The wellbeing of this oddball of the duck world, with pouty, designer lips and webbed feet that fold like an umbrella, is an indicator of how the rest of its environment is doing.
Of all the reasons to visit New Zealand – dramatic landscapes, rich Maori culture, road trips to Middle Earth – seeing a New Zealand native blue duck in the wild was never on my wish list.
“By looking after the blue ducks, you’re also looking after the waterways, kiwi, native bats and every other bird,” he says. “Their Maori name is whio for the distinctive whistle of the male,” says Steele, leading us along a section of the Retaruke River. As we walk, the forest wraps around me like a velvet cloak, silver ferns glint with dappled light, moss blankets fallen tree trunks, leaf litter adorns the sludgy soil. Then we hear it –Within minutes a low-flying male comes hurtling along the river, banking and weaving like a military jet on patrol, its slate-blue plumage leaving a smoke trail in its wake.
To experience as much as possible I’m staying for two nights in a Frontier Lodge, a rustic chic cabin comprising three private ensuite rooms with shared kitchen and living room. Guests can also choose the Warrior Lodge, Whio Lodge, River House or Bush Cabins.Casual meals are available in the Blue Duck Station Cafe, but the Chef’s Table restaurant – built on the top of the highest peak on the property and only accessible by ATV or horseback – offers a fine-dining experience beyond compare.
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