VENTflash #121 May 04, 2011
Posted by Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 64 years ago at the age of eight. His travels have taken him to all the continents, with his areas of concentration being Texas, Ari...Dear Friends,
Last spring a pair of Great Horned Owls nested in a cottonwood tree in the park across from my house here in Austin. Unfortunately, a heavy storm blew the nest out of the tree before the young had fledged. I am delighted to report that the owls have built another nest in my neighborhood this spring. This one is much more securely sited near the top of a live oak tree. By the time I learned of this nest, located a few blocks from the site of last year's attempt, it already contained three large, fluffy gray owlets and an adult bird. I have been so captivated by the owl family that I have already gone to see the birds seven times! I have told many people about the nest and word has spread among the community. On most evenings, there are a number of people at the site, including children, monitoring the owls with scopes and binoculars. During the day the young owls are harder to see, as they tend to hunker down in the nest, but by late afternoon they are standing up and highly visible. At times the owlets flap their short wings, preparing for the day when they will fledge. Urban bird experiences such as this one are a great treat and can serve to introduce non-birders to the joys of birding.
In this issue:
SPECIAL OFFER ON CRUISE TO NEW ZEALAND'S SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS
CLOSING THOUGHTS
SPECIAL OFFER ON CRUISE TO NEW ZEALAND'S SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS
This fall, VENT and Orion Expedition Cruises present a rare opportunity for birders, nature enthusiasts, and interested travelers to join a natural history voyage to the Southern Ocean and New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands, October 22-November 7, 2011, with Victor Emanuel and Barry Lyon. An early registration discount of $1,000 per person is available to anyone who registers for this cruise by May 15. Cabin prices begin at $9,735 in double occupancy from Auckland; register by May 15 and pay $8,735.
 |
Royal Albatross, Campbell Island, New Zealand— Photo: Ingrid Visser/Hedgehog House/Minden Pictures |
On this adventure, we will visit almost all of New Zealand's extraordinary subantarctic island-groups, including the Chatham Islands, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Islands, and Macquarie Island—places of special beauty and incredible wildlife.
In December 2009 I co-led a similar departure to this region and felt it was among the most amazing trips I had ever taken. The waters of the Southern Ocean are the world's richest for seabirds, and the variety and numbers of penguins, albatrosses, and other seabirds we encountered was something I will never forget. I have been to Antarctica many times and have long felt that no other destination could be any richer, but I came away from this trip feeling that the birding and other natural history of the "Subantarctics" was on a par with the wildlife experiences I had enjoyed on the White Continent. While seabirding is a preeminent feature of this trip, these remote islands also host a range of endemic landbirds, marine mammals, and unique plant communities.
Sometimes called the Galapagos of the Antarctic, New Zealand's subantarctic islands are a naturalist's treasure trove. In cruising a large swath of the Southern Ocean between Auckland, New Zealand, and Hobart, Tasmania, we'll island-hop our way from one wildlife spectacle to the next. This region is the epicenter of penguin and albatross evolution, and each island we'll visit holds colonies of both. We'll spend a day in the Chatham Islands, with their comparatively temperate climate and diversity of endemic landbirds, shorebirds, and nesting seabirds; the Bounty Islands—bald monoliths of polished granite inhabited by vast colonies of Erect-crested Penguins, Salvin's Albatrosses, and New Zealand fur seals; the Antipodes Islands, characterized by soaring cliffs of columnar basalt, lavishly vegetated hillsides, plunging waterfalls, and nesting albatrosses; Campbell Island—renowned for its nesting Royal Albatrosses and giant megaherbs; Enderby Island—featuring Yellow-eyed Penguins, rata forests, endemic landbirds and waterbirds, and a colony of immense New Zealand sea lions; and, finally, Macquarie Island, most southerly of all, and home to enormous colonies of King and Royal penguins.
 |
Erect-crested Penguin— Photo: Barry Lyon |
Among the many anticipated highlights are up to seven species of penguins, including King, Gentoo, "Eastern" Rockhopper, Erect-crested, Royal, Yellow-eyed, and Little penguins; a variety of native landbirds, some of which rank among the rarest birds in the world; four species of seals and sea lions; six endemic cormorants; a brilliant botanical diversity featuring the famed megaherbs; and magnificent wilderness seascapes.
The pelagic birding in these southern waters is the best in the world. While at sea we could record an incredible 15 species and subspecies of albatrosses, including the huge Wandering and Royal albatrosses, as well as dozens of "tubenoses" including giant-petrels, petrels, prions, and storm-petrels. However, no trip to this region should be considered a birding trip exclusively. Awaiting the visitor is a wealth of additional marine life such as hourglass dolphin, orca, long-finned pilot whale, sperm whale, subantarctic fur seal, and more.
We'll travel aboard the 106-passenger M/V Orion, one of the finest small-size expedition vessels in existence. Once aboard, we will cruise in total comfort, enjoying immaculate accommodations and excellent cuisine.
Joining me on this departure will be VENT leader Barry Lyon, who was also a leader on the 2009 expedition.
 |
MV Orion— Photo: Orion Expedition Cruises |
It is seldom that excellent quality cruise ships are available for this route. We do not expect to be able to offer this cruise again in the near future. I hope you will be able to take advantage of this terrific opportunity.
New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands, October 22-November 7, 2011 with Victor Emanuel and Barry Lyon; cabins begin at $9,735 in double occupancy from Auckland, New Zealand. Register by May 15 and receive a $1,000 discount.
This expedition may be combined with an optional pre-trip to New Zealand's North Island, where highlights include wonderful scenery; seeking endemic landbirds at Tiritiri Matangi preserve and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tongariro National Park; viewing endemic shorebird species at a wetland of international importance; and a pelagic trip in the rich Hauraki Gulf.
New Zealand, North Island Pre-trip, October 17-24, 2011, with Victor Emanuel, Chris Gaskin, and Barry Lyon; $2,365 in double occupancy from Auckland.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
A series of cold fronts passed through central Texas in the last week, bringing wind, a little rain, and several days of cooler temperatures. Aside from the welcome change in weather, the fronts halted the northbound journeys of migrant landbirds for days, which meant that a profusion of flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, orioles, and more have been seen from Austin to the coast.
Because I love warblers so much, I eagerly anticipate weather events such as these. This morning I took a walk in the park across from my house in hopes of seeing some warblers. I felt fortunate to find five species of warblers in a short amount of time including Chestnut-sided and Magnolia warblers and Yellow-breasted Chat. This is an example of why I love the spring season. It is a dynamic time when the pulse of migrating birds and the fresh growth of plants and trees exemplify nature's vigor, yet a fleeting one that demands we be outside if we wish to experience her greatest treasures.
Best wishes,
Victor Emanuel