Bayswater school Enviro Group - High Tide bird watch.

As a follow up to my talk to Bayswater school Enviro students on the 8th May today's visit was planned to actually see the birds of Ngataringa estuary at High tide. So with two scopes at the ready and a few blocks of wood kindly prepared by Graham to allow students the correct height  to access a good view through the scopes we were set to go at 1pm, using the great viewing deck at Graham and Ngaire's house.

SIPOS & VOCs and pied stilt behind

 

 73 Wrybill and one spur-winged plover

 

Great enthusiasm as the students excitedly looked at the birds while some students kept note in a special bird book they had created to add their bird observations in. This booklet had a super cover designed by the students.

High Tide 1.06pm  3.2Metres.

Birds Recorded
Wrybill  x 73
Pied Stilt x 64                  (described by a student as having ‘flamingo like’ long pink legs)
SIPOS   x  60                   (South Island Pied Oystercatchers)
VOCS    x 15                    (Variable Oystercatcher)
NZ dotterel x  7                (four in early breeding plumage)
SBBG  x 2                        (Southern Black-Backed Gulls)
White- faced heron x1      (hidden at the back)
Caspian Tern x 2         
Kingfisher x 4                  (Spotted by the students on the wooden posts and cabbage tree)
Spur-winged plover x 3    (noted by one students as having a yellow beak and a grey back)
Pukeko  x 1                      (Spotted by one of the students)
Starlings x                        (a few flying around)
Sparrows x                       (a few flying around)