IN TOUGH WITH NATURE

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1931, Page 6

IN TOUGH WITH NATURE

BIRDS' IN WESTLAND

By J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S.

Having lived for many years in tlie Waikato, Mr E. T. Frost, of Tuaka, knows the 'birds there better tlian anybody else does. He recently made his first visit to Westland, where he looked for birds through the eyes ol an ar'dent bird lover, and, it should be added, of .a close and intelligent observer. As a North Islander, his interest in what he saw began so soon as lie left Christchurch. The first birds that attracted his intention were the rooks near Fendalton, which constitute an historical colony, the largest in New Zealand, and part and parcel of that outlier of Christchurch. Canterbury was not the first district to import rooks in order to check insect pests of the early days. Nelson led the way by importing three rooks 68 years ago. Soon afterwards some were brought to Canterbury from the Old Country; more, were 'brought 59 years ago, still mjore 55 years ago. Auckland iniT ported rooks 61 years ago and 59 years ago., The Auckland rooks spread to Hawke’s Bay, Hides. Bay, and Taupe, fendalton liass. the largest, noisest, and most thriving colony,, rooks from it often flying out over other suburbs and on to fields, paddocks, and crops in country districts.

Further , out on the Dla i ns, Mr Frost saw. Australian magpies, metre useful, if. less. interesting and intelligent, than the rooks. With .their black and white costumes, they resemble the magpies of the Old Country, but the .experts state that their popular name is a misnomer, as they belong to the. family of shrikes. In any case, their name has no significance. They might be called £heir uncouth ornithological name,. Gymnorhina leuepnota, but they stil'l would rank as the most melodious .flautists. Both sexes are talented in ; this direction. It is stated, •by the way, that- at least some Australian, magpies, mate for life. They are fairly plentiful in the North Island from Wellington to Whangarei, but North Canterbury is the district they favour particularly. They are part of many, a landscape, there, and- not a single farmer, in the district would like to: see them banished, which cannot be said for many other birds that could be mentioned.

Spma 40 miles inland Mr Frost saw a black-backed seagull devouring a dead lamb. It, probably killed the llanib, committing a?...horrible crime that hasfniade this sea bird bated. It looks out for old sheep that cannot rise, and weak lambs, taking, for preference, the eyes, brain, and tongue, and making a horrible meal. •> The only thin" said- in the black-backed gull’s favour-is that it is a scavenger near freezing works and in harbours, and takes insect grubs and snails in fields and- gardens. In the tussocky valleys of the Southern Alps it is seen singly, flying at a great height, often in the shadows of the valley walls.

In the AVestland forests, Air Frost found native birds much more plentiful than in most parts of the North Island.. He heard tuis begin their songs early in the morning, and listened all day* long to the bell-like notes. He found the tuis very friendly, not shy or alarmed at th ft . approach of a human visitor Op the bank of the. Hokitika Riyer, under snowy mountains, he stood,beneatjh a hoheria tree, in which two tuis, sang not 30. feet, above him. He was, interested in watching their First, tjqe neck, was fully extended, with the hill pointed towards the skies. The notes were poured out, in the, highest- octave, indistinguishable to the human ear, Then an.octgve was. dropped, and he caught the first flute-iike notes. The songster then descended, the scale, and tolled its hell, note. Tt. seemed to have a range cf at least- three octaves. Absolutely undisturbed, by its admirer’s presence, . it. stayed there and sang at intervals, while all around him in the dense forest its mates emulated its •efforts. ; .

On the : shingly beds of the Hokitika River, many miles from the coast, Air Frost-found blac ; k-baqke.d gulls’ nests. This.':is a typical site for a colony, although rocks near, the sea and beaches often are. preferred.; An unusual site was on the side of a mountain near Lake, Wakatipu, 5000 feet above sea level. On the;, bed of a ihe Lower Raka ia, black-hacked gul Is have a colony close to colonies of small black-billed gulls and terns. It is a bad site for the smaller birds, 11s the blaok-backed gulls add to their sinister reputation by feeding their young on the young of the tcyo other- species. Each nest Air Frost saw on the bed of the Hokitika, River had, one., two, or three eggs, yellowish grey,, blotched with brown. IS, several cases,.the. young had. hatched, innocent-looking chicks, buff in colour. Later they, will put on greybrftvcn coats, with buff speckles, also brown stockings; later still, the greybrown will b,e heavily spotted with buff a : nd. white, only the mantle being all brown ; afterwards, as grown-ups, they will , wear a blade , mantle and black sleeves, the rest-of the costume white, a. colour;.sohenie that led an early ornithologist to christen the species Domimeanus, after the Dominican-friars, who W9 re - black mantles, and white habits. In .some,. othgr, countries the black-backed gull is called the Domin,ioan. ©tUi It- talees about th.ree years and a-half to reach the adult stage. Immature birds often are seen in com-

pany with adults, their costumes contrasting sufficiently to give an impression that they are members of different species.

The banded dotterel, a dainty little bird, greyish-brown, above, white on the .forehead, and white, below, with two sashes, the upper one black, the lower one chestnut, is plentiful in suitable places oii the Weet Coast. Mr Frost saw it on the bed of the Hokitika. These charming deceivers used all thenart to distract his attention from their nests; and they were successful, a search failing to disclose any of the rough homes or the pretty, precious* eggs, greenisli-grey, mottled with black, probably well bidden in tussocks amongst the shingle.

Tb compensate for this disappointment, in a swamp close to the river, AR Frost found the nest of a. barrierhawk, with a single brown egg in it. The nest was merely a flattened-out tussock. No effort had been made to build it up with other •material. The barrier usually selects a swamp for its home, but “its nests have been found fairly,high up in deep gullies amongst the hills sheltered by toi-toi grass and flax bushes. Pukekos and grey ducks were nesting quite near the barrier’s nest, and Mr Frost thought that many young of those species would . feed young varaeious hawks. With this in his mind, lie broke the barrier’s egg, which was partly hatched. ...

Black fantails are rare in the North Island, and Mr Frost was particularly interested in one he was fortunate to meet in the’buildings of a sawmill. It was busy with early mosquitos. Redfrouted parrakeets, he reports, are fairly plentiful in places; old residents state that they often leave a. district for a time. Keas, which come down after a heavy snowfall, are often taken, and are greatly prized as a delicacy. Little grebes, or dabchicks, are in the lagoons. Wood pigeons were beginning to comedown from the high country to feed on. the hoheria leaves. As they fly from one range to another a sparrow hawk sometimes darts, clown and picks one out. There are hundreds of black swans on . Lake Mahinapua. AD- Frost inquired from an old resident as to where kakapos,might be seen. The resident replied that he had not seen one, but had found some of their feathers, and believed that they still lived on the ranges.

AVriting of introduced birds in Westland, AD- Frost, states that he saw two chaffinches in the heart of the bush. He writes: - “So tame were they that one of them came within a foot or two from where we were sitting in a clearing and took crumbs offered to it. Apparently, the pair we saw had got into the habit of following bushmen and of making friends when they sat down for lunch.” “Travelling on the coast of Wellington province.” AD Frost concludes, “ a bird-lover sees Kapiti Island from the train, and feels thankful that it is a. sanctuary. It, doubtless, will be a home for many birds which, later on, will fly to the mainland and spread up and down the inland ranges.”.