NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 116, 12 November 1938, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

BIRDS IN THE TARARUAS

HONEY-EATERS IN MERRY MOOD

(By R. H, D. Stidolph.)

The kotukutuku trees growing near the edge of the bush at the end of the Mount Holdsworth road and on the border of the beech and pine forest at Donnelly's Flat, a mile or so up the river, are flowering most profusely. It is not surprising to find the nativ« honey-eaters enjoying a feast of nectar, as these flowers contain a rich supply. At Donnelly's Flat, for instance, th« tuis inhabiting the locality appear to be spending most of their time tolling forth their clanging notes from the topmost perch of a forest giant. After some minutes of vocal effort, in which birds further away participate, a visit is paid to the kotukutukus growing on the flat adjacent. There, it is not very difficult to satisfy their hunger within a few minutes and a return is made to the treetops to continue their clamour, Now and again two birds dash through the trees at terrific speed as if they were enjoying a playful game of chasing. It is amazing how swiftly the tui can fly amidst the branches of the forest trees without dashing against some obstruction. "FELL THE TEAPOT." The bell-bird is another honey-eater that is enjoying the feast of nectar in the kotukutuku groves. It also .finds time for a snatch of song, but its notes are uttered much more quickly than those of the tui. One observer has rendered the bell-bird's notes as resembling "come and fill the teapot," and no doubt other-listeners may give a different interpretation. 4 In the early morning the bell-bird gives quite a distinctive note; very much like the tinkling of a bell, and when an assembly of these birds is heard chiming at the break of day the effect is enchanting. This morning chorus may be heard occasionally in the Tararuas. Some years ago, when the writer and a friend were resting for a few min-' utes. at the .edge of the bush-line on Mount Holdsworth, at an altitude of about 4000 feet; the chiming of many bell-birds was heard from a valley far below. The s,un was just rising over the far-distant hills and the tinkling of the bells from the depths of the forest below provided \ the most enchanting music imaginable in an exquisite setting. '. Never again has Jhe writer had. the good fortune to hear the chorus of the; bell-bird in the Tararuas. WIDESPREAD SILVER-EYE. Another native, that inhabits the virgin forest as well as the gardens and plantations of the countryside is the silver-eye, and although it is an omnivorous feeder, it, too, delights in regaling itself on the nectar of the kotukutuku flowers. In order to sip the luscious fluid it assumes all kinds of attitudes most pleasing to the eye and goes about its business in a most, systematic way. As it is just as much at home in.th,e forest,as elsewhere, the silver-eye is well able to adjdst its life to the circumstances, and where there is no nectar to ;gather; there are'berries and insects to be sought., Small berries such as those of some of thecoprosmas are eagerly eaten by -the silver-eye, which also makes a diligent search, when the fancy takes it, of the foliage of trees for insect morsels. . .The. grey warbler, too, is another small native bird which,- although quite -common in settled districts, is well represented in forest areas. At Donnelly's Flat it seems to be as cheerful" as it is elsewhere, many wet days notwithstanding, and its bright and happy notes are'one of the joys of a tramper in this area. Even here it is not safe from the atteri- ' tionsofthe parasitical shining cuckoo, which likewise inhabits the forest and no doubt foists' its domestic cares on to the warbler as it does elsewhere. LIVELY WHITEHEAD. A lively and cheerful inhabitant of Donnelly's Flat and of the forest in the Mount Holdsworth area, is the whitehead, which "at this time of the year is busy with its domestic affairs. The \vhitehe*ad is one of the most in- t dUstrious birds of the forest, spending practically all its time in a diligent search of the foliage for insect food. It is always on the move and always talkative, giving voice to a not unpleasant series of notes, something like "chee-chee-chee-po-t'ea." Although the whitehead often hunts among the tops of the highest trees it usually selects a low-growing shrub, such as a manuka or a coprosma, as the site for its nest. It is confined to the North Island, being replaced in the South Island by a bird of somewhat, similar habits but of different colouration. The South Island bird, which is known as the yellowhead, instead of having the head and underparta white as in the case of the whitehead, has them quite a bright yellow. One very noticeable difference in the habits of the two birds is that the yellowhead apparently usually selects a hole in a tree forty or fifty feet from the ground in which to build its nest, a strange . departure from the custom of the North Island whitehead. " OTHER NATIVES. Other native birds inhabiting the Donnelly's Flat area include the pert little tomtit, a study in black and white; the pied'fantail, fussing about as usual; the native pigeon, a magnifi-cent-bird which is enjoying some measure of protection now that there are several rangers actually working in the forest reserve; the rifleman, which has the distinction of being New Zealand's smallest bird; the long-tailed cuckoo or screecher. a bird of ill repute; the kaka, a noisy and likeable parrot, and its smaller relatives, the attractive red-fronted . and yellowfronted parakeets. The area has also been adopted by several introduced birds, the most prominent of which is the song thrush and chaffinch. These two birds seem to be very much at home in the forests of New Zealand. The hedge sparrow, a skulker of the undergrowth, may also be, seen occasionally and more often its notes are heard. The jingling notes of the redpoll likewise attract attention at times, though this little alien is more at home at higher altitudes, in the subalpine scrub, where it breeds.