The Hump Ridge Track was officially opened as Aotearoa New Zealand’s eleventh Great Walk in late October 2024. Te Papa natural history curator Dr Colin Miskelly walked the track a few weeks later and compared its birdaciousness with the ten other Great Walks. The newest Great Walk The Hump RidgeRead more
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly walked the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail – counting every bird seen or heard along the way. In this twentieth blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking the final section, through the Takitimu, Woodlaw, and Longwood Ranges to Colac Bay, then east along the coast to Invercargill, and south to the trail end at Stirling Point, Bluff.Read more
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly is walking the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail – counting every bird seen or heard along the way. In this nineteenth blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking through Motatapu Station to Arrowtown then Queenstown, then up the Greenstone Track and past the Mavora Lakes to State Highway 49.Read more
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly is walking the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail – counting every bird seen or heard along the way. In this eighteenth blog in the series, Colin describes the birds (and lizards) encountered while exiting the McKenzie Basin and walking over remote mountain passes to reach Lake Hāwea and Wānaka. He also expresses his dismay at the outcome of the Bird of the Century competition.Read more
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly is walking the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail – counting every bird seen or heard along the way. In this seventeenth blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking through the treeless landscapes of South Canterbury, from the south bank of the Rakaia River to the former construction town of Twizel in the heart of the McKenzie Basin.Read more
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly is walking the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail – counting every bird seen or heard along the way. In this sixteenth blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking through Lake Sumner Forest Park, Arthur’s Pass National Park, Craigieburn Forest Park, and down the Harper River to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River.Read more
In this 15th blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking from Nelson province into North Canterbury via Nelson Lakes National Park and the Waiau Pass through to Boyle Village (on State Highway 7 south of Lewis Pass).Read more
In this 14th blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while walking the length of the Richmond Ranges, which separate the Nelson and Marlborough provinces.Read more
In this thirteenth blog in the series, Colin describes birds encountered while crossing Cook Strait | Raukawa Moana and then walking through the Marlborough Sounds to Havelock.Read more
In this 12th blog in the series, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly describes birds encountered while walking from Palmerston North to Wellington via the Tararua Range.Read more
Natural History curator Colin Miskelly describes birds encountered on the short, largely agricultural section of Te Araroa Trail between Whanganui and Palmerston North.Read more
On the ninth leg of Te Araroa Trail, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly describes birds encountered between the township of National Park and Whanganui city.Read more
Natural History curator Colin Miskelly is six weeks into bird-counting the Te Araroa Trail. In this blog we join him on the trail from Taumarunui to the township of National Park.Read more
