What's Happening at Okarito
21/07/09 2:44 PM

Okarito is enjoying a lovely winter so far - lots of sunshine and warm weather. Although there are not many people about, there are plenty of birds. Banded dotterels have been seen in good numbers on the beach. A walk through the village will very likely reward you with the sounds of fernbirds in the flax bushes and there are good numbers of birds feeding on the lagoon. We have two pairs of Paradise ducks casually sauntering around and a great white heron claiming the Okarito Wharf and surrounding area as his own! it's lovely and quiet this time of year and the birds seem quite relaxed with a bit of human company.

Swade, of Okarito Boat Tours, skippered a chartered group of tsunami specialists from Australia and one member from NIWA - National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (New Zealand)in Okarito for the past week. It is from research of this type that helps to determine when and how lagoons and wetlands have been formed along the coast. It was a great experience to have such knowledgeable researchers here.

The daffodils are beginning to break ground, and before long we'll be welcoming back the eastern bar-tailed godwits. Although we're still in the midst of winter the days are getting longer and the sun is getting warmer - a great time to visit the West Coast!

Kia Ora from Okarito - a birders paradise!
21/01/10 2:51 PM

Greetings and Kia Ora from Okarito Boat Tours! Okarito has been a birder's paradise the past few weeks. We've had some amazing flyovers by a New Zealand brown falcon, and on a recent Okarito Boat Tour, we were treated to a close up view of the falcon with prey in its claws as we drifted up the rainforest waterways.

Along with an average of up to 12-16 white herons on the morning trips, groupings of spoonbills and about 30-40 eastern bar tailed godwits, we've also been watching the caspian and white fronted terns, pied stilts and more.

It's fantastic to watch all of these waders feeding in their different ways. The white herons are very still and stalk their prey looking very elegant - they don't often miss and can provide some great photos with small silver fish in their bills. The spoonbills feed either alone or in small groups,very active and swish their big paddle shaped bills back and forth to get their food.

We've also watched shags with eels almost as big as themselves and kingfishers hunting and diving in the rainforest.

We came across a flurry of activity with some fernbirds the other day - we believe a nesting site for this rarely seen wetland birds.

In addition, we have had some very keen birders (and ourselves) a bit stumped at some more unusual sitings. One most recently, possibly a juvenile black fronted tern. We're hoping to have confirmation with some photos and we'll keep you posted here!

Til then, we do hope you come and join us on one of our diverse trips as we explore Okarito Lagoon - New Zealand's largest unmodified wetland habitat.