Just Stunning !

Today the pohutukawa trees were in full flower and were just stunning in the coastal Mahurangi Regional Reserve.

 I enjoyed one of my favourite walks to enjoy these stunning views of the Mahurangi estuary.

More to follow....................

Pukorokoro Fly By

A beautiful morning to drop into the Pukorokoro, Robert Findlay wildlife reserve to check out the over 6000 bar-tailed godwit (kuaka) that are resident there at the present time. We have just over 200 as our share of this migratory species in our local estuaries at Shoal and Ngataringa so it's a great opportunity to see this much larger flock at the Pukorokoro reserve.

I have chosen well; the tide is good for approximately a 10.30 am high tide and the reserve is very quiet. Its just a week proceeding Christmas day so very few people are around which is just how I like to experience this wonderful habitat. But first I called into to the nearby Shorebird Centre to check with Keith on the latest news and birds likely to be seen.

Back at the hides it was good to catch up with Hera one of the Kaitiaki Rangers who had set up her scope at the stilt pond hide where most of the 6000 bar-tailed godwit were quietly roosting (resting).

Also, a scattering of some of the birds we see at Shoal estuary -South Island pied oystercatcher and Caspian tern. I was pleased to also see just a small group of wrybill remaining. This wonderful shorebird, one of my favourites with its bent to the right bill. Our local wrybill have left our estuary to migrate to the South Island to breed before returning next year to avoid the South Island winter.

eBird Team Talk

 An excellent workshop talk today by Ian Davies and Tom Auer from the Cornell University. A range of information to showcase how eBird data informs our understanding of species distribution, status and population trends.

I have been adding my local data to the eBird site for some years now to share with the birding community. This also safeguards data for the future. One of the interesting aspects raised in the talk was to include audio recordings when uploading to eBird as these can be used to build identification of species in an associated App called Merlin which is useful for bird identification.

A big thankyou to Ian Mclean (BirdsNZ Auckland Regional Representative) for organizing this event and also to the Auckland Council staff for hosting at the Ambury Regional Park Centre.

Shoal Bay Godwit Welcome Event

 Yesterday morning with perfect sunny weather, we held the 5th Welcome to the Godwit event at Sandy Bay Road Reserve. This is an annual event hosted by the RTH team.

With over a hundred local residents including many children it was a fun active event. It also gave me a chance to share through the scope some sightings and information about our flock of over two hundred bar-tailed godwits including juveniles that have recently arrived from Alaska. They will stay with us until March. Then many will return via China to Alaska to breed.

205 Bar-tailed Godwit - 4th November 2023

Another Marathon

 Today was the Auckland Marathon an annual event with this year 14,000 people taking part. They run from the start in Devonport on a circuitous route with the finish line in Auckland. Yesterday I ventured out at dawn to catch up with the number of Bar-Tailed Godwit that have now arrived in our local estuary.

 When I left in mid-September for Australia only five had arrived but yesterday well over 200 hundred where roosting on a local shell bank at high tide. These included a high percentage of juvenile birds that will have followed the adult birds from Northen Alaska finding their own way to the estuary. Now that is a little more than a Marathon, I think.

Photos to follow.

WA Springtime 2023

 It's great to be back in Western Australia enjoying the amazing biodiversity that this region has to offer.

First stop always has to be Wireless hill in Perth a great place to get your eyes into searching for native orchids. It's also a good area to see birds feeding on the kangaroo paw plant.

Then our planned trip further South to Yallingup. On route we tried to locate the Ambergate Reserve at Busselton, but the GPS led us to a highway that seemed to bisect the road we needed. we decided it was better to press on and find this recommended reserve on the way back.

Yallingup is in the Cape Naturaliste National Park. The house we are staying in is surrounded by bush and an ideal area for native orchids including Cowslip Orchid, Spider and purple enamel orchid. Nearby I found two species of round leaved sundew in flower. One with white flowers the other blue flowers.

Purple Enamel Orchid

Cowslip Orchid

A whale watch boat trip from Dunsborough was excellent with good close sightings of 10 metre humpback whales. The boat keeping to a 100 metre distance to respect the whale's space.

Tail slap of a humpback whale

The next day we were exploring a favorite spot, Castle Rock. We found more orchids along the walk to Meelup beach. This included the tiny little pink fairy orchid. From the shore we could also see humpback whales too. No sign of Fairy Wrens on this visit but certainly many honeyeaters busy through the bush.

On previous visits we have also visited the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse and the walk to the whale watch lookout platform. It's a great walk through interesting sandy bush paths the habitat of snakes some venomous and lizards. We did see honey eaters and a pair of Bronzewing doves. 

Cape Naturaliste lighthouse habitat

Bronzewing Dove

The day was heating up to the mid 30 degrees so decided to head for shade with a return visit to Meelup beach to allow us further views of the whales that we had seen from the beach yesterday but not today. However, it's a great place to spend some time.

Then North to search again for the Ambergate reserve near Busselton. This time we were successful and enjoyed seeing Rattlebeak orchids and a species of larger leafed sundew. The temperature today reached 34degrees so hot work searching. Next stop Rockingham for the night.

 Refreshed in the morning we continued North to Yanchep staying at an Airbnb close to the Yanchep National Park. We spent a couple of days exploring this beautiful location. Within the plant gardens good sightings of two splendid fairy wrens. This is an amazing little bird of exquisite colour.

Splendid male Fairy Wren 

Interesting to see the koalas in the enclosures although these are not native to the region. They rest high up in the gum trees and are more active at night. We also spotted a western grey kangaroo with a joey in its pouch.

Tuesday evenings are the regular meeting time of the Pelican Point conservation area birders who have met each week since the 1970's I believe. Now that we are back in Perth, I tag along to their walk around this wetland to count the bird species and their numbers. We count 21 species with common sandpiper, red-capped plover, oystercatcher and black winged stilts (known as pied stilts in NZ) among them. We also estimate a flock of at least 300 + little black cormorants that at one point are chased through the water by a powerboat. 

As we travel around, I am aware that there are birds everywhere. The local parks and reserves are full of the sounds of birds, and they are constantly flying around. Corellas fly in flocks and around the lakes near Bold Park I watch them roosting in trees. I have also been aware at the number of large dragonflies around the ponds and lakes. At Bibra lake we watched the strangest duck, a Musk duck, propelling itself in the water displaying its tail feathers. It's very unusual.

It was lovely to catch up with Claire who is now working as a Marine biologist. Claire's specialty is seabirds particularly the Australian fairy tern, so this ties up nicely with my interest and volunteer work with the NZ fairy tern over the years. On Saturday we walked out at the sand spit at Point Walter to check the vegetation ahead of the fairy tern arriving to breed from November onwards. 

On Monday morning on a walk between Alfred Cove and Applecross Jetty. We watched at least three fairy tern way out diving for fish. There twittering and flickery flight was sure sign of this species. These early arrivals are no doubt checking out nesting sites.

It's always a must do to revisit Rottnest Island an A class reserve just a half an hour's bout ride from Perth. This car free Island is just great to spend a few days on and explore on foot or by bike. I always have to check out the Osprey nests and on in particular. Perfect timing as the two adults on the nest also had a juvenile with them.

Osprey stack nest with adult birds and one young bird.

  Tuesday so another catchup with the Pelican Point group. It's great to catch up with Sue Mather who was so helpful when I bumped into her at Rous head at the Fairy tern site and she passed on information about the Bird office in Bold Park and put me in touch with Nic Dunlop regarding Fairy Tern. It was also nice to catch up with John & Bev who I hadn't seen since 2019. This evening there are plenty of birds in the wetland. We count a total of 29 species including two buff banded rails.

Pelican Point Wetland Reserve

Explored the wonderful reserves of Lesmurdie and Ellis Brook on the Darling scarp. Ellis Brook was particularly good for wildflowers.

A lucky find in a secondhand bookshop after enjoying a coffee at the Swedish cafe in Fremantle which incidentally serves excellent coffees and food, a clean copy of 'The Flowers of May' by Richard Mabey. I have a collection of Richard Mabey's Natural History books starting with 'Food for Free' which was a great introduction to foraging for wild foods in hedgerows.

It's great to be back on Rottnest Island a wonderful 'A' class reserve a half an hour boat ride away from the Perth mainland at Fremantle. Refreshingly the island is free of cars apart from maintenance vehicles. Cycling is the main means of getting round the island or the bus that runs clockwise every half an hour stopping at the many beautiful white sand beaches. The island has some fascinating wildlife including resident Quokkas. 

Rottnest Island white sand bays

I head for one of my favorite Osprey nest sites and sure enough an osprey pair have a juvenile still on the nest. Nearby I watch a pair of kestrels one with a freshly caught small lizard.

I've walked out to Woodman point a few times when in Perth in the hope of spotting Fairy Tern but no sign. Just a kestrel hovering over the sand dunes.

A Sunday visit to the beautiful Araluen Botanical gardens in the Perth Hills which are simply quite stunning. The gardens are 90 years old. 

Araluen Botanical Gardens

Penguin Island today a small island I am always tempted to revisit whenever in WA. It's about 45 mins from Perth and a short boat ride from the shore. It's a bird island managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. It's a great place to see pelicans and Bridled terns and other interesting species. If you are lucky penguins too. Today I was fortunate to meet Erin a penguin researcher who was busy setting up cameras to check the arrival of the penguins and their nesting sites under a coastal boardwalk.

Penguin Island Conservation Park

A farewell few hours spent at Point Walter. Its 35 degrees today so the cooling Easterly breeze of the Swan River is very welcome.

More photos to follow..................

Springtime

 Its springtime again. The karo trees are full of flower and hum with many bees attracted to them. Many flowers have started to fall into our pond which adds some colour to the rather muddy coloured water after all our recent rainfall.

Spoonbill, sometimes as many as seven have been feeding in the local estuary and also see roosting (resting) on branches at the small pond near the local golf course which has been a much easier place for local people to enjoy them.

Our small share of bar-tailed godwit have started to arrive in our local estuaries following their long nearly twelve thousand kilometre  flight from Alaska after breeding. 

The first two arrived then 5 and now 26.  Numbers should build to over 200. They will stay with us until March 2024 when they will set off again for Alaska via China.

That time of the Year again

Each August I check the dotterel signage and replace, if necessary. It's hung on a taped fence across a vulnerable shell bank.

 

 August to March is the breeding season of some of our local shorebird species including the New Zealand dotterel, variable oystercatcher and pied stilt. Banded rail also breeds at this time. 

 There is clear 'No Dog' signage but that doesn't always deter people bringing their dogs to this sensitive wildlife area. A second line of defence was required and this little taped fence & sign seems to do the trick.

There are always additional things to see when visiting the estuary. This time a rather splendid jellyfish washed up by the high tide. Just checking the identification. It's about 50cm across.  It could be a   Lions Maine (Cyanea rosea). I do hope another high tide will take it back to the ocean.

Rainbows & Rainfall

 We should be used to that by now this year but today we also had sunshine and so it was good to be out and about. 

The Mahurangi Regional reserve was very quiet considering it is a school holiday. This allowed 46 Variable oystercatcher and one South Island pied oyster catcher to roost undisturbed on the beach. Three NZ dotterel each standing on one leg were joined by 8 mallard ducks while out to sea 7 gannets were diving at great speed. from quite a height to catch their food.

Variable Oystercatcher Roosting (resting) on the beach at high tide.

Patuone Planting

And it wasn't raining! which was a real bonus this morning for a small group of volunteers helping to plant the new upgraded walkway through the Patuone Reserve. This was organised by Dan Marrow from Auckland Parks and Tabitha from the Pupuke birdsong project.

Some of the grasses planted will help filter the rainwater from the nearby Barrys point road and business area helping to keep the water clean that flows into Shoal estuary before flowing on to the Hauraki Gulf.

One of the children spotted a skink so that was exciting but by the look of the single cell on its head it appears that this is the invasive rainbow skink that is regarded as a pest because it breeds so fast and risks taking over habits of our native species. I have often seen rainbow skinks in this reserve on sunny summer days when they enjoy basking in the warmth at the edge of pathways.

A small group of volunteers have been helping with predator control in this reserve to protect banded rail and other bird species in the mangroves. We were pleased to hear recently that during regular monitoring by Council their contractors found no signs of rats our target species. 

However, we know that it's only a matter of time before the rats will reinvade, so this has to be an ongoing project.  

HIGHPOINT

 The Highpoint of todays visit to Tawharanui was meeting up with Joel & Nichole who's company Highpoint Conservation Services are now in pursuit of Batwing passionfruit flower.

I first met Joel in 2016 when his company Highpoint was contracted by Auckland Council to set up a pest control line around Shoal and Ngataringa estuaries. This is the bait line that eight years later we are still monitoring and bait pulsing four times a year.

Joel was very helpful to our new group of keen local people at the time who planned to regularly keep these lines going.

Joel & Nichole are experienced rope access operators that means they can take on challenging projects on the Hauraki Islands removing pest plants from cliff top sites.

More to follow.

In Search of Sunshine.

Rain, rain, rain, that's all we have seen for some weeks now. Heading North in search of sunshine. 

And that's exactly what we have found. Sunny days to enjoy Russell again. It's always fun to watch the weka creeping up on unsuspecting tourist at the camp site. I love their calls at night which seem to echo across the valley.

 Good to enjoy a night out in the town with a good meal as we watched the sun go down. I always enjoy a walk around the historic church especially when the sun is shining. 

Russell Church.

Kawakawa is always worth a visit too. This little town is across from Russell using the Opua vehicle ferry is 

famous for the Hundertwasser designed toilets and now has a small gallery in remembrance of this well-known artist.

 On heading South, we would also visit the new Hundertwasser gallery at Whangarei.

Hundertwasser gallery at Whangarei

Then South to Ruakaka to enjoy the estuary. The lighting was spectacular for the sunrise. The sunset even better to watch the birds making the most of the low tide to feed.

NZ Dotterel in breeding plumage

Leigh was our next stop at the little campsite at Leigh Central a short hp then to be at the Goat Island Marine Reserve for a Botanical walk (BoT SoC) on the Leigh walkway.

Auckland Botanical Society overlooking Goat Island

 

Devil's Fingers (Anthurus archer)

Weta

Three Islands

 Thats three islands in one photo. The little island to the right is little egg island, the next is Te Haupa/ Saddle Island and the third is Motuora Island. This is the view from above Otarawao Bay

I have never quite timed the tide correctly to get onto little egg island. I have been out on   Saddle Island with the Auckland Botanical people.  Motuora island I have really enjoyed on many occasions helping with their restoration work although I haven't made it for a while due to clashes with other activities. 

Today however was just a trek over the hill from Otarawao ( Sullivans Bay) to the Te Muri stream. It's a delightful walk and definitely a favorite of mine.

Black - tailed godwit & a whiskered tern

 Good to join the Miranda team yesterday for their AGM followed by some high tide birding. At last a clear view of a lone black-tailed godwit on the mud flats amongst many, pied stilt, with knots and other remaining bar-tailed godwit that have not left to breed in Alaska.

 The whiskered tern was a first for me although it was tricky lining up the scope as it flicked around the stilt ponds which due to a larger than normal amount of water has attracted more ducks & swans than usual including over 20 dabchicks which is very unusual to have so many recorded here. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see them today.

Dotterel Forum 2023

 This was the ninth. Dotterel Forum. This time held at Ambury Regional Reserve. Covid rather put the last on hold. My first was in 2016 when I was invited to speak about our work around Shoal estuary to protect this species. It's always interesting to hear what others are doing to help these birds and protect their habitat. 

Today I learnt about another way to use nest shelters to keep black backed gulls and hawks from raiding the nests and killing chicks and destroying eggs. Our shelters are tall, but Cam at the Crest group had shown a much lower shelter covering a nest that effectively stopped a black backed gull from getting to the eggs from above and it certainly wasn't keen to stoop underneath either. Cams excellent video showed that to good effect.

We use a denser smaller netting that also has the additional benefit of breaking up the nest pattern to foil over flying harriers.

Shaun discusses data collection and habitat information.

Not Long Now

 Our Godwit flock will soon have all left our local estuaries heading first to China and then to Alaska to breed. They have spent our summer although not a very good one resting up and feeding to avoid more severe climate of Alaska This morning just after high tide I counted 54 remaining, and they were rather agitated on a windy and rather cool morning due to the brisk southerly. They joined a flock of over 200 pied stilts resting up on the shell banks.

 

Waiwera & Wenderholm.

The dotterel Minder signage at Waiwera outlines a disastrous season so far due mainly to extreme high tides.

Plenty of birds at the Waiwera high tide roost site at the Northern end of the beach including-

 147 x SIPOS, 

23 x VOC's, 

249 x white fronted terns 

4 x NZ dotterels. 

There was also an additional Variable Oystercatcher (VOC) pair with a juvenile.

Dotterel Success Year Beginning 2023

 I have posted before about the lack of success and unwelcome interference of nests at Mahurangi Regional Reserve. Today we see some good news that a dotterel has survived from egg to chick and has now fledged (able to fly). This is great news and the first for the Reserve in 10 years. 

We have also had similar success at Shoal estuary with one chick fledged. Each year the NZ dotterel struggle with high tides and eggs and chicks being taken by hawks during their summer nesting time..

This is a great beginning to 2023 for local wildlife.