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Published: December 12th 2013
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Sunday 8th December, 2013. Southern Scenic Route and Otago Peninsula
We left the hospital (Youth Hostel) and started on our way to Dunedin. Our first stop was the Historic Railway Tunnel Walk which we were unable to do yesterday because of the dreadful weather. It was a bit muddy but at least it wasn't raining. The tunnel was excavated under what was then named "McDonald's Saddle". It is the southernmost railway tunnel in NZ. It was begun in 1891 and took nearly 2 years to complete. It is 246 metres long and the construction involved up to 70 men. All the bricks were made nearby. It cost £9316 in total. Construction of the entire line was done using pick, shovel and barrow. The line was closed in 1971. The walk was fairly pleasant. The notice at the start suggested a torch might be a good idea. We didn't have one. D ventured further inside than M.
In order to get to Dunedin we decided that we would follow the rest of the Southern Scenic Route (SSR) which finishes in the city. Much of it followed the coast. We passed through a lovely little place on the edge of the
Pacific Ocean called Taieri Mouth where we stopped and took some photographs of the fishing boats. We continued on and stopped at a place called Brighton. This beach is covered with Pikao (or Pingao). This grassy type of plant, sometimes called the Golden Sand Sedge is an endemic sand-binding sedge. It was once common throughout NZ but is now only found on the Otago Peninsula, Stewart Island, The Fiordlandhas and the Catlins coast. Grazing by rabbits and domestic animals as well as encroachment by introduced Marram Grass has left this plant struggling for survival. A recovery group was set up in
1990 and the beach at Brighton in one of the plots monitored and maintained by this group. The sedge is a popular with the rare (so far almost invisible!) yellow-eyed penguins for nesting. We watched a group of kids having a life-saving lesson and then continued on our way.
Although we were staying at the Youth Hostel in Dunedin City centre, our aim was to do the Otago Peninsula, just outside of the city before checking in. The Otago Peninsula is known as the wildlife capital of New Zealand, It had started to rain again so we stopped
at The Fletcher House which was marked on the Otago Heritage Trail leaflet that we had picked up earlier. It is only open at weekends so we took the opportunity to go inside. This typical Edwardian villa was the first house (1909) built by Sir James Fletcher, a Scot, founder of Fletcher Construction Company Ltd (apparently he was a REALLY REALLY big cheese in NZ). In December 1990 his descendents set up a trust to restore the Fletcher House and open it to the public. It has been fully restored to its former glory and furnished in the style of the period. It was built for a local storekeeper Hubert Green and his wife at 727 Portobello Road, Broad Bay. A double
bay windowed villa with return verandah built with views over Turnbull Bay. In 1992 the fully restored Fletcher House, was opened to the public by Sir James Fletcher, son of the original builder. We were the only people on the tour. We think the lady guide was very pleased to have some punters. it was an interesting tour and we particularly enjoyed looking at the contents of the kitchen cupboards - D could do with one of those
bean slicing contraptions. M commented that some of the furniture back home in the UK is older than some of the pieces in the Fletcher House!
Next we called in at the Penguin Place and booked a tour for tomorrow night. We carried on until we reach Taiaroa Head at the end of the Otago peninsula where we went to visit the Royal Albatross Centre. It is the only mainland breeding colony of these massive seabirds in the world. we booked another penguin tour for tomorrow night from this centre and then purchased tickets for the albatross tour. we were first shown to an auditorium where the guide gave us a talk and showed us a movie. We learned that the birds in this colony are Northern Royal Albatross. All of the birds in the colony have had bands fitted so they can be monitored throughout their lives. The numbered band, clipped loosely about the leg, allows the life story of each bird to be recorded. Since all Taiaroa birds and chicks are banded, they can be distinguished from other albatross that are sometimes attracted to Taiaroa Head and may stay to breed. The size of the colony has
slowly increased and in 1994 consisted of 90 to 100 birds. when they fledge the chicks won'y return for 5 years when they are old enough to breed. There was a stuffed 5 year old bird in the auditorium. Apparently when she came back she flew into a power line and was killed. As a result all power lines are now underground.
We followed the guide out onto the point and climbed uphill towards the viewing hide. On the way we passed the Taiaroa jail where M posed for a picture. There was a huge colony of Red-Billed Gulls nesting on the headland. There was poo everywhere and we both wished we had worn hats. The red billed gulls are incredibly beautiful but also aggressive. There were thousands of them with their newly hatched chicks. Apparently when they attack and draw blood they will all pile in until the poor victim is dead - charming.
Once we were inside the hide we could see the nests. One bird will sit on the eggs while the other will go out to sea to feed. They could be gone for between 3 and 20 days! They must be very patient
sitting there waiting with no food all that time! The guide told us that if a bird is gone for more than 12 days then they will intervene and feed the poor sod that is sitting on the eggs starving.
The adolescents (the ones over 5 years old) who have not got partners or chicks play and practice flying. It is quite a spectacle to see the albatrosses with wingspans of up to 3 metres (9'6") coming in to land like a succession of 747s. The sight of a soaring Albatross is unforgettable - a vision touched with a dignity and majesty no other bird can excel. Held aloft on their slim wings the Albatross is capable of swooping speeds of at least 115 kilometres per hour. It’s pure ecstasy in the air, yet they are distinctly clumsy on the ground.
The social and family life of the breeding colony is fascinating. Chicks are fussed over by devoted parents (once hatched); adolescents party, just like adolescents everywhere; courtships proceed with lots of kissing and cuddling; and 'marriage' is usually for life despite long separations at sea. And the life of an Albatross is indeed long - one bird
at Taiaroa, fondly known as "Grandma," raised her last chick at age 62!
Albatrosses on remote storm-bound islands have little to fear, but when these large, conspicuous birds nest near a city it presents a very different situation. in order to protect the colony from interference there is a full time ranger who checks the nests and patrols the site. We saw her from the hide checking the nests. We were very fortunate to witness two change overs - when one bird returns from feeding at sea to take over sitting on the eggs. Inside the hide the guide explained that the chicks will be fed by their parents until they weigh half as much again as their parents. She gave us some stuffed birds to hold that had been filled with beans to the correct weight. It is amazing they can fly at all as they really are remarkably heavy.
From the hide we could also see a colony of Stewart Island Black shags. Apparently the number of these birds is dropping. We also saw some seals playing in the surf. we really enjoyed the visit and M is now considering joining the U3A bird watching group
when she gets back home.
We drove back to the city, found the youth hostel easily. Lovely room with en suite. D cooked a lovely steak dinner. We watched some TV before going to bed.
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