Trounson Kiwi and Kauris (B5)

Trounson park, home to giant old-growth Kauris, as well as a population of wild kiwi birds you can attempt to see on a nighttime walk.

GPS: -35.719884 173.649168

My very first trip to Trounson Park, I can remember being SO excited to walk the loop path at night to try to spot an elusive Kiwi bird. I had only been in New Zealand for 3 weeks at that point…and I was thrilled by how much there was to discover every single day! Some traveling Brits had told me about Trounson when I was camped at Muriwai Beach.

So, camped at the DoC Trounson campground I tried to be patient until about 11pm. Then, in the camp I heard my first kiwi-call ever….eeeeet-eeeet-eeet-eeet-eeet. Wow, a long series of screeches! Needless to say, that got me going. So, headlamp dimmed I began the loop, wondering why everyone else seemed to be asleep already. Weren’t they here to try to spot a kiwi like myself? Anyhow, off I went, ears perked for the leaf-rustling I was told to listen for. I got about 5-7 minutes into the loop when I stopped abruptly because a kiwi was standing in the middle of the track in front of me. My god! The Kiwi was as big as a chicken and he was just unabashedly looking up at me, seemingly fearless of me. I said, “hello Mr. Kiwi…I like your long white beak.” He just looked up at me while I looked down on him. I thought to myself, “hmmm, this kiwi-spotting isn’t so difficult afterall.” The kiwi didn’t move from the track, so I simply sat down about 2 meters from him and began a conversation. Sure enough, he quickly bored of my American blathering and he wandered off the track a bit to show me how he scratches around in the duff looking for some Kiwi goodies. As he wandered out of easy sight, I got up to go find some more…I was hooked. But, no more came within sight that night, but I did hear plenty more of their eerie callings. What a fabulous experience. My guidebooks began incubating in my mind. I would have totally missed this place if it weren’t for those Brits who had mentioned it to me.

Since that first visit, I ‘ve never been that lucky again, though I was seen other kiwis, but mostly off in the bush a bit and hard to see. Never have I had another conversation with a kiwi bird. Now, 7 years later, as I write this…I’ve never actually met anyone who has had as intimate encounter as mine. Sometimes I think Mother Nature guides my NZ tours, showing me her finest so I can attempt to spread her good words.

Best of luck on your Trounson tour. Let me know how it turns out! cheers, scott