NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1934, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

BIRDS ON THE EAST

COAST

THE BLACK OYSTER-CATCHER

(By R. H. D. Stidolpli, R.A.0.U.) The east coast district of the Wellington Province is not a particularly attractive area for bird-life, owing to the absence, of any large expanse or! bush lands. In fact, beyond the forest on the Haurangi Ranges near Cape Palliser and a reserve of 400 acres near Stronvar and one of 1000 acres near Te Wharau, practically the whole of tho area is pastoral land, supporting considerable numbers of sheep and cattle. Probably there is more to interest tho bird-lover on tho coast than inland, although even there, except at one or two favoured localities, few birds ara to be met with during a day's ramble. There are always, of course, the blackbacked and tho red-billed gulls, even if there be little else, while offshore a few gannets may be seen flying along the coast, probably wanderers from Cape Kidnappers. The black shag, too, may be observed making its way to some favourite feeding ground, and this graceful and beautiful white-fronted tern, or, as some people prefer, to call it, the sea-swallow, may usually be see a engaged in fishing pursuits not far from the shore. Then thero is the harrier, which occasionally makes excursions over the sea, evidently on the look-out; for food; but more often it may ba seen beating the tussock and low shrub on the sandhills, where lizards no doubt are often secured. The1 dainty "-little ground-lark or pipit delights in fossicking about on the beach and at intervals along the foreshore it is sure t» greet the wanderer with evident joy. A much rarer inhabitant of thesa shores. is the redbill or black oystercatcher, a rather comical-looking bird, to all appearances having the plumage black, with a red bill and red legs. It is not by any means a conspicuous bird on the beach, its black plumage notwithstanding, for, when resting, it is easily mistaken for pieces of kelp. A few days ago, for instance, three were seen near the mouth of the Wharcama Eiver and although something black was seen on the beach in tho distance it was at first thought that tho objects were certainly inanimate. A closer approach, however, showed that they were oyster-catchers enjoying a rest on the sand. When'disturbed the birds ran along the beach for a short distance and settled among some darkcoloured rocks, where they again merged admirably into their surroundings and were most difficult to detect. No doubt the black oyster-catcher breeds along the coast in suitable localities. So far, the writer has not seen its near relative, the pied oyster-catcher, on this coast. It is a scarcer bird in New Zealand than the black species, but, even so, is probably present on the • east coast in some of the more remote stretches. The two species sometimes inter-breed and hybrids in various phases of plumage are to be encountered. The pied oyster-catcher, by the way, is a bird of almost cosmopolitan distribution, whereas the black species is confined to Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, although there are closelyallied species inhabiting other parts of the world. In this country the oystercatchers seem to have withstood any chances brought about by settlement and have not decreased to any great extent. Although the forested areas inland are isolated and many miles distant from the main central mountain, chain, they contain a fairly interesting variety, of bird-life. The :most notable inhabitant of these areas is the tiny rifleman wren, which is found not only m the forest but also in the remnants ot bush growing along the precipitous river-blnks in the midst of farming lands. In the latter situation it.seems o be quite at home. The whitehe»d, too, frequents similar localities and la some of the bush areas.is well represented. Among the honey-eaters the tui is generally distributed although it« not Is numerous in the forest a* it..is. m the countryside, where it regularly visits the flowering trees and.shrubs oC settlers' gardens and ' plantations in earchVnectar. The sUver-eye of course, is just as widely spread m_ this district as elsewhere, and is nowthaking about the serious business of i«arni a brood of youngsters Her^ and there in the more-favoured . localities t£e pied fantail takes up its quarter, ana gaily flits about m eyer-varying aerial evolutions to snap up insect food. Is cheerful as ever, the grey warbler is quite numerous and tnlk its merr>, son! at intervals throughout the day. Smartly clad in black and; white.thetorntit also appears when it is least «- pected and seems especiallypartial to certain areas of manuka. = At night the morepork comes out from it.i .hidingplace and announces to all and sundry, that it is on the wing and feeing hungry. A notable "absentee amo*g .th« fcutfi birds of the east coast district is th« bell-Wrd. In the southern portaon ot re-establish itself, as m some parts o* tm.iT. te,«t.. ■• The tata-y* *> P«J X i» tta ab««t «i« "k«»' J5; of the district than elsewhere r