Te Manaroa Spring eco trail

 We are recently back from exploring the Waikite Valley area. The Te Manaroa spring eco trail although short is just a fascinating place.

Words can't really describe this magnificent spring as it violently discharges thousands of litres of geothermal energy into the Otamakokore stream.

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

'Pushing up the Daises' - A visit to Waikumete cemetery

 Yesterday was a Bot Soc (Botanical Society) meeting surveying the Waikumete cemetery.

This is an amazing piece of land put aside by Auckland forefathers as a burial area. During October and November, it's rich with a variety of interesting flowering wild plants.

Invasive Aristonia ecklonii

Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Coastline

 Excellent talk this morning at the Shorebird centre followed by great birding opportunities before high tide at around 3pm.  It's always good to be back on this beautiful coastline.

Between four to five thousand estimated bar-tailed godwits have arrived. Unlike our local estuaries of Shoal and Ngataringa  red knots also migrate to the Pukorokoro coastline. We think that the lack of bivalves locally is probably the issue for these birds as Food, Food, Food is the motivator for where these birds visit.

Busy with birders at the poaka/stilt hide

A leucistic godwit in the centre.

A red knot feeding near the godwit flock. 

Red knots feeding in front of godwit flock

Photos and more to follow......