The Marlborough Sounds is a hotspot for marine wildlife. During a trip out on the water a range of different mammal and bird species can be encountered. Here are some snaps of some of the typical sightings to expect:
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Each predator-free island in the Sounds is different and hosts an assemblage of different species. Blumine Island is one of my favourites, especially to see tomtits which are not seen on the nearby Motuara Island. Blumine is also one of the few places where you can encounter very rare orange-fronted parakeets.
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The bird bath on Motuara Island is a great place to sit and wait for birds to arrive to take a dip throughout the day. Several different rare and endangered species of New Zealand birds can be seen here.
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Motuara island is a magical little place in the Queen Charlotte Sound, right at the edge of the Cook Strait. The lookout at the top provides spectacular views of the over the Sounds, and often all the way to the North Island. It's also a life raft for a variety of endangered birds (and other New Zealand wildlife) that have been released onto the island to save them from extinction.
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