Ulva Island - Island of Beauty

Now, did I mention I would love to live on Stewart Island, ahh, I didn't, well I do, but then we ventured over to Ulva Island. Oh what a place, no people, just nature as it was intended, undisturbed, no pollution - or plastic bags and no people, Oh I mentioned that. So, I do declare this is where I would love to live.

Our guide, Ulva, Yes that really is her name, she was christened this by her mother or she changed it by deed poll, I never did ask. Anyway, Ulva was the most beautiful person I have met on this trip. Her energy, her aura her jest for life was breathtaking. Such a calm person, I swear the birds just swooned as well.

     

Rimu - Known as the Christmas tree.

The trip to the Island would not have been so amazing had we not gone on her tour. Now, I hate tours, I hate the fact you are almost pushed running onto the next thing, without even seeing the 1st thing you were meant to see. Then having to put up with crowds of people pushing past you to get that photo of the rare bird that just so happened to fly in. Which, is about 200 metres away with their iPhone. Whereas, you have your pro camera with a 600 mm lens that could knock spots off their iPhone picture. Where you have to use a magnifying glass just to see their picture  of this rare bird.  But, with my 600 lens you have to step away and view the huge picture from a distance.   Oh hang on; that does sound like I am boasting, well, I suppose I maybe.

Anyway, I normally hate tours for that very reason. So, I was very pleasantly surprised to have a lovely small crowd of 7 including us and the pace was perfect. You could really take in the island, you could breathe in all the natural wonders it held. Not only that the lovely Ulva kept spotting all these amazing birds. 

The cheeky Robin, waiting for food.

First we had the robin, in fact he is just as cheeky as the English Robin, waiting by your feet for a scrap of food or for you to scrape the ground to expose little insects.

 The Fly agaric. 

There are three different types of fern

There are the mosses, lichen, ferns, fungi and so much more.  

Believe it or not, I have yet to find a Fly agric in the UK, but saw loads in New Zealand.

This was a safe haven for birds to live unthreatened and there have been a few endangered species that have been brought to the island to help their survive.

Such as the Stewart Island Saddleback.  Oh my, what a stunning bird.  

There is a lovely Maui story on how he got his markings.  The bird would accompany the Maui when they snared sun when it emerged from its cave.

The Maui told the bird to go home, otherwise he would get burnt by the sun. 



The Saddleback wouldn't leave the his side , so the Maui picked up the bird with his blistered hands and threw him back to earth. That’s apparently how he got his burnt looking markings. 

I was able to photograph this beautiful bird, who was very accommodating. I hasten to add that there was one guy with an iPhone camera, but one look at my camera lens, he quickly moved on muttering, “well I left my big lens at home, I didn't want to carry it”! well who is the idiot now eh John from Bedford!

Grey Warbler 

I was also lucky to quickly take a photograph the Grey Warbler. Such a flighty bird, that has a trilling type song sound that they sing, but will always cut out the last note. So you re left hanging waiting for it.

Bellbird or Korimako

We saw the Bellbird, another one that almost became extinct and is found mainly in the South Island. 

Oystercatcher or  Torea 

The funniest thing that happened was when we were all on the beach admiring the Oyster Catchers,  when unknown to us one of the Blue Penguins took a stroll from his bed down the beach into the sea.









We only discovered it later when Ulva noticed fresh penguin tracks and then looking up along the sea to see a penguin bobbing along.  

Penguin tracks. 

 I  can imagine him waddling down the beach looking at us and thinking “blooming tourists”.

The icing on the cake was seeing a Fiordland Crested penguin, who was very accommodating and was waiting for us by the ferry. Now thats what I call a tour guide. I will definitely come back to Ulva Island to explore more. 

Coo Mr Shifter - Iam over here 

You are not allowed to stay on the island unless you want to be a volunteer. Now that is something I would consider.