› Wed, 07 Mar 2018
Almost a year away travelling and now I’m back in the UK. Still got the novelty of being back!
› Wed, 07 Feb 2018
Warm evening sun shines through native temperate rainforest after a day of heavy rain in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.
› Tue, 06 Feb 2018
Here is classic lake sunrise photo I had been hoping to achieve whilst traveling New Zealand. This is Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown. Not long after I took this I noticed that Australasian crested grebe you can see in one of my previous photos.
› Sat, 03 Feb 2018
Threatened southern (Australisian) crested grebe on Lake Wakatipu. I was photographing the sunrise on the lake when I suddenly noticed the unmistakable silhouette of what I thought was a great crested grebe. I was delighted to find out it was in fact a subspecies found in Australasia. These shy birds are a subspecies of the great crested grebe and are native to New Zealand. Unfortunately their numbers have declined dramatically and there are estimated to be less than 300 left in New Zealand. The main reason seems to be due to unsuccessful breeding. These birds nest on the edge of high country lakes. Unfortunately this habitat has changed dramatically since European settlers arrived. Cattle grazing, fishing, tourism and construction of dams are some of the reasons these birds are disturbed, resulting in time off incubation. Eggs are vulnerable to sudden changes in water levels. It is thought power boats disturbing water levels are partly to blame and more frequent extreme weather where heavy rainfall and strong winds can wash away nests. Interestingly, the introduction of willow present on some lakes has inadvertently helped to protect nests. Birds choose edges of the lake where the willow grows rigorously. As the plant grows it’s dense roots and stems create safer nesting areas protected from wind and waves. Grebes are threatened by introduced predatory mammals like ferrets, stoats and feral cats. High water quality is important for grebes to hunt for fish as they rely on sight to locate prey. Fertilisers used on farmland can leach into lakes increasing nutrient levels and decreasing water visibility. It would seem these impressive but timid birds have an uncertain future ahead! Conservation work and education can go a long way. It was great learning more about these birds. A great article by Bill Rea on nzgeo.co.nz helped me.
› Fri, 02 Feb 2018
Quite nice views from this campsite! #nz #vanlife
› Fri, 19 Jan 2018
These are currently my most used items in my first aid kit in the fight against the sand flies! I have been immersing myself in the wildness and beauty of the south island. The Haast and Fiordland National Parks have definitely captured my imagination with the endless native bush and remote mountains. Looking into the distance I can’t help but think there must be species out there presumed extinct like the mysterious Kókako or even new species. Anyway, I’m hoping to spend more time exploring and creating more photography and film in these awesome places.
› Mon, 18 Dec 2017
Lake Biwa selfie – a couple of happy bike tourers! We had ridden through the major cities and on our way to the mountains ⛩️🚲🚲🌅⛰️🏕️⛰️
› Mon, 11 Dec 2017
› Sun, 10 Dec 2017
Ranunculus lyallii or Mount Cook Buttercup is the largest of all buttercups and can be found on the South Island and Stewart Island of New Zealand in alpine environments between 700-1500m. Unfortunately these flowers are a bit scrappy but it was nice to show the species in its environment and with Mount Cook in the background.
› Thu, 07 Dec 2017
