Norfolk Island ~ Part Four: Phillip Island

Friday evening the little antique mobile phone that is supplied with the cottage rang (my number is 54211). It was Dave. He is the only person with licensed access to take people to Phillip Island. An island “Trek” as it is called, was on for Saturday morning. Lynn had been a bit under the weather and although she was pretty much over it, doing the trek would not be a good idea. She insisted I go and I did. I am grateful.

Birders who visit Norfolk Island know about the trek, the disembarking of the little boat onto the rocks and the rope assisted climb up the cliff. That was not difficult. Granted we had very calm seas and climbing off the bow onto the rocks was easy and dry. But the hike to the top of the island was quite a hike indeed. All of the literature regarding the trek says, “A reasonable degree of fitness is required.” That is a very vague statement. As would be necessary to reach the top, one is always going up… and up. I am grateful that I evidently do have a reasonable degree of fitness. The views are absolutely amazing. Stupidly, I had left my iPhone at the cottage, so all of my landscape and scenic photos are taken at the 100mm end of my 100-400mm birding lens. It really does not serve in this case. But I am grateful to have the photos and to have been there to take them in the first place.
 

Phillip Island is a nesting spot for many sea birds. At this time, Black-winged Petrels were around and even a couple of Kermadec Petrels, both of which were life birds for me! There were also lots of Grey Ternlets, Black Noddys, a couple of Common Noddys, Sooty Terns, Red-tailed Tropicbirds and heaps of Masked Boobies. We did not see any White-necked Petrels or Providence Petrels. From what I understand, the Providence only nest there in the winter. It was an amazing morning and I am very grateful that I got to make the trek.
 

Grey Ternlets 

Masked Booby on egg.

Black-winged Petrel over Masked Boobies

Black Noddy, also called the White-capped Noddy

Kermadec Petrel

Kermadec Petrel

Black-winged Petrel top

Black-winged Petrel underside

Yawning Common Noddy

Frowning Common Noddy

Common Noddy

It’s now early Sunday arvo. After a bit of sea watching with Lynn this morning (she got her lifer Black-winged Petrel through the scope!) I went back down to Slaughter Bay and did a bit of snorkeling. I dearly love to snorkel and I have not done it in ages. I saw wondrous reef fishes… dazzling colors and patterns. It was glorious. I will see about posting this since the internet seems to be working at present. Y’all will know if it works.

     

Just out after a snorkel. Above my head is Phillip Island. I hiked to its summit yesterday morning. I am grateful!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Norfolk Island ~ Part Three

It begins to get light here at about 4am. I like to get up with the sun, but that is pretty early even for me. I got out of bed yesterday morning before 4:30 to discover that the internet was out again. As my dear friend Ash said the other day, the most awesome places often have the worst internet. But it does make it difficult to share these experiences (one of my favorite things to do). I have photos in my phone that will stay there until we are back on the mainland next week. Regardless, I am grateful to be here and I am loving it.

I have taken several walks into the National Park hoping to see the little flock of Common Redpolls that had been there a couple of weeks ago. No one has seen or heard them at least a week now and they have probably moved along. It is still a lovely hike up to the top of Mount Pitt and there are other birds and views to see. I got gorgeous looks at a Norfolk Island Parrot again and took some photos. I am so grateful to be here.

So here are some more photos (internet permitting) that I have taken this week. I hope you dig them. Cheers for now from Norfolk Island.

      

One of the views from Captain Cook Monument.

Red Knots in Kingston

Mr. and Ms Pacific Robin soon to be raised to a N.I. separate species. They have just recently been found to be more closely related to Red-capped Robins than to Pacific.

Slender-billed White-eye and lunch.

Ms Pacific Robin 

The very friendly Grey Fantail of Norfolk Island that is also probably going to be split into its own species.

Love my parrots... Norfolk Island Parrot

Common Greenfinch behind our cottage. 

A very light grey Bar-tailed Godwit in Kingston.

Lots of Sooty Terns seen from Captain Cook Monument.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Norfolk Island ~ Part Two: Long-tailed Cuckoo And Boobies!

It is a very rainy, breezy, almost chilly, grey morning here. We were scheduled be taken to Phillip Island at 7am, but the trek (as they call it) has been canceled. They expect to reschedule for Saturday or Sunday. The weather looks good for the weekend, so we will see. Crossed fingers!

Yesterday was wondrous. We were booked to do a half-day with Margaret Christian the author of “Norfolk Island… The Birds.” John Weigel had highly recommended her. She was a park ranger here for 20 years and she really knows the island and its birds. She drove us to the National Park where we headed up the trail at a leisurely, birding pace.

About fifteen minutes along, I saw that Margaret had turned to look at something in a tree over the path behind us. It was a very large, brown bird. Lynn was already on it. I got my bins on it, and I was looking at the stripey head and long tail of a Long-tailed Cuckoo! I marveled at it for a moment before it flew off into the park. There was no time for a photo, just an incredible “lifer look” at a dream bird. Even Margaret had never seen this bird in the wild! She had only previously seen one that was injured after flying into a window. Yes, we ticked the Long-tailed Cuckoo! I was amazed. I am amazed. I am grateful! (And yes, once again I was wearing my lucky VEFL t-shirt).

We continued along the trail where we saw many wonderful birds including Norfolk Island endemics. We marveled at a beautiful and endangered, Norfolk Island Parrot that flew in and perched by the trail. We got fantastic views of the lovely and also endangered (or threatened, depending upon what you read) Slender-billed White-eye. We saw our little pal, the Norfolk Island Gerygone again several times. We had beautiful Pacific Robins along the path as well as the very understated Norfolk Island subspecies of the Golden Whistler. We also saw the N.I. subspecies of the Grey fantail, which was ridiculously confiding, almost landing on us as we walked along. Again, the views here were unbelievably beautiful. This place must be experienced, words and even photos do not do it justice. And I am here, and I am grateful.
     

Norfolk Island Parrot, Tasman Parakeet, Green Parrot... whatever you call it, it is awesome!           

 

Slender-billed White-eye showing its slender bill and white eye.

Norfolk Island Gerygone

Mr. Pacific Robin 

Ms Pacific Robin

Golden Whistler

Golden Whistler with a touch of golden.

And a Song Thrush because it looked pretty there on that branch.

Upon leaving the National Park, we discovered that the van had a flat tyre. I began changing it, but before I could finish the service station mechanics arrived and completed the job. Bear in mind that no one is ever more than about 15 minutes by car from anywhere else on the island. It is not a large place.

Tyre replaced we drove to Margaret’s home on the cliffs of the island were she has Masked Boobies nesting in her yard. It was amazing seeing the Boobies and their offspring. This was an unexpected thrill. While there, we had tea and cake as we did a little casual sea watching. I am so very grateful.
     

The ball of fluff with a beak is a White Tern chick. They are born out of eggs that are laid directly on the branches. The White Tern makes no nest. It is amazing that this works for them!

Oh, those awkward adolescent times... (Masked Boobies)

A much younger Masked Booby.

Attitude

In memory of Jim Henson... 

Gotta love them Boobies

Back at our little cottage we had a relaxing late afternoon and then I picked up fish and chips for our “Lifer Pie” dinner treat. Their fish is freshly caught here daily, and it was absolutely delicious. I am grateful.

Now I am sitting inside the gazebo up the hill where the wifi is (hopefully) good. A little chook (the feral chickens are absolutely everywhere) has followed me in and is pecking at my bare toes. This particular little chook has been following me around like a puppy dog. He is quite cute in a homely sort of way.


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Norfolk Island ~ Part One

The shuttle came for us at 3:45am. I am used to getting up early, but this is before early. I reckon I was awake from about 2:30 on, but actually got up at 3:00. Our flight (at 9:50am, we were very early) was delightfully uneventful. It also had more old people on it than any single flight I have ever taken. I felt like I was on the set of a new Cocoon movie. Evidently Norfolk Island is a bucket list item and it looked like some of these folks were cutting it mighty close. I felt like a kid. I am grateful.

Our little cottage here is comfy, lovely and wood paneled. It has one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I am looking at it now as I write this at 5am on Tuesday because I am too excited to sleep. It is wondrous. I got my lifer White Tern(s) from the deck before I had even opened my suitcase. I am grateful.

Lynn grabbed a nap and I went birding, I mean to the grocery. Ok, I did both. When I returned I took her to a spot where I had seen the Norfolk Island Gerygone. She was not disappointed in these busy, yet confiding birds. They are cute and they are pretty much around (I am writing on Wednesday morning now and I have see a lot of those little birds).

Tuesday morning we drove up to Captain Cook Monument at the north end of the island. The view is amazing. The birds were wondrous. I will post some photos. I am ridiculously grateful.

Sooty Tern

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird again because they are amazing. 

Parent Masked Booby and child

Cute as

Mr. California Quail  

Ms California Quail and the kids.

We did a bit of sightseeing around the island in the mid afternoon. Here are a couple of photos from Queen Elizabeth Lookout. It is breathtakingly beautiful (evidently she thought so too, hence the name).
       

Phillip Island (we hope to go there, but it depends on one person who has the license to take people there. We will see and I will let y'all know if we do). 

Kingston and the jetty (to the left of the jetty is Slaughter Bay).

Later in the afternoon we headed to Slaughter Bay as the tide was dropping and the rocks would be exposed, hopefully providing a spot for a Wandering Tattler to stand. After a bit of looking we both got long scope views, but the bird flew off before we could get satisfactory looks. We checked along other spots down that shore, and then returned to find a Wandering on the beach rocks near the jetty. I am so grateful. This is one of those birds that I had wanted for a long while. Tick.

         

Wandering Tattler 

The internet is frustratingly intermittent here at the cottage. I will go up the hill and try and post this. Yes, it is better "up the hill." I am sitting by the gazebo and the wifi is good. I am grateful. There will be much more to come later...


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.