Miranda & the Coromandel Peninsula

Visited the world famous Miranda Shorebird Center in the Firth of Thames on 28th October.

Around 3,000 Bar-tailed Godwits here.

A flock of around 300 Variable Oystercatcher.

A colony of Black billed Gulls.

Royal Spoonbill

Pacific Golden Plover

Best birds were: 29 Royal Spoonbill; 3 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper; 4 Red-necked Stint; 3,000+ Bar-tailed Godwit; 300 Variable Oystercatcher; 19 Pacific Golden Plover; 8 Banded Dotterel & 75 Wrybill.

Our boat for the trip.

Carli & me! One of us is dressed inappropriately
 & I do believe it may be me!

White faced Heron

Buller's Shearwaters (mainly)

Buller's Shearwater

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Fluttering Shearwater

Common Diving Petrel

Short beaked (Southern) Dolphin

The next day we drove to Whitianga, where we boarded a boat, specifically to target the rare & endemic Pycroft;s Petrel. Despite good conditions, we failed to see it, but did enjoy great sea birding in very scenic surroundings.

Best birds were: 2 White capped Albatross; 2 Northern Giant Petrel; Grey faced Petrel; Cook's Petrel; 2 Fairy Prion; 4,000 Buller's Shearwater; 1,800 Fluttering Shearwater; 4 White-faced Storm Petrel & 500 Common Diving Petrel;