Travers - Sabine Walk

Day 1 - Lake Rotoiti to John Tait Hut via the Travers River

All images © David Noble. No image can be used for any purpose without permission.

Above - Looking up the Travers Valley from Lake Rotoiti ("roto" - water, "iti" - small)

Above - small creek near Lake Rotioti

Above - Albert walking

Above - lichen coloured rocks

Above - Beech forest. Note the black bark - caused by a sooty mould that develops on the trees. Its growth is promoted by "honeydew"

Above - Matagouri on the river flats

Above - Beech

Above - a small robin - on the walk, lots of small birds - robins and riffleman come close and appear unafraid. I think they are looking for food - small grubs on the forest floor that you may disturb when you walk.

Above - Albert crossing a side creek

Above - an easy track

Above - another side stream

Above - river flats

Above - the Travers River

Above - Albert on a swing bridge over the Travers River (we didn't have to cross the bridge)

Above - Totara - a native podocarp

Above - juvenile Lancewood. The adult form is quite differnt in appearance (see later)

Above - Albert on a river flat

Above - the Travers River

Above - Wasps on the Beech trees. These European wasps have become a major problem in recent years. They like to feed on the honeydew (which are small droplets on the white filaments). During summer the wasp populations increase to enormous levels. Many native animals also rely on honeydew for food.

Above - the Travers River

Above - wild flowers

Above - the Travers River and Mt Travers

Above - the Travers River

Above - more lichen encrusted rocks

Above - the Travers River

Above - moss

Above - the Travers River

Above - beech

Above - the Travers River

Above - a drop of honeydew. This is made (as waste) by scale insects that embed themselves in the bark of the beech trees and then feed on the sap. The tube protrudes from the insect's body and excretes the honeydew. It rovides and important food source to native organisms but has unfortunately been exploited by the European wasps.