• Big Rambling Ride
    Look out Amanda.....
    Views of the Otago PeninsulaOur speed would not trouble any ducks1I see no Lions. I mean Sea LionsAn Albatross chick sits patiently1One of the birds I have always wanted to see and I feel privileged to have done so1Me holding a full sized chick prop weighing 10kgs. One heavy baby!1The world’s largest seabird with wingspans reaching 3.5metres2😞2Pictures of the rangers in the centre give you a sense of the size of them! Huge!How to weigh an Albatross 1011Albatross pair up for life, living up to 60 years old and return to the area every 2 yearsTo stay hydrated they have a special gland in their head to desalinate sea water & salt excretedSpend 85% of their time out at sea.22 albatross species, 19 in the southern hemisphere (2 in the north are based near Hawaii).Well adapted to life at sea, they have a tendon along their back that locks their wings in placeOn the lookout for penguins on the beach belowPenguin peek-a-boo1Fur Seals, up close

    Albatross!!!

    May 28, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Seeing an albatross was one of the main reasons I (Amanda) wanted to visit New Zealand. The Royal Albatross Centre is the only mainland place in the world where you can easily see them. I just love this amazing poetic bird. A sleek, totally efficient, dodo-like dynamic creature soaring effortlessly above the water. And the chicks are huge, fluffy, white lumps of cuteness. What’s not to love?

    We cycled the 10 miles to The Royal Albatross Centre right at the tip of Taiaroa Head* taking in beautiful views across the peninsula, surrounded by sea and green (*the centre is at the top of a hill climb).

    Tabatha, our guide took us up to the viewing room where we saw about 8 x four month old chicks. So big! So fluffy! The rangers weigh them regularly to check their health - these ones ranged between 7-10kg.

    We had a Triple Combo ticket so went from the Albatross Centre to Monarch Wildlife Cruises. Water in the bay was calm and so clear. Saw the chicks up on the headland, and some adults up close - Royal North, White Capped and Bullers (yellow beak). They gave us a fly by and then landed and stared at us humans in the boat. We also saw some Dusky dolphins very briefly under the boat.

    Quick cycle (uphill, of course) to the OPERA centre for 3.45pm (Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance). Adrian our guide took us up in a minibus over to the reserve where there are very rare Yellow Eyed Penguins, Little Blue Penguins and Fur Seals. There is only a small population of 1500 Yellow Eyed’s left in the world, with 500 based in this area (who are likely to go extinct in the next 10-20 years). We saw one far away on the beach below, and another two in the rehabilitation area.

    Cycling back in the dark (via Portobello village - also by the sea at home in Edinburgh) and up the big hill to our base at Putehiki , I was filled with such a contented calm feeling. What an amazing day: we were incredibly fortunate to see these beautiful and rare birds and mammals.

    Lilz got to tick one of his bucket list birds off! One he has wanted to see but thought he never would, outside of a David Attenborough doc.

    “At length did cross an Albatross,
    Thorough the fog it came;
    As if it had been a Christian soul,
    We hailed it in God's name.”

    (From the Rime of The Ancient Mariner)    Read more