BirdingNZ.net

Here's a short clip I've posted showing one of the Day's Bay Rifleman foraging in a beech tree:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.szabo. ... 458676771/

Saw 5 Rifleman feeding together in tall beech trees at the start of the Kereru Rd Track this morning, not far after you cross the stream to head up into the steeper section.

Saw 4 Rifleman today 300m along the Kereru Rd Track in Day's Bay (Oruamatoro) foraging next to the stream, including an adult feeding a young begging bird. Then I heard at least 2 more about 300m further along past the stepping stones, which must have been different birds.

Quite a few riflemen around today on Ferry road track at Days Bay. Best spot - 150m after end of gravel is a steep pitch, followed by a flat and a bigger pitch. At top of this second steep section there are beeces on both sides of the track. Also found some on way down in the very lowest level beech trees.

Found Rifleman and Tomtit today up the Kereru Road track above but not far from the area where the nest was. GPS 174.917800 -41.284969. 3 Rifleman feeding, with Fantail and Silvereye's nearby, Bellbirds calling more distant, and a pair of Tomtit about 20 metres further up. Seems that when you find one bush bird, you find lots.

Yes, in the weeks up to Christmas I saw NZ Tomtit, Rifleman, Bellbird and Whitehead higher up the track there and NZ Falcon and Kereru flying over the forest. I also heard Kakariki a couple of times but was not certain if they were Red-crowned or Yellow-crowned.

I was on the Hawtree route today between Eastbourne and Days Bay. At approx the highest point (about 320 m asl) at 174.912597 -41.292142 I came across a number of birds. At least 3 or 4 Rifleman at that spot. Plus another pair on the other side of the ridge about 50 metres on (north) feeding on the ground near a yellow trap with number 200037939254, and another Rifleman flew across the track about 200 metres north of that spot. Also Grey Warbler, Silvereye, Whitehead, Tomtit calling (and I saw 2 male Tomtits further along the track towards Days Bay), Fantail, Chaffinch and Bellbird. There looks to be a lot of trapping going on along the ridge track and it seems to be paying off. That is the most Rifleman I have seen up there. Maybe if numbers are up the plan to translocate some to Zealandia will be back on again. If anyone is thinking of going up there, I recommend going up Mackenzie or Ferry Road tracks - the Kereru track is hard work, very rooted and steep near the top.

With a massive mast event apparently forecast for many places next year hopefully they can hang on here - apart from LB and Tiri I cant think of any predator free areas in the NI where Rifleman remain?
Cheers Jim

They’re pretty common throughout the higher altitudes in the north island. Especially through the Central Plateau, Ruahines and Tararua Ranges, also into the Pureoras, Raukumaras and Mamakus. I’ve even had riflemen at the top of Mount Te Aroha in the Waikato which gets very little to no pest control. They’re about, but generally sparse and restricted to higher altitudes.

Fortunately still in healthy numbers on Mt Pirongia as well (and a few pockets in the Hawkes Bay). Though it seems Jim was talking about "predator-free" areas. To be honest though I'm not sure if here have been many translocation attempts period in the North Island to truly predator free zones other than Zealandia and the Tiri? I.e They haven't tried riflemen at Maungatautari or Tawharanui though I think it's in the future plans.