From time to time, as things happen in and around French Pass and our
playground, we will add items that may interest you. Keep coming back
!!!
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Welcome to French Pass in 2012 |
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Friday, 20 January 2012 |
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A regular pod of bottle-nose dolphin visit the village in Elmslie Bay, French Pass. They enjoy playing and covorting in local waters.
Gannets are feeding and carrying their food back to the nest, some on Farewell Spit. These birds are spectacular and its a joy to watch their soaring patterns and dives as they reach over 145km an hour diving into the sea.
NZ fur seals have hauled out on nearby islands and make for an excellent seal swim.
King Shag are still attending one nearby nest with an egg waiting to be hatched. Some nests have suffered in recent bad weather but the birds continue to hold on.
Snapper and kingfish are present with schools of kingfish now being seen up the boalderbank as far south as Nelson.
A 5 minute film has been posted on youtube diving the French Pass passage along with one on Orca and NZ Fur Seals. Follow the link to www.frenchpass.com and visit the links page to view.
Enjoy the holiday period as we get a little slice of summer. Wishing all readers a wonderful year.
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Sunday, 25 September 2011 |
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Daylight saving has started to herald a new season. A large pod of Bottle nose dolphins have been frequenting the area. Spotted shags are once again flying through the Pass heading East to start a new breeding season. A beautiful bird in breeding colors. We have been enjoying some nice sunny days and a star filled sky with a very clear night sky.
Several groups have been here through our winter season on research projects researching our 4 regular dolphin species. A rare white common dolphin has been seen (see the photo on our facebook page) and a rare NZ Falcon was photographed on the beach scavenging from a discarded Kahawai frame. Our weka have small fluffy chicks and Pukeko are spending more time than past years on the beachfront. Bellbirds join the chorus for each new day. Nice to have the weather warming up with temperatures, on fine days, being over 20c.
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Tuesday, 03 May 2011 |
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A change in weather and move into winter has seen a greater arrival of Dusky Dolphins and Spotted Shags. Some of our sea birds including the King shag are moving into nesting. Snapper and kingfish are moving into deeper water and the weather is generally unsettled. Sunsets are stunning with the autumn sharing its deep mauve and purples. Waxeyes are enjoying the last of the berries and the call of weka breaks the evening silence with the lap of the waves on the beach. Bottlenose dolphin are still regularly passing by and skua continue to torment the little white-fronted terns for a free meal.
On the fine days with the warmth on your back, a calm and settled sea, sunrise and sunset, it has to be the closest place to heaven :-)
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Friday, 05 November 2010 |
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Our Dusky dolphins are making their way back to Kaikoura while our Bottlenose dolphins and orca are making more of a presence. Watch from the elevation of the lookouts and enjoy the activity of family pods of dolphins below. Mums and their calves make compelling viewing as they transit the French Pass.
Orca another of our dolphin species have been seen in pods of five and seven. One pod was seen in the inner sounds holding a shark down by the tail before making a meal of it.
Flaxes are about to flower which tells us the season has changed and the snapper are on the bite. Tuis and bellbirds will make the most of the nectar and display their full colours over this month.
Extreams in weather have lavished the photogenic with many stunning seascapes and changes of light.
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Sunday, 03 October 2010 |
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Opening day was highlighted with a group of bottle-nose dolphins visiting the bay, tui and bellbird enjoying the nectar of the cherry blossom under a cloudless blue sky. A great start to the new season. |
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