Muriwai - before the Gannets leave.

Over to the West coast of Auckland today to the Muriwai gannet colony..

Photos and more to follow.................................

Pukorokoro/Miranda catchups

 It's always good to catch up with people at the Robert Findlay Reserve and at the Pukorokoro/Miranda Shorebird Centre on the Thames estuary.

 Today was extra special as I was able to meet up with my friend Claire from Perth WA and share with her the Pukorokoro shorebird environment. Claire is a Marine Ecologist whose specialty is the Australian Fairy Tern. Her work now includes assisting the NZ Scientific Advisory group for research into the Tara Iti, the New Zealand Fairy Tern.

 Claire was enjoying seeing large numbers of shorebirds including South Island pied oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwit. Pacific Golden plovers and our New Zealand endemic the Wrybill a small, unusual bird with a bent to the right beak.

Today recent arrivals to NZ from the UK Shona and James were also visiting the Shorebird Centre and by chance Shona and Claire are linked to conservation projects in Australia. I wish them good luck for their future time in NZ and hope to catch up with them in Auckland some time.

It was good to chat to Natalie at the hides about Conservation. Natalie works on genome sequencing at Mannaki Whenua Landcare Research. 

The weather was great the birds were great and the company excellent. Altogether a very enjoyable day.