Re: MEGA - Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Waikato.
Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:27 am
Cheers Erik,
Just a word of encouragement for those heading out or thinking about it this weekend. This really is a remote spot. Driving cross-country along the ridges and down gravel roads, with occasional rain showers, it did feel a hopeless trip. But the end of Nolan Road is almost a little micro-climate on its own. It's a sheltered valley, protected from the westerlies. It contains quite diverse habitat: garden, rough grass, shrubs, pond, including pockets of natives and exotics (eucs) etc. I can understand why its lingering in the area. There is a lot of bird life around including three or four Shining cuckoos calling yesterday.
I did meet the finder and had a chat. He does believe still days are key, yesterday he said, was the best for some time.
It certainly isn't into sitting up and still. He confirmed it moves from cover to cover quite fast ... that seems to be the pattern. There and gone.
Not easy.
Good luck!
Tim
Just for the record, I entered via Glen Garry and Matakitaki Road ... I saw more flocks of Turkeys than I've seen for a long time, a Peacock was displaying to seven peahens by the road, and I came across a flock of 8 Guinea Fowl in the middle of absolutely nowhere. A surreal day in more ways than one.
Just a word of encouragement for those heading out or thinking about it this weekend. This really is a remote spot. Driving cross-country along the ridges and down gravel roads, with occasional rain showers, it did feel a hopeless trip. But the end of Nolan Road is almost a little micro-climate on its own. It's a sheltered valley, protected from the westerlies. It contains quite diverse habitat: garden, rough grass, shrubs, pond, including pockets of natives and exotics (eucs) etc. I can understand why its lingering in the area. There is a lot of bird life around including three or four Shining cuckoos calling yesterday.
I did meet the finder and had a chat. He does believe still days are key, yesterday he said, was the best for some time.
It certainly isn't into sitting up and still. He confirmed it moves from cover to cover quite fast ... that seems to be the pattern. There and gone.
Not easy.
Good luck!
Tim
Just for the record, I entered via Glen Garry and Matakitaki Road ... I saw more flocks of Turkeys than I've seen for a long time, a Peacock was displaying to seven peahens by the road, and I came across a flock of 8 Guinea Fowl in the middle of absolutely nowhere. A surreal day in more ways than one.