant practically throughout, the ■■ Dominion. The establishment of many nectar-bearing trees and shrubs jin town and country gardens is no doubt to some extent responsible for the bird's reappearance; by paying more attention to suitable food supplies, by planting trees to give a succession of nectar and berries throughout the year, there is no reason whatever why ultimately the bell-bird should not become a permanent resident of our town gardens. The tui has almost accomplished this in several localities. THE TUTS NOTES. The tui has a great variety of notes, which vary in different localities. For instance, the notes of the birds' 'around Wellington are ; quite '.' distinct :' 'from, those of birds in Taranaki or Hawke's Bay, or even closer afield, although certain notes are more or less the' same everywhere, such as the coughing and sneezing that are often uttered with a ludicrous stretching of the neck. The tui often assumes the most ridiculous antics when engaged in these frolics. It is in the clanging or honking notes that the birds of various localities differ so greatly. Individuals, too, are also notable for their peculiar traits; some birds have a particularly squeaky voice while others- have a rich, full, almost organ-like note. One of the most charming bush scenes witnessed by >he writer concerned a party of about forty or fifty tuis in a small piece of native forest growing on a warm hillside. There the tuis were enjoying life' to the full. A dozen or so birds were playfully flying about above the trees, every now and again diving down into the bush with a wild outburst of melody. Others were engaged in a kind of rivalry, each vicing with the other to produce the most impressive and resonant notes. As many more were chasing each other through the trees, and the noise of their wings was heard on all sides, while others again were quietly feeding on a favourite berry. i MORNING CHORUS. One of the most beautiful melodies of the New Zealand bush is that provided by a morning chorus of bell- , birds. It is just like the -tinkling" ot a lot of bells and when heard at dawn, amid the verdure of' the unspoiled forest, leaves a lasting impression oa the memory. On occasions, it is possible to hear this morning chorus . even in the Tararuas. Some years ago, when the writer and a friend reached the sub-alpine bush on Mount Holdsworth just as day was. breaking the glorious melody of a bell-bird chorus floated up from the depths of the forest many hundreds of feet . below. It continued for ten or fifteen minutes. ■ Another locality in which this morning chorus may be heard is the Tangarafcau Gorge in Taranaki, where the bell-bird, and many other native .■ species are quite common. The scenery in this gorge is magnificent, and, as the surrounding lands have been permanently reserved, this choice area ot forests stands a fair chance of survival in its virgin state. Fortunately, no railway line is likely to traverse the gorge, and a repetition of the despoiling of the Manawatu Gorge will be avoided. Unless special Precaution are taken in the Buller Gorge, Nelson a famed beauty spot, much of the grandeur of this locality will be lost if fires from passing' trams are _ allowed to eat into the bush. Could not a patrol be instituted to suppres. . incipient fires along the line? DOTTERELS AT KILBIRNIE. As pointed out in this column a few . weeks ago, the movements of the. banded dotterel during the winter months are of especial interest A correspondent who saw four dottere s on the Kilbirnie Beach on April 18 writes again to record further appearances of this species in the same locality. On April 17 he saw five and on May 15 seven. On each ot these days a cold southerly wind was blowing. Although a watch was kept, on the beach, no banded dotterels were seen in the interval between the southerlies. This seems to suggest that the birds sought shelter and that in the interim they were inhabiting the beaches exposed to the southerly blast. The banded dotterel is to be observed on the beach eastwards from Pencarrow and breeds in that locality. No doubt it is also to be seen westward of Island Bay, especially at the mouth of the Karori Stream, where the writer on one occasion had the joy of meeting a pair of black oyster catchers. During the winter months the banded dotterel is also occasionally met with on the Petone Beach, but it is not known if its appearance there coin* cides with adverse "weather conditions or otherwise. ' ' . .