Southern Right whales - Waiwera Beach

[Brent Stephenson]

Hi guys,

Not exactly birds...but I'm sure there are plenty of birders out there who would want to know about this. There is currently a female and calf SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE just off the beach at Waiwera. Apparently the animals have been there for about a week - I'm a little staggered that nobody has posted anything about them?!

More info on the stuff.co.nz site at http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2602870/Baby-whale-and-mum-visit-Auckland

Worth a visit if you're up that way I would say!

Cheers,

[Shane McPherson]

Should be easily visible from the old highway, I guess everyone takes the new route these days.

If you're going that way, keep a lookout on the rocky mangrove margins while driving over the Waiwera estuary bridge. Ive spotted Reef herons there earlier in the year.

Shane

[Rodney]

Thanks for the tip-off Brent - will try to get there today to have a look.

For out of towners, an alternative to the beach viewpoint (which may be crowded?) is to park in Wenderholm, on the right, just past the auto-gate entry, and walk south into the bush, picking up part of the Perimeter Track that skirts along above the main highway. When you come to the first intersection with a broader 4WD track, turn LEFT (corrected by Moderator), (but check for the Robins that reside here), and walk up the track about 50m to continue along the Perimeter Track on the right, that takes you down through some beautiful mature coastal bush and after about 15-20min, you pop out onto a large grassy clearing, right beside the true left bank of the Waiwera River. You can walk up the coastline a wee way from here to get a view further out into the bay and as you are at the mouth of the river, it is deeper there. The news article in the NZH said the whale and calf even went up the river a wee way this week.
Other birdlife in Wenderholm includes more Robins on the top ridge, and lots of Tui, Fantails, Grey Warblers, Kereru, (plus introduced birds) etc in the bush, as well as coastal birds on the north side that include resident NZ Dotterels and VOC along the beach spit and in the estuary you can sometimes see Banded Rail in the wetland/coastal reeds (early or late), Little Shags and Caspian Terns etc

Might see you there, Rodney

[iain johnson]

no sign of the southern right whales this morning, conditions far from perfect - very choppy out at sea.

[Rodney]

Possibly best to go at high tide as the tide goes a long way out at the beach, so this weekend, high tide is roughly 3.30pm today, 4.30pm tomorrow and 5.30pm Monday (by which time it's almost dark). Morning high tides next week are about 7am Weds, 8am Thurs and 9am Friday.
R

[siouxp]

Update for those interested in whereabouts of the southern right whales.

There was a short reference to them in the Rodney Times Tues July 21.
they have apparently moved into the Mahurangi Harbour.

[Brent Stephenson]

Hi all,
Just heard that the whales were again seen yesterday (23 July) in Omaha Bay. So they are still in the area and worth looking out for.

Cheers,

[siouxp]

There is a story on the front page of the Northern Advocate today, (thurs 6th), about the southern right whale and her injured calf. this is the pair that were seen off Waiwera, they have made their way north, but not without a mishap.
long cuts across the the calf's back and tail according to the story, it is believed they were caused by a boat getting to close. they are currently off the Tutukaka coast in the vicinity of the Pataua Inlet.

hopefully this link will work for those who are interested in the story

http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local ... s/3902439/