Birding near Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, and it’s there that I took my flight to India in the end of last year. I came back early in January, and spent some time in the region before heading to Arthur’s Pass. I spent a day on the Banks Peninsula (more about that in a future article), then hit the shore of Lake Ellesmere.

This lake, the 5th largest of New Zealand, is in fact a brackish lagoon, sometimes linked to the Pacific Ocean when the channel is open, sometimes not. It’s an important site for wildlife, despite high pollution levels from agriculture runoff.

I explored a bit the south-western end of the lake, but couldn’t find a favourable spot for photography. I had time before sunset (remember, January equals summer and long, warm days :p), so I tried my luck at the Selwyn River estuary. At the end of an unpleasant gravel road, there was a small settlement and a car park. From the car park, a path led to the edge of the lake. A careless dog owner gave me a fright, but, apart from that, there were not many visitors in that area.

The path was lined by dense hedges of New Zealand flax and other bushes that attracted countless songbirds, mainly Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) and introduced species.

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NATURE

The road to Milford Sound, part II

After the Divide, the road turns left, gets narrow and goes down in a steep ramp that ends at the bottom of the Hollyford Valley. Long ago, glaciers carved this place from the rock, leaving behind vertical walls that form a corridor for the intrepid visitor to follow.

To the right starts the Hollyford Track, a dirt road that follows the Lower Hollyford River for a while. Right at the start, a path leads up through the forest to Lake Marian. In April, I wanted to climb to Key Summit, but the walk, which starts at the Divide, was impossible because a bridge was damaged. So I chose Lake Marian, a 3-hour hike as well.

I started early, and it was freaking cold. I kept a swift pace on my ascent, so quickly, I was boiling. I didn’t slow down, and arrived to the lake faster than expected. The sun was lighting the east-facing slopes while frost still covered vegetation on the banks. The reflection was superb, but as the air warmed, a slight breeze broke it. I waited for the sun to reach me, then started to make my way down to the car.

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