This in from Sav who is having a great time with his group.
Pureora in the rain, but lovely views of several key species : yellow-crowned parakeet, both cuckoos, tomtit and lots of kakas. Then to blue ducks in the drizzle. Brilliant bitterns and fernbird before breakfast next day and more blue ducks, 4 birds at 3 locations. And more fernbirds and our first riflemen. Next day to HB via some great forest where 2 kokako were a bonus. Plumed Whistling Duck, banded dot and black-fronted dot near Napier and awesome NZ pipits at our feet in Havelock North. Day 9 and Foxton Beach produced Common Tern and curlew sand as well as a NZ dot. Today mostly just the ferry with 4 species of albatross and a grey-faced Petrel the highlights. Stepped onto South Island with a trip list of 122.