Birds of Beau Vista orchard - the Paradise Duck. They nest high in the massive Old Man Pine. This fledgling must have fallen out. Now wandering around till its parents return. #ParadiseDuck #BeauVistaOrchard #ornithology #cider #duckling
Birds of Beau Vista Orchard - the Dunnock. We have them nesting in boxes at present. They are small brown birds that were introduced from England into multiple regions of New Zealand around 1865 by Acclimatisation Societies. It was thought by the settlers that dunnocks could be used to control the numbers of insect pests in orchards being insectivorous birds . They are found throughout the country from sea level to subalpine scrub, in orchards, farms, suburban gardens, scrub and forest.#ornithology #birds #orchard #dunnock #apples #NewZealand
Another bird we increasingly see at Beau Vista orchard is the Kererū or native NZ wood pigeon. Considered a taonga (cultural treasure) to Māori, the kererū was historically a major food source in Māori culture being a big bird. However, due to the decline in its population from predators , hunting is illegal. Customary use of kererū is currently restricted to the use of feathers and bones obtained from dead birds collected by Depar of Conservation #ornithology #orchards #Aotearoa #NewZealand
Our predator trapping is working. Sitting ( having a cuppa) watching the cidery trees, we spotted a pair of rifleman foraging through. Never having seen them at the cidery before, we are 5km from the bush line in mixed agricultural pasture, I was sceptical at first but for the short tail and tiny size, and short flitting flight. Once common there are only fragment populations left in the bush due to predation. We must put out nest boxes for them. The entrance holes need to be only 20mm! They are an endemic NZ wren like bird that is insectivorous and loves to lift lichen and moss off trees to get to the insects. It’s Māori name is Tītitipounamu. Titipounamu is a derivative of two words: “tītiti” which means “a mirage or vision of”, and “pounamu”, which is greenstone, referencing their greenish plumage. #orchard #NZ #Aotearoa #conservation #rifleman #ornithology
A lovely surprise today at the cidery for the both of us. I was working in our new enclosed apple processing area when I spotted a welcome swallow. The first of the season. Not sure how it got in but was happy to be let out! It was probably born in a nest under this very roof last year.
Warou or welcome swallows are a new addition to New Zealand’s native fauna, self introduced from Australia. Known only as occasional vagrants before the 1950s, they were first noticed breeding near Kaitāia, Northland, in 1958. Since then they have spread throughout the motu and found on the Chatham and Kermadec islands.
In winter they flock together and southwards to Otago and Southland. #cidery #cider #swallow #ornithology #TeReo #Māori #NewZealand #Aotearoa
Continuing the ornithological theme at Beau Vista Orchard we had a couple of white faced herons or Matuku moana land in the big old Man Pine. What a racket they make with a coarse croak. They often nest in big pines so here’s hoping. Although the Paradise ducks will not be happy! They are now common, a recent self introduced species in the 1940s. They are often found near water hence. The Māori name for sea or ocean, but often found on wet pasture inland and rivers. #heron #Orchard #ornithology #cider #apples
Silvereye and Apple A photographic study - 2022.
The silvereye or wax-eye, Latin - Zosterops lateralis, is also also known by its Māori name tauhou, which means stranger or new arrival (self introduced in the 1830s). It is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the south-west Pacific. Common now at Beau Vista orchard. This gorgeous photo is by a friend, Linda Axford and taken in a Hastings orchard. #apples #orchard #ornithology
Kakariki nesting box placed high on tree. Second one later today. Stained and painted with low VOC non toxic paint and wood stain on the outside only #ornithology #orchards #kakariki #nestingbox
Beau Vista Orchard our cider apple orchard for TeePee Cider has a resident pair of Paradise ducks or Pūtangitangi that perch in the massive Old Man Pine tree. They may well nest there in a hole in the tree. They are very noisy with the male giving a ‘zonk zonk’, while the female replies ‘zeek zeek’. They pair for life. Paradise ducks breed only in New Zealand and are widely distributed in pasture, tussock grasslands and wetland have benefited from the extensive human modification of natural landscapes throughout the country. #orchard #ornithology
The tūi is a noisy common native passerine New Zealand bird with blue, green, and bronze colours a distinctive white throat tuft (poi). It is one of two living species of the Australasian honey eater family found in New Zealand, the other being the elusive NZ bellbird. It lives in the bush and well adapted to gardens but less so to the dairying and open maize fields of Wairarapa. We have attracted some back to the orchard planting flaxes. #tui #bird #ornithology #orchards #wairarapa