Travis Wetlands

Bird sighting information. Use this forum to report bird sightings (especially rare and unusual birds), census and field count results, and trip reports. Messages posted to this forum will also be sent as a plain text email to the BIRDING-NZ newsgroup.
FraserGurney
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:50 pm
Contact:

Travis Wetlands

Postby FraserGurney » Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:38 pm

Hi all, an Australasian Grebe was reported from Travis Wetland today by Brenda Greene. I had a look this afternoon without success, however the sheep were being moved and all the birds were very flighty.

The two Cape Barren geese were still there with the canadian mob while the black-fronted dotterel reported recently were absent with not much exposed mud for them to use.

Happy Birding,
Fraser

P.S. It's about time Travis Wetland got it's own thread on the forum!
User avatar
GrahameNZ
Posts: 386
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: The Wetlands, Christchurch
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby GrahameNZ » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:10 am

The BF Dott was on one of the small ponds behind the stockyards around mid day.
The other spot to look for it is at either end of the pond behind the info center.
There's also a hybrid Greylag x Canada with the Canadas.
And a hybrid Pied x Black Stilt.
gmckinlay
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:42 pm

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby gmckinlay » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:35 am

Any location indication for the aust grebe sighting and cape barren geese?
Travis is rather big.
User avatar
GrahameNZ
Posts: 386
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: The Wetlands, Christchurch
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby GrahameNZ » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:45 am

I didn't spy the Grebe yesterday, but other times they've been there they are on the main pond, the bird hide is probably the best area to look from.
The Cape Barrens are mainly on the big southern paddock.
From the Beach Rd carpark walk round past the stockyards and the first paddock you come to on the left is their usual haunt.
More often than not reasonably close to the track.
They also quite like the northern end of the pond behind the info center.
They don't socialise with the Canadas.
When going round there you can also see into the main pond from the seat on your right just past the stockyards and from 3/4 of the way along the track by the Barrens paddock.
FraserGurney
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:50 pm
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby FraserGurney » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:05 am

Thanks for that Grahame, I'd just add that every time I've seen the Cape Barren Geese they've been with the Canada Geese - so the big Canada flock is a good place to start.
User avatar
AngryBird45
Posts: 227
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:50 am
Location: Waimakariri District, Canterbury
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby AngryBird45 » Sat Apr 17, 2021 3:39 pm

I’m very sure the “grebe” is just a shag.
133 birds on my life list since 17 June 2020, latest bird Common Tern.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.

15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
FraserGurney
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:50 pm
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby FraserGurney » Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:34 pm

It could be a shag but the observers are known to be reliable and even so it's still worth going for a look to see if it is a grebe. The more people report something unusual the better!
User avatar
AngryBird45
Posts: 227
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:50 am
Location: Waimakariri District, Canterbury
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby AngryBird45 » Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:38 pm

It said “in shade unclear sighting”, so it most likely means the observer is going by shape.
133 birds on my life list since 17 June 2020, latest bird Common Tern.
93 birds on my 2024 year list as of 6:50pm 13 January, latest bird Indian Peafowl.

15 y/o birder from the Waimak and Paradise Shelduck campaigner: facebook.com/paradiseshelduck.
andrewcrossland
Posts: 2132
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby andrewcrossland » Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:51 pm

No sign of a crested grebe at Travis, but I came across a Spotless Crake today about 50m north of the observation tower on the western side of the boardwalk amongst Carex and swamp kiokio under willows and alongside a little channel of surface water.
FraserGurney
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:50 pm
Contact:

Re: Travis Wetlands

Postby FraserGurney » Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:27 pm

Spotless Crake in nearly the exact same spot this afternoon, this time just on the East of the boardwalk about 30m North of the tower. Extremely skulky and shy, heard it several times over an hour before it made a dash between two carex.

Return to “Bird Sightings and Alerts”