NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 47, 23 August 1930, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

CAETEE'S BUSH

A WAIRARAPA SANCTUARY,

(By K. H. D. Stidolph, K.A.0.U.)

Tho town of Carterton in the Wairarapa is fortunate in possessing a good reserve of native bush within a few miles. This reserve, which is known as Carter's Bush, is adjacent to tho Gladstone road and the banks of the Euamahanga River. It is a remnant, of typical white pine bush, and contains many trees of large size. A number of native birds enjoy a happy life in this sanctuary. On a recent visit the beautiful notes of the tui were heard on. several occasions and a glimpse of this charming bird was obtained more than once. The tui, it is pleasing to.record, is fairly common throughout the Wairarapa district, so much so that it is almost safe to assert that there are-far more of these birds in the settled areas than there are in the adjoining Tararua Mountains. At this time of tha year the parson-bird, as the species is sometimes called on account of,the ornamentation on its throat, is a constant visitor to town gardens. Only last week one was seen to be searching the flowers of the introduced garden plant the Japonica for nectar. Many other exotic trees and plants, such as the eucalypts, tree lucerne, and bignonia, are regularly visited for food. The tui has adapted itself to the conditions of settlement to such a degree that it has even selected the introduced and" wellknown Pinus insignis as a site for-.'its nest. Some years ago Mr.'A. S. Wil-. kinson, formerly of Masterton.but now custodian of Kapiti Island Bird Sanctuary, found the nest of a tui -in a Pinus insignis growing in the Solway, Showgrounds. * / Carter's Bush.is apparently"inhabited by three or four jairs of tomtits, as the call of the male bird of this species was heard several times. The tomtit is rather scarce in the valley of the Wairarapa, and it is only in restricted localities that it is found, although it ii fairly evenly distributed in the Tararua Kanges and the foothills. The writer has not noticed any disposition on the part of the tomtit of the North Island to leave the shelter of the native-bush and take up its residence in plantations or 'gardens. According to Mr. E. P. Stead,; of Christchurch, however, _ the South Island tomtit, which differs slightly from the North Island bird in the colour of its plumage on the breast, having the feathers there yellow instead of white,' during the winter inhabits the larger, plantations and areas of •scrub (mostly gorse, broom, lupin,- etc.), on river beds and remains to breed. This observation refers to the Canterbury district. For four years ia succession tomtits came to Mr. Stead s garden in a Christchurch suburb, and. on vthree occasions; at least bred there. Although the North Island.tomtit does not occur in the localities indicated by Mr. Stead for its southern relative it is not a rare species, as it is widely distributed in all bush areas. It favours the outskirts of the-forest' or clearings more than the depths; of the bush,- and shows little fear of man. On one occasion when the writer- was traversing the track which leads into the.Tauherenikau Valley over Mount Beeves a male tomtit almost settled on his knees while he was resting. The bird alighted oa a stone not more than three feet away. The pied' fantail finds ~ conditions much to its liking in thiß reserve, and is to be seen 'flitting about in its characteristic erratic flight, constantly m search of small insects, of which there appears to be a plentiful supply. _ No doubt, now that the spring, is m sight, this charming native bird will be thinking of the more serious side of its lite, i and will be on the look-out for a suitable nesting site. The nest is usually, placed fairly low down ma small tree or shrub, in close proximity to water. As-a substantial-sized stretch of water occupies a depression at'the foot of a bank and both sides are clothed in bush, the area offers many ideal sites for the rearing of a.family.. Occasionally, the fantail will even forsake: the shelter of the native bush and build its nest in river bed wastes of broom, etc., as has been recorded in this column on. a previous occasion. Another native bird which, although clad in sombrecoloured plumage, is the possessor of sweet notes of arresting beauty—the grey warbler—also finds Carter's Bush ! a happy hunting ground. Although its snatches of cheerful notes may give the impression that it has few, if any, troubles, this unobtrusive bird has more than its fair share of worry during the breeding season, for it is then that the migrant shining cuckoo foists its, domestic 6>ies to its care. The shining cuckoo, by the way, will soon be ar- ■ riving in New Zealand from -overseas, and observers who are • favourably; placed, should take every opportunity, of endeavouring to witness the.procedure adopted by the shining cuckoo in. placing its egg in tho nest of the grey, warbler. If the conclusions of English naturalists on the European cuckoo are to be accepted for cuckoos generally, the egg is actually laid in the nest. Much of tho land in the immediate vicinity of Carter's Bush is. of & swampy nature —the Buamahanga Biver flows, nearby—and consequently many; pukekos are attracted to the spot. At the time of the writer's visit these birds were present in fairly large numbers, spending much of their times fossicking about the paddocks adjoining a stream, on the banks of which are numbers of flax bushes and other growth. The grey duck also finds conditions to its liking, and two or three of these familiar Birds were seen. Overhead a harrier made its way in ever-varying circles, and suddenly dropped almost to the ground, only to rise again, disappointed at having raised false hopes of a meal.