Autumn 09 Newsletter
Monarch passengers have enjoyed another summer season of great wildlife viewing with close up viewing of both the Northern Royal Albatross and several other species of albatross both at Taiaroa Head and just offshore a little. We have also again had occasional whale sightings including very special visitors – a pod of 3 Orca’s swimming very close to Monarch.
This season’s 19 chicks now weigh around 5kg and are nearly as big as the parent birds who are flying to and from the colony frequently keeping up their hungry chicks supply of food. The chicks will start stretching and exercising their wings in readiness for their departure in September. It is around this time that the new seasons breeding birds return to re-establish pair bonds and rebuild nests followed by mating, courtship and egg laying. The juvenile also return around this time.
During the next few months there is great viewing of this season fur seal pups that are now weaned and sometimes sightings of not only Blue Penguins but the rare Yellow Eyed Penguin only found on the coastland just north of Dunedin down to the Catlins.
To view a larger copy please click on the thumbnails.
Little Blue Penguin |
baby seal |
Corner Wharf & Fryatt Streets
PO Box 383, Dunedin, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 477 4276 · Fax +64 3 477 4275
Email: monarch@wildlife.co.nz
For TOLL FREE advance reservations,
phone 0800 MONARC (666 272) within New Zealand
