Exploring the Ruakaka estuary today. At the edge of the estuary where the sea primrose is prevalent, I watched four banded rails pecking their way along a small inlet. These birds are usually very secretive and not easy to observe but here they seem almost quite confiding. Maybe with the large community campsite nearby they have become used to people. Many variable oyster catchers rounding up and protecting their new seasons offspring while they teach them how to search for food at the water's edge
 |
| Banded Rail foraging |
 |
| Banded rail foraging in Sea Primrose (Samolus repens) |
 |
| Variable oystercatcher with young |
Then onto Whananaki estuary. It's always a must do to climb over the hill of Motutara Reserve to get to the little secluded beach below for a swim after also climbing down from the Trig point above at 63 metres.
 |
| Motutara Reserve Trig point 63 metres high |
Interesting number of pied shags roosting on the beach at the water's edge. Normally they are high in the trees on a rocky outcrop. Note the shag in the centre is offering some nesting material as part of courtship behavior.
 |
| 19 Pied shags roosting at high tide. |
Many of the other birds observed are European varieties which fits with the landscape of a working farm. Sparrows, yellow hammers thrushes and blackbirds.
Photos and more to follow.
