Nursery Spiders or what are those white things we see on roadside bushes ?? We take them for granted as just part of the local scenery, but several of our overseas guests have asked me just that this summer. The short answer is they are the “nursery” nests of a group of spiders native to […]
Author: Peter Tait
Peter Tait is a professional nature guide based at Stewart Island, New Zealand, and he works primarily on Ulva Island Open Sanctuary. Peter has been resident on the Island for over 40 years and was one time Forest Ranger in Charge of Stewart Island. Fishing followed forestry and was in turn followed by Talisker, a 17m charter yacht. He is qualified Skipper Deep Sea Fishing Vessel. In addition to guiding Peter and his wife Iris are hosts at Sails Ashore Lodge.
Rats, here we go again ???
Last night I was rung by the Local Dept of Conservation Field Manager. She told me DoC had just caught 3 rats on Ulva Island. This is sodisappointing, not that a rat has re-invaded, which was always known would happen but that three were caught over the same trap period. We can only hope that […]
Whitetailed (Virginia) Deer
What on earth is that thing – Whitetailed or Virginian deer wereliberatedat Port Pegasus in 1905 and rapidly spread throughout the island. Technically a “Noxious Animal” capable of doing considerable damage to forestvegetation, these pretty animals are a much prized by hunters. We see their sign regularly around our road sides, especially on paths to […]
Hookers Sealion (Phocarctos hookeri)
“Hookers” are regular visitors around our beaches, but most are males, and most of them sub breeding age. So when I came down onto Sydney cove yesterday with a party I was somewhat surprised to find a young female lying on the sand. And of course I had to explain to my guests that it […]
Fiordland Crested Penguin Visitor
Fiordland Crested Penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) This morning we had a small visitor in Halfmoon Bay. A friend mentioned there was a Little Blue Penguin on the slipway. Well my photo library for Little Blues is not brilliant, even though they are the most common of our species, so off I went with the camera. What […]
Robins after the Ulva Island Rat Eradication
A couple of days ago while on Ulva Island with guests we met up Robin researcher Cayley again. She was busy as usual tracking Robins, who at this time of year are in the middle of nesting. She had just fed a male, who in turn was busy chatting up a female. We had a […]
Drunken Hoons
Kaka Drunk on Eucalyptus Blossom – Kaka are a constant presence around our home, and provide us and our guests endless amusement. They always seem to have time on their “wings” and appear to spend more time enjoying them selves rather than foraging as other species do. Eucalyptus – there are many Eucalytus trees around […]
Seabirds & Fishboats (eventually)
Across the Straits A couple of days ago I took our boat over to Bluff to collect a load of diesel fuel. The distance is about 22 miles, wharf to wharf, and Foveaux Straits has the reputation of being an unpleasant stretch of water. Its a well deserved reputation, being quite shallow, with significant tidal […]
