A little while ago, before lockdown, I went on a little weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday. While I don’t particularly like getting older, it’s always a good excuse to get out of Wellington and go to some special birdwatching spots. If you’re wondering, yes my life really does revolve around birds. I just can’t get enough of our amazing native birds, and will jump at any chance to get amongst nature and spend time with my feathered friends.
My birthday destination of choice is the incredible Bushy Park, it’s a little bit of a drive but is simply the most magical place, so I booked in accommodation and set sail. On the way up to Bushy Park I wanted to stop somewhere new, I came across this little spot on the map called Papaitonga Scenic Reserve, the reserve isn’t too far from the main highway so it wasn’t too much of a detour. From the start of the walk I was absolutely blown away, the forest was bursting with life, there were countless pīwakawaka/fantails, riroriro/grey warblers and lots of kererū and tūī too.
The forest was very different than I’ve seen before, there were nikau palms everywhere and the forest had such an unusual vibe. The birds seemed happy and were singing their little hearts out, it was so nice to see this random patch of bush just alive with birdsong. It goes to show that although much of the forests in our country have been destroyed, that these little refuges can mean local bird populations survive and thrive. I managed to get a photo of a pīwakawaka/fantail that I’m super happy with and snapped some photos of the forest to share too. I recommend stopping off at this lovely little spot if you’re in the area, especially if you like fantails!
