Habitat Tours - Auckland | Eco-tours - Auckland
Up close and very personnel with New Zealand's native birds
close to Auckland - see the Kiwi, the Saddleback, Brown Teal and lots more
The Tawharanui success shows how quickly nature recovers when native plants are planted and predators, introduced by man, are removed
Tawharanui is a small peninsular just over an hour's drive from Auckland
In 2004, a 2.5km length convervation fence was erected across the peninsular's base, creating a predator free zone. Rats, opposums and stoats were eradicated
Back came the birds, in their droves, with a totally unpredicted speed
By only 2014, it was approaching how New Zealand bush was before Europeans introduced predatory mammals. So successful, more species have been introduced - including the Takahe
A conservation success story achieved in a very short time
Tawharanui - where and getting there
The heart of the peninsular's convervation project and reason for its success
Very little gets through, under or over this
Only 90kms from centre of Auckland. Just over an hour's drive
Beautiful location, white sandy beaches
The co-owner and lead tour guide - Tristan
A passionate naturalist and photographer
Gallery showing some of the species, including endangered ones, seen regularly at Tawharanui
Borne a Kiwi and 'dragged up' in NZ, before emigrating to Europe, I had never, ever known the sights and sounds of the real New Zealand. And, I lived in Auckland!
To be honest, most New Zealanders have never seen a wild Kiwi - elusive - not!
Habitat Tours introduced me to this hidden, little known gem of a place, so near Auckland
Most visitors from overseas either enter, or leave, NZ from Auckland - and they could be seeing a live, wild kiwi in its natural habitat
Up close with a wild Kiwi was a total privilege. Brown teal thriving and a family of saddlebacks
Bellbirds were numerous, Tui's less so. The Kaka could be heard. Fantails, robins, the Austalasian harrier, a Morepork family. It is a busy place
www.habitattours.co.nz
Captions to Tawharanui's gallery pictures
- Bellbird or Korimako (Anthornis melanura) an endemic - suffered from introduced predators. Chatham Island species extinct. Bellbird now doing well and very common in Tawharanui.
- New Zealand dotterel/tuturiwhatu - endemic - in breeding plumage. An endangered species due to predators and habitat loss. At Tawharanui at certain times of the year.
- New Zealand robin| toutouwai (Petroica longipes) - protected endemic - one of 3 NZ robins. Suffered predation and habitat loss but numbers now good. Very likely to see at Tawharanui.
- The nocturnal, endemic Brown teal | Pateke - (Anas chlorotis) - thought headed for extinction but... Signs of recovery (2012). This 'dabbler' can even be seen during the day at Tawharanui.
- New Zealand Kaka - (Nestor meridionalis) - endangered endemic due to mammalian predation. More likely to see than hear Kaka at Tawharanui, but doing well since predator fence.
- Variable Oystercatcher | torea-pango (Haematopus unicolor) - endemic to NZ. Status is now 'recovering'. Were hunted for food and beach nests/ scrapes are susceptible to predation.
- Morepork | Ruru (Ninox novaeseelandiae) - only surviving native owl. Conservation status is 'not threatened'. Readily seen on the night tour at Tawharanui.
- New Zealand Fantail | Piwakawaka - (Rhipidura fuliginosa) - native. A very common,(not threatened), active, friendly bird which may follow you to catch insects you disturb.