I have been invited back on the MV Orion in December 2009 as a guest lecturer for the trip down to the South Island of NZ, to Macquarie Island, to Stewart Island and to other World Heritage areas in the Southern Ocean. Best of all I can offer anyone who wants to join me a huge 20% discount off the full fares.

I will be conducting photographic tuition lectures in the fully equipped on-board lecture theatre as well as assisting anyone who is interested on the best ways to photograph the phenomenal bird life in these wild regions.

Protected by the Southern Ocean, secluded and seldom visited, the Australian and New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands, recognised by UNESCO as one of the worlds’ precious regions of unique biodiversity, will be visited by Orion in December 2009 and 2010. These remote Nature Reserves enjoy World Heritage status, recognised for their volcanic and glacial geological formations and extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna - much of which is endangered or recovering since being discovered and later plundered in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s by sealers and whalers.

Home to over half of the world’s seabirds, some of which exist nowhere else, this wildlife paradise contains 40% of the world’s albatross species and 50% of the world’s penguin species including the endangered yellow-eyed penguin, plus hundreds of thousands of other endemic birds - petrels, prions and cormorants.

At Snares Island there is every expectation that guests will see Sooty Shearwaters, the endemic Snares Crested Penguins, Snares Fernbird and Tomtits. On Enderby Island expect to see pipits, parakeets and plovers, Hooker’s Sea Lions, and perhaps even the Auckland Island Flightless Teal and Sub-Antarctic Snipe. Campbell Island, home to the Southern Royal Albatrosses, has the highest diversity of breeding albatrosses of any island in the world.

And then there are plant species that have to be seen to be believed, including 5 meter high tree daisies on Snares, giants compared to their relatives in more temperate climates. With convenient embarkation in Bluff (Invercargill, NZ) or Hobart, Orion will head south to visit (depending on voyage) Macquarie, Campbell, Stewart, Snares and Auckland Islands as well as spending time exploring New Zealand’s beautiful Fjordlands (including Milford and Doubtful Sounds).

These three expeditions to the Sub-Antarctic islands are designed for nature lovers and photographers alike. The remnants of the old whaling station on Macquarie Island, the high cliffs and numerous caves and arches formed by marine erosion on Campbell Island and the enormous sea stacks on the southern peninsulas of Snares present dramatic contrast to the prolific bird life, penguins, seals, sea lions and flora in this remote sanctuary.

I will be along as resident photographer, but there will also be two other guest lecturers of extra special note :

Glenn Ehmke

Glenn spends much of his professional career as a threatened species ecologist with Birds Australia navigating the shores and coastal wetlands of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales, running community-based conservation programs and researching coastal birds.

The breeding life of birds is a key interest of Glenn’s, and he has published a number of articles on the breeding ecology of Australian shorebirds as well as coordinating the Birds Australia’s nest record scheme, which has collected vital information on the breeding biology of birds from around Australia for over 40 years. Glenn also runs the mainland recovery program for one of Australia’s rarest birds, the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.

Glenn is a passionate wildlife and landscape photographer and has recently been shortlisted for the ANZANG (Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea) nature photography competition - one of the region’s premier nature photography contests.

Dr John Sparks

John Sparks developed a life-long interest in birds tramping the coasts of East Anglia. Born in olchester, Essex, he graduated in Zoology and Marine Biology at London University, then obtained a Ph.D. in bird behaviour under Desmond Morris. Afterwards, he became a Research Fellow at the Zoological Society of London where he extended his studies into Primates.

In 1965, he joined the BBC’s illustrious Natural History Unit in Bristol as a Radio Producer, but then moved into television, eventually being one of the Producers of Sir David Attenborough’s bench mark series Life on Earth.

He was responsible for directing one of television’s most memorable episodes of David’s encounter with mountain gorillas. Between 1983 and 1988, John was appointed the Unit’s Head of Department, responsible for managing and inspiring over 100 creative staff, formulating its editorial policy, and raising co-production funds from other broadcasters.

The full details of the cruise can be found here:

Orion Expeditions Sub Antarctic and New Zealand Cruise, December 1 2009

When you book you need to quote the code ” Better Publishing ” to get the 20% discount - it’s a huge saving so book soon!

Tags: Add new tag, New Zealand, Orion, Sub Antarctic, Wildlife, Workshops

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