Adele Island

I’ve always wanted to visit Adele Island, I’ve photographed it from the Abel Tasman track and been past it in a boat so many times I’ve lost count. On a recent Nelson Botanical Society trip I got my chance to explore the island. Top of my list to see was the large leaved milk tree followed by New Zealand’s smallest mistletoe and if I was really lucky a saddleback.

Within 10 minutes of stepping onto the island I could hear a saddleback in the trees, and once we made the ridge the tiny mistletoe was on almost every kanuka. The largest of the 3 things I wanted to see also proved to be the most elusive, it wasn’t until we had reached the halfway point that a small large leaved milk tree seedling was found. Finally making our way into Stream Cove we found a saddleback feeding in the trees and I managed one quick shot before it was gone off into the canopy.

Heading back from Stream Cove proved to be fun, we ended up following a rather rough trap line through some big granite boulders and swampy bits. I’m already planning my return trip!