More pictures from Mt Bruce

And then there were these guys almost/probably on the endangered list, but we have seen one or two as we've walked in the bush ....they are the North Island cousin of the Kea. (Kea's aren't endangered and are probably one of the best known parrots in NZ. They are the bane of car-owning skiers and trampers because they love the rubber on windscreens and windscreen wipers...but they are also the clowns in every camp ground, car park and picnic spot around the southern alps. )

This northern cousin though the Kaka is ...he's browner, shyer maybe only a little bit...and a bush  not an alpine parrot.  At the Santuary they feed them to keep an eye on the birds that have been released back into the wild, andto stop them starving over winter.

Ahh that could be why they are endangered.

While we were away we went to the Mt Bruce bird Sanctuary. Its a trip that meant a major detour on our way home from my Mum's place but it was worth it. Nature study for us has meant a fascination with the birds of NZ, and from our bush walks and living out in the country we had lots of feathered visitors. But a number of our native birds are on the endangered list. Breeding programs like the one at Mt Bruce do thier part to turn things around....



And so I finally got to see the Kokako....its last remaining natural habitat isn't that far from where we live...about an hours drive, and we have enjoyed several walks there, but never have we seen one of these in the forest. I figured they were shy and hid high up in the canopy...

 

Until we met this one... when it decided we were friends it came up to the wire....it repeated what we said..and a number of other parrot like sayings. We were warned not to hand feed her after all they do want to breed and release... but she was so friendly, and fun, but it wasn't easy to resist....a truly blessed day.

Kokako Mt Bruce