A volcanic eruption on North Island with fatalities, floods and landslides in many areas, power outages affecting transport and communication - New Zealanders are stunned by events this week and the impact on tourism is immense.
It seems petty to write about the great time we've been having while it has all been happening. We have had to change our plan to go to Christchurch because the road north is closed but other than that we continue to explore this amazing part of the South Island.
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| Otago Penisula |
We've been based at Dunedin for several days and yesterday we explored the Otago Peninsula. A boat trip below the headland first, with Monarch tours, was wonderful. Their guide, Olivia, was knowledgeable and we were lucky to pass an incoming fishing boat with hundreds of birds in its slipstream. Olivia pointed out the fur seals, the nesting colony of Otago Shags, the Black-backed Gull nesting on a channel light, four species of albatross, Cape Petrel and Southern Giant Petrel, Red-beaked Gulls and Spotted Shags and other birds.
We also went to the Albatross Centre on the headland to see the nesting Royal Albatross, the only mainland colony. The birds are sitting on the eggs at the moment. It was interesting to see that sprinklers are being installed to keep chicks cool because temperatures are rising with climate change. And the rangers are continually setting traps to catch vermin. The introduced Australian blowfly is a problem because the maggots attack the slowly hatching chicks.
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| Red-beaked Gulls feeding on Krill |
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| Nesting Red-beaked Gulls. Though numerous here they are actually Endangered. |
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| Black-backed Gull with a chick, nesting on a channel light. |
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| Shags and a Red-beaked Gull. |
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| Nesting colony of the Otago Shag. |
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| Fur Seal |
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| Fur Seals |
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| Cape Petrel |
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| Cape Petrel |
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| Royal Albatross |
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| Birds following a fishing boat. |
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