Turangi Area

A pair of New Zealand Scaup.

Quite a long drive this morning from Whitianga to Turangi. our first stop was a small wetland by the roadside which produced amazing views of New Zealand Scaup.

Pureora Forest Park: a large tract of indigenous forest

 amid farmland.

Guardian of the forest.

We stopped at a couple of places in the Pureora Forest Park, amid towering indigenous trees. We did a couple of short walks & it was great to be in the dark, wet lichen covered forest.

New Zealand Kaka

Yellow crowned Parakeet

New Zealand Pigeon

One of the best pigeons around.

Long - tailed Cuckoo

North Island Robin

New Zealand Fantail

Whitehead

Best birds were: New Zealand Pigeon; New Zealand Kaka; Yellow-crowned Parakeet; Long-tailed Cuckoo; Grey Warbler; New Zealand Bellbird; Tui; Whitehead; New Zealand Fantail; New Zealand Tomtit & Silvereye.

The river at Turangi.

The fantastic Blue Duck

We then carried on to Turangi & birded the beautiful river there, right in the town. Almost immediately we found a pair of Blue Duck feeding in the fast flowing river. We all enjoyed prolonged & reasonable close views of this enigmatic species. 

Dusk looking over the lake.

Plenty of thermal activity is in this area.

The habitat for the Bittern: three were booming!

We then visited a wetland area looking for Australasian Bittern. Heard at least three birds booming but no sightings. Had a great Chinese meal in a local restaurant.

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;